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
7 (of 32)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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explained how all the universe with all its objects and localities are
situated in the body and how time with all its varieties (viz., day, night,
fortnight, month, year, etc.) are within the body in its processes of the
vital wind (pr膩峁嘺v膩yu). In the body of the text Sahaja has been fully
explained and the details of the sexo-yogic practices for the attainment
of the Sahaja have also been described.110
The nature of Lord 艢rik膩lacakra becomes clear 鈿� from the
Laghuk膩lacakratantrar膩ja峁玨膩, entitled the Vimalaprabh膩. Here he is saluted
as of the nature of S眉nyata and Karu峁嚹�; in him there is the absence of
the origination and destruction of the three worlds, he is a unification of
鈥� the knowledge and the knowable; goddess Praj帽膩, who is both with form
and without form, is embraced by him; he is bereft of origination and
change, he is immutable bliss bereft of all lower pleasure; he is the
father of the three times (i.e., the past, present and future), the
omniscient, the ultimate and original Buddha the non-dual Lord.
Again the aim of the K膩lacakratantra as professed here is no mundane
benefit; on the other hand, like all other Buddhist Tantras it also
professes the attainment of perfect enlightenment, not only for the self
but for all the beings, to be the final aim.
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The Sahajiy膩 school is an offshoot of Vajray膩na. There is no exclusive
literature belonging to Sahajay膩na, on the other hand, the Sahajiy膩
poets of the Doh膩s and songs recognise the well-known texts of
Vajray膩na as their authority. The exponents of the Sahajiy膩 school put
the whole emphasis on their protest against the formalities of life and-
religion. Truth is something which can never be found through mere
austere practices of discipline, neither can it be realised through much
reading and philosophising, or through
or through
fasting, bathing, constructing
images and worshipping gods and goddesses and the innumerable other
paraphernalia of rites and rituals prescribed in Vajray膩na; it is to be
intuited within in the most unconventional way through the initiation in
the Tattva and the practice of yoga. This makes the position of the
110 Shashi Bhushan Dasgupta, Ibid, p.66.
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