Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia

(Ben Green) #1
44 henrik h. sørensen

Ganapati),^37 translation attributed to Bodhiruci. This is a short ritual
text for the worship of Gaṇapati/Vināyaka. Only one longer spell is
given. Due to its wording and terminology, the text would appear to
date to later than the seventh century.

Ershiba yaocha dajiang minghao (The Names
of the Twenty-eight Great Yaksa Generals).̣^38 This is a very brief ritual
text attributed to Amoghavajra for invoking the yaksa spirits who con-̣
trol the twenty-eight constellations.

Ershiba yecha dajun wang minghao (The Names
of the Twenty-eight Great Yaksa Generals and Kings).̣^39 A variant of
the above mentioned text.


Zhengliaozhi wang yaocha quanzhu fa (Method
of the Yaksa King Correctly Knowing Who Guards the Household),̣^40
translation attributed to Yijing. A short ritual text for domestic pro-
tection, centering on the worship of the twenty-eight yakṣa gen-
erals. Some of the concepts found in this text may derive from the
Mahāmayūrīvidyārājṇī-dhāraṇī sūtra, a version of which was trans-
lated by Yijing.^41


Da sheng miao Jixiang pusa zuisheng weide bimi bazi tuoluoni xiu-
xing niansong yigui cideng fa
(Ritual Proceedings and Ordinances for
the Cultivation of the Invocation of the Great, Holy, and Wonder-
fully Auspicious Bodhisattva’s Supreme, Majestically Virtuous, and
Secret Eight-character Dhāraṇī),^42 attributed to Vajrabodhi, though it
is likely a later apocrypha. A ritual text belonging to the cultic worship
and invocation of Mañjuśrī, it is written in verse form and provides
detailed instruction on the establishment of the ritual space and the
altar for the rite. As indicated in the title, there are different rituals
embedded in the text.

(^37) ZZ. 185.2.
(^38) ZZ. 184.2.
(^39) ZZ. 183.2.
(^40) ZZ. 182.2.
(^41) For Yijing see Orzech, “Esoteric Buddhism in the Tang,” in this volume. For the
Mahāmayūrīvidyārājṇī-dhāraṇī sūtra, see Sørensen, 2006c.
(^42) ZZ. 181.2.

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