284 charles d. orzechVajrabodhi and Amoghavajra employ the latter two expressions spar-
ingly, but “mantra teaching” (zhenyan jiao ) appears frequently
in the works of Amoghavajra and in Śubhākarasiṃha and Yixing’s
Commentary.^85 It also appears in the biography of Amoghavajra in
Zhao Qian’s Xingzhuang ( T. 2056).^86 So it is not too much
of a distortion to use the terms Zhenyan or Mantra Buddhism or even
Mantrayāna as shorthand to refer to the proliferation of and deep
interest in the broad range of mantric technology of the Tang ācāryas
and their disciples. We need to keep in mind, however, that it was
never referred to as a school or sect, and its texts were not recognized
by a separate bibliographical designation.^87
We find a yet another term in the works of Vajrabodhi and Amogha-
vajra, which was used to designate the teachings associated with the
STTS: “yoga” (yuqie ). Amoghavajra repeatedly refers to the special
qualities of the STTS, using several descriptions, including “the yoga of
the eighteen assemblies (shiba hui yuqie )” or the “yoga of
the five families” (wubu yuqie ).^88 The term yoga is also used
to designate specific portions of the STTS. For instance, throughout
his Indications of the Goals of the Eighteen Assemblies, Amoghavajra
discusses various yogas, such as the “yoga of Trailokyavijayavajra”
( ) and the “yoga of the Guhyasamāja” (
).^89 Over time, however, “yoga” finds its way into the titles of a host
of texts and manuals—some more and some less connected with the
STTS—in the Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song periods.
One other term appears that gives us some purchase on how the
Tang ācāryas thought of what they taught: Jin’gangsheng or
“Vajrayāna,” which appears in works by Vajrabodhi, Amoghavajra,
and in those of Song translators such as *Dānapāla (fl. 970s), and
Dharmabhadra (d. 1001). But this term is not confined to refer-
(^85) It is also found in Song dynasty translations, such as *Devaśāntika’s
translation of the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa (Dafangguang pusa zang Wenshushili genben
yigui jing , T. 1191.20:903b05), and even in a few
early translations, including one by Chu Fahu, (Dang zhichi cizhi zhenyan jiao
, 86 T. 310.11:48a09.
Zhao Qian’s comment is found at T. 2056.50:293a10:
. 87
See Orzech, “After Amoghavajra,” in this volume.
(^88) T. 2120.52:844a25, 52:844b17, etc.; T. 869.18:287b22. The wubu refers to the five
buddha families and the five chief buddhas of the mandala.
(^89) T. 869.18:287a28.