Essay name: Hevajra Tantra (analytical study)
Author:
Seung Ho Nam
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Faculty of Oriental Studies
This is an English study of the Hevajra Tantra: an ancient Sanskrit text that teaches the process of attaining Buddha-hood for removing the sufferings of all sentient beings. The Hevajratantra amplifies the views and methods found in the Guhyasamaja Tantra (one of the earliest extant Buddhist Tantras) dealing with Yoga and Mandalas.
Chapter 2 - Place of Hevajra Tantra in Tantric Literature
6 (of 32)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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schools, viz., Vajra-y膩na, K膩la-cakra-y膩na and Sahaja-y膩na. We do not
know on the authority of what texts this division of schools have been
made. Of course, these names are often met with in the Tantric texts,
but the characteristics of the schools have never been sufficiently
explained.108
Vajray膩na or the 鈥楢damantine way' is really the way or means for the
realisation of the Vajra-nature or the immutable and emptiness of the
self as well as of the dharmas. The 艢r墨-sam膩ja, which is regarded to be
the earliest authoritative text on Vajray膩na, explains Vajray膩na as the
doctrine where the families (kulas) of the five Dhyani Buddhas symbolize
the transformation of the five psycho-physical aggregates viz., Moha or
delusion (presided over by Vairocana with his consort Vajradh膩tv墨艣var墨),
Dve峁 or wrath (presided over by Ak峁bhya with his Sakti Locan膩), R盲ga
or passion (presided over by Amitabha with his consort P膩峁囜笉ar膩), etc.;
but these kulas have always their foundation on the Vajra or the 艢奴nyat膩.
Thus, according to the 艢r墨-sam膩ja, the school that grew with the system
of the five families, the Kulas, of the Dhyani Buddhas is the Vajray膩na
school.109
.
"What is K膩lacakray膩na? The word K膩la means time, death and
destruction. K膩la-cakra is the wheel of destruction, and K膩lacakray膩na
means the vehicle for protection against the wheel of destruction." We
have at our disposal a text of the title of 艢ri-k膩la-cakra-tantra. As far
as our knowledge of the Buddhist Tantric texts goes, we have not found
any other text belonging to this K膩lacakra class. After a study of the
text we find that King Sucandra approached the Omniscient Lord Buddha
with salutation and asked of him the yoga of the 艢rik膩lacakra which is
the way to salvation of all people of the Kali age. Then the Lord replied
that this secret of yoga is unknown to all, it is a system of Yoga which,
with all its accessories of Mandala (magic circle) and consecration
(abhi峁ka), is explained within this very body, and the Lord then
108 Shashi Bhushan Dasgupta, Ibid, p.64.
109 Shashi Bhushan Dasgupta, Ibid, p.70.
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