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 3 - Tantric Doctrine in Hevajra Tantra
127 (of 138)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Essential Similarity should be activated within the view of the disciple. (1.10.5-6)432 [HT] From direct personal experience arises this Knowledge, free of notions of self and other, space-like, undefiled, void, the essence of existence and non-existence and the supreme. This Knowledge is a blending of Wisdom and Means and a fusion of passion and the absence of passion. (1.10.7)433 However it is also stated that a yogi can practice action seal (karma mudra) only with the purpose of accomplishing benefit (liberation) for self and others.434 [HT] For the yogi who abides in the state of the Divine Heruka, all movements of the body are the ritual hand gestures (mudrā) and the flow of speech Mantra. (1.7.26)435 [HT] Bhagavan said: The 'Secret Three' are at the centre of the Circle, differentiated as the Body, Speech and Mind. They are located below, above and in between respectively, being situated in the middle of the Circle. Bhūcarī, the Adamantine Body goddess, is below and is marked by the Seal of the Body. Khecarī, the Adamantine Speech goddess, is above and is marked by the Seal of Passion. The Adamatine Mind goddess is Nairātmyā, for the mind is the nature of Nairātmyā. Mind is in between, centrally placed, and so Nairātmyā arise at the very centre. (11.4.97-99)436 [HT] In full the Families are said to be six, but are also said to be five and three. Listen O yoginī! Akṣobhya, Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, Amoghasiddhi and Vajrasattva should be conceived as the purified Wrath, Delusion, Malignity, Passion, Envy and Bliss respectively. By omitting the family of Vajrasattva, the families become five. They then become three, as Wrath, Delusion and Passion. In fact there is only one family, that of the Lord of the Mind which is the Family of the wrathful Akṣobhya. The six and five families are expressions of this Admantine 432 (HT[F&M]., pp.120-121) 433 svasamvedyād bhaved jñānam svapara vittivarjitam/ khasamam virajam śūnyam bhāvābhāvātmakam param/ prajñopāya vyatimiśram rāgārāga vimiśritam//7// (HT[F&M]., p.121) 434 mudrām svaparārthaprasiddhaye// (HT[F&M]., p.217) 435 yāvanto hy angavikṣepā vacasa� prasarāṇi ca/ tāvanto mantramudrā� syu� śrīherukapade sthite//26// (HT[F&M]., p.81) 436 bhagavān āha/ triguhyam cakramadhye tu kāyavākcittabhedata�/ adhorddhvamadhyamam stānam cakramadhye vyavasthitam//97/ bhūcarī kāyamudrī syād adhomukhī kāyavajriṇ�//98/ khecarī rāgamudri ca urddhvamukhī vāgvajriṇ�//98/ cittvavajrï ca nairätmyä cittan nairätmyarūpakam/ cittam madhyamakam sthāna� sthānam nairātmyā tena madhyajā//99// (HT[F&M]., pp.237-238) 227
