Abhinavagupta : The Kula Ritual : As Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantraloka

Contents: Acknowledgements. Preface. How to read this monograph. I. Prolegomena to the Tantraloka and to Jayaratha's investigation: 1. Abhinavagupta. 2. The history of the Tantric tradition. 3. The Tantraloka. 4. Jayaratha. 5. Parameters of the Tantraloka: i. The absolute. ii. The emanation of the absolute. iii. Reabsorption of the absolute. 6. Tantraloka 29. II. The translation of the Tantraloka 29 and Jayaratha's investigation: General topic: the secret ceremony. Sub-topic 1: the category 'qualified'. i. The rituals for the initiated. ii. The rituals of initiation. Rites to conclude the initiation. Appendices. Bibliography.

"Abhinavagupta, a leading figure in Kashmir Saivism, is increasingly being recognised as one of the chief contributors to the evolution of Indian thought. In his encyclopaedic work, the Tantraloka, 'Light on the Tantras', he describes the various tantras of his day and places at their apex the most extreme of them, the Kula ritual, which proposes the use of wine and meat and intercourse with women of the lowest castes.

Is Abhinavagupta's esteem of the Kula ritual just the shadow side of genius, an aberration best forgotten? This work is a translation--the first into English of any chapter of the Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta's version of the Kula ritual. It also provides a translation--the first into any language--of Jayaratha's indispensable commentary. It shows the structure of the text, which is not a confused mass of codes and activities but is articulated as finely as an Indian temple. The translation is accompanied by a commentary, the appendices, including glossary and index of words.

The Kula ritual leads the practitioner to ever more exalted stages of the mantra finally to reach the highest level of consciousness, the experience of mantravyapti, the 'pervasion of the mantra'. The person who knows this pervasion knows that he is Bhairava. The supreme mantra of consciousness is none other than the mantra SAUH, the supreme Goddess Para, which expresses both the supreme reality. In this way Abhinavagupta breaks down the dualism between sacred and profane, ritual and ordinary life so that the Kula practitioner is liberated while alive, his every act is worship and his every word is mantra." (jacket)