Making a Mantra: Tantric Ritual and Renunciation on the Jain Path to Liberation

Jainism is a distinct tradition in India that shares some features with Buddhism and Hinduism, but it has a unique Tantra path to liberation. In Making a Mantra, Ellen Gough challenges the traditional understanding of Tantra by examining the development of a Jain incantation, or mantra, over two millennia. She argues that asceticism and Tantra are not opposed to one another and that Jains perform "tantric" rituals of initiation and meditation on mantras and maṇḍalas.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 296 pages
\n Publication date: 13 October 2021
\n Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
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Jainism, a multifaceted and ancient Indian tradition, has a unique identity that sets it apart from Buddhism and Hinduism. While it shares certain similarities with these two religions, Jainism possesses its own set of key texts, art, rituals, beliefs, and history. One significant aspect that distinguishes Jainism from Buddhism and Hinduism is the contentious category of Tantra. Unlike the others, Jainism does not incorporate a tantric path to liberation. However, in her book "Making a Mantra," historian of religions Ellen Gough delves into the evolution of a Jain incantation, or mantra, over two millennia. This mantra, which began as an auspicious invocation in a second-century text, has transformed into a vital component of mendicant initiations and meditations that continue to this day.

Typically, Jainism is portrayed as a celibate and ascetic path to liberation, where individuals strive to destroy karma through rigorous austerities. In contrast, the tantric path to liberation is characterized by embracing the pleasures of the material world and utilizing mantras for the purpose of karma destruction. Gough challenges this conventional understanding by demonstrating that asceticism and Tantra can coexist harmoniously. She argues that Jains engage in "tantric" rituals of initiation and meditation on mantras and maṇḍalas, which are a logical extension of the ascetic path to liberation.

Gough's provocative argument suggests that Jainism incorporates elements of tantric practices, as tantric practices are a natural progression of the ascetic journey toward liberation. By exploring the development of the Jain mantra and its role in mendicant practices, Gough offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of Jainism and its relationship with other religious traditions. Her work sheds light on the rich tapestry of Indian religious traditions and contributes to our understanding of the diverse and multifaceted nature of religious practices across the world.

\n Weight: 638g\n
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 26 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780226766904\n \n