ON THE CONCEPT OF SAHAJAIn a work now in the press, An Anthology of Buddhist Tantric Songs. A
Study of the Caryaglti, I adopted the translation suggested by H. Guenther^7 , and
I shall repeat here his explanation: "The literal translation of the Tibetan term
/han-Cig skyes-pa (Sanskrit sahaja) would be "co-emergence" ... Essentially it
refers to the spontaneity and totality of the experience in which the opposites
such as transcendence and immanence, subject and object, the noumenal and
phenomenal indivisibly blend". - I still believe that Guenther has succeeded in
giving a correct description of the implications of the term sahaja. However, his
translation must, I think, be modified to "co-emergent". i.e. to an adjective, as I
doubt whether sahaja is ever used-as far as Buddhist tantric texts are concerned
-as a noun^8 , except as short-hand for sahajananda, sahajaji'iana etc., terms which
will be discussed below. For the moment I shall limit myself to saying that I
believe that "simultaneously-arisen" or the like is the most suitable translation^9 ,
and (anticipating my conclusions) that the term sahaja is basically connected
with the tantric ritual of consecration where it refers to the relation between the
ultimate and the preliminary Joys.
A few words concerning the scope of the present essay will be in order. I
intend to study the concept of sahaja as found in Indian Buddhist tantric texts. In
other words, I shall not deal with the concept of sahaja as found in non-Buddhist
sources, e.g. the writings of the Nath-panthl yogins or the Sant poets. Nor will
use be made of the vast body of Tibetan material, which includes translation of
Sanskrit originals as well as an abundant exegetical literature - not because this
material is unimportant, for it is, on the contrary, of inestimable value, but
because any meaningful use of it would entail a long-term project. Consequently
I shall limit myself to published Sanskrit (and Apabhrarpsa) sources-and they
are, after all, sufficiently extensive to allow one to arrive at a certain number of
conclusions, at least. The only exception will be the Fundamentals of the Bud-
dhist Tantras (FBT) by mKhasgrub rje, which I use for the simple reason that it
is readily available in Lessing and Wayman's edition and translation. When
quoting this text, I retain the translation adopted in that edition. I likewise retain,
whenever quoting from them, Snellgrove's translation of the HVT and George's
translation of the Cal}qamaharosmJatantra (CMT). However, all other transla-
tions - from the Paiicukrama (PK), the Advayavajrasarrzgraha (A VS), the
Sekkodesa{ika (ST), Hevajrasekaprakriya (HSP), and other texts - are my own
unless otherwise specified.
I. The tantric ritual of initiation
The important part played by rituals in the tantras is well known; indeed tantri-
cism is frequently described as ritualistic, i.e. as based on the innate efficiency
of external rituals properly performed. One need only glance through the most
readily available Buddhist tantra, the Hevajratantra, to become convinced of
this - page after page deal with rituals for producing rain, for destroying
enemies, for gaining mastery over a young woman, and the like^10 • Not only the