About Book
The Tantraloka by Abhinavagupta (c. 975-1050) is undoubtably one of the world's great classics. Treating the whole range of early Saiva Tantras as part of the Trika Saivism Abhinavagupta systematically and extensively presents, he draws from all of them to enrich his marvelous and uniquely profound exposition. The result of decades of research, Dyczkowski provides along with his translation of the text and its commentary by Jayaratha, extensive explanatory notes drawn from a wide range of Sanskrit and other sources. These volumes are a must for anyone who is studying Tantra in general and, in particular, the Trika Saivism of Kashmir.
Volume one is Chapter one and is an introduction to the whole Tantraloka and is concerned with an exposition of the fundamental basis of all practice, namely, transformative insight with devout reverence of our true Siva nature. It presents the basic categories of practice and so an overview of all the Tantraloka as the essence of Trika scripture which encompasses all the schools of early Tantric Saivism.
About Author
Dr. Mark Dyczkowski is a scholar and author of Tantra and Kashmiri Trika Shaivism and has studied in India. Both a scholar and a practitioner, he was initiated by the great Indian teacher Swami Laksmanjoo in the year 1976. He has an undergraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University and a Ph.D. from Oxford University, where he researched Kashmir Shaivism under the guidance of Professor Alexis Sanderson. Mark has published extensively including the 12 volume Manthanabhairava Tantra and is considered to be one of the world’s leading authorities on Tantric Shaivism. He is affiliated with several major academic institutions in India and has lectured in Universities in Europe, the States and India
In addition to his academic pursuits, Mark has studied sitar throughout this period, and his teacher was the great maestro Budhadiya Mukherjee. During these years of musical study he collected over 1,500 compositions for sitar. He has lectured in several countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas, including the United States.