Remarks On Trantristic Hermeneutics

Author(s): Ernst Steinkellner
Publisher: Ernst Steinkellner

Page 11

subdivisions to the levels of understanding gained in the progress of a tantristic yogi's career. These meanings are being borne by the words and sentences of the Tantra and are successively available to the practitioner:
1. The "literal meaning of the teachings is meant for those secular, nonBuddhist scholars, who cling to the words alone, in order to explain the wordanalysis (ryutpattiḥ, bhod pa), because-as Bu ston says31 — if the analysis is not given, they will not become candidates (vincyaḥ, gdul bya).
2. The "common meaning" is of relevance for two levels of progress : firstly for those who adhere to the Sūtras, i.e. Hinayāna- and MahāyānaBuddhists, with the particular purpose to dispell their scrupulous uneasiness or remorse (kaukrtyam, 'gyod). And secondly for those who adhere to the yogic practices of the "stage of generation" (utpattikramaḥ, bskyed pa'i rim), i.e.- according to Bu ston2 -- those who follow the Kriya-, Carvā- and Yoga-Tantras.
The other two terms are reserved for vogis in the "stage of completion" (sampannakramaḥ, rdzogs pa'i rim) and comprise together five categories which are directly related to the “five stages" (pancakrumaḥ):33
3. The pregnant meaning" has three functions related to the first three stages :
fa) Willumination of the nature of passion” (rāgadharmaprakāśanam, 'dod chags chos rab ston) refers to the first step of the completion, namely the "stage of diamond muttering" (vajrajā pakramaḥ, rdo rje bzlas pa'i rim pa).
(6) "perception of the truth of conventional existence" (samurteh satya sambodha[h], kun rdzob bden pa rtogs) refers to the third 34 step, the
garbhiti yarbham asyisti rāgaudharmaprakāśanah/ samurtes satyasyomborlha jñānatrayavicetanam// “The pregnant is that (meaning) which has the garbha, (i.e.): illumination of the nature of passion, full cognition of the truth of conventional existence, discerning cognition of the three knowledges."
pruibhāsvaraprukāšuś ca yuganaddhaprabodhanam/ drivirhah kolika proktaḥ kolah paryantavācakah// "The illumination of the Clear Light and the awakening towards coincidence is called the twofold ultimate (meaning). kolaḥ is a word for end."
31 bSud sbyar f. 25b6: deltar mi bsad na de rnams gdul byar mi 'gyur roll 32 bŚal sbyar f. 26a2f.
33 The relations are shown by Bhavyakirti whom I follow here. Cf. Prad. abhis. prak. f. 10862-109al.
34 According to the sequence in PKr. So far I cannot explain the change of place.
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