Tantric Buddhist Practice in India

Autorentext

Anthony Tribe is an independent scholar with a research specialization in the history and development of tantric Buddhism in India. He is the co-author of Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition (2012), also published by Routledge.

Klappentext

Using a commentary on the influential text, the Mañju r -n masäg ti, 'The Chanting of the Names of Mañju r ', this book deals with Buddhist tantric meditation practice and its doctrinal context in early-medieval India. The commentary was written by the 8th-9th century Indian tantric scholar Vil savajra, and the book contains a translation of th

Zusammenfassung

Using a commentary on the influential text, the Mañjur-nmasagti, 'The Chanting of the Names of Mañjur', this book deals with Buddhist tantric meditation practice and its doctrinal context in early-medieval India. The commentary was written by the 8th-9th century Indian tantric scholar Vilsavajra, and the book contains a translation of the first five chapters. The translation is extensively annotated, and accompanied by introductions as well as a critical edition of the Sanskrit text based on eight Sanskrit manuscripts and two blockprint editions of the commentary's Tibetan translation.

The commentary interprets its root text within an elaborate framework of tantric visualisation and meditation that is based on an expanded form of the Buddhist Yoga Tantra mandala, the Vajradhtu-maala. At its heart is the figure of Mañjur, no longer the familiar bodhisattva of wisdom, but now the embodiment of the awakened non-dual gnosis that underlies all Buddhas as well their activity in the cosmos.

The book contributes to our understanding of the history of Indian tantric Buddhism in a period of significant change and innovation. With its extensively annotated translation and lengthy introductions the book is designed to appeal not only to professional scholars and research students but also to contemporary Buddhists.

Inhalt

Part 1: Introductions

Overview

1. Contexts

2. Vilâsavajra: locating the NMAA's author

3. The Nâmasagîti

4. Vilâsavajra's NMAA: overviews and remarks

5. The NMAA's maala in Himalayan Art

Part 2: Vilâsavajra's Nâmamantrârthâvalokinî:
an annotated translation of chapters 15

Conventions in the translation

Chapter 1: On 'The Request for Instruction'

Chapter 2: On 'The Reply'

Chapter 3: On 'The Survey of the Six Families'

Chapter 4: On 'The Method of Awakening According to the Mâyâjâla'

Chapter 5: On 'The Vajradhâtu-Mahâmaala of Bodhicittavajra' Part III: Sanskrit Edition

Materials and Methods

1. Sigla

2. Manuscripts

3. Method of Editing

4. Stemma Codicum

5. The Tibetan Translation of the NMAA

Critical Edition of Vilâsavajra's Nâmamantrârthâvalokinî:
Chapters 15

Adhikâra 1

Adhikâra 2

Adhikâra 3

Adhikâra 4

Adhikâra 5

Textual notes

Insignificant variants

Textual collation to establish the stemma codicum Appendices

Appendix 1. Works and authors cited in the NMAA

Appendix 2. Savara, Cakrasavara and aprajñânaya-
savara citations

Appendix 3. NMAA colophons

Appendix 4. NMAA manuscripts: