The following (perhaps overly) brief representation of Padoux's work is drawn primarily from his translated work, though some French works have been consulted, and as such must be seen as an initial and limited perusal of the work of this prolific scholar. What follows will focus on two main areas.

First we will look at Padoux general discussions of Tantra and then turn to his more specific ruminations on The Word (Vac) and its central role in Tantric traditions. This brief characterization will then serve as a baseline from which we can criticize and question Padoux's assertions.