Buddhism : Critical Concepts in Religious Studies, Vol. VI

TANTRIC BUDDHISM (INCLUDING CHINA AND JAPAN)

*Bhasmesvara, as the Buddha had predicted. Then, in order to demon-

strate their victory, Heruka and his retinue each took the cadaver of his

opposite number as a platform, which is why it is said that they reside

on a preta platform.^25

Yet all these distinctions of subjugater I subjugated or converter I

converted operate only in the realm of provisional meaning (neyiirtha);

according to the definitive meaning (nltiirtha), they are to be under-

stood as non-differentiated.^26 Thus the Guhyasamiija-tantra states:

As physically adamantine, he has become Brahma;

As the vocal teacher, he is Mahesvara;

As the mental teacher, he is Vi~;>l)u.^27

So all the bhairavas and everybody else are emanations of Mahe8vara,

whereas Mahesvara himself is an emanation ofVajradhara. All the con-

verting divinities are emanations of Sri Heruka, who is himself an ema-

nation of Vajradhara. Thus, according to the definitive meaning of this

story, all the characters are essentially (svabhiivatas) Mahavajradhara.

III. Finally, there is the teaching of the tantra-riija and the unlocking of

its intention by the lineage of exegetes. Having conquered Mahe8vara,

Vajradhara first preached to the five families of heroes and heroines a

version of the scripture in one hundred thousand chapters. But during

the time of the Kaliyuga, he summarized it into a version in one

hundred thousand verses. Finally, because these could not be accom-

plished during this Kaliyuga, he preached a version of one hundred

thousand letters, collected into fifty-one chapters. In addition there are

thirty-two explanatory tantras and innumerable ancillary scriptures. All

of these, Vajrapanj collected into texts and rendered into letters follow-

ing their preaching. Eventually, the teaching survived in the literature

of the four major systems of Cakrasarrzvara exegesis-those of

Luhipada, Ghantapada, Kal)hapada, and Savara. Each of them has uti-

lized the three principal scriptures of the system, the Tantrariija-

Laghusarrzvara (To. 368), the Abhidhiinottara-tantra (To. 369), and the

Yoginisaiicarya-tantra (To. 375). This elucidation of the birth of Sri

Heruka was culled from the speech of the teacher.

Grags-pa rgyal-mtshan's reporting of the myth in the Cakrasarrzvara arena is
reflective of a number of concerns which will be explored below (Interperative
Strategies) when the three applications of the myth will be discussed in conjunc-
tion with each oth.''". In his framing of the narrative, we notice the decided lack
of identified antecedents; it is simply "culled from the speech of the teacher. "^28
The only sense we get that his version follows a Buddhist textual format is in its
reference to the Bhadrakalpika-mahiiyiina-siitra. While the use of frame and
embedded story is similar to that in the classical versions, the plot structure