Introduction to Tantra-Sastra- Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA SIR JOHN WOODROFFE Celephaïs Press Ulthar - Sarkomand - Inquanok – Leeds 2008 Originally published as the Introduction to Mahānirvāṇ a Tantra (Tantra of the Great Liberation), 1913. First is- sued as an independent work, Madras: Ganesh & co., 1952, many later printings. This electronic text produced by Celephaïs Press, Leeds, in the year 2008 of the common error. This work is in the public domain. Release 1.0.: 13.04.2008. May require further proof reading. Please report errors to
[email protected] citing revision number or release date. CONTENTS PAGE Mount Kailāsa . 1 Śiva and Śakti . 4 Gu ṇ a . 18 The Worlds (Lokas) . 24 Inhabitants of the Worlds . 26 Varṇ a . 31 Āśrama . 32 Macrocosm and Microcosm . 34 The Ages . 36 The Scriptures of the Ages . 40 The Human Body . 42 The Three Temperaments . 58 Guru and Siṣ ya . 65 Initiation: Dīkṣ a . 68 Abhiṣ eka . 70 Sādhana . 72 Worship . 73 Yoga . 125 Sin and Virtue—Karma . 142 Four aims of Being (Dharma, Artha, Kāma, Moṣ ka) . 147 Siddhi . 154 MOUNT KAILĀSA THE scene of the revelation of Mahānirvāna-Tantra is laid in Himālaya, the “Abode of Snow,” a holy land weighted with the traditions of the Āryan race. Here in these lofty uplands, encircled with everlasting snows, rose the great mountain of the north, the Sapta-Kula- Parvata. Hence the race itself came, and there its early legends have their setting. There are still shown at Bhimudiyar the caves where the sons of Pāṇ ḍ u and Draupadi rested, as did Rama and his faithful wife at the point where the Kosi joins the Sitā in the grove of Aśoka trees.