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A Reference to Maga in the Tibetan
Translation of the Tarkajvālā
Shinjo Kawasaki
For a study of theories and practices of the Brahmanical, as well as the nonBrahmanical, religious schools in India around the fifth century, the Madhyamaka-hrdaya-karika (hereinafter referred to as MHK) of Bhavya or Bhāvaviveka (490-570ca.) and his auto-commentary Tarkajvala (TJ) provide much valuable information. In the ninth chapter: Mimāņsa-tattva-ni rņaya-avatara, of these two works, which discusses the doctrinal differences between the Mimāmsakas and the Buddhists, we come across a noteworthy reference to the book of Maga (maga-śāstra).
"And this Veda is conjectured to be a work of a wicked person. Because it teaches such unmoral deeds as harming of living things and drinking of wine. Like the book of Maga."
anumeyaś ca vedo 'yam asat-puruşa-kartěkah/ Iskye bu mi bzan bas byas par/ /rig byed ḥdi ni gshal bya stel /bhūta-hinsä-surāpāna-kriyôkter maga-śāstravat/ (MHK IX, 31)1)
/hbyun po htshe dan chan hthun 'brdsun) /smra phyir ma gahi bstan bcos bshin/ This verse in MHK is commented in TJ, which is only available in the Tibetan translation, as follows:2)
"Maga and so on are the followers of a perverted belief (vrata), i.e. Persians and others who live in the land of barbarians (mleccha). Their teachings (siddhānta) are known to be like these:
1) This Sanskrit verse in MHK is offered by Prof. V. V. Gokhale of Poona. It
is a copy, made by his own handwriting, from what Rev. Sāmkệtyāyana copied at Sha-lu monastery in Tibet. The present writer remains thankful to Prof. Gokhale's kind guidance and his generous permission for the use and publication of this material.
The Tibetan translation “brdsun” suggests “mithyā” or “mặsā” for “kriya.”
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(15) A Reference to Maga in the Tibetan Translation (S. Kawasaki)
As they do harm to the earth, killing of ants and others does not go against morality.
By killing bulls and piling their horns, one can hope to reach heaven. In the same way, by burning the heart of beasts and with the smoke out of it, one will be born in the highest dwelling place in the utmost heaven, and so on.
In the same way, as all women are similar to mill-stone, flower, fruit, co food, descending steps for a bathing place, roads, and others, it is not right to say that one's mother, sisters, daughters, and so forth are unproper as one's object of sexual intercourse.
The doctrines of Maga with the assertions above-mentioned have many points fairly common to the teachings of the Vedas. It is because the following assertions are made by the proponents of the Vedas: Such deeds as harming of others (hinsā) taught in the Vedas, although they are denunciated in other books, do not constitute a sin as we can learn from those born in other lands. : 'Honey should be collected.' 'A bull should be slain, too.' Or in the same way, ‘A man, horse, bull or sheep should be consecrated in the fire to death.' Or again, 'They should be choked to death in a state of unconsciousness. Or, 'In the
2) The Tibetan text: sDe dge bstan hgyur, dBu ma (dsa) 28161— ; sNar than bstan hgyur, dBu ma (dsa) 304b5— ; Peking bstan hgyur, dBu ma (dsa) 31894 - The present text is based on the sDe dge edition."
(D281b1)/ ma ga la sogs pa phyin ci log gi brtul shugs can/ par sig la sogs kla klohi gnas na gnas pa de dag gi grub paḥi mthaḥ ni ḥdi Itar grags tel sa la gnod pa byed pa yin paại phyir/ grog ma la sogs pa bsad pa ni chos ma yin pa ma yin nol/ ba lan bsad na rva brtsegs pa la brten nas mtho ris su hgro bar hgyur roll de bshin du phyugs gyi sñin bsregs pas bdugs na gnas mthon po goń mahi nam mkhar skye bar hgyur ro shes bya ba Ita bu dan (D28163) de bshin du bud med thams cad ni gtun dan/ me tog dań hbras bu sogs pa dan g'yos zin paḥi zas dan/ khrus bya baḥi ḥbab stegs dan/ lam shes bya ba la dan ḥdra ba yin pas ma dan, srin mo dan/ bu mo la sogs pa la bgrod par bya ba ma yin no shes zer ba ni legs pa ma yin no shes smra bar byed paḥi ma gahi grub pahi mthaḥ de dan rig byed la khyad par ci shig yod del gan gi phyir rig byed pas smras pa/ rig byed htshe ba gan bstan pal/ bstan bcos gshan du smad gyur kyan// des ni sdig byas mi hgyur bar/ gshan du skye ba dag gis bstan to shes bya ba la sogs pa dan// sbrań rtsis bsdu bar byaḥo shes bya ba dan/ ba lan yan gsad par byaḥo shes bya ba dan/l de bshin du me la skyes bu dan/ rta dan/ ba lan dan/ ra rnams bsreg cin gsad par byaḥoll yan na ḥdi dag
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A Reference to Maga in the Tibetan Translation (S. Kawasaki) (16) center of the fire surrounding them, they should be suffered by heat.' Or, 'In the Asvamedha, every horse should be tormented with five hundred piercing needles and should be dedicated in the fire.'
These are the assertions (in the Vedas, similar to those of Maga). There an incestuous marriage is also spoken out. It is taught in the sacrificial rite (yajña) of the bull-observances (go-vrata): ‘A Brahmin shall perform a sacrificial rite of a bull (go-sava) and keep himself in the bull-observances for one year (samvatsara-govratin). He should drink water like a bull, take herb like a bull, have a sexual relation with his mother, with his aunts, with his own offsprings like a bull. Taking pleaure out of whomever and whatever are available, then by so doing he will reign over everything in the world. (upa mātaram iyād upa svasāram upa sagotrām upāvahāya udakam ācāmed upāvahāya tỉnāny achindyād/ yatra yatra enam visthā vindet tat tad vitiştheta anuduho ha lokam jayati Cf.JaimintyaBrahmaņa ii, 113)......
(D283b6) The Vedas are not a proper means for knowing the Dharma. As they teach with the assertions acknowledging and encouraging such deeds as harming (hinsā), unchastity (abrahmacaryā), drinking wine (surāpāna) and so on, they are like the sayings of the huntsmen and the Persians who speak often of harming living beings......
dbugs bsrubs la bsad par bya stell sems pa med par byaho/ (D281b6)/ yan na mes bskor bahi dkyil du tsha bas gdun bar byaho shes bya ba dan yan na rta dag gi mchod sbyin la rta re re la khab Ina brgya Ina brgya btsugs la sin tu zug gzer dan ldan par byas nas sbyin sreg byaḥo shes rjes su gnan ba yod pa dan/ bgrod par bya ba ma yin pa la bgrod par bya ba yan rjes su gnan no shes ba lan gi brtul shugs can gyi mchod sbyin las bstan tell bram zes ba lan gi mchod sbyin byas nas lo gcig gi bar du ba lan gi brtul shugs la gnas par bya ste/ ba lan bshin du chu btun (D282a1) shin rtsva yan gcad par bya lal ma la yan bshon par bya/ maḥi spun zla la yan bshon par bya/ ran gi rigs la yan bshon par bya stel gan dan gań du shugs sin ḥdug pa der rñed pa de dan de la spyad cin ba lan 'bshin du spyad na hjig rten thams cad las rgyal bar hgyur ro shes bya ba dan ...... (D28356)/ rig byed ni chos rtogs pa la tshad mar gyur pa ma yin tel ḥtshe ba dan/ tshans par spyod pa ma yin pa dan) chan ḥthun ba la sogs pa gsal bar byed pa daň/ rjes su mthun paḥi tshig brjod paḥi phyir rñon pa dan par sig la sogs pa ḥtshe ba yons su smra baḥi tshig bshin no/
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A Reference to Maga in the Tibetan Translation (S. Kawasaki) (D283b7-284a1) The Vedas are not a proper means for knowing the Dharma.
As they teach the illicit sexual relation (agamya-gamana), they are like the books of the Nästikas and of the Persians."
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*
The teachings of Maga as described in TJ agree with what we already know about Maga in the following points:
1) Killing of ants
In his description of the Persian manners and customs, Herodotus (ca. 484430 B. C.) writes about the attitudes of their priesthood toward ants and other small creatures. "The Magi, on the contrary, kill animals of all kinds with their own hands, excepting dogs and men. They even seem to take a delight in the employment, and kill, as readily as they do other animals, ants and snakes, and such like flying or creeping.”3)
2) Drinking of wine (surāpāna)
Again, Herodotus mentions the Persian attitude toward wine as follows: "They are very fond of wine, and drink it in large quantities."4)
3) Animal sacrifice, especially bull-slaying
The above-mentioned sentence from Herodotus' History tells us also about Maga's practice of animal sacrifice. The sacrifice of bull (taurobolium) is generally accepted as the central act of worship in Mithraism, and is represented in relief in every Mithraic sanctuary.5) In a Zoroastrian literature, Yasna xxxii, 10, we hear of the teacher of evil who 'declares the ox and the sun are the worst thing to behold with the eyes,' which may perhaps refer to the nocturnal sacrifice of bull by Mithraists. Zoroaster, in his reform, accused the priesthood of the old cult of handing the ox over to 'fury' or 'violence.' In Yasna xxix, 1, the soul of the ox itself cries out saying 'violence, fury, cruelty, fri
(D283b7)/ rig byed ni chos rtogs pa la tshad mar gyur pa ma yin te gan gi phyir bgrod par bya ba ma yin pa la yan bgrod par bya bar ñe bar ston pahi phyir med pa pa (D284a1) dan/ par sig gi bstan bcos bshin no/
3) Herodoti Historiae I, 140; George Rawlinson tr.: History of Herodotus, 2 vols., 3rd ed. (London, 1875), vol. I, p. 265.
4) Ibid. I, 133; Rawlinson tr., vol. I, p. 259.
5) Franz Cumont: Les Mystères de Mithra, (Paris, 1913).
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A Reference to Maga in the Tibetan Translation (S. Kawasaki)
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ghtfulness, and might hem me in.'6)
4) Incestuous marriage (agamyā-gamana) This is one thing the mal-impression of which the modern successor of Zo. roastrianism, the Indian Parsis, endeavour to eradicate out of their sacred literature. It cannot be denied, however, there are frequent references to the socalled illicit love, Khvêtûk-das, in it.?)
Bhavya is not the first Buddhist writer who gives a description of this custom among the ancient Persians. The Abhidharmakośa-bhāsya of Vasubandhu, whose date of activity has been a topic of heating controversy (4th or 5th century), has a reference to the Persian (pārasika) custom of mercy killing for the aged parents8) and also to their custom of sexual life with mother and so on (moha-jo yathā pārasikānām matrâdi-gamanam).9) Vasubandhu's following quotation : "ye ca āhur) udūkhala-puşpa-pakvānna-tirtha-mārga-prakhyo māts. grāma iti” is actually the same with what we have in TJ.10) The Abhidharma-mahavibhașa-śastra (Taisho vol. 27, 606a), of which neither the Sanskrit original nor the Tibetan translation is available, and the date of composition of which precedes to that of Vasubandhu's work, has the following Chinese translation on this context: "Again in the west hence, there live Mlecchas called Maga Sibu who have this kind of opinion and this kind of view: 'It is not sinful to attain one's desire at one's mother, daughters, sisters and sons' wives. What is the reason? Whoever women are they, are all like ripen fruit, or food, road, bridge, ship, steps, mill-stone and so forth. Just as these things are shared by people in public, a woman is an object of love and enjoyment
6) R. C. Zaehner: The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism (London, 1961),
pp. 84-87. 7) Yasna xii, 9; xiii, 28; E. W. West: “The Meaning of khvêtûk-das,” SBE vol.
XVIII (London, 1882), pp. 389-430. 8) pārasikānām ca/ te hy evam āhuḥ "mātā-pitarau jirnau glānau vā hantavyāv”
iti (ad Abhidharma-kośa VI, 68); P. Pradhan ed.: Abhidharma koshabhasya of Va.
subandhu (Patna, 1967), p. 240. 9) Ibid. p. 241. 10) See the author's tr. of TJ. Supra p. 2. Paramārtha's translation of the Abhi
dharmakośa mentioned a Tirthika P‘in-na-k'o #iw as the proponent. (Taisho vol. 29, 241b)
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Reference to Maga in the Tibetan Translation (S. Kawasaki)
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# E The Abhidharmakośa-bhāsya tells us about a Vedic ritual, go-sava, .saying, "gosave ca yajñe/ yathoktam brāhmaṇo gosavena iștyā samvatsara-govrati bhavati/ upahā udakam cūșati tļņāni cchinatti upaiti mātaram upa svasāram upa sagotrām'iti.”11) As we learn from La Vallée Poussin's footnote to his French translation of the Abhidharmakośa, this Vedic quotation is from the Jaiminiya Brahmaņa ii, 113.12) Like TJ, the Tibetan translation of the Abhidharmakośa-bhasya has this quotation in full with "yatra yatrainam vişthā vindet tat tad vitiştheta anuduho ha lokam jayati,” a sentence lacking either in Dr. Pradhan's Sanskrit text or in the Chinese translation of the Abhidharmakośa-bhașya. We do not know how was the corresponding paragraph in the original text, now lost, of the Abhidharma-mahavibhāșa-śāstra. It is very probable, anyway, that Bhavya should have acquired his knowledge on Maga from a certain Abhidharma work.
It is evident and valuable that the Buddhist knowledge of Maga, like that of Herodotus, includes much of the survival of old cults and primitive conceptions such as Zoroaster endeavoured to eradicate. It has been long known that there was, before the arrival of the Parsis on the Indian west coast, a colony of the old Iranian stock called sākadvipīya-brāhmaṇa or Maga-brāhmaņa on the bank of the Candrabhāgā in Punjab, who preserved their old worship of Mithra or Mihira and sun-worship.13) It is not utterly impossible that the 11) Pradhan ed. p. 241. The same quotation is found in P. S. Jaini ed.: Abhidha
rmadipa (Patna, 1959), p. 154. 12) L. de la Vallée Poussin tr.: L'Abhidharmakośa de Vasubandhu (Bruxelles, 1971),
Tome III, p. 147. Here Poussin tells us that "samvatsaram pasu-vrato......" is found in the Abastamba Srautasütra xxii, 13. The Prayascitta-Prakarana (p. 132) quotes the Markandeya-Purana to describe a go-vrata. See P. V. Kane: History of Dha
rmasastra, vol. IV (Poona, 1953), p. 134. 13) V. Raghavan: "Worship of the Sun," in Sankara and Shanmata (no date);
R. G. Bhandarkar: Vaişnavism and Minor Religious Systems (Varanasi, 1965); K. S. Hodivala : Parsis of Ancient India (Bombay, 1920); H. von Stietencron: Indische Sonnenpriester : Samba und die Sakadviptya-Brahmana (Wiesbaden, 1966).
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A Reference to Maga in the Tibetan Translation (S. Kawasaki) (20) Buddhists might have been supplied with the information about the Maga religion from such a group of people living in India. So far, however, we cannot find any reference to Maga's sun-worship either in TJ, or in the Abhidharma works.
There is another question : whether there was "the book of Maga (maga-śāstra)" as is mentioned in TJ. In the Abhidharmakośa-bhāşya, there is no reference to the existence of such a book, while the Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā has a sentence which is in a way possible to be rendered as follows: "Maga who have this kind of opinion and this kind of book (起如是見,立如是論)” For lack of the Sanskrit original and the Tibetan translation of the Mahāvibhasa, we have no further way of finding what was the Maga-śāstra.14)
Remarkable it is that Bhavya noticed of many similarities in the teachings of Maga in old Persia and the Vedic religion, between the two most easterly branches of the Aryan race!
14) In Kamalasila's commentary on the Tattvasamgraha, there is a reference to
gosava in connection with incestuous marriage (agamya-gamana): "vedasyâiva kridâśīla-piśācâdi-prañitatvam sambhavayitum/ yena gosavâdisv agamyagamanâ. dayo 'samācārāḥ samprakāśitä ity etad darśayann äha-kamêty-ādi/ kāma-mithyâsamācāra-prāņi-himsâdi-lak anāḥ/ / asabhyas tu kriya yena vacasă samprakäsitāḥ/ Tattvasamgraha-Pañjika (GOS., Baroda. 1926) ad TS v. 3620, p. 928.
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________________ PUDGALA-NAIRATMYA -A study on the Dbu ma la hjug pahi rgya cher bsad pa by Tson kha pa -- Ichijo Ogawa Tson kha pa's commentary on the Madhyamakavatara-bhasya by Candrakirti, Dbu ma la hjug paui rgya cher bsad pa "Dgons pa rab gsal," is as important as Jayananda's commentary. This paper is the synopsis of the portion of Madhyakavatara VI 120deg-178deg, given by Tson kha pa's commentary, with the pages of CMA and JMA. This portion deals with the comment against Bhavavada of atmam, purusa and pudgala, i. e. Satkayadssti, especially discussing about the relation between atman and skandha. CMA.; Madhyamakavatara par Candrakirti, traduction tibetaine (Bibliotheca Bud dhica IX), by Louis de la Vallee Poussin. JMA.; Madhyamakavatara-tika by Jayananda (Peking Edition of Tibetan Tripita ka, vol. 99, no. 5271. Tson kha pa's commentary; Peking Edition of Tibetan Tripitaka, vol. 154, no. 6143. 1) chos kyi bdag med rigs pas bsgrub pa 80-119deg 11) gan zag gi bdag med rigs pas bsgrub pa 120deg-178deg |-1) thar hdod kyis thog mar bdag ran bshin gyis grub pa nid dgag dgos par bstan pa (200a2-201a8) 120deg CMA. p. 233, l. 13-p. 235, l. 2. JMA. 283b2-284a3. 1-2) bdag dan bdag gi ba gnis ran bshin gyis grub pa hgog pahi tshul |-1) bdag ran bshin gyis grub pa dgag pa |-1) gshan sdes btags paui phun po las no bo tha dad pahi bdag dgag |-1) phyogs sna ma brjod pa || -1) grans can gyi lugs brjod pa (201b3-203a4) 121deg CMA. p. 235, l. 3-p. 239, 1. 6. -1096