. stūpas and relics in esoteric buddhism 151
the Mahāmaṇivipulavimāna viśvasupratiṣthita guhya paramarahasya-̣
kalparāja dhāraṇī sūtra,^28 the Bodhimaṇḍalalaksālaṃ ̇kāranāma dhāraṇī
sūtra,^29 the Anantamukhasādhakadhāraṇī sūtra,^30 the Cundīdevī-dhāraṇī
sūtra,^31 and the Vajrakumāratantra.^32 The use of relics is also discussed
in numerous other texts.^33
The esoteric Buddhist tradition has also transmitted a number of
scriptures in which stūpas, pagodas, and tiered pavillions are part of
their respective narratives. Among such works mention can be made
of the Mahāmaṇivipulavimāna-viśvasupratiṣṭhita-guyhaparamara hasya
kalparāja-dhāraṇī sūtra,^34 which also contains instructions for the
worship of a relic stūpa, and the Jin’gang feng louge yiqie yujia yuqi
jing (Scripture on All Yogas and Yogins
of the Diamond Peak Pavillion).^35 This shows how stūpas, pagodas,
and related buildings played important roles on a number of levels,
both concrete and imaginary, in the esoteric Buddhist traditions of
the mid-Tang.^36
Indeed, the origin myth surrounding the transmission of the STTS,^37
one of the two most important scriptures promoted by the mid-Tang
(^28) T. 1006 Guangda baolouge shan zhu bimi tuoluoni jing
, translated by Bodhiruci in 706 and its retranslation by Amoghavajra
T. 1005. 29
T. 1008 attributed to Amoghavajra.
(^30) T. 1009 attributed to Amoghavajra. Also see T. 1011 and 1018.
(^31) T. 1077 attributed to Divākara.
(^32) T. 1222ab Shengjiani fennu jin’gang tongzi pusa chengjiu yigui jing
by Amoghavajra.
(^33) Incuding, for instance, the Susiddhikara tantra, T. 893 Suxidijieluo jing
, the Subhāhuparipṛcchā, T. 895 Supohu tongzi qingwen jing
, and the Li shelita yishi (Ritual Regulations for Worshipping a Relic
Stūpa), ZZ. (1975–1989) 1491.74:627a–33c, though this latter is a late production.
(^34) T. 1005A.19:619a–34b. The tiered pavilion that occurs here is a transcendental
building that includes all the arcana of esoteric Buddhism. In other words, it is a kind
of holy treasury. 35
T. 867.18:253c–69c. For a brief description of this scripture, see Goepper 1993,
9–10. 36
Vajrabodhi’s relics were enshrined in a stūpa at Longmen and became the focus
or rainmaking rituals in the Tang and in later periods, and Amoghavajra took pains
to see that it was properly attended to. Amoghavajra’s remains were also enshrined in
a stūpa 37. See Biaozhiji, T. 2120.52:836a18–b15; 850c22–851a8.
For a short version of the myth surrounding the recovery of the Sarva-
tathāgatatattvasaṃgraha, cf. Jin’gangding puti xin lun lüeji
(Abbreviated Record of the Treatise on the Bodhicitta of the Vajra-usṇīsạ), T.
777.46:200b. See also Giebel 2001, 5–107 and Orzech 1995b, 314–317. For further
information see Davidson, “Sources and Inspirations;” Orzech, “Vajrabodhi;” Lehnert,
“Amoghavajra;” Orzech, “Esoteric Buddhism in the Tang: From Atikūta to Amogha-̣
vajra (651–780),” and “After Amoghavajra,” in this volume.