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
16 (of 138)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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is conducted, it is necessary to point to the principal subdivisions of this
school. The elder branch are the Yog盲c膩ras or vij帽膩nav膩dins basing upon
Scripture, the school of 膧ry膩sanga and Vasubandhu. They maintain the
theory of the store-consciousness (膩laya vij帽膩na) containing, so to say,
the seeds of all the elements constituting a personality. The other
subdivision is that of the Logician Vij帽膩nav膩dins founded by Dign膩ga.
They do not admit the existence of the store-consciousness, according
to this school its functions are divided among the six internal bases of
cognition. Further the conception of the 'gotra' between the two schools
differs in some points.
Those who maintain the theory of the store-consciousness define the
gotra' as a force which governs this store-consciousness and which
brings about the origination of pure transcendental knowledge, the
removal of the defiling agencies and the transformation (par膩v峁泃ti) of all
the elements constituting a personality into component parts of the three
Bodies of the Buddha. With the logicians it is respectively a force
governing the internal bases of cognition, its functions being exactly the
same as those maintained by the elder school. The 'gotra' is regarded by
both the subdivisions of the Yog膩c膩ra school as manifesting itself in two
aspects, viz. the fundamental, existing in every living being from the
outset, and that which undergoes the process of development. It is held
to be a pure force and an active (sa峁僺k峁泃a) mutable element. The seed,
the germ of the Transcendental Wisdom of the Buddha. This seed is the
鈥榞otra', the fundamental element and the original cause of Enlightenment.
Yog膩c膩ras believe that the metamorphose (par膩v峁泃ti) of the elements
constituting the personality of an ordinary individual transforms into
component parts of the three Bodies of the Buddha at the time of final
Enlightenment. This metamorphose is produced by the agency of the '
gotra', which is accordingly viewed as the force bringing about the
transformation of the internal bases of cognition [and
[and
of the
store-consciousness with the elder school] into the elements of
Buddhahood.175
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