Tantric Treasures : Three Collections of Mystical Verse From Buddhist India

Roger Jackson provides accurate, accessible translations of three classics of medieval Indian Buddhist mysticism: the ''couplet-treasuries'' of the great tantric masters Saraha, Kanha, and Tilopa. Since their composition around 1000 CE, these poems have exerted a powerful influence on spiritual life, as well as poetry and song, in India, Nepal, and Tibet. Jackson's fresh translations allow the poetry to shine through, capturing the sense and spirit of the poems in the original. Jackson offers a thorough introduction that deftly summarizes the latest scholarship, situating the poems in their historical context and making them accessible not only to scholars but also to students and practitioners. ## Abstract This book provides accurate, accessible translations of three classics of medieval Indian Buddhist mysticism: the “couplet-treasuries” of the great tantric masters Saraha, Kanha, and Tilopa. Since their composition around 1000 CE, these poems have exerted a powerful influence on spiritual life, as well as poetry and song, in India, Nepal, and Tibet. The book offers new translations of the poetry aiming to capture the sense and spirit of the poems in the original. It also offers an introduction that summarizes the latest scholarship, situating the poems in their historical context. Contents......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 13 Introduction......Page 17 Saraha’s Treasury of Couplets......Page 67 Kānha’s Treasury of Couplets......Page 131 Tilopa’s Treasury of Couplets......Page 143 Notes......Page 157 Bibliography......Page 163 B......Page 171 C......Page 172 E......Page 173 G......Page 174 K......Page 175 M......Page 176 N......Page 177 S......Page 178 T......Page 180 U......Page 181 Y......Page 182 This Book Provides Accurate, Accessible Translations Of Three Classics Of Medieval Indian Buddhist Mysticism. Since Their Composition Around 1000 Ce, These Poems Have Exerted A Powerful Influence On Spiritual Life. Introduced, Translated, And Annotated By Roger R. Jackson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 143-155) And Index. Brahmins: Members of the highest and "purest" of the four castes (Skt varna) of Hindu society, their traditional function was as ritual specialists, versed in the Vedas.