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
44 (of 138)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
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S奴nyata and has strong altruistic motivation to achieve Buddhahood to
benefit all sentient beings. Only a person of this capacity can truly use
desire on the path and attain the four joys as explained in "Hevajra
Tantraj.
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The four Joys are Ordinary Joy (膩nanda), Refined Joy (param膩nanda),
Joy of Cessation (viram盲nanda) and Innate Joy (sahaj膩nanda). To attain
the four types of Joy the following prescribed path is recommended in
Hevajra Tantra. First, depending on the quality and progress of the
disciple the consecrations or empowerments are conferred on the disciple
at appropriate moments. The four moments being Diverse (vicitra),
Ripening (vip膩ka), Dissolving (vimarda) and Signless (vilak峁峁嘺). A
disciple must have strong faith on the four noble truth. The four Noble
Truths are Sorrow (du岣ha), its Origin (samudaya), its Cessation
(nirodha) and the Way (m盲rga). The faith must arise after a proper
understanding and comtemplation on the scriptures. The four principles
that the disciple reflect on prior to receiving empowerment are Principle
of Self (膩tmatattva), Mantra Principle (mantratattva), Principle of the
Divinity (devat膩tattva) and Knowledge Principle (j帽膩natattva). 236
In other words it is imperative to understand the Self (膩tmatattva) that
is to be refuted, followed by a proper scriptural understanding of
Mantray膩na from the Pr盲sangika Madhyamika perspective next one must
properly practice Deity Yoga and lastly have proper conceptual knowledge
of the ultimate truth, S眉nyat膩.
Thus like all Highest Yoga Tantra, "Hevajra Tantra also recommends a
thorough understanding of the P膩ramit膩y膩na before one becomes eligible
to receive empowerments necessary for practicing the Deity Yoga. The
union of Method and Wisdom in Highest Yoga Tantra is not simply a
union of the practice of Six P膩ramit膩s [Means] and direct cognition of
236 cakrasamkhy膩krame峁嘺 vyavasthapanam//25/ catv膩ra岣� k峁峁嚹佱弗 vicitra vip盲ka
vimarda vilak峁峁嚹伵� ceti//26/ catur膩ryasaty膩ni du岣ha samudaya nirodha m膩rg膩艣
ceti//27/ catv膩ri tattv盲ni 膩tmatattvam mantratattvam devat膩tattvam j帽膩natattvam
ceti//28/ catv膩ra 膩nand膩岣�/ 膩nanda岣� param膩nando viram膩nanda岣� sahaj膩nanda艣
ceti//29/ catv膩ro nik膩ya岣�/ sth膩var墨 sarv膩stiv膩da岣� samvid墨 mah膩sangh末 ceti//30//
(HT[F&M]., pp.16-17)
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