Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia

(Ben Green) #1

140 richard k. payne and charles d. orzech


translation of the STTS.^20 Devaśāntika’s Yiqie rulai da bimiwang wei
zeng yu zuishang weimiao da mannaluo jing (
, T. 889) in 986–987 has a fairly extensive
treatment of homa, and continues the fourfold taxonomy of protec-
tion, prosperity, gaining love, and subjugation, along with the now
standard discussion of shapes of the hearth, colors, proper mudrās, and
so on.^21 Once again it is notable that in the discussion “captivation”
is not explicitly treated as a distinctive homa and is grouped with the
other four. Dharmabhadra’s translation of the Māyājālamahātantra
(Fo shuo yuqie dajiaowang jing , T. 890) executed
during the same period contains a lengthy discussion of homa, proper
bījas, and so on, but it too shows a fourfold taxonomy, here broken
into two categories: rites for protection, prosperity, and gaining love,
and a rite for subjugation.^22


(^20) The translation was executed between 1012 and 1015. For a discussion of these
translation efforts see Orzech, “Translation of Tantras and Other Esoteric Buddhist
Scriptures,” in this volume.
(^21) T. 889.18:545a25–b1.
(^22) T. 890.18:581b09–11. In each case, caption shows up in other discussions but is
not entered into the lists of “types of homa.” See, for instance, T. 890.18:559c28–29,
where it is listed with the smashing of demons, abhiṣeka, etc; the list does not contain
the four homas. It also shows up in captivating females, T. 890.18:571b14, 571b26, etc.

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