7. The Indian historical tradition of the Guhyagarbhatattvaviniścayamahātantra

The present account of the Indian and Tibetan lineages associated with this tantra is based on sources compiled by bDud-'joms 'Jigs-bral Ye-shes rDo-rje in NSTB., Book 2. These include: 'Gos Lotsâwa, deb-ther sngon-po: dPa'-bo gTsug-lag 'Phreng-ba, mkhas-pa'i dga'-ston: Tāranātha, dam-pa'i chos rin-po-che 'phags-yul-du ji-ltar dar-ba'i tshul gsal-bar ston-pa dgos-'dod kun-'byung: kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa, snying-thig ma-bu'i lo-rgyus gtona-thun chen-mo: Lo-chen Dharmaśrī, mdo-dbang-gi spyi-don rgyud lung man-ngag-gi gnad sel-byed saron-me: 'Jam-mgon Kong-sprul, gter-ston brgya-rtsa'i rnam-thar rin-chen bai-dûrya'i phreng-mdzes: and the aforementioned catalogue and index of the Collected Tantras by Rig-'dzin 'Jigs-med gLing-pa and 'Gyur-med Tshe-dbang mChog-grub.^[1]

King Ja and Kukkurāja:

The legendary historical appearance of the Mahāyoga tantras is associated with King Ja of Sahor, who is considered to be the subject of various prophetic declarations, such as the following from the Saṃvarodayottaratantra:^[2]

One hundred and twelve years from now,
When I have vanished from here,
A quintessential doctrine.
Renowned in the three divine realms
Will be revealed by the Lord of Secrets
To one who is named King Ja,
Who will appear by virtue of great merits
At Jambudvīpa’s eastern frontier.

And in the kun-bzang ye-shes gsal-bar ston-pa'i thabs-kyi lam-mchog 'dus-pa'i rgyud (NGB. Vol.8):^[3]

The Mahāyoga tantras will fall onto the palace of King Ja. The Anuyoga tantras will emerge in the forests of Siṅghala.

While the identity of this figure is obscure—he has been referred to as Indrabhūti the Great, his son, or even a later Indrabhūti contemporaneous with Kukkurāja, Kambalapāda, Saroruha, and Jālandharipā^[4] —the tradition clearly recounts that:^[5]

While the king was sitting absorbed in the meditative cultivation of the yoga of the lower tantras, a volume containing the Mahāyogatantras, including the Buddhasamāyoga (T. 366-367) and an image of their compiler Guhyapati Vajrapāṇi, reportedly fell upon the royal palace, just as in his dream. Then, having performed prayers, he intuitively understood the chapter entitled the “Vision of Vajrasattva” and practised meditation for seven months, relying on that and on the Image of Vajrapāṇi. As a result he had a vision of Vajrasattva and received from him the empowerment of pristine cognition. Thus, he came to understand the symbolic conventions and meanings of that volume in their entirety.

King Ja first taught these tantras to Uparāja, the celebrated scholar of Sahor. but without success. He then taught the master Kukkurāja, who intuitively understood the chapter on the “Vision of Vajrasattva” (brgyad-bcu-pa. Ch. 74), from the rdor-sems sgyu-'phrul sde-brgyad (NGB. vol. 14), and received a prediction that Guhyapati Vajrapāṇi would subsequently reveal the meanings of this tantra. Accordingly Kukkurāja is said to have been empowered by Guhyapati and verbally instructed by Licchavi Vimalakīrti.^[6] He then divided the Mahāyoga texts into eighteen great tantra-piṭakas and taught them to King Ja. The latter wrote many famous commentaries on the tantras including the sgyu-'phrul lam rnam-bkod (p.4737) and the Śrīguhyagarbhakramadvayoddeśa (P. 4771) which are connected with the Māyājāla cycle.

He himself says in the sgyu-'phrul lam rnam-bkod (p. 4737):^[7]

In the eastern domain of Indrabhūti,
At Vajrakūṭa, in India.
I, the noble Indrabhūti,
Practised the Magical Net.
Having been taught by the Lord of Secrets, himself.
I actually realised Vajrapāṇi,
With his retinue of fifty thousand.
Being empowered in wholesome action.
By the practice of disciplined conduct,
I was free from sin, and reached (an exalted) level.

Kukkurāja, known as the “king of dogs” because he reputedly taught the doctrine by day in the guise of a dog to a thousand warriors and yoginīs, and by night went to the charnel grounds with them to perform feast-offerings and other sacramental practices, went to Oḍḍiyāna where he gave a detailed explanation of the five inner tantra-piṭakas of Mahāyoga, including the Buddhasamāyoga. (T. 366-367) on which he had composed many treatises, e.g., the Sadguhyārthadharavyūha (T. 1664-1669), and the Sarvamanṇḍalānuvartipañcavidhi (T. 1670). He transmitted the eighteen tantrapiṭakas of Mahāyoga to Śakraputra, or Indrabhūti the younger, who was the king’s son; he to Siṃharāja; he to Śakrabhūti, or Uparāja; and finally to the daughter Gomadevī.

As is said in the Māyājālapathakrama (P. 4736):^[8]

Then, to the east of Jambudvīpa,
Which rests on the Indestructible Seat,
In a holy palace of precious gems.
In an auspicious and sacred room,
Kukkurāja and Indrabhūti,
Together with Siṃharāja, Uparāja,
Daughter Gomadevī, and others.
Received the empowerment of the Magical Net.
They actually attained the maṇḍala as an assembly;
And manifestly reached the level of Vajradhara.

The lineage then descended to Līlāvajra and Buddhaguhya.^[9]

Līlāvajra:

The master Līlāvajra, a native of Samsara, was ordained in Oḍḍiyāna where he studied the Tripiṭaka and became particularly learned in the philosophical tenets of Asaṅga, the ordinary sciences, and all the tantrapl takas, the Magical Net in particular. On an island in Oḍḍiyāna called Madhima he practised and became accomplished in the Mañjuśrīnāmasaṅgīti (T. 360). During his ten years at Nālanda, he composed many treatises and expounded them in detail. Those concerning the Magical Net include: a Commentary on the Litany of the Names of Mañjuśrī ('jam-dpal mtshan-brjod-kyi 'grel-ba. T. 2533) according to the interpretations of the Unsurpassed (Yoga)-tantra; the sPar-khab Commentary an the Secret Nucleus (Śrīguhyagarbhaṭīkā. P. 4718); the Inner-most Point (Cittabindu. P. 4723); the Sixfold Sequence (Kramaṣaṭka. P. 4741); the Clarification of Commitments (Samayacitraprakāśa, p. 4744); and the Propensity for the Commitments (Samayānuśayanirdeśa. p. 4745). Among the students of Līlāvajra. the most prominent were Buddhaguhya and Buddhajñānapāda, who 136 studied the Magical Net (NGB. Vols. 14-16).

Buddhaguhya:

The master Buddhaguhya, a native of Central India, was ordained at Nālanda, where he and master Buddhaśānti were both disciples of Buddhajñānapāda during the early part of the latter’s life. On attaining accomplishment through Mañjuśrī, he travelled to Oḍḍiyāna, where he met the master Līlāvajra, and studied the Yogatantras, the Five Inner Unsurpassed Tantrapiṭakas, and the Magical Net in particular. He composed a great many works. Including: the Analytical Commentary on the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus (gsang-ba'i snying-po-la 'grel-ba rnam-bshad / rnam-dbye-kyi 'grel): the Sequence of Indestructible Activity (Māyājālavajrakarmakrama, p. 4720); the Significance of the Mandala Doctrine (Dharmamaṇḍalasūtra. T. 3705); the Holy Ornament (Tattvālokaparamālamkara. P. 4735); the Lesser Met (Sūkṣmajāla, P. 4734) and the Greater Met (drya-chen. P. 4733); the Greater Sequence of the Path (Māyālālapathakrama, p. 4736) And the Lesser Sequence of the Path (sgyu-'phrul lam-gyi rnam-bshad chung-ba, Dz. Vol. 1); as well as treatises on other tantras.

Padmasambhava:

Another lineage of the Mahāyoga tantras also passed from King Ja and Kukkurāja through Sukhasidhi (=dGa'-rab rDo-rje) to Vajrahāsya and thence to Prabhāhasti of Sahor. The latter was a principle teacher of Padmasambhava. who also received the Magical Met cycle directly from Buddhaguhya. Padmasambhava composed the Great Exegesis (rnam-bshad chen-mo) on the Guhyagarbhatattvaviniścayamahātantra, and in Tibet he also taught his celebrated treatise on Ch. 13 of this tantra, entitled the Garland views, A Collection of Esoteric Instructions (man-ngag lta-phreng, P. 4726) to King Khri-srong lde-btsan and his fortunate subjects.

Vimalamitra:

A native of Hastivana in western India. Vimalamitra mastered the sciences and their branches. the sūtras of the lesser and greater vehicles. and the tantras under many masters including Buddhaguhya. He was particularly learned in the Magical Net (Māyājālatantra. NGB. Vols. 14-16); and he composed many treatises. for instance: the commentary on the Secret Nucleus entitled An Illuminating Lamo on the Fundamental Text (sgyu-'phrul man-ngag gsal-ba'i sgron-me. P. 4739); the Removal of Darkness: A Commentary on the Superior Magical Met (sgyu-'phrul bla-ma'i 'grel-ba mun-sel): the Eye-opening Commentary on the Supplementary Magical Net (Vajrasattvamāyājālatantraśrīguhyagarbhanāma cakṣuṣṭīkā. P. 4756); the Abridged Commentary on the Eighty Chapter Magical Net (brgyad-bcu-pa'i bsdus-'grel); Opening the Eye of Discriminative Awareness (Mahāyogaprajñāpraveśacakṣurupadeśanāma, p. 4725); the Three stages (Māyājālopadeśakramatraya, P. 4742); Meditative Absorption in the Mudrās (Māyājālamudrādhyāna, P. 4732): a Ritual for Burnt Offerings (Māyājālahomasaṃkṣiptakrama. p. 4746); a Cremation Ritual (Māyājālalaghudṛṣṭāntasyāśravakrama. P. 4748); Sequence at the Seminal Point (thig-rim); and the Short Commentary (Guhyagarbha-piṇḍārtha. P. 4755).

The extant Indian commentaries on the cycle of the Magical Net, including the above, are preserved in the Peking edition of the bsTan-'gyur. vols. 82-83. According to Lo-chen Dharmaśrī, gsang-bdag zhal-lung. pp. 107 ff., they are divided between general exegetical tracts (spyi'i don bshad-pa) such as Līlāvajra’s thugs-thig and Vimalamitra’s khog-gzhung gsal-sgron, and commentaries ('grel-pa). The latter include root-commentaries (rtsa-'grel) and exegetical commentaries (bshad-'grel). The first group comprises the great Indian treatises on the Guhyagarbhatattvaviniścayatantra itself, i.e., Līlāvajra, 'grel-pa spar-khab (P. 4718), Sūryaprabhāsiṃha, rgya-cher 'grel-ba (P. 4719) Buddhaguhya, rnam-dbye 'grel, Padmasambhava, rnam-bshad chen-mo, and Vimalamitra, 'grel-chung piṇḍārtha (P. 4755). The second includes commentaries on the other texts of the cycle such as Vimalamitra’s bla-ma'i 'grel-pa mun-sel, le-lag-gi spyan-'grel (P. 4756), and brgyad-cu-ppa'i bsdus-'grel.

In addition, each of the “ten aspects of mantra” (mantradaśatattva), which form the subject-matter of the tantra-text,^[10] has its own commentarial tradition:

1. View (lta-ba):

dGa'-rab rDo-rje's la-shan lta-ba'i sgron-ma (P. 4727). Padmasambhava’s man-ngag lta-phreng (P. 4726), Vimalamitra’s shes-rab sgron-me'i 'grel (P. 4725), Nāgārjuna’s gYu-thang-ma kras-dgu (P. 4729), and sKa-ba dPal-brtsegs' Tibetan treatise lta-rim snang-ba bcu-bdun-pa (P. 4728).

2. Conduct (spyod-oa):

spyod-bsdus sgron-ma (P. 5357?). rdo-rje 'jam-mgon.

3. Maṇḍala (dkyil-'khor):

Buddhaguhya’s rdo-rje las-rim gnyis-kyi stod (P. 4720), dkyil-'khor chos-don (T. 3705). and Vimalamitra’s thig-sum-par rgyal (P. 4733-4, 4738?).

4. Empowerment (dbang):

Buddhaguhya’s rdo-rje las-rim-kyi smad (P. 4761), gal-po (P. 4721, 4762), nges-'byed che-chung (P. 4722), thigs-pa gsum (P. 4738).

5. Commitment (dam-tshig):

Līlāvajra’s dam-tshig gsal-bkra (P. 4744), dam-tshig phra-rgyas (P. 4745).

6. Activity (phrin-las):

Vimalamitra’s sbyin-sreg (P. 4746), ro-areg (P. 6747), sku-gdung las-phreng (P. 4749), dur-khrod bde-ba'i dpe-chung rang-gnas (P. 4748).

7. Attainment (sgrub-pa):

Indrabhūti’s lam-rnam-bkod (P. 4737). rim-pa gnyis-pa (P. 4771). Buddhaguhya’s lam-rim che-chung (P. 4736. DZ. Vol. 1), Līlāvajra’s rim-drug (P. 4741), Vimalamitra’s rim-gsum (P. 4742), 'od-rim (P. 4731). drya-chen (P. 4733). Buddhaguhya’s drya-chung (P. 4734). dam-pa rgyan (P. 4735).

8. Contemplation (ting-nge-'dzin):

Vimalamitra’s Phyag-rgya bsam-gtan (P. 4732), khro-bo phyag-rgya gcig-pa (p. 4779). rtse-gcig bsdus-pa phyag-rgya bzhi-pa'i bsam-gtan (P. 4778).

9. Offering (mchod-pa);

Padmasambhava’s za-tshogs (P. 4750), dur-khrod, bde-ba gtor-chung, ho-chen, ho-chung, gYos-yig che-chung, Vimalamitra’s thabs-mchog dpag-gi mi-lang-ba, dbyig-gi sgron-ma.

10. Mantra and Seal (gngags-dang phyag-rgya):

phrin-las shar-ba brgyad.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See the bibliography for further information. These and other sources are listed in a special section at the end of NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, pp. 835-837.

[2]:

On this verse, see S.G. Karmay, "Kins Tsa/ Dza and Vajrayāna," pp. 197-199.

[3]:

NGB. Vol. 3. no. 46. For a traditional account of the appearance of Anuyoga in Śrī Laṅkā, see NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, PP. 72-77.

[4]:

The traditions concerning this figure and the intermediate Indrabhūtl have been studied by S.G. Karmay, "King Tsa/ Dza and Vajrayāna." For other references to intermediate Indra-bhūti, see Tāranātha, History of Buddhism In India. pp. 241, 410; and NSTB. Book 2, Pt. 2, pp. 78-79.

[5]:

NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, p. 80.

[6]:

Vimalakīrti is best known to the Buddhist world through the magnificent Mahāyāna sūtra bearing his name, i.e. the Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra. T. 176, on which see E. Lamotte, L'Enseignement de Vimalakīrti; R. Thurman, Holy Teaching Vimalakīrti; and the translation from Chinese by Charles Luc.

[7]:

Peking bsTan-'gyur. Vol. 83, p. 120.2.8-120.3.2.

[8]:

Peking bsTan-'gyur. Vol. 83. p. 103-5.5-103.5.7.

[9]:

See N. Norbu, The Small. Collection of Hidden Precepts, pp. 38ff. S.G. Karmay, op. cit.. pp. 109-112, states that the biographies of the tantra-master Buddhaguhya and of the exponent of the Great Perfection Buddhagupta were confused by 'Gos Lostawa gZhon-nu dPal in the deb-ther sngon-po. Even If this were the case, it is probable that the figure in question here is Buddhaguhya since the texts outlined in the biography are based on Mahāyoga. See NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2. PP. 87-90.

[10]:

These ten aspects are discussed below, pp. 114-123. within the framework of 'Ju Mi-pam rNam-rgyal's commentary spyi-don 'od-gsal snying-po.