Difference between revisions of "Charya tantra"
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− | Charya tantra, Upa tantra, or Ubhaya tantra is a yana (literally "vehicle") of Esoteric Buddhism-though there is debate about whether it is considered to be buddhism, and as such is both a class of tantric literature and of praxis. The yana of Charya or ‘conduct’ tantra is given this name because it demonstrates a balanced emphasis on the outer ritual actions and ablutions of body and speech and the inner cultivation of intentionality and mindfulness. Hence, outer and inner conduct. The Charya tanta is enumerated as one of the three Outer Tantras in both the four-tantric-yanas classification scheme of the Sarma, or 'New Translation Schools' and the nine-yana classification of the Nyingma, 'Ancient Translation School'. | + | [[Charya tantra]], [[Upa tantra]], or [[Ubhaya]] [[tantra]] is a [[yana]] (literally "[[vehicle]]") of [[Esoteric]] Buddhism-though there is [[debate]] about whether it is considered to be [[buddhism]], and as such is both a class of [[tantric]] {{Wiki|literature}} and of praxis. The [[yana]] of [[Charya]] or ‘conduct’ [[tantra]] is given this [[name]] because it demonstrates a balanced emphasis on the outer [[ritual]] [[actions]] and ablutions of [[body]] and [[speech]] and the inner cultivation of {{Wiki|intentionality}} and [[mindfulness]]. Hence, outer and inner conduct. The [[Charya]] tanta is enumerated as one of the three [[Outer Tantras]] in both the four-tantric-yanas {{Wiki|classification}} scheme of the [[Sarma]], or '[[New Translation]] Schools' and the nine-yana {{Wiki|classification}} of the [[Nyingma]], '{{Wiki|Ancient}} Translation School'. |
− | Upa, or practice tantra, is also called Ubhayatantra, dual-tantra, because it combines the view of the next vehicle, Yoga tantra, with the action, or conduct, of Kriya tantra, the former one. The abhiseka consists of the empowerment of the Five Buddha Families. Realization may be gained in five lifetimes. | + | Upa, or practice [[tantra]], is also called [[Ubhayatantra]], dual-tantra, because it combines the [[view]] of the next [[vehicle]], [[Yoga tantra]], with the [[action]], or conduct, of [[Kriya tantra]], the former one. The [[abhiseka]] consists of the [[empowerment]] of the [[Five Buddha Families]]. [[Realization]] may be gained in five lifetimes. |
− | Tibetan: སྤྱོད་པ, Wylie: spyod pa | + | [[Tibetan]]: {{BigTibetan|སྤྱོད་པ}}, Wylie: [[spyod pa]] |
− | Caryā (Sanskrit), चर्या (Devanagari) | + | [[Caryā]] ([[Sanskrit]]), चर्या ({{Wiki|Devanagari}}) |
Guarisco & McLeod et al. (2005: p. 41) render this class into English as "Conduct". | Guarisco & McLeod et al. (2005: p. 41) render this class into English as "Conduct". | ||
− | Ubhaya | + | [[Ubhaya]] |
− | Upayogatantra or Ubhayatantra (Sanskrit; Wylie: spyod pa'i rgyud kyi theg pa, Tibetan: སྤྱོད་པའི་རྒྱུད་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ). In the lexical compound Ubhaya-tantra, 'ubhaya' (Sanskrit, Devanagari: उभय) is a pronominal adjective that qualifies 'tantra' (English: loom, weaving) and holds the semantic field of 'two' or 'dual'. | + | Upayogatantra or [[Ubhayatantra]] ([[Sanskrit]]; Wylie: [[spyod pa'i rgyud]] kyi [[theg pa]], [[Tibetan]]: {{BigTibetan|སྤྱོད་པའི་རྒྱུད་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ}}). In the lexical compound [[Ubhaya-tantra]], '[[ubhaya]]' ([[Sanskrit]], {{Wiki|Devanagari}}: उभय) is a pronominal adjective that qualifies '[[tantra]]' (English: loom, {{Wiki|weaving}}) and holds the {{Wiki|semantic field}} of 'two' or 'dual'. |
− | One interpretation of 'Ubhaya' as the | + | One interpretation of '[[Ubhaya]]' as the ‘[[tantra]] of both’ is demonstrated in that its {{Wiki|literature}} and exponents hold the [[view]] of [[Yogatantra]], whilst its conduct and [[activity]] is therein, as a general rule, is aligned with that of [[Kriyatantra]] and in [[function]], [[forms]] a bridge between the two other [[Outer Tantras]]. |
− | Literature | + | {{Wiki|Literature}} |
− | The Upa-yoga scriptures first appeared in 'Mount Jakang Chen' Tibetan: རི་བྱ་རྐང་ཅན, Wylie: ri bya rkang can (alternate names: Riwo Jakang, Mount Jizu) and the charnel ground of Cool Grove Tibetan: བསིལ་བའི་ཚལ, Wylie: bsil ba'i tshal. Cool Grove is also known as 'Śītavana' (Sanskrit). | + | The Upa-yoga [[scriptures]] first appeared in '[[Mount Jakang Chen]]' [[Tibetan]]: {{BigTibetan|རི་བྱ་རྐང་ཅན}}, Wylie: ri bya rkang can (alternate names: Riwo Jakang, Mount Jizu) and the [[charnel ground]] of [[Cool Grove]] [[Tibetan]]: {{BigTibetan|བསིལ་བའི་ཚལ}}, Wylie: bsil ba'i tshal. [[Cool Grove]] is also known as 'Śītavana' ([[Sanskrit]]). |
− | Tantras in this class | + | [[Tantras]] in this class |
− | 'Awakening of Great Vairocana' [Wylie: rnam(-par) snang(-mdzad) mngon(-par) byang(-chub pa); Sanskrit: Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhitantra T.494 ] | + | '[[Awakening]] of Great [[Vairocana]]' [Wylie: rnam(-par) snang(-mdzad) mngon(-par) byang(-chub pa); [[Sanskrit]]: Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhitantra T.494 ] |
− | 'Empowerment of Vajrapãṇi' (Wylie: phyag na rdo rje dbang bskur; Sanskrit: Vajrapãṇyabhiṣekamahãtantra, T.496 ) | + | '[[Empowerment]] of Vajrapãṇi' (Wylie: [[phyag na rdo rje]] [[dbang bskur]]; [[Sanskrit]]: Vajrapãṇyabhiṣekamahãtantra, T.496 ) |
Textual dissemination | Textual dissemination | ||
− | Davidson relates the movement of the Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhi-tantra by the Ch'an monk Wu-hsing (2002: p. 118): | + | Davidson relates the {{Wiki|movement}} of the Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhi-tantra by the [[Ch'an]] [[monk]] Wu-hsing (2002: p. 118): |
− | "The Ch'an monk Wu-hsing remarked around 680 C.E. that the popularity of the esoteric path was a new and exceptional event in India, observable even while he was in residence. He reputedly brought back with him the earliest version of the Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhi-tantra, although he did not translate it." | + | "The [[Ch'an]] [[monk]] Wu-hsing remarked around 680 C.E. that the popularity of the [[esoteric]] [[path]] was a new and [[exceptional]] event in [[India]], observable even while he was in residence. He reputedly brought back with him the earliest version of the Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhi-tantra, although he did not translate it." |
− | Exegesis | + | {{Wiki|Exegesis}} |
− | The Carya class of tantras holds the smallest number of texts of all the traditional classifications of tantric literatures. An important tantra in this class is the Mahavairocana Sutra. The presence of Buddha Vairocana is often evident in tantras of this class where he is often depicted in the centre of a mandala with four other Buddhas of his retinue placed to the four quarters, the cardinal directions. Importantly, during the Carya tantra class and literary period, there developed the salient innovation wherein the sadhaka is to cultivate identification with the deity in meditative absorption. | + | The [[Carya]] class of [[tantras]] holds the smallest number of texts of all the [[traditional]] classifications of [[tantric]] literatures. An important [[tantra]] in this class is the [[Mahavairocana Sutra]]. The presence of [[Buddha Vairocana]] is often evident in [[tantras]] of this class where he is often depicted in the centre of a [[mandala]] with four other [[Buddhas]] of his retinue placed to the four quarters, the [[cardinal directions]]. Importantly, during the [[Carya tantra]] class and {{Wiki|literary}} period, there developed the salient innovation wherein the [[sadhaka]] is to cultivate identification with the [[deity]] in [[meditative]] [[absorption]]. |
− | This class of literature was important to Kūkai (774–835) and the development of Shingon Buddhism. Kūkai traveled to China in 804 as part of the same expedition as Saichō. In the T'ang capital of Xian, Kūkai studied esoteric Buddhism and Sanskrit and received initiation from Huikuo. Kukai received a lineage of the Mahavairocana Sutra (Dainichikyo 大日経). On returning to Japan, Kūkai establish the esoteric school of Shingon (真言). | + | This class of {{Wiki|literature}} was important to [[Kūkai]] (774–835) and the development of [[Shingon Buddhism]]. [[Kūkai]] traveled to [[China]] in 804 as part of the same expedition as [[Saichō]]. In the T'ang capital of Xian, [[Kūkai]] studied [[esoteric Buddhism]] and [[Sanskrit]] and received [[initiation]] from Huikuo. [[Kukai]] received a [[lineage]] of the [[Mahavairocana Sutra]] (Dainichikyo [[大日経]]). On returning to [[Japan]], [[Kūkai]] establish the [[esoteric school]] of [[Shingon]] ([[真言]]). |
− | Guarisco & McLeod et al. (2005: p. 41) set Jamgon Kongtrul's (1813–1899) codification of this class in English as follows: | + | Guarisco & McLeod et al. (2005: p. 41) set [[Jamgon Kongtrul's]] (1813–1899) codification of this class in English as follows: |
− | "Conduct tantra, where conduct encompasses both outer ritual activity and inner contemplation, involves training in a vast range of deeds while entering the inner reality that presents itself in visual and audible divine representations. The notion here is that of being close to the state of a perfect divine being, a state not yet fully realized. This limited view is overcome by visualizing oneself as the deity, understanding that form to be the appearance aspect of emptiness." | + | "Conduct [[tantra]], where conduct encompasses both outer [[ritual]] [[activity]] and inner contemplation, involves training in a vast range of [[deeds]] while entering the inner [[reality]] that presents itself in [[visual]] and audible [[divine]] {{Wiki|representations}}. The notion here is that of being close to the state of a perfect [[divine being]], a state not yet fully [[realized]]. This limited [[view]] is overcome by [[visualizing]] oneself as the [[deity]], [[understanding]] that [[form]] to be the [[appearance]] aspect of [[emptiness]]." |
− | Jinpa (2004) renders a section of 'A Garland of Views' (Tibetan: མན་ངག་ལྟ་བའི་ཕྲེང་བ, Wylie: man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba) that focuses Ubhaya tantra through the lens of the Two truths doctrine, a text attributed to Padmasambhava in the Mantrayana tradition, thus: | + | [[Jinpa]] (2004) renders a section of 'A [[Garland of Views]]' ([[Tibetan]]: {{BigTibetan|མན་ངག་ལྟ་བའི་ཕྲེང་བ}}, Wylie: [[man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba]]) that focuses [[Ubhaya]] [[tantra]] through the lens of the [[Two truths doctrine]], a text attributed to [[Padmasambhava]] in the [[Mantrayana]] [[tradition]], thus: |
− | "The view of those who have entered the vehicle of Ubhaya-tantra is as follows. Whilst there are no origination and cessation on the ultimate level, on the conventional level one visualizes [oneself] in the form of a deity. This is cultivated on the basis of both the practice of meditative absorption endowed with four aspects as well as the [necessary] ritual articles and conditions." | + | "The [[view]] of those who have entered the [[vehicle]] of [[Ubhaya-tantra]] is as follows. Whilst there are no origination and [[cessation]] on the [[Wikipedia:Absolute (philosophy)|ultimate]] level, on the [[Wikipedia:Convention (norm)|conventional]] level one [[visualizes]] [oneself] in the [[form]] of a [[deity]]. This is cultivated on the basis of both the practice of [[meditative]] [[absorption]] endowed with four aspects as well as the [necessary] [[ritual]] articles and [[conditions]]." |
Praxis | Praxis | ||
− | In sadhana, the sadhaka visualizes themselves or ritually rarefies their mindstream into the 'commitment being' (Sanskrit: samayasattva) and visualizes the 'gnosis being' (Sanskrit: jñānasattva), who is envisioned in the relationship of a spiritual friend, to their front and facing them which subsumes a certain style of form meditations or meditations with a support: e.g.: bija, mudra, mandala and/or rupa of the deity, the 'gnosis being', the yidam. | + | In [[sadhana]], the [[sadhaka]] [[visualizes]] themselves or [[ritually]] rarefies their [[mindstream]] into the '[[commitment being]]' ([[Sanskrit]]: [[samayasattva]]) and [[visualizes]] the '[[gnosis]] being' ([[Sanskrit]]: [[jñānasattva]]), who is envisioned in the relationship of a [[spiritual friend]], to their front and facing them which subsumes a certain style of [[form meditations]] or [[meditations]] with a support: e.g.: [[bija]], [[mudra]], [[mandala]] and/or [[rupa]] of the [[deity]], the '[[gnosis]] being', the [[yidam]]. |
</poem> | </poem> | ||
{{W}} | {{W}} | ||
[[Category:Buddhist Terms]] | [[Category:Buddhist Terms]] | ||
[[Category:Charya tantra]] | [[Category:Charya tantra]] |
Revision as of 07:28, 1 January 2014
Charya tantra, Upa tantra, or Ubhaya tantra is a yana (literally "vehicle") of Esoteric Buddhism-though there is debate about whether it is considered to be buddhism, and as such is both a class of tantric literature and of praxis. The yana of Charya or ‘conduct’ tantra is given this name because it demonstrates a balanced emphasis on the outer ritual actions and ablutions of body and speech and the inner cultivation of intentionality and mindfulness. Hence, outer and inner conduct. The Charya tanta is enumerated as one of the three Outer Tantras in both the four-tantric-yanas classification scheme of the Sarma, or 'New Translation Schools' and the nine-yana classification of the Nyingma, 'Ancient Translation School'.
Upa, or practice tantra, is also called Ubhayatantra, dual-tantra, because it combines the view of the next vehicle, Yoga tantra, with the action, or conduct, of Kriya tantra, the former one. The abhiseka consists of the empowerment of the Five Buddha Families. Realization may be gained in five lifetimes.
Tibetan: སྤྱོད་པ, Wylie: spyod pa
Caryā (Sanskrit), चर्या (Devanagari)
Guarisco & McLeod et al. (2005: p. 41) render this class into English as "Conduct".
Ubhaya
Upayogatantra or Ubhayatantra (Sanskrit; Wylie: spyod pa'i rgyud kyi theg pa, Tibetan: སྤྱོད་པའི་རྒྱུད་ཀྱི་ཐེག་པ). In the lexical compound Ubhaya-tantra, 'ubhaya' (Sanskrit, Devanagari: उभय) is a pronominal adjective that qualifies 'tantra' (English: loom, weaving) and holds the semantic field of 'two' or 'dual'.
One interpretation of 'Ubhaya' as the ‘tantra of both’ is demonstrated in that its literature and exponents hold the view of Yogatantra, whilst its conduct and activity is therein, as a general rule, is aligned with that of Kriyatantra and in function, forms a bridge between the two other Outer Tantras.
Literature
The Upa-yoga scriptures first appeared in 'Mount Jakang Chen' Tibetan: རི་བྱ་རྐང་ཅན, Wylie: ri bya rkang can (alternate names: Riwo Jakang, Mount Jizu) and the charnel ground of Cool Grove Tibetan: བསིལ་བའི་ཚལ, Wylie: bsil ba'i tshal. Cool Grove is also known as 'Śītavana' (Sanskrit).
Tantras in this class
'Awakening of Great Vairocana' [Wylie: rnam(-par) snang(-mdzad) mngon(-par) byang(-chub pa); Sanskrit: Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhitantra T.494 ]
'Empowerment of Vajrapãṇi' (Wylie: phyag na rdo rje dbang bskur; Sanskrit: Vajrapãṇyabhiṣekamahãtantra, T.496 )
Textual dissemination
Davidson relates the movement of the Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhi-tantra by the Ch'an monk Wu-hsing (2002: p. 118):
"The Ch'an monk Wu-hsing remarked around 680 C.E. that the popularity of the esoteric path was a new and exceptional event in India, observable even while he was in residence. He reputedly brought back with him the earliest version of the Mahãvairocanãbhisaṃbodhi-tantra, although he did not translate it."
Exegesis
The Carya class of tantras holds the smallest number of texts of all the traditional classifications of tantric literatures. An important tantra in this class is the Mahavairocana Sutra. The presence of Buddha Vairocana is often evident in tantras of this class where he is often depicted in the centre of a mandala with four other Buddhas of his retinue placed to the four quarters, the cardinal directions. Importantly, during the Carya tantra class and literary period, there developed the salient innovation wherein the sadhaka is to cultivate identification with the deity in meditative absorption.
This class of literature was important to Kūkai (774–835) and the development of Shingon Buddhism. Kūkai traveled to China in 804 as part of the same expedition as Saichō. In the T'ang capital of Xian, Kūkai studied esoteric Buddhism and Sanskrit and received initiation from Huikuo. Kukai received a lineage of the Mahavairocana Sutra (Dainichikyo 大日経). On returning to Japan, Kūkai establish the esoteric school of Shingon (真言).
Guarisco & McLeod et al. (2005: p. 41) set Jamgon Kongtrul's (1813–1899) codification of this class in English as follows:
"Conduct tantra, where conduct encompasses both outer ritual activity and inner contemplation, involves training in a vast range of deeds while entering the inner reality that presents itself in visual and audible divine representations. The notion here is that of being close to the state of a perfect divine being, a state not yet fully realized. This limited view is overcome by visualizing oneself as the deity, understanding that form to be the appearance aspect of emptiness."
Jinpa (2004) renders a section of 'A Garland of Views' (Tibetan: མན་ངག་ལྟ་བའི་ཕྲེང་བ, Wylie: man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba) that focuses Ubhaya tantra through the lens of the Two truths doctrine, a text attributed to Padmasambhava in the Mantrayana tradition, thus:
"The view of those who have entered the vehicle of Ubhaya-tantra is as follows. Whilst there are no origination and cessation on the ultimate level, on the conventional level one visualizes [oneself] in the form of a deity. This is cultivated on the basis of both the practice of meditative absorption endowed with four aspects as well as the [necessary] ritual articles and conditions."
Praxis
In sadhana, the sadhaka visualizes themselves or ritually rarefies their mindstream into the 'commitment being' (Sanskrit: samayasattva) and visualizes the 'gnosis being' (Sanskrit: jñānasattva), who is envisioned in the relationship of a spiritual friend, to their front and facing them which subsumes a certain style of form meditations or meditations with a support: e.g.: bija, mudra, mandala and/or rupa of the deity, the 'gnosis being', the yidam.