Lakulisha-Pashupata (Philosophy and Practice)

by Geetika Kaw Kher | 2012 | 86,751 words

This study discusses the dynamics between the philosophy and practice in the Lakulisha-Pashupata order. According to the cave temples of Elephanta and Jogesvari (Jogeshwari), Lakulisa was the 28th incarnation of Shiva, and Pashupata Shaivism his doctrine, of which the Pasupatasutra represents the prominent text detailing various ritual practices (v...

A brief insight in Vajrayana Buddhism

[Full title: An insight into Mystical and Esoteric Aspects of Lakulisa-Pasupatas: Goraksanatha and Natha Sampradaya]

The Saiva practice of royal Mandala initiation (Sivamandaladiksa) was among the elements of Saivism that Indian Mahayana Buddhist chose to adopt when they adopted Saiva ritual models to their own Buddhist purposes in constructing their way of Mantras (Mantrayana or Vajrayana)

Sanderson[1] suggests that such Vajrayana Initiation can hardly be seen in India but we have abundant evidence its practice as means of propagating the Buddhist faith in Tang China and later in Japan 9th CE onwards. Even in propagation of Tibetan Buddhism it has played a major role

The Vajrayana school of Buddhism is believed to be a product of 3rd C.AD. According to Taranath such tantrik ideas of a secret nature were as old as the time of the great Buddhist teacher Nagarjuna. He further informs us that these teachings were handed down from guru to his disciple secretly for almost 300 years and finally these teachings got sufficient publicity during the middle of the 7th C AD. through the teachings and mystic songs of the 84 Siddhas. It is also around this time that we see the inclusion of Vajrayana deities in Indian art.

The fact that tantrik and mystic practices as described in Vajrayana literature were prevalent from antiquity and were well known to Buddha himself can be corroborated by the example from the Pag-Sam-Zan-Zang, a Tibetan text compiled in 1747 A.D. and the Sadharmapundarika, another Buddhist scripture. Both these texts have interesting references to Vajrayana Buddhism. According to them,Buddha had assured Sariputta, one of his chief disciples, that after countless generations, Sariputta would be reborn as Padmasambhava (the person who popularized Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet), and he would attain enlightenment at Budhhakshetra Uddiyana, the place from where the Vajrayana sect is believed to have originated. Moreover in Sannyasa Upanishad II.13 it is stated that though Buddha himself was well versed in tantrik rituals, he did not permit the use of panchmakaras by his disciples. Hence even during his lifetime many monks revolted against his injunctions and were thrown out of the order

Probably this resulted into formation of secret conclaves called “Guhya-Samaja”. The followers of Guhya-Samaja introduced their doctrines into Buddhism by the composition of a new Sangiti or collection of verses,all of which interestingly were supposed to have been delivered by Buddha himself in a secret assembly.Bhattacarya[2] dates the Guhyasamaja Tantra to 3rd C.AD. which agrees with Taranath’s account.

Mahasiddhas are famous for attaining direct realization of the Buddha’s teachings within a single lifetime, for their miraculous powers, and for giving impetus to tantrik art in Buddhism. When Buddhism took root in Tibet, these Siddhas provided important links between Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, giving life to lineages and art forms which have continued in Tibet up to the present.Dowman[3] describes siddhas as the men who embodied the tantirc ethos and the aims and the ideals of Indian culture between 8th -12th CE, as generators and directors of the creative energy that converted the people and transformed society. According to him the number 84 of the siddhas is more symbolic than actual as there is lot of discrepancy in their names in various texts. Thus the 84 Mahasiddhas can be seen as archetypes representing the thousands of adepts of the tantric way. However the most important names which one comes across in almost all the texts as well as visual depictions is given in the table below:

Table: 2:

[List of Buddhist Siddhacaryas]

Taranath’s account Srichakrasambhara Sumpa’s account

Siddhas imparted knowledge during Pala period. They were

- Saraha/Rahulbhadra author of Buddhakapala tantra,born in a Brahmin family but ridiculed the caste system

- Luipada author of

- Yoginisamcharya

- Kambala and Padmavajra authors of Hevajra tantra

- Krsna, author of Samputatilaka

- Lilavajra, author of Krsnayamari tantra

- Gambhiravajra, author of

- Vajraamrta

- Kukkuri, author of Mahamaya

- Pito, author of Kalachakra

- Saraha

- Nagarjuna

- Siddhasabari

- Luipada

- Dombi pa

- Tili (Tilopa)

- Naro/Naropa

- Dombi junior

- Kusalibhadra

- Saraha

- Nagarjuna

- Sabari

- Lui

- Vajraghanta

- Kacchapa

- Jalandhari

- Krsnacharya

- Guhya

- Vijya

- Tailo (Tilopa)

- Naro (Naropa)


The major distinction between these siddhas and other sanyasis was that the former lived with people on the grassroot level. Many of them married and did not shun the pleasures that life offers and taught more by examples and attitudes than sermonizing and philosophizing. Infact their contempt for hairsplitting logic and complex theological and philosophical debates can be seen in their various songs.Their teachings were completely unconventional and had no regard for societal rules and regulations.

The ultimate goal that they strived for was “Mahamudra siddhi” i.e. the mystical experience of the oneness of all things and an ultimate feeling of emptiness “Sunyata” (Vacuity) symbolized esoterically by the Yab-Yum figures seen widely in Vajrayana art.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sanderson Alexis, “Initiating the Monarch: The Adaptation of a Saiva practice for the propagation of Esoteric Buddhism in India, Inner Asia and Far East Dec 16 2004, Lecture Handout

[2]:

Bhattacharya N.N; History of the Tantric Religion”,Delhi, 1982, p.269-270

[3]:

Dowman Keith, “The Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas and the path of Tantra”,SUNY, 1984, p.2

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