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The Agamas (Sanskrit: आगम) are a collection of scriptures of several Hindu devotional schools.〔〔Julius Lipner (2004), Hinduism: the way of the banyan, in The Hindu World (Editors: Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby), Routledge, ISBN 0–415215277, pages 27-28〕 The term literally means tradition or "that which has come down", and the Agama texts describe cosmology, epistemology, philosophical doctrines, precepts on meditation and practices, four kinds of yoga, mantras, temple construction, deity worship and ways to attain sixfold desires.〔〔Mariasusai Dhavamony (2002), Hindu-Christian Dialogue, Rodopi, ISBN 978-9042015104, pages 54-56〕 These canonical texts are in Sanskrit〔 and in south Indian languages such as Tamil (written in Grantha script and Tamil script).〔Indira Peterson (1992), Poems to Siva: The Hymns of the Tamil Saints, Princeton University Press, ISBN 978-8120807846, pages 11-18〕〔A Datta (1987), Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN 978-0836422832, page 95〕 The three main branches of Agama texts are those of Shaivism (Shiva), Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaktism (Devi).〔 The Agamic traditions are sometimes called Tantrism,〔Wojciech Maria Zalewski (2012), The Crucible of Religion: Culture, Civilization, and Affirmation of Life, Wipf and Stock Publishers, ISBN 978-1610978286, page 128〕 although the term "Tantra" is usually used specifically to refer to Shakta Agamas.〔〔Mariasusai Dhavamony (1999), Hindu Spirituality, Gregorian University and Biblical Press, ISBN 978-8876528187, pages 31-34 with footnotes〕 The Agama literature is voluminous, and includes 28 Saiva Agamas, 77 Shakta Agamas (also called Tantras), and 108 Vaishnava Agamas (also called Pancharatra Samhitas), and numerous Upa-Agamas.〔Klaus Klostermaier (2007), A Survey of Hinduism: Third Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791470824, pages 49-50〕 The origin and chronology of Agamas is unclear. Some are Vedic and others non-Vedic.〔PT Raju (2009), The Philosophical Traditions of India, Routledge, ISBN 978-8120809833, page 45; Quote: The word Agama means 'coming down', and the literature is that of traditions, which are mixtures of the Vedic with some non-Vedic ones, which were later assimilated to the Vedic.〕 Agama traditions include Yoga and Self Realization concepts, some include Kundalini Yoga,〔Singh, L. P. (2010). (Tantra, Its Mystic and Scientific Basis ), Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 9788180696404〕 asceticism, and philosophies ranging from ''Dvaita'' (dualism) to ''Advaita'' (monism).〔〔 Some suggest that these are post-Vedic texts, others as pre-Vedic compositions.〔Guy Beck (1993), Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound, University of South Carolina Press, ISBN 978-0872498556, pages 151-152〕〔Tripath, S.M. (2001). Psycho-Religious Studies Of Man, Mind And Nature. Global Vision Publishing House. ISBN 9788187746041〕〔Drabu, V. N. (1990). (Śaivāgamas: A Study in the Socio-economic Ideas and Institutions of Kashmir (200 B.C. to A.D. 700) ), Indus Publishing Company. ISBN 9788185182384. LCCN lc90905805〕 Epigraphical and archaeological evidence suggests that Agama texts were in existence by about middle of the 1st millennium CE, in Pallava dynasty era.〔Richard Davis (2014), Worshiping Śiva in Medieval India: Ritual in an Oscillating Universe, Princeton University Press, ISBN 978-0691603087, pages 12-13〕〔 Scholars note that some passages in the Hindu Agama texts appear to repudiate the authority of the Vedas, while other passages assert that their precepts reveal the true spirit of the Vedas.〔〔For examples of Vaishnavism Agama text verses praising Vedas and philosophy therein, see Sanjukta Gupta (2013), Lakṣmī Tantra: A Pāñcarātra Text, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120817357, pages xxiii-xxiv, 96, 158-159, 219, 340, 353 with footnotes, Quote: "In order not to dislocate the laws of dharma and to maintain the family, to govern the world without disturbance, to establish norms and to gratify me and Vishnu, the God of gods, the wise should not violate the Vedic laws even in thought – The Secret Method of Self-Surrender, Lakshmi Tantra, Pāñcarātra Agama".〕〔For examples in Shaivism literature, see T Isaac Tambyah (1984), Psalms of a Saiva Saint, Asian Educational Services, ISBN 978-8120600256, pages xxii-xxvi〕 The Agamas literary genre is also found in Buddhist and Jaina traditions.〔Helen Baroni (2002), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Zen Buddhism, Rosen Publishing, ISBN 978-0823922406, page 3〕〔Tigunait, Rajmani (1998), (Śakti, the Power in Tantra: A Scholarly Approach ), Himalayan Institute Press. ISBN 9780893891541. LCCN 98070188〕 Bali Hindu tradition is officially called ''Agama Hindu Dharma'' in Indonesia.〔June McDaniel (2010), Agama Hindu Dharma Indonesia as a New Religious Movement: Hinduism Recreated in the Image of Islam, Nova Religio, Vol. 14, No. 1, pages 93–111〕 ==Etymology and nomenclature== ''Agama'' (Sanskrit आगम) is derived from the verb root गम (gam) meaning ''"to go"'' and the preposition आ (aa) meaning ''"toward"'' and refers to scriptures "that which has come down".〔Grimes, John A. (1996). A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English. State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791430682. LCCN 96012383. (pages 16-17 )〕 Agama literally means "tradition",〔 and refers to precepts and doctrines that have come down as tradition.〔 Agama, states Dhavamony, is also a "generic name of religious texts which are at the basis of Hinduism and which are divided into Vaishnava Agamas (also called Pancaratra Samhitas), Saiva Agamas, and Sakta Agamas (more often called Tantras).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Āgama (Hinduism)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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