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Research During my college years I have been on two expeditions to the Himalayas both carrying interests for my Buddhist studies and » cultural anthropology research. A part of my first journey took me to Western Tibet, to the Buddhist kingdom of Ladakh in 1995. A part of my second journey took me to Western Tibet again, to the Buddhist kingdoms of Lahaul and Spiti and Zanskar in 1998. Politically these areas all belong to India, therefore survived the devastating effects of the Chinese intervention in Tibet and since represent an ideal research area of relatively untouched Buddhist culture. I have also studied some of the monasteries and settlements of Tibetan refugees in Himachal Pradesh (India) and the Kathmandu-valley (Nepal). I have been to more than 50 Buddhist monasteries studying and experiencing the monastic way of life. Interested? » Check it out... I have visited a high number of Tibetan settlements studying Tibetan Buddhist culture. Interested?  » Go there I have visited more than a 130 Hindu temples in Northern-India and the Kathmandu-valley in Nepal.  Interested? » Go there My research involved documentation (film and photo) of a number of Hindu and Buddhist topics. Interested? » Go there Top

The followers and practices of Hindu Tantra

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: The Hindu Tantra I. The origins of Hindu religion: TANTRA The development of tantrism The followers of Tantra (non-orthodox Hindu sects): Ascetics (sramana, muni, sadhu, yogi, siddha, tantrika) Hermits (sanyasi, saiva and vaisnava) Bhakti (alvar, lingayat) Buddhist sangha (sthavira vada, maha sanghika) Jain gana (digambara, svetambara Gurus (Radnyis, Maharisi, Muktananda, Sai Baba, Prabhupada) II. The tantric way of life: YOGA Lifestyle Practice - The System of Yoga Hatha-yoga Satkarma Asana & Mudra  Pratyahara  Pranayama & nadi-cakra-abhyasa Tantra-yoga Sukha-yoga (bhoga)  Cakra-puja (panca-makara)   Siddha-yoga (siddhi)  Glossary Bibliography » Read the full work » Hindu Tantra . » Anthropology thesis » The Cult of Siva

In my thesis I carry out an introductive analyses of the followers and practices of Hindu Tantra. I start with a brief analyses of the development of Hindu thought and trace the tantric tradition back to pre-aryan times to the dravida people of the Indus Civilization. I argue that the tantric tradition is older than Vedic Hinduism and constitutes the basic teachings of both the Puranic Hindu culture and folk religions especially on the side of fertility cults. I than argue that indian ascetics, widely known as sadhus, are the living representatives and followers of the tantric tradition. I also emphasize that orthodox Hinduism based on the teachings of the Vedas and represented by the priest cast of brahmins; and non-orthodox Hinduism based on tantric practice and represented by the cast of sadhus strongly differ and have their own two ways and entirely seperate traditions... I try to reconstruct the picture of the early ascetics and create my own list of early sadhu sects: I write about the pashupata, kapalika and kalamukha sects in detail and try to distinguish them from other contemporary ascetic sects like the bhikshu (Buddhist), jaina and ajivika sects.  My argument leads to the clear distinction of the samayin or "right hand path" and the kaula or "left hand path" tradition in tantric though and practice. I argue that this tradition is the ground for the Puranic Hindu concept of Trimurti - the trinity of God: Brahma the Creator, Visnu the Preserver and Siva the Destroyer. I see the same tradition in reflected in the beliefs and practices of sadhu sects. Following Dolf Hartsuiker's line of thought I distinguish the two major trends of vaisnava and saiva line: sects following Lord Visnu and sects following Lord Siva. I give an enumeration and short description of the sects: the naga, goraknath, aghori, udasin and sakta on the saiva side and the ramanuji, ramanandi, gauriyi, bairagi and rasik on the vaisnava side. I also shortly describe the bhakti and lingayat movement and also write about early Buddhist (sarvastivada and sammitiya) and Jain (digambara and svetambara) groups. To make the picture complete I describe the institution of the Guru and introduce some of the notorious gurus who made a great impression on the West: Radnish, Maharishi, Muktananda, Sai Baba, Prabhupada and Acarya. Their main doctrines are also touched upon... The second part of my paper deals with the lifestyle and practices of the sadhu sects. I write about the general daily routine of leading an ascetic way of life and the ideology that lies behind the acts of sadhana.  I then give my own interpretation of Yoga, seeing it as a complex system of exercises aiming at the final act of liberation. I distinguish four major disciplines of yoga: Hatha-, Laya-, Raja- and Tantra-yoga and make an enumeration of various exercises and rituals practiced by the different sects and place them in the system, claiming that each particular exercise belongs to a special kind of yoga which has its own way of achievement... My original intention was to write about all the exercises practiced by most sadhu sects, but as is a lifetime's work, I had to narrow the topic down to two types of yoga - hatha-yoga and tantra-yoga - mainly practiced by most saiva sects. In considering the hatha-yoga exercises in addition to the traditional philosophical explanations, I write about how to cleanse the body (satkarma); about different postures and ways of concentrating (asana & mudra); about withdrawing the senses (pratyahara); and activating the subtle energy systems (pranayama & nadicakra). In connection with the tantra-yoga exercises in addition to the traditional philosophical explanations, I write about mastering pleasure (sukha bhoga); mastering ecstasy (cakra-puja & panca-makara); and mastering magical powers (siddhi). I take some time on writing about the traditional usage of psychedelic drugs in the sadhu tradition and on the nature of sexual intercourse as a religious practice. Top

Essays Personal selection listed only Available in Hungarian: Click to enter » the Buddhist Library   Click to enter » the Taoist Library   Click to enter » the Hindu Library   Click to enter » the Philosophy Library   Click to enter » the Religion Library Buddhist Philosophy : Hinajána buddhizmus (Hinayana Buddhism): Tarr Dániel : Dharmabeszéd . (A Speech of Dharma) . [2001] {GDBC Mahayana} - (MS Word) [« read it ] Tarr Dániel : Hinajána Buddhizmus . (Hinayana Buddhism) . [Autumn 1997]  – [Schoolbook of the GDBC, 1997] - (MS Word)[[« read it ] Mahajána buddhizmus (Mahayana Buddhism): Tarr Dániel : Mahajána Buddhizmus . (Mahayana Buddhism – The History of Mahayana Schools) . [Autumn 1994] – [Schoolbook of the GDBC, 2001.] -[[« read it ] Tibeti buddhizmus (Tibetan Buddhism): Tarr Dániel : Csenrézi . (Chenrezig). [Spring 1996] {ELTE CAD} – [MTA Etno-regional Research Centre, Workbook 10., 1996] - (MS Word) [« read it ] Zen buddhizmus (Zen Buddhism): Tarr Dániel : Lin-csi . (Lin-chi). [Spring 1994] {GDBC Zen Buddhism} - (MS Word) [« readit ]  John Drew : A Kamakurai Buddha . (The Buddha at Kamakura) . [1995] {poems in English} -[[« read it ] Jógacsára buddhizmus (Yogacara Buddhism): Vasubandhu: Vijnapti-matrata-siddhi - "The Proof of the Mind only". (translation by Daniel Tarr) [1996] {from Sanskrit} -[[« read it ] Buddhista ismeretelmélet (Buddhist epistemology): Tarr Dániel : Vaszubandhu - A Három Önvaló Tanítása . (Vasubandhu - The Teaching of the Three Selves). [Spring 1996] {GDBC Yogacara Buddhism} -[[« read it ]  Tarr Dániel : Éntelenség és Üresség . (Selflessness and Emptiness) . [Spring 1995] {GDBC Mahayana Buddhism} -[[« read it ] Tarr Dániel : Buddhista episztemológiai szójegyzék . (Buddhist Epistemological Glossary). [1998] {GDBC Buddhist Epistemology} -[[« read it ] Chinese Philosophy : Tarr Dániel : Bevezetés a Kínai Filozófiába . (Introduction to Chinese Philosophy) [Autumn 1993] {GDBC Chinese Philosophy} Tarr Dániel : A felborult rend filozófiája - Hesziodosz és a Ji-King . (The Philosophy of Lost Order - Hesiod and the Ji-King) [Spring 1994] {GDBC Ancient- and Chinese Philosophy} -[[(MS Word) « read it ] Hindu Philosophy : Tarr Dániel : Siva Himnusz . (A Hymn to Siva) . [1999] - [(MS Word) « read it ] Upanisadok (Upanishad): Tarr Dániel : Prána - átman . (Prana - Atman) . [1993] {GDBC Upanishad Philosophy} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Hindu Tantra (Hindu Tantra): Tarr Dániel : A Hindu Tantra követői és gyakorlata . (The followers and practices of Hindu Tantra) . (GDBC MA Thesis) [Spring 1997] - [(MS Word) « read it ] Tarr Dániel : Siva Kultusza . (The Cult of Siva) . (ELTE CAD MA Thesis) [Spring 1999] - [(MS Word) « read it ] Jonathan Parry : Az Aghori Aszkéták . (The Aghori Ascetics) . [Autumn 1996] {ELTE CAD} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Tarr Dániel : Indiai Aszketizmus . (Indian Asceticism) . [Spring 1998] {ELTE CAD BA} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Tarr Dániel : Hindu Tantra jegyzet . (Hindu Tantra Notes) . (Schoolbook of the GDBC, 1996.) [1996] - [(MS Word) « read it ] Western Thought : Philosophy of Religion : Tarr Dániel : Ziqquratu . (The Zikkurat) . [Spring 1994] {GDBC Philosophy of Religion} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Tarr Dániel : Jézus Rabbi . (Rabbi Jesus) . [Autumn 1995] {GDBC Philosophy of Religion} - [(MS Word) « read it ] History of Philosophy Tarr Dániel : A felborult rend filozófiája - Hesziodosz és a Ji-King . (The Philosophy of Lost Order - Hesiod and the Ji-King) [Spring 1994] {GDBC Ancient- and Chinese Philosophy} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Daniel Tarr : Aurelius Augustinus . [Autumn 1995] {GDBC History of Philosophy} Daniel Tarr : Aurelius Augustinus: Confessions . [1992] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Daniel Tarr : Descartes: Discourse on Method . [1993] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Daniel Tarr : Hume: An Essay Concerning Human Understanding . [1993] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Daniel Tarr : Individualism and modern philosophy . [1992] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Daniel Tarr : Plato . [1992] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Daniel Tarr : Plato: Phaedo . [1992] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Daniel Tarr : Pre-Socratic Thought – The Philosophy of ONE . [Autumn 1993] {GDBC Ancient Philosophy} Daniel Tarr : Rousseau: Social Contract . [1993] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László} Epistemology Available in English: Daniel Tarr : Cognition and Freedom in 17-18th century philosophy . [1992] {ELTE PHIL Nagy László}  Daniel Tarr : The Theory of Direct Realism – In the light of Theories of Perception . [Autumn 2001] {CEU Empiricism} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Metaphysics Daniel Tarr : The Concept of Metempsychosis in Early Greek Philosophy . [Autumn 2001] {CEU Philosophy and Religion} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Daniel Tarr : Plato's Enlightenment – The concept of phronesis . [Autumn 2001] {CEU Ancient Philosophy} - [(MS Word) « read it ] Interested? All written documents are available for reading in the » Library. » Read my Oriental Studies thesis on » Hindu Tantra. » Read my Cultural Anthropology thesis on » The Cult of Siva.   Want to know more? » Check out my work at The Gate of Dharma Buddhist College » and Cultural Anthropology studies too. Top

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