The Kula Ritual by Abhinavagupta
by John R.Dupuche

Abhinavagupta, a leading figure in Kashmir Saivism is increasingly being recognised as one of the chief contributors to the evolution of Indian thought. In his encyclopaedic work the Tantraloka `Light on the Tantras` he describes the various tantras of his day and places at their apex the most extreme of them, the Kula ritual which proposes the use of wine and meat and intercourse with women of the lowest castes.In Abhinavagupta`s esteem of the Kula ritual just the shodow side of genius an aberration best forgotten? This work is a translation------the first into english of any chapter of the Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta`s version of the Kula ritual. John R. Dupuche is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. He is a member of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Archdiocese and chair of its interfaith sub-committee and is involved with the Muslim catholic Working Party. He is a member of the Australian Commission of Monastic Interfaith Dialogue and a director of the East-West Meditation foundation.