On Foreign Element in the Tantra
By P. C. Bagchi
Summary
This article highlights the extent to which Tantric tradition in India incorporated foreign elements. The author divides Tantras into orthodox (such as the Agamas and Yamalas) and heterodox schools that include both Buddhist and Brahmanical texts. Drawing on the Kubjikā‑tantra and other manuscripts, he argues that several Tantric goddesses, among them Kubjikā, Ekajāṭā and Mahā‑Nīlasarasvatī, along with rites such as the Cinācāra, originated outside India, particularly in the Himalayan and Chinese regions. The article recounts legends of sages like Vasiṣṭha journeying to Mahā‑Cina to learn secret doctrines from the Buddha. Such stories, together with philological evidence and iconographic parallels, suggest that Chinese secret societies influenced Indian Tantric rituals. The author demonstrates that the Sādhanas of Ekajāṭā and Mahācīnaka Kramatārā display close correspondence across Buddhist and Hindu sources, implying a shared origin. He also identifies foreign words and motifs in Tantric texts, noting Iranian and Central Asian influences. The article stresses that the heterodox Tantras were not self‑contained Indian creations but absorbed ideas and practices from neighbouring cultures through pilgrim routes and trade networks. Overall, the paper portrays medieval Tantrism as a cosmopolitan synthesis rather than an isolated phenomenon.
Conclusion
The author concludes that heterodox Tantras evolved through sustained contact with China, Tibet and Central Asia. By tracing textual, linguistic and iconographic evidence, he shows that Tantric practices cannot be viewed as purely indigenous; they were shaped by foreign cults and secret traditions. Understanding these influences enriches the study of Tantrism and places it within the broader context of trans‑Asian cultural exchange.