Abstract

This work is a critical presentation of original sources relating to the Mahāyoga and Atiyoga traditions of the rNying-ma school of Tibetan Buddhism, namely, the principal tantra-text of that school, Guhyagarbhatattvaviniścayamahātantra, and kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa's commentary, phyogs-bcu mun-sel. It comprises an Introduction, an edition of the Tibetan root-text, an annotated translation and bibliography.

i) The introduction considers: the position of the three inner classes of tantra (nane-rgyud sde-gsum) within the rNying-ma tradition; the extant texts of the rgyud-sde and sgrub-sde divisions of Mahāyoga within the bka'-'gyur and the rnying-ma'i rgyud-'bum and the transmission of the latter from its compilation until recent times; the relationship between the eighteen tantras of the rgyud-sde section and the sgyu-'phrul cycle; the contents of the cycle and the position of the long, medium and short versions of the Guhyagarbha within it; the structured contents of this root-tantra; the controversy surrounding its origins; the Indian historical perspective and commentaries; the Tibetan translations; the practical synthesis of mdo-sgyu-sems-gsum; the bka'-ma lineages with emphasis on the relevant indigenous Tibetan commentaries; the gter-ma related literature; ten philosophical topics elaborated in the Guhyagarbha: the two exegetical interpretations; and the editions of the source materials which have been consulted.

ii) The edition of the root-text is based, in the absence of Sanskrit ms., on extant Tibetan versions found in the bka'-'gyur and the rnying-ma'i rgyud-'bum, the Karma'i Chos-sgar blockprint, and the versions utilised by kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa and Lo-chen Dharmaśrī in their commentaries.

ill) The translation of the root-tantra is accompanied by the full text of kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa's interlinear sections (gzhung-don). each of which is preceded by an overview (spyi-don).

iv) The bibliography has two sections, the first comprising those texts cited by kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa in phyogs-bcu mun-sel, and the second those works referred to in the introduction and annotations.