Tantric Visual Culture

Indian culture relies greatly on visual expression, and this book uses both classical Indian and contemporary Western philosophies and current studies on cognitive sciences, and applies them to contextualize Tantric visual culture. The work selects aspects of Tantric language and the practice of visualization, with the central premise to engage cognitive theories while studying images. It utilizes the contemporary theories of metaphor and cognitive blend, the theory of metonymy, and a holographic theory of epistemology with a focus on concept formation and its application to the study of myths and images. In addition, it applies the classical aesthetic theory of rasa to unravel the meaning of opaque images. This philosophical and cognitive analysis allows materials from Indian culture to be understood in a new light, while engaging contemporary theories of cognitive science and semantics. The book demonstrates how the domains of meaning and philosophy can be addressed within any culture without reducing their intrinsic cultural significance. By addressing these key aspects of Tantric traditions through this approach, this book initiates a much-needed dialogue between Indian and Western theories, while encouraging introspection within the Indic traditions themselves. It will be of interest to those studying and researching Religion, Philosophy and South Asian Culture.

Sthaneshwar Timalsina is Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at San Diego State University, USA.

Introduction Overview Part 1: Image in the Context of Tantric Practice 1. Mnemonics, Image Compression, and Tantric Visualization Part 2: Image, Metonymy, and Metaphors 2. Image, Metonymy, and Cognition: A Study of Tantric Language 3. Metaphor, Embodiment, and Tantric Images Part 3: Image Compression and Decompression 4. Complex Images in Tantric Visualization: A Cognitive Approach 5. Holographic Limbs and Metaphoric Bodies in Hindu Myths Part 4: Visualization and Emotions 6. Invoking Emotions: Reading Tantric Images in Light of Rasa Theory Part 5: Conclusions 7. Conclusions