Guest guest Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Maybe tantra is better described as transmission rather than technique? Max -- Max Dashu Art in Goddess Reverence http://www.maxdashu.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Yes. In one way tantra might mean transmission as the end is srividhya is dhyana on the union of jivatma with paramatma, which means interaction for integration without intercourse. S.S Max Dashu <maxdashu (AT) lmi (DOT) net> Thursday, November 23, 2006 2:03:49 AM Re: Conversation with a Tantrik Maybe tantra is better described as transmission rather than technique? Max -- Max Dashu Art in Goddess Reverence http://www.maxdashu .net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi Sumant: You wrote: *** I am really confused about the relationship between bhakti and tantra. How is tantra different from bhakti yoga? *** Tantra is not a belief system; it's a methodology that can be applied to many variant sects of Hinduism and Buddhism. It encompasses a huge range of techniques and rituals that can be called upon to focus and intensify one's spiritual efforts. Just which of these techniques you use are determined and transmitted by your Guru through texts and oral elucidation, and activated by diksha. Since Tantra is famously indefinable and stacks of books on the subject are available (written by much wiser and more experienced people than I), let us leave it at that. Bhakti is not a belief system either, but rather an approach to a belief system that centers primarily on devotion (but which does not necessarily exclude jnana yoja, karma yoga and other approaches). Remember, there are no hard lines and separations. It is not a matter of being either a bhakta or a tantrika. Many people can legitimately claim to be both. Infinite combinations can be called upon by the Guru to suit the needs of the individual practitioner. *** it looks like one can have tantra without bhakti *** Certainly; you can practice the techniques and try to manipulate energy without any particular reverence or devotion. But as you suggest, this is not advised. It can be dangerous. *** this incident also explains why one better follow the guru strictly ( following the guru here is not bhakti it seems) *** I think that following the Guru most certainly involves bhakti. *** So is it true that we include bhakti in tantra to protect ourself. *** Not necessarily. Perhaps we can "include bhakti" simply because we feel it, don't you think? *** So is bhakti included for making it popular? *** As far as I know, "making it popular" has never been much of a consideration in Tantra! Quite the opposite, in fact. *** many people, from whom I was trying to learn, cautioned me against doing it without a guru. *** Is a true Tantric practice even possible without a Guru? aim mAtangai namaH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 One has to find perhaps,a personal truth as the tantric in Jarkhand(India) found after a long quest. I quote from Omar Khayyam who though not a Tantric was certainly a great philosopher and poet. " I too when young did eagerly frequent Saint and Doctor and came back by the same door as I went...".The path to realisation is full of confusion and pit falls.But eventually those who persist in search for truth find it. Max Dashu <maxdashu (AT) lmi (DOT) net> wrote: Maybe tantra is better described as transmission rather than technique? Max -- Max Dashu Art in Goddess Reverence http://www.maxdashu.net Find out what India is talking about on - Answers India Send FREE SMS to your friend's mobile from Messenger Version 8. Get it NOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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