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.The demand for Tantras then became so great that Amogha was officially deputed by theImperial Government to bring back from India and Ceylon as many as he could.Amogha who was thefavorite of three Emperors holding the rank of minister and honored with many titles lived till 774.Hemade Tantricism the fashionable sect.Father Wieger says that in the numerous works signed by him,there is not to be found any of those rites, Indian or Tibetan, which come under the general termVamacara, which includes worship with wine and women.He has it from Buddhist sources that theydeplore the abuses which as regards this matter have taken place in India.In the state of decadencewitnessed to-day there largely remains only a liturgy of invocations accompanied by Mudra and Music,with lanterns and flags from which Bonzes of low degree making a living when called upon byhouseholders to cure the sick, push their business and so forth.Amogha, however, demanded more ofthose who sought initiation.In the Indian fashion he tested (Pariksha) the would-be disciple and initiatedonly those who were fit and had the quality of Vajra.To such only was doubtless confided the higheresoteric teachings and ritual.Initiation was conferred by the ritual pouring of water on the head(Abhisheka), after a solemn act of contrition and devotion.http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/sas/sas09.htm (3 of 4)07/03/2005 16:02:46 Chapter Nine: The Tantra Shastras in Chinapkmishra1961@rediffmail.comFor Learning Meditation , Kundalini Yoga etc.--> CONTACT :->> PH : GSM : +91-9990 90 8228The following is a description of the rite of initiation (Abhisheka).I t is the Buddha who speaks."Just asan imperial prince is recognized as he who shall govern so my disciples, tested and perfectly formed, areconsecrated with water.For the purpose of this ceremony one places on a height, or at least on risingground, a platform seven feet in diameter strewn with flowers and sprinkled with scented water.Letsilence be kept all around.Persian incense is burnt.Place a mirror of bronze and seven arrows to keepaway demoniac spirits.The candidate who has been previously prepared by a rigorous abstinence, fullybathed and clad in freshly washed garments kneels on the platform and listens to a lecture explaining themeaning of the rite.His right shoulder is uncovered and his two hands joined.He forms interiorly thenecessary intention.Then the Master of the ceremony, holding him firmly by the right hand, pours withthe left on the head of the candidate for initiation the ritual water." This initiation made the Chela a sonof Buddha and a depository of the latter's doctrine, for the Tantras were deemed to represent the esotericteaching of the Buddha, just as in India they contain the essence of all knowledge as taught by Shiva orDevi.The initiates of Amogha were distinguished by their retired life and secret practices, which gained forthem the name of "School of Mystery".It transpired that they were awaiting a Saviour in a future age.This rendered them suspect in the eye of Government who thought that they were perhaps arevolutionary society.The sect was accordingly forbidden.But this did not cause it to disappear.On thecontrary, for as the Reverend Father says, in China (and we may add elsewhere) the forbidden fruit isthat which is of all the most delicious.The lower ranks avoided this higher initiation and largely lapsedinto mechanical formalism, and the true adepts wrapt themselves in a mystery still more profound,awaiting the coming of the future Buddha Maitreya, who, they taught, had inspired Asangha with thedoctrine they held.Father Wieger says that their morality is severe and their life very austere.(Leurmorale est sévére, leur vie trés austére.) There is a hierarchy of teachers who visit the households atappointed intervals, always after nightfall, leaving before daybreak and supported by the alms of thosewhom they thus teach.The learned missionary author adds that Tantrik adepts of this class are oftenconverted to Christianity and quickly become excellent Christians "since their morals are good and theyhave a lively belief in the supernatural".("Leurs moeurs ayant été bonnes et leur croyance au surnaturelétant trés vive.")Here I may note on the subject of Dharanis, that it has been said that these were only introduced intoChina during the Tang Dynasty.Father Wieger, however, (p.385) says that an authentic Riddhi-mantrais to be found in translations made by Leou-Keatch'an in the second century AD Buddha is said to haveannounced to Ananda, who accompanied him, that five hundred years after his Nirvana, a sect ofmagicians (whom the author calls Shivaite Tantriks) would be the cause of the swarming of evil spirits.Instructions were then given for their exorcism.This puts the "Shivaites" far back.Next: Chapter Ten: A Tibetan Tantrahttp://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/sas/sas09.htm (4 of 4)07/03/2005 16:02:46 Chapter Ten: A Tibetan Tantrapkmishra1961@rediffmail.comFor Learning Meditation , Kundalini Yoga etc.--> CONTACT :->> PH : GSM : +91-9990 90 8228Sacred-texts Tantra Index Previous NextChapter TenA Tibetan Tantra[This Chapter is an admirably understanding review (reprinted from The Theosophist of July 1919) byMr.Johan Van Manen, the Tibetan scholar.It was written on the seventh volume of Tantrik Texts whichcontains the first Tibetan Tantra to be published.The Tantra which was selected for the series was theShricakra-Sambhara, because the Editor happened to have manuscripts of this and other works of thesame school.]All lovers of Indian philosophy are familiar with the magnificent series of works on the Tantra which,under the general editorship of "Arthur Avalon," have seen the light within the last few years.Some, 15volumes, either texts, translations, or studies, have hitherto been published, and the titles of a number offurther works are announced as in preparation or in the press.Just now a new volume has been added tothe series, constituting Vol.VII of the "Texts," and this book is undoubtedly one of the most interestingof all those hitherto issued.Up till now the series has only dealt with works and thoughts originally written down in Sanskrit; thisnew volume goes further afield and brings us the text and translation of a Tibetan work, dealing with thesame subject the whole series is intended to study.Tibetan Tantrism is undoubtedly a development of itsIndian prototype, and at a further stage of our knowledge of the whole subject, the historicaldevelopment of this school of thought will be, no doubt, studied minutely.Though this present volumebrings valuable material towards such an historical study, our knowledge of the Tantra under this aspectis as yet far too limited to enable us to say much about this side of the questions raised by its publicationor to find a place for it in the present review of the work.What is more urgent now is to examine thisbook as it stands, to try to define the general trend of its contents, and to attempt to value it generally interms of modern speech and thought.In our discussion of the book, therefore, we shall not concernourselves with questions of technical scholarship at all, but attempt to go to the heart of the subject insuch a manner as might be of interest to any intelligent man attracted towards philosophical andreligious thought
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