Essay name: Hevajra Tantra (analytical study)
Author:
Seung Ho Nam
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Faculty of Oriental Studies
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 (one of the earliest extant Buddhist Tantras) dealing with Yoga and Mandalas.
Chapter 2 - Place of Hevajra Tantra in Tantric Literature
29 (of 32)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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[auto-commentary] If phenomena has intrinsic or inherent existence then nothing
exists except for one and many. The third alternative is denied, because both have
the characteristic of being mutually exclusive (parasparaparih膩ra sthitalak峁峁嘺tv膩t).
The aggregates and the primordial cause (pradh膩na) and so forth that we and
others talk about, do not exist in reality and from this the lack of inherent existence
is definitely known. (MAK.-v峁泃ti)150
The Buddhist and non-Buddhist schools which regard phenomena as
having a 鈥榯horoughly established nature (svabh膩vasiddhi)' are mistaken, as
phenomena is empty of inherent existence that is it does not exist from
its own side. Phenomena is like a reflection and lacks in both singleness
and plurality. Had phenomena truly and intrinsically existed then it would
be characterised by either singleness or plurality. There could be no
third alternative as an intrinsically existent object can not be both single
and multiple. The so called third alternative would be senseless babble.
Thus, it is ascertained that phenomena lacks in a 'thoroughly established
nature'.
S膩ntarak峁ta continues with his critical analysis of the concept dealt by
both Buddhist and non-Buddhist Schools. He refutes the existence of
膧tman (self) and Pudgala. the concept of Nirv膩峁嘺 (as explained by
Sarv膩st膩v膩din) is also refuted by him on the same grounds. Self can not
be a self sufficient unitary and permanent entity. The V膩ts墨putr墨ya
concept of Pudgala is refuted on the grounds of the definition of Pudgala
being self contradictory. V膩ts墨putr墨ya defined Pudgala to be neither
limited nor non limited. The Sarv盲stav膩din concept of Nirv膩峁嘺 as a
non-limited (asa峁僺krta) or a permanent and uncompounded phenomena is
also refuted by 艢膩ntarak峁ta. Next, he refuted the Ny膩ya-Vai艣e峁ka
concept of 膧k膩艣a being unitary and all pervading phenomena. The
Ny膩ya-Vai艣e峁a theory of S膩m膩nya or Universals and Vi艣e峁 or
svaparodit膩岣�/ ek膩nekasvabh膩vena viyog膩t pratibimbavat// P.L.Vaidya (ed.),
Bodhicary膩vat膩ra of Santideva, with the commentary pa帽jik膩 of Praj帽膩karamati,
BST, No:12 (Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute, 1960), p.173, II.17鈥�18.
150 ra艅 b藕in 啪ig yod par gyur na ni gcig pa 'am cig 艣os las mi 'da'o// de dag ni
phan tshun spans te gnas pa'i mtshan 帽id yin pas phu帽 po g藕an sel bar byed do//
Masamichi Ichig么, Ibid, p.22.
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鈥� 97 -
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