This collection of Vajrayana/Sahajyana Buddhist verses, known as Charya, features poems by Buddhist Tantrics from Bengal, dating between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. The philosophies underpinning these poems are now associated with Tibetan Buddhism, and they are believed to have influenced the development of Tantra, the Nath praxis, and the Baul minstrels. These works can be seen as part of the Bhakti movement, offering counternarratives to Brahminical and Advaita-Vedantist ideologies. The introductory section, ‘Letter to the Reader,’ discusses the transformation of Buddhist Unitarian Voidism into Unitarian Vedantism among caste-Hindus. The poems are written in ‘Shandhyo Bhasha’ or Twilight Language, characterized by their layered meanings, akin to Baul and Fakir songs. It is suggested that the Bangla language evolved from these verses, considered the earliest literary expressions in Bangla. Alongside the poems, Haraprasad Shastri contributed a Mouthpiece and notes on the Tantric Buddhist poets, published by Bongiyo Shahityo Porishawd in 1916. The Charya songs embody wisdom rooted in absolute equality and compassion (Karuna), guiding seekers toward liberation (Nirvana) from worldly suffering. Although the literary works of the Charya mystics were lost during the medieval period in the subcontinent, they were preserved in Tibet through translations and scholarly efforts in Tibetan Buddhism.
