Despite the rapid spread of Buddhism--especially the esoteric system of Tantra, one of its most popular yet most misunderstood forms--the historical origins of Buddhist thought and practice remain obscure. This groundbreaking work describes the genesis of the Tantric movement in early medieval India, where it developed as a response to, and in some ways an example of, the feudalization of Indian society. Drawing on primary documents--many translated for the first time--from Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tibetan, Bengali, and Chinese, Ronald Davidson shows how changes in medieval Indian society,...

Despite the rapid spread of Buddhism--especially the esoteric system of Tantra, one of its most popular yet most misunderstood forms--the historical origins of Buddhist thought and practice remain obscure. This groundbreaking work describes the genesis of the Tantric movement in early medieval India, where it developed as a response to, and in some ways an example of, the feudalization of Indian society. Drawing on primary documents--many translated for the first time--from Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tibetan, Bengali, and Chinese, Ronald Davidson shows how changes in medieval Indian society,...

Many people wonder how love was pursued in the 1930's. What were the courtship rituals like when young ladies still lived at home and kissing on the first date was unheard of? What did they do when he went courting to her house and there was no TV, no internet, no cell phones, and no ipods. Where did a gentleman take a lady on a date and what was the proper behavior. This is a story about Virginia who not only is courted by men in the USA but is courted by Tom, an Englishman she meets while traveling abroad. The book begins with Virginia in the States, and while longing for something in her...