The goal of this year’s Vienna Summer School on Asian History and Culture is to introduce students to a research topic that is of great importance for understanding Eurasian cultures and religions and has recently become the subject of renewed academic interest: mantras or “potent formulas.” The instructors at the IKGA and ISTB possess a combination of philological, religious-historical, philosophical, and anthropological expertise that enables them to offer a globally unique approach to Mantra Studies.

This year’s Summer School will be offered as a EurAsia Summer Academy within the framework of the Cluster of Excellence “Eurasian Transformations.” It consists of a one-week intensive seminar that includes Sanskrit readings led by experts from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna, combined with lectures that provide a comprehensive overview of the most important research approaches and theories in Mantra Studies. Participants will engage intensively with Sanskrit texts from various periods and traditions, including the Vedic tradition, Mīmāṃsā, Āyurveda, and Tantra. To round off the seminar, participants will also be introduced to non-textual and modern aspects of mantras by staff from the ERC-Synergy Project MANTRAMS, whose main host is the University of Vienna.

During the seminar, we will discuss a variety of questions that are fundamental to Mantra Studies, based on key passages from original sources: What are mantras? How do mantras work? How are mantras used in rituals? In what other contexts are mantras used? Are mantras language? How do the different forms of mantras – oral, aural, written, and material – relate to each other?

FORMAT

The seminar is structured in such a way as to enable both broad engagement and in-depth study. Each session consists of two parts: an introductory lecture and a reading session. This format ensures a balance between expert guidance and engagement with the texts. There will also be ample opportunity to discuss students’ research questions and projects. One day of the seminar as well as the keynote lecture will be organized by members of the ERC-Synergy Project MANTRAMS.

TEACHING STAFF

From the Institute for the Cultural and Intellectual History of Asia of the Austrian Academy of Sciences:
Dr. Dominik A. Haas, Dr. Vitus Angermeier, Dr. Marion Rastelli, Dr. Akane Saito 

From the Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies of the University of Vienna:
Dr. Lucy May Constantini

From the University of Oxford:
Dr. Finnian Moore Gerety (keynote lecture)

PREREQUISITES

Intermediate to good knowledge of Sanskrit.

CREDITS

Students interested in receiving credit points will receive 5 ECTS after a final evaluation and should contact the organizers after registering.

FEES

€ 400.– including accommodation (seven nights in central Vienna and breakfast)
€ 100.– without accommodation

REGISTRATION

Registration will close on 15 May, 2026. For more information and to apply, please send a CV and a short cover letter (c. 250 words) to Dr. Dominik A. Haas (dominik.haas@oeaw.ac.at). We strongly encourage early
application submissions, especially from international candidates who may need to obtain a visa to enter the European Union.

PROGRAM

July 6: Dominik A. Haas, Mantras in the Vedic/Brahminical tradition
July 7: Vitus Angermeier, Mantras in Āyurveda
July 8: Akane Saito, Mantras in Mīmāṃsā
July 9: Akane Saito, Mantras in Early Śaivism
July 10: Marion Rastelli, Mantras in Pāñcarātra
July 11: Lucy May Constantini, non-textual and modern aspects of mantras