The Cakrasamvara Tantra: A Study and Annotated Translation

468 Pages·2007·1.75 MB·English

by  David B. Gray

The Cakrasamvara Tantra
Sri
(The Discourse of Heruka)
A Study and Annotated Translation
by
David B. Gray
TREASURY OF THE BUDDHIST SCIENCES series
Editor-in-Chief: Robert A. F. Thurman
Jey Tsong Khapa Professor oflndo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies,
Columbia University
President, American Institute of Buddhist Studies
Executive Editor: Thomas F. Yarnall
Department of Religion
Columbia University
Editorial Board:
Ryuichi Abe, Jay Garfield, Laura Harrington, Thubten Jinpa, Joseph Loizzo,
Gary Tubb, Christian Wedemeyer, Chun-fang Yu
The American Institute of Buddhist Studies (AIBS), in affiliation with the
Columbia University Center for Buddhist Studies (CBS) and Tibet House
US (THUS), has established the Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series to
provide authoritative English translations, studies, and editions of the texts
of the Tibetan Tengyur (bstan gyur) and its associated literature. The
Tibetan Tengyur is a vast collection of over 3,600 classical Indian Buddhist
scientific treatises (fiistra) written in Sanskrit by over 700 authors from the
first millennium CE, now preserved mainly in systematic 7th-12th century
Tibetan translation. Its topics span all of India's "outer" arts and sciences,
including linguistics, medicine, astronomy, socio-political theory, ethics,
art, and so on, as well as all of her "inner" arts and sciences such as philoso
phy, psychology ("mind science"), meditation, and yoga.
The Publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous support of David Sloss,
the National Endowment for the Humanities, Anonymous, the Conanima
Foundation, the Infinity Foundation, the Sacharuna Foundation, and Robert
and Nena Thurman in sponsoring the publication of this series ..
The Cakrasamvara Tantra
Sri
(The Discourse of Heruka)
(S riherukabhidhana)
A Study and Annotated Translation
by
David B. Gray
Editing and Design by Thomas F. Yarnall
Tengyur Translation Initiative
Treasury oft he Buddhist Sciences series
Published by
The American Institute of Buddhist Studies
at Columbia University in New York
Co-published with
Columbia University's Center for Buddhist Studies
and Tibet House US
New York
2007
Tengyur Translation Initiative
Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series
A refereed series published by:
American Institute ofBuddhist Studies
Columbia University
80 Claremont Avenue, room 303
New York, NY 10027
http:/ /www.aibs.columbia.edu
Co-published with Columbia University's Center for Buddhist Studies
and Tibet House US.
Distributed by Columbia University Press.
Copyright© 2007 by David B. Gray
All rights reserved.
No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photography, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval
system or technologies now known or later developed, without written permission from the
publisher.
Printed in Canada on acid-free paper.
ISBN 978-0-9753734-6-0 (cloth)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tripiraka. Siitrapiraka. Tantra. Cakrasamvaratantra English.
The Cakrasamvara Tantra : the discourse of Sri Heruka
(Sriherukabhidhana) I a study and annotated translation by David B.
Gray ; editing and design by Thomas F. Yarnall.
p. em. - (Treasury of the Buddhist sciences)
"Co-published with Columbia University's Center for Buddhist Studies
and Tibet House US."
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-9753734-6-0 (alk. paper)
1. Tripiraka. Siitrapitaka. Tantra. Cakrasamvaratantra-Commentaries.
I. Gray, David B., 1969-II. Yarnall, Thomas, F. III. Title.
BQ2180.C3522Z52 2007
294.3'85--dc22
2007060677
Contents
Series Editor's Preface ................................................................................... ix
Author's Preface ............................................................................................ xv
Introduction: The Study of the Cakrasamvara Tantra
1. Introduction to the Cakrasamvara Tantra
The Cakrasamvara and the Yogini Tantras ....................................... 3
Dating the Text ............................................................................... 11
Cakrasamvara Literature ................................................................. 15
2. Traditional History of the Cakrasamvara Tantra
Mythic Root Texts ............................................................................ 28
The Origin ofH eruka ...................................................................... 35
3. Contents and Contexts
The Triple Wheel Marz(iala ............................................................. 54
l)akinis, Yogin is, and Women ......................................................... 77
Consecration and the Sexual Yogas ................................................. 103
Mantras and Magic ....................................................................... 131
4. Texts and Translation
Texts Employed .............................................................................. 137
Translation Methodology ............................................................... 145
Technical Notes ............................................................................. 151
Translation of the Cakrasamvara Tantra
I. The Descent of the Mal).<;iala ........................................................... 155
II. The Procedure ofWheel Worship ................................................. 164
III. The Procedure of Consecration and Fee [Payment] .................... 171
IV. The Procedure Called 'The Nonduality of the Heroes and
Yoginis' ..... ,. .................................................... ~ ............................. 178
V. The Procedure of Selecting the Letters of the Root Mantra ......... 181
VI. The Procedure of Selecting the Hero's Six Armor [Mantras] ...... 186
VII. The Procedure of Selecting the Mantra ...................................... 188
VIII. The Procedure of Selecting the Reversed Yogini Mantras ........... 194
IX. The Procedure of the Ritual Actions of the Root Mantra ........... 196
X. The Achievement of the Triple Body and the Procedure of the
Ritual Actions of the Essence Mantra .......................................... 202
vi · Contents
XI. The Procedure of Characterizing the Seven-lived One ................ 206
XII. The Procedure of the Ritual Actions of the Quintessence .......... 209
XIII. The Procedure of the Applications of the Armor Mantra ......... 214
XIV The Procedure of the Donkey Form Yoga for Becoming Sri
Heruka .......................................................................................... 217
XV. The Procedure of the Syllabic Signs ............................................ 222
XVI. The Procedure of Examining the Characteristics of the Seven
Yoginis .......................................................................................... 226
XVII. The Procedure of the Signs, Gestures, and Perambulant
Forms of All Yoginis ..................................................................... 232
XVIII. The True Procedure of the Colors, Characteristics, and
Signs of all Yoginis ....................................................................... 236
XIX. The Procedure of Pointing Out the Gestures of the Yoginis .... 239
XX. The Procedure of the Symbolic Hand Gestures of the Yoginis .. 243
XXI. The Procedure of the Characteristics of the Visual Body
Gestures ........................................................................................ 246
XXII. The Procedure of the Characteristics of the Distinctive Limb
Gestures ........................................................................................ 248
XXIII. The Procedure of the Characteristics of the :r;:>akinis' Signs
and Insignia .................................................................................. 250
XXIV. The Procedure of the Symbolic Speech of the Four Classes ... 256
XXV The Procedure of Completely Hiding the Root Mantra ......... 263
XXVI. The Procedures of Inspecting the Disciple and the Vows ...... 265
XXVII. The Procedures of the Conduct, Observances, Worship,
and Sacrificial Cakes ..................................................................... 271
XXVIII. The Procedures of the Inner Fire Sacrifice and Class
Oneness ........................................................................................ 282
XXIX. The Procedures of the Messenger's Defining Marks and the
State of Empowerment ................................................................. 289
XXX. The Procedure of Mantra Selection Bound in the Muraja
Drum ............................................................................................ 292
XXXI. The Procedure of the Rites of Eating, Fire Sacrifice and the
Sacrificial Cakes, and the Hand Signs ......................................... 297
XXXII. The Procedures of the Animal Sacrificial Victims, the
Means of Achieving the Zombie, and the Creation Stage ........... 300
XXXIII. The Reverential Procedure of Secret Worship ..................... 305
XXXIV The Procedure of Summoning via the Fire Sacrifice of the
Nondual Messenger ..................................................................... 308
Contents · vii
XXXV. The Procedure of the Nondual Ritual Action and the
Method of Cheating Black Death ................................................ 312
XXXVI. The Procedure of Summoning the Reality Worship ........... 317
XXXVII. The Procedure of Inner Mastery ......................................... 320
XXXVIII. The Procedure of the Yoginis' Place and the Heroes'
Secret Abode ................................................................................. 322
XXXIX. The Procedure of Vision and Loud Laughter ....................... 325
XL. The Procedures of Subjugating the Five Social Classes and
Mahamudra .................................................................................. 327
XLI. The Procedure of Laying Down the Mat).gala of the Twenty-
four Syllables ................................................................................ 329
XLII. The Procedure of the Laughter Mantra and the Magic of the
Yoginis' Forms .............................................................................. 338
XLIII. The Procedure of Accomplishing the Ritual Actions of the
Quintessence [Mantra] ................................................................. 343
XLIV. The Procedure of the Six Yoginis' Ritual Actions with the
Seven Syllable [Mantra] ............................................................... 350
XLV. The Six Yogini Ritual Actions and the Summoning of the
Power of Speech ........................................................................... 353
XLVI. The Procedure of Ritual Actions with the Five ha Syllables ... 358
XLV II. The Procedure of All Ritual Actions of the
Sarvabuddha<;lakini Mantra .......................................................... 360
XLVIII. The Procedure of the Mat).gala of the Hidden Abode of all
Heroes and I;>akinis ...................................................................... 364
XLIX. The Procedure of Transforming the Victim who is Born
Seven Times ................................................................................. 367
L. The Procedure of the Domination Fire Sacrifice and the Teaching of
the Stages in Relation to the Seats, etc ............................................... 370
LI. Creation Stage Esoteric Instruction .............................................. 376
Glossaries .................................................................................................... 385
Conspectus Siglorum ................................................................................. 405
Bibliography ............................................................................................... 409
Index .......................................................................................................... 437