278 charles d. orzech
not “learn” or “practice” a teaching first expounded by Śākyamuni,
transmitted through his disciples and sutras; during ritual practice the
disciple becomes Mahāvairocana.
Śubhākarasiṃha’s disciple and collaborator Yixing was instrumen-
tal in this effort (the Commentary was Yixing’s composition based on
Śubhākarasiṃha’s teaching). Along the way Yixing absorbed esoteric
techniques and South Asian scientific and mathematical knowledge to
be applied to everything from the calendar to rainmaking.^64 Other nota-
ble translations by Śubhākarasiṃha include the Subhāhu-paripṛcchā
(Supohu tongzi jing , T. 895; “Questions of Subhāhu”),
which includes references to various magical and “cemetery” rites;^65
and the Susiddhikāramahātantra-saddhanopāyikā-paṭala (Suxidi jieluo
jing , T. 893; “Section on Expedient Means for Rites of
Accomplishment”), a ritual compendium that had significant impact
in the later Tang and in Japanese Tendai (Giebel 2001),^66 translated
in 726. Like the MVS, the Susiddhikara has three families (Buddha,
Lotus, Vajra), and extends the ternary taxonomy to include three
types of homa rites: śāntika (shandi jiafa ) for pacification,
pauṣtikạ (busezhi jiafa ) for prosperity, and abhicāraka
(apizhelu jiafa ) for subjugation; it also outlines three
levels of accomplishment (siddhi).^67 Unlike the MVS, the text does not
present a cohesive program; rather, it is more a ritual encyclopedia or
handbook to be consulted in the performance of ritual.^68
Vajrabodhi
Vajrabodhi and his young disciple Amoghavajra arrived in the Tang
capital approximately four years after the elderly Śubhākarasiṃha, and
usage in China builds upon earlier Mahāyāna usage of the term san mi, referring to
the attributes of the Buddha, as found for example in the discussion in the Dazhi du
lun , T. 1509.25:127c12ff. For a through exploration of this see McBride
2006, 305–55, and his “Esoteric Scriptures in the context of Chinese Buddhist Transla-
tion Practice,” in this volume. 64
See Osabe1963 (1990 reprint); and Keyworth, “Yixing,” in this volume.
(^65) For the Subhāhu-paripṛcchā, see Strickmann 1996, 221–29.
(^66) For the importance of the Susiddhikara in Tendai, see Dolce, “Taimitsu: The
Esoteric Buddhism of the Tendai School,” in this volume. 67
See Giebel 2001, 181–82, 183–84, 185–89, respectively, for the three rites. The
abhicāraka rites are particularly gruesome and involve much of the standard crema-
tion ground imagery. For the originals see T. 893.18:612b23–612c24; 612c25–613a29;
613b1–614a20. 68
Giebel’s “Introduction” to his translation of the Susiddhikara provides an outline
and overview. See Giebel 2001, 113–22.