Hevajra Tantra (analytical study)
by Seung Ho Nam | 2004 | 83,536 words
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 which is one of the earliest extant Buddhist Tantras (composed before the 7th century A.D.) d...
6. The Tenets of Vajrayana in Hevajra Tantra
In Hevajra Tantra, the theory of Four Bodies as presented in r Abhisamayalamkara, has been accepted and elaborated. Here, the fourth body is mentioned as the Great Bliss Body (mahasukhakaya) which appears by the union of the Three Bodies. Besides the Truth Body, the Enjoyment Body and the Emanation Body. And And according to Yogaratnamala commentary the Nature Body is the Great Bliss Body. The practice of Deity Yoga in conjunction with Sunyata Yoga as well asthe attainment of the primordial clear light mind is discussed in "Hevajra Tantra. [Hevajra Tantra] There the Bhagavan spoke: The heart of the Body, Speech and Mind of all the Buddhas is the Noble Lord, who is the most secret of all secrets. O Vajragarbha, thou great Bodhisattva of great mercy, listen to the essence of 85 hasitasuddhya tv acarya iksane guhyakas tatha prajna panyavaptau ca tat punar dvandvatantrake//11// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.183) 86 Master Yangchen Gawai Lodoe, (tr. by) Tenzin Dorjee, Paths and Grounds of Ghhyasamaja According to Arya Nagarjuna, p.14. - 62 ·
Vajrasattva, Mahasattva and Samayasattva which is known as Hevajra. Vajragarbha asked: Explain to me, O bhagavan, whence Vajrasattva, how so Mahasattva and by what Samayasattva? Bhagavan replied: Vajra is said to be the indivisible and Sattva the unity of the three Centres. By this kind of wise reasoning Vajrasattva, the Admantine Being, is so called. Mahasattva is so called because of being full of the flavours of the Great Knowledge. Samayasattva is so called because of being uninterruptedly active at all times. Vajragarbha asked: What is intended by the composit name Hevajra? What is proclaimed by the sound he, and what by vajra? Bhagavan replied: He symbolizes Great Compassion (mahakaruna), and vajra symbolizes Wisdom (prajna). Now listen to this tantra that I proclaim which is the essence of Wisdom (prajna) and Means (upaya). (1.1.2-7)87 [commentary of 1.1.4] 'By this kind of wise reasoning': By means of this kind of wise reasoning which is the Madhyamika view of the Perfection of Wisdom, the Body of Essential Nature (dharmakaya) is called Vajrasattva. (Yogaratnamala)88 [commentary of 1.1.5] Within the inner chamber made of the most brilliant of precious gems, together with the retinue of Yoginis, having a body that is resplendent with all the auspicious signs and satiated by the flavours of the Great Blissful Union, which is of the nature of creation and destruction, is Mahasattva, the Great Being, who is the Body of Enjoyment (sambhogakaya) of all the Buddhas. (Yogaratnamala)89 'Uninterruptedly' means ceaselessly for the whole duration of phenomenal existence. Here Samaya when understood as time refers to the complete ordered arrangement by pulsation. Samaya as the Observance of the Vow is the proper 87 tatra bhagavan aha/ sarvatathagatakayavakcittahrdayam bhattarakam guhyatiguhyataram/ aho vajragarbha sadhu sadhu mahakrpa mahabodhisattva vajrasattvasya mahasattvasya/ samayasattvasya hrdayam hevajrasamkhyam srnu//2/ vajragarbha uvaca vajrasattvo bhavet kasmat mahasattvo kasmat mahasattvo bhavet katham/ samayasattvo bhavet kena kathayatu bhagavan mayi//3/ bhagavan aha/ abhedyam vajram ity uktam sattvam tribhavasyaikata/ anaya prajnaya yuktya vajrasattva iti smrtah//4/ mahajnanarasaih purno mahasattvo nigadyate/ nityasamaya pravrttatvat samayasattvo 'bhidhiyate//5/ vajragarbha uvaca/ hevajran tu bhavet kena idrsam namasamgraham/ hekarena kim akhyatam vajrenapi kim ucyate//6/ bhagavan aha/ hekarena mahakaruna vajram prajna ca bhanyate/ prajnopayatmakam tantram tan me nigaditam srnu//7/ (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , pp.5-7) 88 anaya prajnaya yuktyetil anena prajnaparamitamadhyamakavicarena Vajrasattva ity evam kathito dharmakayo// (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.105) sphuranarupataya mahasukha buddhanam sambhogakayah// 89 paramo jvala vicitra ratna viracita kutagarodare suvisuddha laksananuvyanjana virajitena dehenanantayoginiganaih samharana sambhogarasais tustah// sa eva mahasattvo (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.105) - 63 -
ordered application of the various Means to attain the three Centres. Samayasattva is so called because of being ceaselessly active in this manner. Samayasattva refers to the Body of Emanation (nirmanakaya) which is source of the endless manifestations of Buddhas. (Yogaratnamala)90 [Hevajra Tantra] I am existence as well as not existence; I am the Enlightened One for I am enlightened regarding the true nature of things. But those fools who are afflicted by dullness do not know me. I dwell in Sukhavati, the Citadel of Bliss, in the womb of the Vajra Lady which has the shape of the letter e (a triangle pointing downwards: ✓) and is the receptacle of the jewels of the Buddha. I am the revealer, I am the revealed doctrine and I am the disciple endowed with good qualities. I am the goal, I am the master of the world and I am the world as well as the worldly things. My intrinsic nature is the Innate Joy experienced at the end of the Refined Joy and at the beginning of the Joy of Cessation. And so have confidence, O son, for it is like a lamp in darkness. The Lord and Master with the thirty-two auspicious characteristics and the eighty auspicious marks dwells as semen in the Citadel of Bliss (sukhavati) which is the womb of the Lady. Without semen there would be no bliss and without bliss semen would not exist. Since semen and bliss are ineffective on their own they are mutually dependent and bliss arises from the union with the deity. Thus, the Enlightened One is neither existence nor non-existence. He is endowed with a form having arms and face and in terms of the highest bliss he is also formless. (II.2.37-43)91 [commentary of II.2.37] 1 am existence": In terms of the Mandala Circle and so on which are of the nature of the Bodies of Enjoyment and Creation I am of the nature of phenomenal things. I am not existence in terms of being the Great Bliss which is of the nature of the Body of Essential Nature. (Yogaratnamala) 92 90 yavad a samsaram [a] samsaran asramad nityataya nitya ity arthah/ yatharthavineyopayair nanakarais tridhatugamanam samayah tatra satatapravrttatvat samayasattvahl anantaprabhodo nirmanakayah buddhanam samayasattvasabdenabhidhiyate// (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.105) 91 bhavo 'ham naiva bhavo 'ham buddho 'ham vastubodhanat mam na jananti ye mugdhah kausidyopahatas ca ye//37/ vihare 'ham sukhavatyam sadvajrayosito bhage/ ekarakrtirupe tu buddharatnakarandake//38/ vyakhyataham aham dharmah srotaham suganair yutah/ sadhyo 'ham jagatah sasta loko 'ham laukiko 'py aham//39/ sahajanandasvabhavo 'ham paramantam viramadikam/ tatha ca pratyayam putra andhakare pradipavat//40/ dvatrimsallaksani sasta asitivyanjani prabhuh/ yosidbhage sukhavatyam sukranamna vyavasthitah//41/ vina tena na saukhyam syat sukham hitva bhaven na sah/ sapeksam asamarthatvad devatayogatah sukham//42/ tasmad buddho na bhavah syad abhavarupo 'pi naiva sah/ bhujamukhakararupi carupi paramasukhyatah//43// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , pp.166-169) 92 bhavo 'ham · sambhoganirmanakayasvabhava mandalacakradirupataya naiva bhavo 'ham dharmakayasvabhavamahasukharupataya// (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.139) - 64 -
[commentary of II.2.43] 'Arms and face etc.": In terms of the Body of Enjoyment there is form. In terms of the highest bliss, that is, as the Body of Essential Nature, it is formless. Since the Enlightened One is undefinable it is concluded that he is neither existence nor non-existence. (Yogaratnamala) 93 [Hevajra Tantra] The Knowledge that arises from the Source of Nature is space-like and also consists of Means. It is there in the Source of Nature that the three worlds arise having the nature of Wisdom and Means. (1.8.47)94 [commentary] Wisdom is the excellent knowledge which is the Body of Essential Nature. Means refers to the Bodies of Enjoyment and Creation that originate from the Source of Nature for the benefit of the world. (Yogaratnamala) 95 Altruism is the essence of Mahayana path. A Bodhisattva's goal is to generate Bodhicitta (altruistic thoughts) in order to benefit all suffering sentient beings through skillful means. As already stated a Bodhisattva following the Sutra path requires to practice six perfections for eons and thus accumulate merit that is necessary for the aspirant to achieve the perfect state of Buddhahood. While one practising the path of Tantra attains the state of Buddhahood expeditiously by accumulating the necessary merit through the method of Deity Yoga. An aspirant following the path of Tantra (primarily the first two tantras) accumulates merit by inviting a deity in front and by making offerings and praises, then one meditates on oneself as a deity. This process is called generation in front and self-generation. The yogi must also meditate on the emptiness of the deity form present in front and then from within that emptiness imagine that the deity is arising with all the associated paraphernalia. For a sincere practitioner it is possible toinstantaneously perceive the Form Bodies of a Buddha from within the sphere of the Truth Body of great Bliss and there is no need to invite a bhujamukhety adi sambhogakayena rupi na rupi paramasaukhyatah/ dharmakayo na va rupi· atas capratisthitatvat · na bhavo napy abhava iti sthitam// (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.140) • 94 dharmodayodbhavam jnanam khasamam sopayanvitam/ trailokyam tatra jatam hi prajnopayasvabhavatah// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.104) 95 prajnopayasvabhavata iti . prakrstam jnanam prajna dharmakayah jagadartha karanaya tannisyandabhuta sambhoganirmanakayadvayam tatsvabhavatah tatsvabhavo jata ity arthah// (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.129) • upayo tayos - - 65 -
deity from a specific place. But as ordinary people are bound by the illusory conception of true existence, it is helpful to imagine inviting a deity of the Complete Enjoyment Body residing in a Pure Land to where one is meditating and there upon make offerings in accordance with custom. While meditating a yogi must set the body straight and thus straighten the channels in which the winds course will be straightened, thereby balancing the mind. The altruistic mind of enlightenment is to be cultivated. This good mind of cherishing others rather than oneself should be generated.96 In Hevajra Tantra the meditation that has been recommended involves visualization of a deity in front and self-generation as a deity. The aspirant's body is the Mandala or abode of the deity, where the Form Body that is the emanation of the Truth Body of the Buddha comes to reside in the pure form, as it is imagined to arise out of Emptiness. Then by repeatedly focusing on the centres (present in the aspirants mandala) and the Buddha kayas associated with each centre the aspirant is able to channelize the subtle inner winds and thus enhance the process of generating the noble altruistic mind of benefiting others and not oneself thus quickly attaining Buddhahood. The following excerpts from "Hevajra Tantra, corroborate the above views regarding the Buddha kayas and the significance of concentrating on each kaya and its connecting centre or cakra. [Hevajra Tantra] The Three Bodies are said to be located within the body in the form of Circles (cakra). The complete knowledge of the Three Bodies is known as the Centre of Great Bliss (mahasukhacakra). The four Centres, comprising the threeBodies, the Essential Nature (dharma), Enjoyment (sambhoga) and Creation (nirmana) Bodies, and the fourth, the Centre of Great Bliss (mahasukhacakra), are located in the heart, throat, yoni and head, respectively. The Body of Creation is proclaimed to be there from where all living beings are bom, the act of creation beings constant and age-old. Since it generates, that is creates, it is known as [the Body of] Creation. 'Nature' refers to the nature of consciousness and the Body of Essential Nature is located in the heart. 'Enjoyment' is the enjoyment of the six 96 Tsong-ka-pa, (tr. and ed. by) Jeffrey Hopkins, The Yoga of Tibet (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1987), pp.19-21. - 66 -
flavours and the Body of Enjoyment is located in the throat. The Centre of Great Bliss is located in the head. (II.4.54-58)97 [commentary] Three Bodies' refer to the three bodies [Body, Speech and Mind] of all Buddhas. These three Bodies are located within the yogi's own body. The complete knowledge of the. Three Bodies' is the Wisdom of Equality, that is, the knowledge of the unity of the three Bodies is that natural body (svabhavikah kayah) known as the Centre of Great Bliss. As a Concealed Essence, the unity of these three Bodies is shown to be the Centre of Great Bliss is the intent. The names of the centres are mentioned. Yoni refers to the region below the navel. 'Comprising the Three Bodies': here, the three Bodies imply the fourth body which is the complete knowledge of the three. Now the reasoning is given for the location of these three Bodies. Where' refers to the generative organ from where all living beings are bom. 'Proclaimed means explained. To be there' means originated. 'The act of creation': The act of creation is of similar nature, for as long as there is phenomenal existence it is the Body of Creation which is the location of all the Buddhas. Therefore it is constant and age-old. For this reason, the generative organ is the location of the Body of Creation, because of it's similarity with the age-old process of creation. So it is said it generates. That all existent things are only of the mind is what is intended by 'nature' here. Therefore, the location of the Body of Essential Nature is in the heart because the heart is the location of consciousness. Enjoyment refers to the enjoyment of pleasures. The Body of Enjoyment is located in the throat because the flavours of pleasure are experienced there. Great Bliss is the secret instructions of the Bodhisattvas regarding the nature of things. This is the fourth body, the Body of Great Bliss. 'Located in the head' means located in the top of the head. Such are the four centres. (Yogaratnamala) 98 97 trikayam dehamadhye tu cakrarupena kathyate/ trikayasya parijnanam cakramahasukham matam//54/ dharmasambhoganirmanam mahasukham tathaiva ca/ yonihrtkanthamastesu trayah kaya vyavasthitah//55/ asesanan tu sattvanam yatrotpattih pragiyate/ tatra nirmanakayah syan nirmanam sthavaram matam//56/ utpaidyate nirmiyate anena nirmanikam matam dharmas cittasvarupan tu dharmakayo hrdi bhavet//57/ sambhogam bhunjanam proktam sannam vai rasarupinam/ kanthe sambhogacakram ca mahasukham sirasi sthitam//58// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , pp.221-222) " • " 98 trikayam ity adi buddhanam kayatrayam trikayam tadyogino dehamadhyastham kathyate trayanam parijnanam samatajnanam svabhavikah kayah [kayah] · sa mahasukhacakram ity arthah kayatrayasya samvararupena mahasukhacakrakarena nirdisyata ity arthah// cakranam namany aha/ dharmety adi yonity adi yoni nabher adhodesa<s> trayah kaya iti saparijnana ity arthah kayanam sthanasambandhe yuktim aha/ asesety adi yatreti yonaugiyata iti prakathyate · tatra syad iti bhavet/ nirmanam iti sadharmyan nirmanam/ api ca buddhanam yavad samsaras, tavad eva nirmanakayenavasthanam tata sthavarah atah sthavaratvena sadharmyad yonir eva tasya sthanam • " ata evaha utpadyata iti// - 67 - -
Thus in Hevajra Tantra, a skillful adaptation of the Sutra doctrines [Madhyamika and Cittamatra] has been done to help the practitioner to develop a proper understanding of Sunyata in compliance with his capacity. Therefore a person with lower intellect may start with Cittamatra view and gradually progress to the Prasangika view which is the correct view of the ultimate truth. Also the Bodhisattva paths and grounds along with the Buddha Kaya concept as presented in Cittamatra and Madhyamika schools are largely accepted and expounded. dharmam iti cittamatrah sarvadharmah cittasthanatvat// sambhogam iti • • • ato dharmakayasya sthanam bhunjanam upabhogah rasanam kanthata iti bodhisattvanam dharmarahasya • vartate/ sambhogasamyat tatra sambhogakayah desana mahasukham iti mahasukhakayas caturthah/ sirasi sthitam iti mastake sthitam · evam catvari cakrani// (Hevajra Tantra (Study) ,part 2, p.148) - 68 -