Asiatica Association

I am happy to announce that the International Journal of Tantric Studies (IJTS) vol. 8, n. 1 is out!

In this issue we are publishing two papers. The first is “The “Scandalous” Tantric Hymn to Kālī Karpūrādi- stotra: An Unexpurgated Translation”, by Dr. John R. Dupuche. He is currently Honorary Fellow, Australian Catholic University, MCD University of Divinity. He has extensively published on the so-called Kashmir Shivaism or Pratyabhijña, focusing on Abhinavagupta, and on Pratyabhijña and interreligious dialogue. His work includes Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantraloka (Delhi, 2003), and Vers un tantra chrétien; la rencontre du Christianisme et du Shivaïsme du Cachemire (Melbourne, 2009).

We are seeking academics and bona fide scholars to write and submit finished papers and review papers to our scholarly online publication (established 1995), the International Journal of Tantric Studies (IJTS). The IJTS is open to all bona fide scholars in Hindu and Buddhist Tantric and Tantra-related studies, translations and translators in Sanskrit, Bengali, Vernacular, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, etc. We are looking for articles that engage any aspect of this broad theme.

Before submitting your paper / paper review, please read our Submission Guidelines. We plan to publish all the IJTS papers in hard copy shortly. Depending on the next issue, hopefully by the end of the year.

IJTS editors: Enrica Garzilli (Editor-in-Chief), Michael Witzel (Managing Editor), Roberto Donatoni, Minoru Hara, David N. Lorenzen, Benjamin Prejado, Michael Rabe, Debabrata Sensharma, Karel van Kooij.

The 2nd part of the paper by Dr. Peter Flügel (SOAS) "Beyond The Hindu Frontier Jaina-Vaiṣṇava Syncretism In The Gujarātī Daspora" has been published in the IJTS. The article deals with the Akram Vijñān movement and is based on Peter Flügel's intermittent fieldwork between 1997-2004 in Amadāvād/Ahmedabad, London, Mumbaī/Bombay, Surat, and Vaḍodarā/Baroda. The paper also offers original Gujarātī ritual texts. Most of the texts have been published in the pamphlet literature of the Akram Vijñān Mārg.

We want to inaugurate the 11th year of the IJTS publications with the 1st part of the paper by Dr. Peter Flügel (SOAS) "Beyond The Hindu Frontier Jaina-Vaiṣṇava Syncretism In The Gujarātī Daspora". The article deals with the Akram Vijñān movement and is based on Peter Flügel's intermittent fieldwork between 1997-2004 in Amadāvād/Ahmedabad, London, Mumbaī/Bombay, Surat, and Vaḍodarā/Baroda. The paper also offers original Gujarātī ritual texts. Most of the texts have been published in the pamphlet literature of the Akram Vijñān Mārg.

The "Shaiva Manuscripts in Pondicherry", the manuscripts housed in the IFP and Pondicherry Centre of the EFEO are to be inscribed on UNESCO's "Memory of the World" register. An Indo-French nomination was jointly submitted in June 2004 by the IFP, the EFEO, and the National Mission for Manuscripts of the Indian government. The cataloguing project's ultimate aims are to make digital images of these manuscripts, and to make these images widely accessible over the internet.

IJTS Vol. 6 No. 1 has just been published, with two papers. The first is Traditions in Transition: Meditative Concepts in the Development of Tantric Sādhana by Dr. Stuart Ray Sarbacker. He is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Theology at Loyola University in Chicago, USA. The second paper is The Conservative Character of Tantra: Secrecy, Sacrifice and This-Worldly Power in Bengali Śākta Tantra by Dr. Hugh B. Urban.

IJTS Vol. 4 Special Issue has been published. It features a paper by John Robert Gardner: Magically Storming the Gates of Buddhahood: Extensible Text Technology (XML/XSLT) as a Simulacrum for Research, and an editorial note. This issue will be free for non-members until June 31.

IJTS vol. 5, no. 1 has been published. It features a paper by Terence M. Hays: The Realm of the Divine: Three MaNDalas from the NiSpannayogAvalI, an editorial note, and the following book reviews: Meditation Revolution: A History of Theology of the Siddha Yoga Lineage, Looking for God: A Seeker's Guide to Religious and Spiritual Groups of the World, Ananya: A Portrait of India, ZaGkara e il KevalAdvaitavAda, La liberazione in vita: jIvanmuktiviveka.