Description
Book SynopsisDrawing on primary documents, this work describes the historical origins of the Tantric movement in early medieval India. It shows how changes in medieval Indian society led to the rise of the esoteric tradition in India that became the model for Buddhist cultures in China, Tibet and Japan.
Trade ReviewA truly pioneering and wide-ranging work-one much to be commended to students of all of the diverse phenomena that Davidson brings within its purview. -- Dan Arnold Journal of Religion This groundbreaking volume will find a primary place on the bookshelf of every serious scholar... This exceptional work deserves a wide audience -- Frederick M. Smith Religous Studies Newsletter This work is unmistakably a rich contribution to research in this area. -- Christian K. Wedemeyer History of Religions
Table of Contents1. Introduction: A Plethora of Promises 2. Early Medieval India 3. The Medieval Buddhist Experience 4. The Victory of Esoterism and the Imperial Metaphor 5. Siddhas and the Religious Landscape 6. Siddhas, Literature, and Language 7. Siddhas, Monks, and Communities 8. Conclusion: The Esoteric Conundrum Appendix: Probable Pasupata Sites
