Tantrism, both traditional and Buddhist, with its vast literature containing intricate ritualistic and philosophical details occupies an important place in the religious and cultural life of India and some Asian countries. The subject, however, still appears to be an enigma, notwithstanding numerous works in this field. This volume contains informative and analytical papers by eminent scholars on different aspects of Tantric Buddhism and Tantras in general. The essays throw significant light on the so-called puzzling obscurity of Tantric ideas and practices especially pertaining to the Buddhist Tantras. They demonstrate the richness and variety of Buddhist Tantric literature. They also show that fragments of Mahayanic philosophical ideas lie scattered in the Buddhist Tantras, sometimes as speculations on the nature of the truth and mainly in the context of the ceremonies and secret yogic practices. These are also manifested in Tibetan and other Asiatic forms of Buddhism and in icons representing the Gods and Goddesses, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and their consorts. The papers presented in this volume also reveal that there is basically no difference in the principles, viewpoints and even contents, between the Buddhist and non-Buddhist Tantras. Their contents are rooted in a single source–the spiritual and psychical consciousness of the most ancient peoples. This volume is presented as a tribute to an outstanding pioneer in the field of Tantric Buddhist studies, Dr. Benoytosh Bhattacharyya (1897-1964).
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