Essay name: Diksha (initiation) in Pancharatra
Author:
Shanta Srinivasan
Affiliation: University of Madras / Department of Sanskrit
This English essay studies Diksha in Pancharatra with reference to important texts. Diksha refers to initiation ceremonies into a particular esoteric tradition which is given, for example, by the teacher (Guru) to the student (Shishya). Pancharatra refers to an ancient school of Vaishnavism based on ancient Tantra-like texts called Agamas which were commonly written in Sanskrit verse.
Conclusion
26 (of 32)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
From the principle of vajray膩na and those of the siddha it is possible to learn that the teacher and the taught hold an high place in the branches of Buddhism. Responsibility of choosing a teacher and the pupil is great and hard to practice. Though the word d墨k艣膩 is not actually used here it is implied as for as the principle use is concerned. A general study of the treatment of dik峁Ｄ� reveals the role played by mantras. From the derivative sense of the word mantra (reasoning) and meditation of the mantra bring to the pupil sufficient protection from wrong. Hence the treatment of d墨ks膩 in the Pa帽car膩tra texts necessarily treat the pupil. The S盲ttvata, Ahirbudhnya, Padma, Jay膩khya sa峁僪it膩s are replete with the application of mantras in the process of d墨k峁Ｄ�. Of these great, significance is attracted to the application of the mantras only in the 艣膩ttvata samhit膩. The 艣aiva agamas give more importance to the Abhiseka and treatment of a large number of variations of dik峁Ｄ�. 186
