Tantra

American  

[tuhn-truh, tan-] / ˈtʌn trə, ˈtæn- /

noun

1. (italics) any of several books of esoteric doctrine regarding rituals, disciplines, meditation, etc., composed in the form of dialogues between Shiva and his Shakti; Agama.

2. Also called Tantrism.  the philosophy or doctrine of these books, regarding the changing, visible world as the creative dance or play of the Divine Mother and regarding enlightenment as the realization of the essential oneness of one's self and of the visible world with Shiva-Shakti, the Godhead: influential in some schools of Mahayana Buddhism, especially in Tibet.

---

Tantra British  

/ ˈtʌn-, ˈtæntrə /

noun

1. Hinduism Buddhism the sacred books of Tantrism, written between the 7th and 17th centuries _ad , mainly in the form of a dialogue between Siva and his wife

---

Etymology

Origin of Tantra

From Sanskrit

Example Sentences

Tantra is clearly a persistent and alluring ancient philosophy.

From The Guardian • Sep. 21, 2020

Singh, who is co-owner of Tantra in Silver Lake and India's Oven, wanted to create a restaurant that combines influences from Rajasthan, New Delhi, Goa, Chennai, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2018

Tantra instructors tell you to “ground,” a practice that involves visualizing yourself rooted to the earth and sending energy down into it, which I have found to have remarkably little effect.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2013

Hatha yoga — the parent of the styles now practiced around the globe — began as a branch of Tantra.

From New York Times • Feb. 27, 2012

Pu Hain, the Buddha of the Lion, is the Indian Samantabharda, one of the four great Boddhisatvas of the Tantra School.

From The Chinese Fairy Book by Wilhelm, Richard