Few notions that were born and developed in the complex spiritual matrix that produced the religions of South Asia, including those of Hinduism and Buddhism, are as contested and debated as that of Tantra. André Padoux, one of the most respected and senior scholars of Tantra, has written a summation of his conclusions on the subject, which attempts to deal with many of the salient characteristics that define Tantra. The Hindu Tantric World is not an introduction to Tantra. Rather, it is what the book's subtitle says, “an overview,” and as this term implies, it is a view that is Padoux's own conclusions and definitions. He is not making a specific argument, and he does not attempt to refute the research or theories of other scholars. He states his views in declarative sentences, and these are often views that could take books to unpack and support (and many already have)....
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