3. The texts of Mahāyoga

The texts of Mahāyoga are divided into two classes—tantras (rgyud-sde / tantravarga) and means for attainment (sgrub-gde / sādhanavarga). The former (NGB. vols. 14-19) comprise the exoteric corpus of literature from which the latter (NGB. vols. 20-33), the esoteric practices, are drawn.^[1] Volumes 31-32 also respectively contain the general tantras (spyi-rgyud) and the particular tantras (sgos-rgyud) associated with the original gter-ma recension of the sgrub-chen bka'-brgyad dbe-'dus-kyi rgyud. from which the later gter-ma cycles of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bka'-brgyed) derive.^[2]

The means for attainment have five main sections, corresponding^[3] to the five supramundane meditational deities, viz. Yamāntaka (' jam-dpal gzhin-rje gshad-pa'i rgyud-skor. NGB. vols. 20-22, T. 838), Hayagrīva/Aśvottama (dgal rta-mgrin padma dbang-chen rta-mchog rol-pa'i rgyud-sde-rnams. NGB. vols. 23-24). Śrīheruka (dpal yang-dag thugs-kyi rgyud-sde-rnams. NGB. vol. 25), Vajrāmṛta ('chi-med bdud-rtsi yon-tan-gyi rgyud-sde-rnams. NGB. vol. 26, T. 841), and Vajrakīla/Vajrakumāra (bcom-ldan-'das dgal rdo-rje phur-pa'i rgyud-sde rnams. NGB. vols. 27-29). The following three mundane meditational deities are also included: Mātarī (ma-mo srid-pa'i dzong lung chen-mo yum bzung-ma'i dngos-grub chen-mo'i rgyud-rnams-dang ma-mo rtsa-rgyud 'bum-tig-gi sKor. ngb. vols. 30-31, Vol. 33, T. 842), Lokastotrapūja/ mChod-bstod (NGB. vol. 32, T. 844), and Vajramantrabhīru/Drag-sngags (NGB. vol. 32. T. 843).

The class of tantras is otherwise known as the eighteen tantrapiṭakas of Mahāyoga, a basic cycle of texts traditionally held to have been subdivided from the Hundred Thousand Verses of the Magical Net (sgyu-'phrul stong-phrag brgya-pa) by Kukkurāja, on whom see below, pp. 74-75. Different enumerations of these tantrapitakas have been recorded in the works of kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa, dPa'-bo gTsug-lag Phreng-ba, gTer-bdag gLing-pa, Zhe-chen rGyal-tshab Padma rNam-rgyal and others.

In the sngags-kyi spyi-don tshangs-dbyangs 'brug-sgra, kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa classifies the eighteen according to buddha-body, speech, mind, attributes, activities, and generality as follows:^[4]

sku'i sku-rgyud glang-po rab-'bog;
sku'i gsung-rgyud glang-po chur-'jug;
sku'i thugs-rgyud sangs-rgyas mnyam—sbyor;
gsung-gi sku-rgyud ri-bo brtsegs-pa;
gsung-gi gsung-rgyud padma dbang-chen;
gsung-gi thugs-rgyud zla-gsang thig-le;
thugs-kyi sku-rgyud rtse-mo 'dus-pa;
thugs-kyi gsung-rgyud gcig-las 'phros-pa;
thugs-kyi thugs-rgyud gsang-ba 'dus-pa;
yon-tan-gyi sku-rgyud sgron-me 'bar-ba;
yon-tan-gyi gsung-rgyud bdud-rtai samaya 'bum-sde;
yon-tan-gyi thugs-rgyud dpal-mchog dang-po;
phrin-las-kyi sku-rgyud dpal-phreng dkar-po;
phrin-las-kyi gsung-rgyud ma-mo rgyud-lung;
phrin-las-kyi thugs-rgyud bidyotamala 'bum-sde;
spyi'i sku-pgyud thabs-zhags;
spyi'i gsung-rgyud dam-tshig bkod-oa;
spyi'i thugs-rgyud gsang ha sgyu-'phrul.

dPa'-bo gTsug-lag 'Phreng-ba, mkhas-pa'i dga'-ston, enumerates the eighteen differently, but with the same basic sixfold classification;^[5]

sangs-rgyas mnyam-sbyor glang-chen rab-'bog glang-chen mtshor-zhugs-te sku'i rgyud gsum;
zla-gsang thig-le gcig-las 'phro-pa du-ma 'phro-pa-ste gsung-gi rgyud gsum;
gsang-ba 'dus-pa ri-bo brtsegs-pa rtse-gcig 'dus-pa-ste thugs-kyi rgyud gaum;
dpal-mchog dang-po bdud-rtsi mchog dang-po yid-bzhin nor-bu'i rgyud-ste yon-tan-gyi rgyud gsum;
karma ma-la sgron-ma 'bar-ba kilaya yig-'bru bcu-gnyis-ta phrin-las-kyi rgyud gsum;
sgyu-'phrul dra-ba dam-tshig bkod-pa thabs-kyi zhags-pa-ste spyi'i rgyud gsum.

The enumeration which gained acceptance from the time of gTer-bdag gLing-pa onwards^[6] and which corresponds to the structure of the Collected Tantras the rNying-ma-pa, is that given by Zhe-chen rGyal-tshab Padma rNam-rgyal, sgrub-brgyud shing-rta brgyad-kyi byung-ba brjod-pa'i gtam mdor-bsdus legs-bshad padma dkar-po'i rdzing-bu, and inferred by bDud-'joms Rin-po-che, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism; Its Fundamentals and History:^[7]

The five great tantras of buddha-body. speech, mind, attributes and activities are respectively Buddhasamāyoga (NGB. vol. 16, T. 366-7). Candraguhyatilaka (NGB. vol. 16, T. 477). Guhyasamāja (NGB. vol. 17. T. 442-3). Śrīparamādya (NGB. vol. 17. T. 487). and Karmamāle [Karmamāle] (NGB. vol. 17); the five tantras concerned with means for attainment are heruka rol-pa (NGB. vol. 18, T. 840), rta-mchog rol-pa (NGB. vol. 18, T. 839), snying-rje rol-pa (NGB. vol. 18, T. 840), bdud rtsi-rol-pa (NGB. vol. 18), and phur-pa chu-gnyis-pa (NGB. vol. 19); The five tantras concerned with conduct are ri-bo brtsegs-pa (NGB. vol. 6), ye-shes rngam-glog (NGB. vol. 12, T. 830), dam-tshig bkod-pa (NGB. vol. 12), ting-'dzin rtse-gcig (NGB. vol. 8), and glang-chen rab-'bog (NGB. vol. 19); the two supplementary tantras are rnam-snang sgyu-'phrul drya-ba (NGB. vol. 19, T. 466) and thabs-kyi zhags-pa (NGB. vol. 19. T. 835); and the single tantra which summarises all the others is Guhyagarbha (NGB. vols. 14-16, T. 832-837).

All these systems of enumeration in common give precedence to the Guhyagarbhatantra and its cycle of texts, known as the Magical Net (Māyājāla/ sgyu-'phrul). whether it is classified as the general tantra (spyi-rgyud). the general tantra among general tantras (spyi-'i spyi-rgyud). or the single tantra which summarises all the others (thams-cad-kyi bsdus-don lta-bu'i rgyud-sde gcig). This is Indeed suggested in the name of the basic tantra from which the eighteen were reputedly subdivided.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The distinction between the esoteric sādhana class and the exoteric tantra class is emphasised by the account of Zur-po-che's construction of 'Ug-pa-lung monastery. See below, pp. 90-91

[2]:

This is the Tantra of the Gathering at the Eight Transmitted Precepts, which Padmasambhava Introduced into Tibet. It was subsequently revealed in the context of many Important gter-ma cycles, such as Nyang-ral Nyi-ma 'Od-zer's bka'-brgyad bde-gshegs bder-'dus (RTD. Vol. 21), Guru Chos-dbang's bka'-brgyad gsang-ba yongs-rdzogs (RTD. Vols. 22-23). Padma gLing-pa's bka'-brgyad thugs-kyi me-long (RTD. Vol. 23), and mChog-gyur bDe-chen gling-pa's bka'-brgyad bde-gshegs kun-'dus (RTD. Vol. 25)

[3]:

The meditational deities (yi-dam) Yamāntaka, Hayagrīva, Śrīheruka, Vajrāmṛta, and Vajrakumāra are said to be supramundane in the sense that they confer supreme accomplishments (mchog-gi dngos-grub) of enlightenment and buddha-hood. They are contrasted with the three mundane meditational deities—Mātarī, Stotrapūja, and Vajramantrabhīru—who confer common accomplishments (thun-mong-gi dngos-grub). On the Indian historical background to these practices, see NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, pp. 103-112. On their structure, see NSTB, Book 1, Pt. ft, p. 162.

[4]:

Ed. Tarthans Tulku. Varanasi. 1968, pp. 27-28. The text is also published in vol. 4 of Dodrup Chen Rinpoche's edition of ngal-gso skor-gsum. For an earlier Yogatantra tradition of eighteen tantras which resembles this in a few cases, see Amoghavajra's Memorandum on the Vajraśekharatantra. Taisho, 869 (vol. 18).

[5]:

Ed. Lokesh Candra, Delhi, p. 238. There exists another Delhi edition: Delhi Karmapae Chodey Gyalwae Sungrab Partun Khang, 1980.

[6]:

On the life and works of gTer-bdag gLing-pa. the founder of the sMin-grol-gling (1646-1714) tradition which penetrated Khams and Western Tibet from its stronghold in Lho-kha and became the dominant rNying-ma school during the nineteenth century, see NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 6, pp. 620-636. 'Jigs-med gLing-pa in his rnying-ma'i rgyud-'bum-gyi rtogs-brjod. p. 117. however follows the earlier enumeration of dPa'-bo gTsug-lag 'Phreng-ba.

[7]:

The first of these texts is contained in the zhe-chen rgyal-tshab-kyi gsung-'bum. vol. 2. Paro: Ngodrup. 1975 onwards. The second reference is to NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, p. 83.