170 henrik h. sørensen
the Da fagu tuoluoni jing (T. 1340), where we encounter the follow-
ing phrase, “the upāya of the esoteric teaching of all the Buddhas, the
World-honored Ones.^49 This type of understanding of Esoteric Bud-
dhist practices is later echoed in Amoghavajra, where we find a refer-
ence to “the upāya of secrecy (mi fangbian ).”^50
As for altars and ritual practices, including the use of special par-
aphenalia, we find that the connection between secrecy and perfor-
mance is also stressed in the relevant texts. In the Shiyi mian shenzhou
xin jing yishu (Commentary on the Meaning of
the Ekādaśamukha-dhāraṇī Sūtra; T. 1802.39), authored by Huizhao
(651–714) of the Tang, parts of the commentary are couched in
the form of an imaginary dialogue:
Question: “If with this spell one empowers the water and the clothes, is
the spell placed in the water and in the clothes [used in the rite]?”
Answer: “The water and the clothes are without consciousness. And
likewise is the spell without characteristics. At the time of empowering
these things (i.e., to prepare them for use in the rite), all accord with the
[power of the] spell. This is the holy and secret art.”^51Here the magical aspect of the spell is invoked, and we learn that the
underlying modus operandi is entirely due to the workings of the “holy
and secret art (shengmi shu ).” The further connection between
Esoteric Buddhism and ritual secrets is borne out in the use of the
term “secret altar” (bimitan ). In fact, this usage is exclusive to
Esoteric Buddhist scriptures and to texts describing Esoteric Buddhist
practices.^52 Special altars are defined and recognized as a feature of
Esoteric Buddhism.
There are of course reasons why secrecy was considered important
by the practitioners of Esoteric Buddhism. A passage in the Dasheng
miao Jixiang pusa shuo chuzai jiaoling falun
(Great and Holy Bodhisattva Śrī Laks mī Discourses on ̣
the Teaching for the Removal of Calamities by Turning the Dharma
Wheel )^53 gives a very straightforward and clear discussion of the reasons
for maintaining secrecy when carrying out the ritual proceedings:
(^49) T. 1340.21:708a.
(^50) T. 856.18:175a.
(^51) T. 1802.39:1009a.
(^52) Cf., e.g., T. 1092.20:385b; T. 952.19:264a; T. 1185B.20:803a; T. 1796.39:745b, etc.
(^53) T. 966.19:342b–47b. See also the description in Foguang da cidian (hereaf-
ter FDC), vol. 5, p. 4340a. It is said to have been lifted from the Wenshu dajihui