THE RISHUKYO: A Translation and Commentary in the Light of Modern Japanese (Post-Meiji) Scholarship by Ian ASTLEY Submitted in Accordance with the Requirements for the Degree of PhD The University of Leeds Department of Theology and Religious Studies October 1987 ABSTRACT This thesis is a translation of and commentary on the Tantric Buddh- ist Master Amoghavajra (705-74)'s Li-clki Ching gag (Japanese: Rishuky5, TaishO: 243), the Prajparamita in 150 Verses. Whilst there are some remarks of a historical and text-critical nature, the primary concern is with the text as a religious document, in the context of the scholarship and practice of the modern Japanese Shingon Sect. The Stara occupies a central position in this sect, being an integral part in its daily worship and in the academic and practical training of its priests. The Rishuky5 is extant in ten versions: a Sanskrit/Khotanese fragment (?150 verses), a Tibetan 150-verse version and six Chinese versions, one of which is a lengthy, so-called Extended Version. This last is paral- lelled by two Extended Versions in Tibetan, and, although an examination of the Tibetan sources lies outwith the scope of this study, the thesis sketches some of the possibilities for historical research into the Buddhist Tantric tradition in Central and East Asia which these three longer recensions open up. The Chinese versions -beginning with HsUan- tsang's (T.220(10))- show varying degrees of esoteric influence. This fact has significance for our understanding of Amoghavajra's version, which is a well co-ordinated ritual text. The systematic philosophical and symbolic expression of traditional Buddhist teachings which is inherent in Tantric ritual intent is the focus of this thesis. To this end, modern Japanese studies of the text have been consulted, as have the commentaries by Amoghavajra and Kaai, to which modern Shingon exponents consistently trace their ideas. The thesis thus gives a general picture of an unbroken tradition which stretches back some twelve centuries, even though the abundant commen- tarial literature on the Rishuky5 up to the Meiji period has not been used. The section of the Bibliography dealing with works on the Rishuky5 comprises a list which is considerably more comprehensive than those found elsewhere. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ABBREVIATIONS xiii ACKNCWLEDGEMENTS xv PREFATORY REMARKS xvii Part I INTRCOUCTORY pages 1-53 1. Methodology and Previous Research 1 2. Materials 4 2.1. Primary: The Ten Versions of the Rishuky 4 A. SANSKRIT (4) B. TIBETAN (8) C. CHINESE (12) 3. Modern Writings on the Rishuky5 24 4. Themes 33 4.1. The Meaning of the Term Rishu (naya, tshul) 33 4.2. The General Character of the Rishuky5 34 4.3. Five Buddhas, Five Families, Five Wisdoms 42 4.4. The Sixteen Great Bodhisattvas in the Vajradhatu Mandala 48 5. Some Points on Methods and Conventions 51 -iv- Part II CHAPTER ONE THE PRELIMINARY SECTION (R.P) pages 54-122 1. Text 54 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 56 2.1. The Structure of the Preliminary Section 56 2.2. KUkai's Analysis of the Preliminary Section 58 2.3. Analysis of the Text 62 2.3.1. Faith, Auditor, Expositor 62 2.3.2. Locus 82 2.3.2.1. The Paranirmita-vagavartin Heaven in the Buddhist Cosmology 83 2.3.2.2. The Structure of the Sphere of Desire 84 2.3.2.3. Description of the gods of the Paranirmita-vagavartin heaven 86 2.3.3. The Meaning and Implications of the Term Paranirmita-vagavartin 89 2.3.4. Exoteric and Esoteric Explanations of Paranirmita-vagavartin 91 2.3.5. The Paranirmita-vagavartin Heaven as a Mandala 93 2.3.6. The Transformation of Desire 94 2.3.7. Description of the Individual Adornments 96 2.3.8. The Assembly 101 R.P/17: Vajrapani (KongE5-shu Z.Pfj ) (102) R.P/18: Avalokitegvara (Kanjizai ) (105) R.P/19: Akagagarbha (KokUz5 t.),P) (106) R.P/20: Vajramusti (Kong5-kendjbll ) (108) R.P/21: Manju gri (Monjushiri ;41) (114) R.P/22: Sacittotpada-dharmacakra-pravartin (Sai-hosshin-tenbOrin 63*OLO) (115) R.P/23: Gagananagarija (Kokriko ) (115) R.P/24: Sarva-mara-pramardin (Sai-issai-ma ) (116) -v- CHAPTER TWO THE DHARMA-CATE OF GREAT BLISS (R.1) pages 123-199 1. Text 123 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Comparison of the Different Versions 125 2.1. The Common Pattern in the Passages Containing the Epithets 127 2.2. Points to note in Table 2.1 130 3. The Epithets of Purity 132 3.1. General 132 3.2. Implications of the term "epithet" 134 3.3. Interpretation of the individual epithets (R.1/1-17) . 136 3.4. The Structure of the Seventeen Epithets 149 3.4.1. The Structure According to Monku 150 3.4.2. The Identification of the 16 Bodhisattvas in the Epithets 152 3.4.3. The Process of Attaining the Individual Epithets (Rishushaku) 153 3.4.4. The Epithets as Permutations of Vajrasattva's Bliss . 154 3.4.5. Notes on the Structure outlined in Table 2.1 156 3.5. Correspondences in the 17-Deity Arrangement 157 3.5.1. Account of the Groupings in Gi'utsu 160 3.5.2. Correspondence of the Epithets to a Vajrasattva Mandala 162 3.6. Rationale: The Purity of the Pragia-paramita 163 3.6.1. Vajrasattva's Sandhi of Great Bliss 164 3.6.2. Two Kinds of Purity 166 4. The Use of the Sara and the Benefits Attained (R.1/19-30) . 166 4.1. The Extinction of Evil (R.1/19-23) 168 4.2. The Production of Good (R.1/24-30) 170 4.3. The Lives of the Sixteen Great Bodhisattvas 173 5. The Additional Exposition (R.1/31-37) 176 5.1. The mudra (R.1/31-36) 177 5.2. The Mantra (R.1/37) 180 -vi- 6. The Mandala 183 6.1. The Various Versions 184 6.1.1. ShEei's Mandala 184 6.1.2. DOhO's Mandala 185 6.1.3. The Futaraku-in Mandala 186 6.1.4. The Chinese and Tibetan Extended Versions 186 6.1.5. The Remaining Mandala 187 6.2. Notes to Table 2.3 187 6.3. The Dharma-Gate of Great Bliss and the Five Mysteries 191 6.3.1. The General Concept 192 6.4. The Structure of the Mandala 197 CHAPTER THREE THE RITUAL PROCESS (R.2-R.11) pages 200-269 A. General Observations: Patterns and Structure in the Central Text 200 B. The Central Ritual Process 202 R.2: THE DHARMA-GATE OF ATTAINING ENLIGHTENMENT 1. Text 202 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 204 2.1. General Teaching (R.2/1-2) 206 2.2. Particular Teaching (R.2/3-6) 209 2.3. Amoghavajra's analysis 210 2.4. KUkai's Analysis 215 2.5. Practices and Benefits (R.2/7-10) 216 2.6. Additional Explanation (R.2/11-13) 216 2.7. The Mudra and Mantra 217 2.8. The Mandala 218 -vii- R.3: THE DHARMA-GATE OF CONQUEST 1. Text 222 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 224 2.1. Practices and Benefits 232 2.2. Kakai's Analysis 233 2.3. The Mudr.5 and Mantra 234 2.4. The Mandala 235 R.4: THE DHARMA -GATE OF CONTEMPLATING THE ILLUMINATED 1. Text 236 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 237 2.1. Kakai's Analysis 238 2.2. The Mandala 239 R.5: THE DHARMA-GATE OF ABUNDANCE 1. Text 241 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 242 2.1. The Mandala 243 2.2. Kakai's Analysis 244 R.6: THE DHARMA-GATE OF TRUE MOVEMENT 1. Text 245 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 246 2.1. The Mandala 248 2.2. Kakai's Analysis 249 R.7: THE DHARMA-GATE OF THE WHEEL OF CHARACTERS 1. Text 250 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 251 R.8: THE DHARMA-GATE OF ENTERING THE GREAT WHEEL 1. Text 254 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 255 2.1. The Mandala 255 R.9: THE DHARMA-GATE OF WCRSHIP 1. Text 257 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 258 2.1. The Mandala 259 2.2. Kaai's Analysis 260 R.10: THE DHARMA-GATE OF WRATH 1. Text 261 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation. 2. Commentary 262 R.11: THE ALL-INCLUSIVE DHARMA-GATE 1. Text 266 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 267 2.1. The Mandala 267 CHAPTER FOUR THE SECONDARY RITUAL (R.12-15) pages 270-277 R.12: THE DFRRMA -GATE OF EMPOWERMENT FOR SENTIENT BEINGS 1. Text 270 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 271 R.13-15: THE DHARMA-GATES OF THE HEAVENLY MCTHERS, THE THREE BROTHERS AND THE FOUR SISTERS 1. Text 274 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 275 -x- CHAPTER FIVE RITUAL SUMMATION AND CONSUMMATION (R. 16-R.17) pages 278-316 R.16: THE DHARMA-GATE OF THE VARIOUS IMPLEMENTS 1. Text 278 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 279 R.17: THE DHARMA-GATE OF THE PROFOUND MYSThRY 1. Text 282 1.1. Cross-references 1.2. Translation 2. Commentary 284 2.1. Introduction and same notes on terms 285 2.2. Background and context 286 2.2.1. Comparison of the Gates of Great Bliss and of the Profound Mystery 291 2.2.2.