3 - Computing in the Humanities and Social Sciences

absence of a material representation the ascetic can visualize the deity in meditation (see
for example Yamasaki 1988, in particular pp. 154-162).
In addition, Staal continues, “mantras need not have an effect, or a visible effect”
(Staal 1989: 69). In this case to counter Staal we could easily refer to Lévy-Strauss and
his principle of “symbolic efficacy.” But Staal’s statement is in contrast with the
assumptions of esoteric rituals. Rituals, in addition to inducing in the ascetic altered
states of consciousness, whose effect on the radiation emitted by the brain is measurable
(Fischer 1981: 286-305)), have the power to transform “a mundane setting into a
precisely and minutely conceived replica of a sacred cosmos” (Wheelock 1989: 102). We
could also add that esoteric exegetes such as Kakuban emphasize that even though the
practitioner is not aware of having attained the siddhi (the final goal of esoteric rituals),
that does not mean that the goal has not been achieved. In other words, attainment is
always automatic and necessary, independently of the awareness (or lack thereof) of the
practitioner. 23
As a conclusion of this discussion, we could say that objections to the application
of the speech acts theory to mantras arise from a narrow and dogmatic definition of that
theory. But if we employ that theory heuristically in a field that was not originally
considered by Austin, that of mantric expressions, we need to expand it to be able to
address other issues that are specific to the mantric usage. In particular, we should take
as our starting point an “emic” perspective, internal to the tradition we study.
Accordingly, mantras are not idle utterances, mere flatus vocis, but effective interactions
with deities. In particular, in ritual mantras do not describe or represent reality; they are
used to address the deities in a performative way in order to produce, linguistically,
23 A short text attributed to Kakuban, entitled Matsudai shingon gyoja yojin (“Precautions for the
Shingon practitioner in the final age of Dharma”), is very significant and explicit in this respect. Here is
the integral translation:
“Precautions for the Shingon practitioner in the final age of Dharma”
(as in accordance with the explanations in the scriptures)
[Question:] Does the one who arises the desire for enlightenment (bodaishin) necessarily attain the siddhi?
[Reply:] Yes, the person with deep faith attains the siddhi. [Q.:] What do you mean exactly? [R.:] Even
though after long practices one cannot see the results, one should not give in to doubt, one should not
give up. The one who holds forth will certainly attain the siddhi. The main deity of a ritual (honzon), in
order to test the ascetic, or the various deities, in order to test the depth of the ascetic’s faith, may prevent
him/her [from attaining the expected result]. It may also happen that, because of serious karmic
impediments, the ascetic thinks he/she has not succeeded. However, he/she has really attained the siddhi,
but he/she is not aware of it. Furthermore, demons can also create impediments and hide (the attainment
of) the result. Since (the apparent failure to attain the siddhi) could be due to one of these factors, one
should not give in to doubt. (in Miyasaka 1989, ed.: 2/64-65).
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