Relationship between Guru Rinpoche and Hevajra practice
Relationship between Guru Rinpoche and Hevajra practice
In an old conversation, the late Lama Jamyang Sengge Rinpoche commented, “through the practice of Hevajra, one will attain the stage of Guru Rinpoche.” While my Vajra Brother Robert replied, “through the (Guru Yoga) practice of Guru Rinpoche, one will attain the stage of Hevajra.”
Yes, I think that both are correct as long as one is sincere in only attaining Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.
It comes to remind me about a short hagiography taken from “Caturasiti-siddha-pravrtti”. In this hagiography, Guru Rinpoche appeared as Sakara, also known asSaroruha or Saroruhavajra. Just like Guru Rinpoche’s birth, Saroruhavajra took his birth at the centre of a lotus, on a great lake of accomplished deeds and merits, in Kanci which was ruled by a king also named Indrabhuti. His main guru is Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Mahasiddha Sakara is a master who propagates Hevajra teachings, and it said to that he has written the following commentaries and sadhanas found in Tengyur:
1. Hevajra-tantra-panjika-padmini-nama
2. Giti-tattva-nama
3. Sri-hevajra-pradipa—sulopamavavadaka-nama
4. Hevajra-mandala-vidhi
5. Homa-vidhi
6. Sri-hevajra-bhattaraka-stotra-nama
7. Hevajra-mandala-karma-krama-vidhi
According to the hagiography of Mahasiddha Buddhagupta-natha from the Jonang tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, there was a small hidden chapel at Vana-dvipa near the present day Sri Lanka, and it was dedicated to Saroruhavajra, it wrote:
“On the outside appearing like a rocky mountain, and as a square shaped temple within. At its center there is a naturally formed stone image of a two-armed Hevajra. In one (other) cave there are numerous volumes of Secret Mantra, and it is further stated that it contains copies of five hundred thousand tantras. It is known as an extremely turbulent (place) and hence impossible to inspect.”
In the hagiographies of Guru Rinpoche, Guru Rinpoche propagates Yangdak Heruka (Vishuddha Heruka), instead of Hevajra. But I have also heard from others that the Hevajra practice also appeared in the form of new terma lineages, given and hidden by Guru Rinpoche for future generations.
Our precious guru, 41st Kyabgon Sakya Trizin once commented that the practice of Yangdak Heruka is closedly associated with the practice of Hevajra due to similar mandala deities being arranged in both tantras. Even today, Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism still maintains this kama lineage till today. This practice was given by Guru Rinpoche to Khon Lui Wangpo Srungwa in the 8th century AD and it has continued in the Khon family up to the present time along with the practice of Vajrakilaya. Tiktsa Rinpoche, the 14th Thegchen Tulku, and the monks of Tsunda Monastery (Ngongar Dechen Ling) still continues to perform the Annual Yangdak Heruka Grand Puja on the Sixth Tibetan Lunar Month every year.
Through the blessings of Guru Rinpoche and past lineage masters, Hevajra Tantra was also being translated from Sanskrit into Mandarin by Master Fa-hu (Dharmapala) at the Institute for Canonical Translations (Yi Jing Yuan) in the capital of the Northern Sung (960-1128 AD), Bian Liang, present day Kaifeng in Henan province. However, the practice for Hevajra tantra was not popular during the Northern Sung period and eventually, this lineage is not longer existed.
And in Tibet, the precious Lamdre (Sanskrit: Margapala) tradition was brought to Tibet by Drogmi Lotsawa Shakye Yeshe (992-1072 AD?) who received a transmission from Guru Viravajra who followed the lineage from Mahasiddha Dombi Heruka (of the Commentarial Tradition or Sudden Path lineage), and a transmission from Guru Gayadhara who followed the lineage from Mahasiddha Krishnacarin (of the Instructional Tradition or Gradual Path lineage). The root text of the Margapala tradition is Mahasiddha Virupa’s "Vajra Verses" (Tibetan: Rdo rje tshig rkang), these verses form the basis of practice, explicate the view of the inseparability of samsara and nirvana, and allude to experiences on the path. This view also explained the teachings from the Buddhist tantras according to the Hevajra cycle of tantras.
So therefore, my conclusion is that Guru Rinpoche, out of great compassion, displaying the Perfection of Skilful Means, taught both Yangdak Heruka and Hevajra teachings to different disciples with different mental faculties at different times and places (and space).
And even today, through the blessings of Guru Rinpoche and his chief 25 disciples, both Yangdak Heruka and Hevajra practices will continue to appear and to be rediscovered by new tertons.
Source
https://www.facebook.com/evergreenbuddhist/posts/592323794232591:0
