| Sandor Ferenczi suggested a daring hypothesis on the theory of human genitality through his forgotten work, Thalassa. He speculated the bio-genetic origin of human sexual behavior in terms of the wish for the maternal womb ontogenetically and phylogenetically, but his theory was disregarded and forgotten by many theoreticians who considered his opinions to be unscientific.
Nonetheless, his suggestions in regard to ancient Tantric Buddhism and his mother-oriented messages are very impressive. Ferenczi saw human sexual activity as manifestation of the desire to return to the maternal womb. The ancient Tantric Buddhists had already suggested very provocative and experimental dogma with the ambitious goal of entering nirvana by means of spiritually orgasmic experiences through complete sexual unification. Such dogmatic
suggestions may seem very immoral and dangerous, but their underlying messages reveal the unconscious wish and fantasy for unification with the mother.
We can now understand Ferenczi’s theory of genitality if we read it in terms of Tantric messages, but unfortunately these messages can not be verified scientifically. Sexual symbols can be found in various religious rituals and dogmatic contents, but they are especially prominent in Buddhist rituals. For example, the striking of the wooden block is symbolic of sexual behavior, and the hole in the instrument is a symbol of female genitalia. Buddhist invocation is a desexualized moan of pleasure. In Buddhist images, the Buddha always sits on the lotus flower making the famous hand gesture of the circle. The lotus flower symbolizes the female genitalia, and the circle symbol means nothingness and the endless transmigration of souls, but it also means the entrance of the womb.
Tantric Buddhism was early extinguished from India on the grounds that it was dangerous and led to corruption of public morals, but its modified traditions still remain in Tibetan Buddhism. While we may not be able to express approval of Tantric rituals, we can understand their underlying hidden messages. The desire to return to the maternal womb is universal and deep-seated in the mind. This is the point that Ferenczi stressed and we can now accept his daring speculation. |
