236 henrik h. sørensenTang dynasty within the context of Esoteric Buddhism of course built
on long and time-honored traditions from both China and India.^19
Yixing’s contribution is foremostly revealed in his Suyao yigui
(Ritual Proceedings [for Worshipping] the Asterisms)^20 and the
Qiyao xingchen biexing fa (Alternative Method of
Practice [in regard to the] Seven Luminaries and Asterisms).^21 The
Fantian huoluo jiuyao (Indian Astrology of the Nine
Luminaries)^22 has exercised considerable influence on Esoteric Bud-
dhist astrology in Japan. The Suyao yigui is a text for appropriating the
constellations and the Qiyao xingchen biexing fa is a text for divining
influences from the asterisms, including the use of mantras.
After Yixing, but clearly in the same tradition, we have the Wen-
shushili pusa ji zhu xian suo shuo ji xing shiri shan e suyao jing
(Scripture on Mañjuśrī
Bodhisattva and all the Ṛsī Discourses on the Auspicious and Inaus-̣
picious Days [Caused by Influence from] the Constellations and
Luminaries),^23 the translation of which has been attributed to Amogha-
vajra. This work of cause reflects Amoghavjara’s own personal interest
in the cult of Mañjuśrī and Mt. Wutai as his holy abode.^24 There
is also the Qiyao rangzai jue (Cutting Off and Removing
Evil [Caused by] the Seven Planets),^25 a text for divining when the cos-
mic influences from the Luminaries are dangerous. It contains a com-
plete calendrical system with which to identify inauspicious days. Both
of these texts testify to the fact that Amoghavajra’s achievements in
(^19) For a discussion of divination and calendrical science in medieval India, see
Basham 1988, 489–93; and for China, Wolfram Eberhard’s classic study, “Untersu-
chungen an Astronomischen Texten des Chinesischen Tripitaka,” in Eberhard 1970. ̣
See also the important collection of articles in Kalinowski 2003. 20
T. 1304.
(^21) T. 1309.
(^22) T. 1311. Strictly speaking, this text cannot be considered to have been authored
by Yixing but rather recapitulates instructions said to have come from him. 23
T. 1299.
(^24) Both the structure, style, and overall appearance of this text, together with the
fact that no similar work exists in either Sanskrit or Tibetan, strongly suggests that
this scripture is in fact not a translation from an Indian original but an original com-
position from Amoghavajra’s own hand. It is interesting to note that Howard 1983,
113–14 makes a similar connection between Mañjuśrī, Mt. Wutai, and the worship
of the planets.
(^25) Cf. T. 1308.