GuhyasamÄja Tantra
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The GuhyasamÄja Tantra (Sanskrit: GuhyasamÄjatantra; Tibetan: Gsang ādus rtsa rgyud (Toh 442); Tantra of the Secret Community) is one of the most important scriptures of Esoteric Buddhism. In its fullest form, it consists of seventeen chapters, though a separate "explanatory tantra" (vyÄkhyÄtantra) known as the Later Tantra (Sanskrit: GuhyasamÄja Uttaratantra; Tibetan: Rgyud phyi ma. (Toh 443)) is sometimes considered to be its eighteenth chapter. Many scholars believe that the original core of the work consisted of the first twelve chapters, with chapters thirteen to seventeen being added later as explanatory material.
In India, it was classified as a Yoga or MahÄyoga Tantra. In Tibet it is considered an Unexcelled Yoga Tantra (rnal ābyor bla med rgyud). It develops traditions found in earlier scriptures such as the Compendium of Reality (Sanskrit: Sarva-tathÄgata-tattva-saį¹graha; De bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi de kho na nyid bsdus pa (Toh 479)) but is focused to a greater extent on the antinomian aspects characteristic of the later Buddhist Tantras. Naropa and Aryadeva considered the Compendium of Reality to be a root tantra in relation to the Guhyasamaja Tantra. The Guhyasamaja Tantra survives in Sanskrit manuscripts and in Tibetan and Chinese translation.
The Guhyasiddhi of Padmavajra, a work associated with the Guhyasamaja tradition, prescribes acting as a Saiva guru and initiating members into Shaiva Siddhanta scriptures and mandalas.[1]
Origin
According to one tradition, the GuhyasamÄja Tantra was taught for the first time by the Buddha in the form of Vajradhara to Indrabhuti the King of Oddiyana, also called King Dza.
As with most tantras, there are different traditions and transmissions. Perhaps the oldest surviving lineage is the JƱÄnapada Tradition (ye shes zhabs lugs), which goes back to BuddhaÅrijƱÄna (late 8th century). The most important historically is the Ärya tradition (gsang 'dus 'phags lugs) which is based on commentaries attributed to NÄgÄrjuna, Äryadeva, and CandrakÄ«rti. 'Gos Lotsawa Khug pa lhas btsas originated a transmission in Tibet, as did Marpa Lotsawa. The Sakya tradition received both transmissions. Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug tradition, considered the Esoteric Community to be the most important of the tantras and used the Ärya tradition as a template for interpreting all the other tantric traditions.
Iconography
There are two main commentarial traditions on the GuhyasamÄja Tantra, the Ärya Tradition and the JƱÄnapada tradition.
In the practice of the Ärya Tradition, the central deity of the GuhyasamÄja is blue-black Akį¹£obhyavajra, a form of Akį¹£obhya, one of the five tathÄgathas (paƱcatathÄgata), sometimes called the dhyÄni buddhas. Akį¹£obhyavajra holds a vajra and bell (ghanta) in his first two hands, and other hands hold the symbols of the four other tathÄgathas: wheel of Vairocana and lotus of AmitÄbha in his rights, and gem of Ratnasambhava and sword of Amoghasiddhi in his lefts. The maį¹įøala consists of thirty-two deities in all.
In the JƱÄnapada tradition, the central deity is yellow MaƱjuvajra, a form of Maį¹juÅrÄ«, with nineteen deities in the mandala. MaƱjuvajra has three facesāthe right one is white and red one on the leftāand six arms. The three faces may represent the three main channels of the subtle body, the three stages of purification of the mind or the illusory body, light, and their union.[2] MaƱjuvajra holds in his hands a sword and a book, and two of his other hand a bow and arrow represent skillful means (upÄya).
References
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- ā Sanderson, Alexis. "The Åaiva Age: The Rise and Dominance of Åaivism during the Early Medieval Period." In: Genesis and Development of Tantrism,edited by Shingo Einoo. Tokyo: Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, 2009. Institute of Oriental Culture Special Series, 23, pp. 144-145.
- ā Catherine Cummings, "A Guhyasamaja Tantra," in John C. Huntington, Bangdel Dina, Robert AF Thurman, The Circle of Bliss - Buddhist Meditational Art, Serindia Publications, Inc., 2003. pp 432-448 (ISBN 1932476016) (ISBN 9781932476019)
Further reading
- Fremantle, Francesca (1971), A Critical Study of the GuhyasamÄja tantra (PDF)
- Wedemeyer, Christian K. 2007. Äryadeva's Lamp that Integrates the Practices: The Gradual Path of VajrayÄna Buddhism according to the Esoteric Community Noble Tradition. New York: AIBS/Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780975373453
- Geshe Tashi Tsering p. 78 of 240 July 3, 2012. Tantra: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought Volume 6. London: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 1614290113 ISBN 9781614290117
- Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp of the Five Stages, Columbia University Press, 2011, ISBN 978-1-93-501100-2
- A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages, Library of Tibetan Classics, 2013, ISBN 0-86171-454-7
External links
- StudyBuddhism.com, What Is Guhyasamaja Practice?
- EncyclopƦdia Britannica, GuhyasamÄja-tantra
- Tsongkhapa, A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages, Introduction, chapter 1, chapter 2