Tantra: Theory and Practice with Gavin Flood

Over five lectures, Gavin Flood, professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion in the Theology and Religion Faculty at Campion Hall at Oxford University, gives an overview of the history, theory and practice of Tantra. He explores aspects from the Śaiva Siddhānta tradition to the Non-Saiddhāntika, to Buddhist Tantra. He gives an overview of the many developments in thought, cosmologies and the varied and fascinating practices that have emerged over the centuries.

Session 1 - Tantra in history, an overview
Session 2 - The Śaiva Siddhānta Tradition, rituals, cosmology, initiation and liberation
Session 3 - The Non-Saiddhāntika traditions including the path of purity and the path of power
Session 4 - Tantric Śaiva views of the self, the porous self & the gnostic self, Tantric meditation
Session 5 - Buddhist Tantra — Vajrayāna and the influence of Śaivism