348 charles d. orzech
including the qualifications of disciples; the mudrās and mantras
necessary for entry into the mandala; techniques for accomplishing
samādhi; details of the Vajradhātu mandala; various signs of medita-
tive accomplishment; techniques for erecting altars, making offerings,
and bestowing abhiṣeka; and performing the various types of homa.
Vajrabodhi informed his disciple Amoghavajra that the teachings of
the STTS originated with Mahāvairocana, who initiated the bodhisat-
tva Vajrapāṇi. The teachings were then passed down to a great worthy
who gained entry to an iron stūpa (some accounts identify this person
as “Nāgārjuna”), and who then, after “several hundred years,” trans-
mitted them to Nāgabodhi; after a further “several hundred years,”
Nāgabodhi had bequeathed them to Vajrabodhi ācārya.^10 According to
the biography of Amoghavajra by Zanning (919–1001), Vajrabo-
dhi initially withheld the Yoga teachings from him, and was convinced
to initiate his disciple only after having had an ominous dream.^11 Aside
from Amoghavajra and Yixing (also known here as Dahui chanshi
), Vajrabodhi had two other disciples of note: Yifu
(or Dazhi chanshi ), who was a disciple of the Chan mas-
ter Shenxiu ; and Huichao from Silla (Lü 1995, 222).^12 The
contacts between Vajrabodhi and the Chan masters are noteworthy.
Two years after arriving at the Tang capital, Vajrabodhi translated
the Jin’gangding yuqie zhong lue chu niansong jing
( T. 866), and the Fo shuo qi ju fomu Zhunti da ming tuoluoni
jing , an important dhāran ̣ī text
devoted to the goddess Cundī.^13 These represent two of the three types
Fo shuo yiqie rulai zhenshi she dacheng xianzheng san mei dajiaowang jing (
T. 882) during the early Northern Song.
(^10) Amoghavajra’s account is found in the “Instructions on the ‘Gate to the Teach-
ing of the Secret Heart of the Great Yoga of the Scripture of the Diamond Summit’ ”
(Jin’gangding jing da yuqie bimi shin di famen yigui,
T. 1798.39:808a19–b28). Another account by Amoghavajra’s disciple Zhao Qian
is found in his biography in the Xingzhuang, (
T. 2056.50: 292b16–21). For more, see Orzech, “After Amoghavajra:
Esoteric Buddhism in the Late Tang ,” in this volume. 11
The story is found in Lives of Eminent Monks Composed in the Song (Song gaoseng
zhuan 12 ), T. 2056.50:292c8–11.
Vajrabodhi had other disciples, among them laymen like Lü Xiang. See Lü
1995, 223–24. 13
For Cundī see Sørensen, “Central Divinities in the Esoteric Buddhist Pantheon
in China,” in this volume.