INTRODUCTION 25 I. THE RECEIVED UNDERSTANDING 26 II. DEFINITIONS: SEEKING SOME PLACE TO STAND 28 II.A. THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE CONVENIENT 28 II.B. TANTRA: A BIBLIOGRAPHIC CATEGORY 29 II.C. EMBRACING POLYTHESIS 31 III. DUALISTIC PREJUDICES 33 IV. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES 36 IV.A. FROM INVISIBILITY TO PENUMBRAS 36 IV.B. NETWORKS, NOT LINEAR TRAJECTORIES 38 IV.C. REGIONAL STUDIES, NOT CONTEMPORARY NATION-STATES 38 IV.D. DISCOURSES, NOT SECTS 40 V. TANTRIC BUDDHISM IN EAST ASIA 42 VI. TANTRIC BUDDHISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 44 VI. JAIN TANTRA 49 VII. LOOKING OVER THE OVERVIEW 52
