New History Of Tantric Lieterature In India

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

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J. W. de Jong and the Rishukyo. M. first gives some information on the Chinese and Tibetan versions of the texts and their commentaries, and then examines the problem of the randatsu, the inversion of words or passages. According to the tradition these inversions in the text were made purposely so that it would not be possible to understand the text without the aid of the oral tradition. M. rejects this traditional explanation, and by comparing the Chinese translation of the Dainichikyo with the Tibetan translations of this text and of Buddhaguhya's commentary, he shows that the theory advanced in this commentary (T. 1796) of an inversion in the mandala is not confirmed by other texts. This inversion is not found in the original text of the Dainichikyo, and therefore goes back to Subhakarasimha or to the oral tradition handed down by him. Andther case of randatsu is found in the two groups of four Buddhas in the Garbhamandala. The first group comprises Acala (i. e. Akşobhya) and the second Dundubhisvara. The commentary tries to explain this difference away by considering Acala not to be a proper name. M. explains that the text of the Dainichikyo is not well arranged and is incomplete. There are many differences between the four versions of the text, i. e, in the Chinese and Tibetan translations of the text and the Chinese and Tibetan translations of the text as found in the two commentaries (T. 1796 and the Tibetan translation of Buddhaguhya's commentary). It is obvious that the text of the Dainichikyo has been much changed in the course of time, and that different traditions have been established. The so-called randatsu-s are due to conflicting traditions and not to a conscious effort to hide the meaning of the text.
Previous scholars assumed that the Sanskrit text of the Dainichikyo was written ei. ther in 660—670, or about 650 or slightly earlier. M. points out that the archaeological evidence shows that Padmapāņi and Vajrapāņi are already found together at the end of the sixth century in the cave-temples of Aurangabad. The three basic kula-s of the Dainichikyo are represented by the Buddha, Padma and Vajra. It is therefore possible that this text had already been written in the first half of the seventh century. The problem remains why the text had not been brought to China by the middle of the seventh century. Omura Seigai thought that the Dainichikyo was written in Nālandā, but Toganoo Shoun opted for Lāță in Western India. M. rejects Toganoo's arguments and points out that the text was obtained by Wu-hsing in Nālandā. Archaeological evidence also points to the same region.
The Sanskrit text of the Dainichikyo has so far not been found, but several quotations have been traced, one in the first Bhavanakrama by Kamalaśila, fourteen
3
Cf. Tajima, op. cit., p. 54, n. 1.