Mantra

The experience of the divine in India has three components, sight, performance, and sound. One in a trilogy of books that include Diana Eck's Darsan: Seeing the Divine in India, and Susan L. Schwartz's Rasa: Performing the Divine in India, Mantra presents an introduction to the use of sound -- mantra -- in the practice of Indian religion. Mantra -- in the form of prayers, rituals, and chants -- permeate the practice of Indian religion in both temple and home settings. This book investigates the power of mantra to transform consciousness. It examines the use and theory of mantra under various religious schools, such as the Patanjali sutras and tantra, and includes references to Hindu, Sikh, Sufi, Islam, and Buddhist traditions. This edition adds new sections on the use of sacred sound in Hindu and Sikh North American diaspora communities and on the North American non-Indian practice of yoga and mantra.

ISBN 0231129610   Pages 136 ISBN13 9780231129619 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Columbia University Press   Weight (grammes) 230 Imprint Columbia University Press   Published in New York Format Paperback   Height (mm) 229 Publication date 08 Dec 2004   Width (mm) 164 Library of Congress BL1236.36.   Spine width (mm) 9 DEWEY 294.537   Academic level Professional / Scholarly DEWEY edition DC22

PrefaceHearing the SacredThe Nature of MantraFinding One's MantraGlossary

In a wide-ranging introduction to the use of mantra in Indian religions, Coward and Goa deal with the philosophy of its use in Yoga and Mimamsa, as well as its actual use in Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Muslim and Christian Communities. This is a lucid and empathetic treatment, calling attention to parallels in Western Christian practices. The book will be read with interest and understanding by undergraduate students and provides a welcome possibility for inserting this often neglected aspect of Indian religious life into introductory courses. Using Diana Eck's Darshan as a companion book, students will be introduced to two concepts that illuminate much of Indian religious practice: seeing and hearing the divine.

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