Re: Left Hand Mysticism

From: Kevin McDonald <kpmcdona_at_D6PfglVi647A5KLomZtAWiWqUyxt-O4Pnpb3KeKafW9Gd1M_E2dLoimlE43v7s5c7BT>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 23:17:13 -0500


On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Santo Sengupta <aumshantih_at_ZGA80Ql0QsVAUyjfZ2nH1ET5c8dPrgkJTyKem7_upoDjy79c-kmTUsIIMINycn9ElM9QNe3yDr6FCz8K.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

> Even amongst Tantrics there are right and left handed practices. Most of
> the sexual tantra that has become so popular in the West is a small part of
> the Vamamarga (left handed) path of Hindu Tantra. (It may be different in
> Tibetan and Japanese Tantra, it's not really my field of expertise.)
>
> Note: I am not a scholar, so take this with a grain of salt.

Tantric practices involving sex do exist in Tibetan Buddhism, but are only supposed to be performed by very highly realized yogis. It is otherwise a serious violation of celibacy vows and can be the cause for major scandal.  Most buddhist tantra that I have any familiarity with involves something akin to heroforming. The initiate meditates on the qualities of a particular buddha and then "becomes" that buddha for the duration of the ritual - or as long as concentration can be maintained. This is said to be a very effective way to gain merit and cleanse negative karma, particularly for those who are not well suited to the more scholarly sutra path.

I think this can be modeled pretty easily in Gloranthan terms using the existing theist rules if you want flashy magical fireworks. Otherwise it is "just" a meditation tool for eventually achieving a transcendent state.

-Kevin McD

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