.
P.463
THE doctrine of the Pratiityasamutpaada is expounded
at considerable length in the sixteenth chapter of
the Ca.n.damahaa-ro.sa.na-tantra (MSS. of the Royal
Asiatic Society, the Socit Asiatique, and
Cambridge).
As is well known, the doctrine expressed in this
very difficult formula forms one of the details of
Buddhist doctrine regarded by the early Buddhists
themselves as of primary importance; and its meaning
has been frequently discussed.(1) Mr. Waddell lately
published in our Journal the explanation of the Lamas
of Tibet; and the fullest account of the whole
question will be found in Professor Rhys Davids's
"American Lectures," pp. 120, 155-161, where previous
discussions are referred to.(2) Since then M. Senart
has published a very interesting article on the same
subject, (3) which is as rich in the results
ascertained as remarkable for the elegance of its
deductions.
The formula of the Twelve Nidaanas, as it has
been formed in the course of time by means of various
recastings of no doctrinal importance, does not
embody any learned theory distinct from the
Samudayasatya, as conceived in its most rudimentary
form. It is quite a delusion to try and find
_____________________________________________________
1. Burnouf, Kern, Oldenberg, Warren, and the most
important essay of Jacobi: "Der Ursprung des
Buddhismus aus dem Saa^mkhya-yoga" (Nachr. Ges.
Wiss. zu Gttingen, 1896).
2. See also by the same, Vinaya Texts, S.B.E. i, p.
146.
3. "A propos de la Thorie bouddhique das denze
Nidaauas" (Mlanges Charles de Harlez, pp.
281-297).
p.464
in it any systematic view; it is a vain task to
endeavour to construct a rational exegesis of it.(1)
Yet M. Senart shows how it may be possible to utilize
it for the history of the scholastic system; and amid
all the idle nomenclature of Buddhist literature
there is not a single antithesis, an equivalence, or
a word which does not merit a serious examination.
The Pratiityasamutpaada formula, compiled at an
early date, and itself the result of a contamination
whose mechanism has been explained by M. Senart, has
received during the course of ages a large number of
different native explanations: an endeavour was made
to find in it what had never been placed in it at the
beginning, viz. a technical exposition of the
evolution of the Karman, of the Sa^mv.rti. One of the
simplest of these explanations is that preserved by
Tibetan tradition and ingeniously interpreted by Mr.
Waddell. But does it enable us to understand the
theory? Does it reveal the genesis of the formula?
Assuredly not. At the same time, from the historical
point of view, it is not without considerable value.
It is interesting to examine the somewhat too simple
artifices by which certain communities pretended to
resolve the problem.
Similarly, if I think it useful to call attention
to the text which is about to occupy us, it is
because we may find in it certain curious facts
concerning one of the traditional interpretations of
the Pratiityasamutpaada. The nature of the book in
which this text appears merits a few remarks.
The Tantras are not rich in dogmatic expositions
or discussions. For the masters as for the adepts of
magic, the chief business is the description of the
Ma.n.dalas, the panegyric of the Siddhis, the drawing
up of pharmaceutical recipes and dhaara.niis. Only a
small space is accorded to theory. Of course certain
principles are apparent in the foreground--the thesis
of the three secrets
_____________________________________________________
1. In the Bodhicaryaavataaratiikaa, chap. ix (at
present in the press), certain original
philosophical elucidations will be found of the
pratiityasamutpaada (extracts from the
'Saalistambasuutra, etc.); cf. Buddh. Text See.
1895, pt. 2.
p.465
of the body, of the voice, and of the thought
(compare the Shin-gon-sh sect, Fujishima, Bouddhisme
Japonais, p. 81 sqq.), which dominates the
Samaajatantra and furnishes a convenient framework
for the ritual; also the doctrine of the vacuum,
borrowed from the Maadhyamikas, which inspires a
large number of dhaara.niis, and fixes the end of
meditation; or again, the dogma of salvation by
Atiyoga (Mahaasukha, surata), which is in flagrant
contradiction with the moral system of the Master and
brings sectarian Buddhism dangerously near to
'Saivism. The data are too scattered; we lose
ourselves in a medley of ritual details and
mythological representations. But underlying these
details, there are ruling ideas; underlying these
representations, which are really symbols, there are
cosmogonic theories.
Indeed, it is an error to regard tantric Buddhism
as a mass of popular superstitions, as gross as they
are heterogeneous. It may be broadly laid down that
the people creates neither symbols nor rituals. The
metaphysical and subtle character of all the
essential concepts of Tantrism, under whatever aspect
they are manifested and into whatever pattern they
are interwoven, bear clear evidence of their origin.
Non-tantric Buddhism appears to be a synthesis of
theories borrowed from the Upani.sads and the
Dharmasuutras, a synthesis crowned by the doctrines
of the Arhat and of Nirvaa.na. Tantric Buddhism weds
these theories and dogmas to the hypothesis of
Bhakti, the practices of the Yogins, the doctrines of
the Schools. Such is the Mantraĝ or Tantrayaana,
excessively composite and variable in character.
Restrained within proper limits, the inspiration
whence it proceeds animates the religious life of the
most orthodox Bhikkhus (cf. the AAkankheyyasutta,(1)
the Kamma.t.thaanas); unrestrained, it ends, though
slowly, in dissolving in the community the traditions
of the so-called original Buddhism.
_____________________________________________________
1. The Majjhima Nikaaya, No. 6, translated in Rhys
Davids's "Buddhist Suttas."
p.466
If the motor principles which constitute the
tantric organism are not directly revealed to us; if
the theories proper to the Tantrikas are not
expounded in the Tantras, it would be still more vain
to seek in them discussions of Buddhist
doctrines--the Arhatva, the Four Truths, the Noble
Way. are we to suppose that the sacred tradition had
been interrupted? Precise facts forbid us to suppose
this, and cast a singularly clear light on the
syncretism which is the characteristic of the Hindu
churches. Before his initiation into rituals,
sometimes literally inspired by the kaamasuutras, and
requiring the use of fleshmeat, alcohol, and the
practice of maithuna, the Nepalese monk takes refuge
in the Three Pearls and takes on himself the vow of
the regular abstinences. What is true of the rules of
conduct is still more true of doctrine. The
Vajraacaaryas, adepts of mysticism and teachers of
the Siddhis, were Maadhyamikas or Yogaacaaras, and
sometimes doctors of the Vinaya. To practise the
Tantras, it is necessary to be a professed adept, in
ethics and philosophy. Put it is easy to understand
that these books are generally silent on problems
alien to their direct object.
The interpretation of the Pratiityasamutpaada
given us by the Ca.n.da-mahaa-ro.sa.na-tantra is
doubtless borrowed from the philosophical school in
which its editors were formed, and rests entirely
upon the belief in the antaraabhava,(1) a belief
certainly ancient in India and in the Buddhist Order,
although condemned by the orthodox. It may be said
that the thesis of antaraabhava naturally suggests
the doctrine of our text, and permits us to join the
terms bhava and jaati to the preceding ones. The
Pubbaseliyas and the Sammitiyas,
"antaraabhavavaadina.h,"
_____________________________________________________
1. Kathaavatthu, viii, 2, Atthi antaraabhavo ti
[Pubbaseliyaa, Sammitiyaa], and xiv, 2,
Sa.laayatanan apubban acchiman maatu-kucchimhi
sa.n.thaatiiti [pubbaseliyaa, Aparaseliyaa]. Cf.
Rhys Davids, Schools of Buddhist Belief, J.R.A.S.
1892. Pa~ncakrama, iv, Comm., 1. 27.
Bodhicaryaavataara (edidit Minayeff), Comm. ad.
ix, 73. Lankaavataara Dev. 92, fol. 48 B.
Minayeff, Recherches, pp. 221, 222. Wassilieff,
Buddhismus, pp.243, 254, 266. Antaraabhavasuutra,
Bunyiu Nanjio, No. 463 (translated by Fo-nien,
latter Tshin dynasty, A.D. 384-411). Oldenberg,
Z.D.M.G., xlix, pp. 178, 179.
p.467
perhaps explain in the same or a similar manner the
Pratiityasamutpaada.(1)
Ca.n.damahaaro.sa.natantre pratiityasamutpaadapa-
.tala.h .so.da'sama.h(2)
atha bhagavatii aaha
katham utpadyate loka.h katha^m yaati(3) k.saya^m
puna.h/
katha^m vaa bhavet siddhir bruuhi tva^m
parame'evara//
atha(4) bhagavaan aaha
avidyaapratyayaa.h sa^mskaaraa.h / sa^mskaarapra-
tyaya^m vij~naanam / vij~naanapratyaya^m naamaruupam
/ naamaruupapratyaya^m .sa.daayatanam / .sa.daayatan-
apratyaya.h spar'ea.h / spar'eapratyayaa vedanaa /
vedanaapratyayaa t.r.s.naa / t.r.s.naapratyayam upaa-
daanam / upaadaanapratyayo bhava.h / bhavapratyayaa
jaati.h / jaatipratyayaa jaraamara.na(5) 'sokaparide-
vadu.hkhadaurmanasyopaayaasaa.h(6) / evam asya keval-
asya mahato du.hkhaskandhasya samudayo bhavati / evam
apy avidyaanirodhaat sa^mskaaranirodha.h / sa^mskaar-
anirodhaad vij~naananirodha.h / vij~naananirodhaan
naamaruupanirodha.h / naamaruupanirodhaat t.r.s.naan-
irodha.h(7) / t.r.s.naanirodhaad upaadaananirodha.h /
upaadaananirodhaad bhavanirodha.h / bhavanirodhaaj
jaatinirodha.h / jaatinirodhaaj jaraamara.na'sokapar-
idevadu.hkhadaurmanasyopaayaasaa nirudhyante(8) /
evam asya mahato du.hkhaskandhasya nirodho bhavati
pratiityotpadyate(9) loka.h pratiityaiya nirudhy-
ate /
buddhvaa ruupadvaya^m caitad advaya^m bhaavya
sidhyati//
atha bhagavatii uvaaca / kathayatu bhagavaan avidyaa-
divivecanam(10)
_____________________________________________________
1. I must thank the Council of the Royal Asiatic
Society for its kindness in lending the London
MS., and Professor Cowell, who has been so good as
to communicate to me the variants of the Cambridge
MS.
2. Cambridge, Add. 1319, 42b-46a. London, 115,
39b-43a; fol. 41 missing. Cf. Feer, Index
Kandjour, p. 298 (Rgyud v).
3. Camb. jaati; third paada defective.
4. Camb. omits atha.
5. Camb. ĝmara.nau.
6. Camb. ĝupaayaasa.h.
7. Sic Camb.: enumeration complete in London.
8. Camb. ĝupaayaaso nirudhyate.
9. Camb. pratyutpadyate.
10. Camb. omits aadi.
p.468
atha bhagavaan aaha
tripaiavartam ida^m cakram atiitaadiprabhedata.h
(1) /
dvaada'eaakaaram aakhyaata^m dharma^m(2) sarvaji-
nair iha //
tatatraavidyaa heyopaadeyaaj~naana^m(3) mara.naanant-
ara^m dhandharuupa^m citta^m 'sariiraakaara^m bhavat-
iity artha.h / tasmaat sa^mskaaro bhavati sa ca triv-
idha.h / tatra kaayasa^mskaara aa'svaasapra'svaasau /
vaaksa^mskaaro vitarkavicaarau / mana.hsa^mskaaro ra-
agadve.samohaa.h / ebhiryuktaa'vidyaa 'svasati pra's-
vasati vitarkayati sthuula^m g.rh.naati vicaarayati
suuk.sma^m g.rh.naati(4) / anurakto bhavati dvi.s.to
mugdha's(5) ca / tasmaad vij~naana^m bhavati / .sa.t-
prakaara^m cak.survij~naana^m 'srotraĝ ghraa.naĝ
jihvaaĝ kaayaĝ manovij~naana^m ca / ebhir yuktaa
'vidyaa pa'syati 's.r.noti ighrati bhak.sati(6)
sp.r'sati vikalpayati / tasmaan naamaruupam
/ naama catvaaro vedanaadaya.h / ruupa^m
ruupam eveti dvaabhyaam abhisa^mk.sipya vi's-
undhitvaa naamaruupety uktam / upaadaanapa~ncaskandh-
aruupe.naavidyaa pari.namatiity artha.h / tatra veda-
naa trividhaa sukhaa du.hkhaasukhaa ceti / sa^mj~naa
vastunaa(7) svaruupagraha.naantaraabhilaa.sa.h / sa-
^mskaaraa.h saamaanyavi'se.saavasthaagaahina.h / cit-
tacaittavij~naanaani puurvoktaany eva / ruupa^m catu-
rbhuutaatmakam / p.rthvii gurutva^m vaakya^m(8) tatt-
vam / aapo dravatvam abhispanditvam(9) / teja u.smat-
va^m(10) paripaacanatvam / vaayur aaku~ncanapraasara-
.nalaghusamudiira.natvam(11)/tasmaat .sa.daayatanaani
cak.su.h'srotraghraa.najihvaakaayamanaa^msi / ebhir
yuktaa puurvavat pa'syatiityaadi / tasmaat spar'sa.h
/ ruupa'sabdagandharasaspar'sa-dharmadhaatusamaavart-
taye(12) / tatas t.r.s.naa sukhaabhilaa.sa.h / tata
upaadaana^m tata.h praapaka^m karma / tato bhavo
garbhaprave'sa.h / tato jaati.h praka.tiikara.naabh-
ini.spatti.h(13) / upaadaana^m
_____________________________________________________
1. Camb. ĝprabhedita.h.
2. Sic London; Camb. and Paris, dharma.
3. Camb. aj~naanamara.n.
4. Sic MSS.
5. Camb. muu(r)kha.
6. Camb. omits bhak.sati.
7. Sic MSS.
8. Sic Paris, certainly inexact; Camb. illegible;
perhaps kharatvam, comp. pa~ncakrama, i, 61.
9. Sic Camb.; paris gati.h syanditatvam /.
10. Camb. illegible.
11. Camb. samuditanalam.
12. Paris omits gandha and dharma; Camb. samaapĝ.
13. Camb. praka.tika reuaabhini.spatti.
p.469
pa~ncaskandhalaabha.h / tato jaraa puraataniibhaava.h
/ mara.na^m cittacaittanirodha.h / tato jaraamara.na-
citta^m yena(1) 'sokaakulo bhavati / muktir mayaa na
prave'siteti paridevati(2) / vyaadhyaadyupadravata's
ca du.hkhii bhavati tad eva puna.h punar manasi niyo-
janaad(3) daurmanasii(4) bhavati / durmanaa(5) api
kenaapy upadravata upaayaasii bhavati //
ayam artha.h / avidyaadi(6) .sa.daayatanaparyant-
enaantaraabhavasattva ekatraiva sthitas trailokya^m
pa'syan / pa'syati striipuru.saan anuraktaan / tato
'titajaatik.rtakarma.naa prerito 'ya^m jaataav utpan-
no bhavi.syati / tajjaatistriipuru.sau ratau d.r.s.t-
vaatiiva tasya tayo.h spar'sa utpadyate / tatra yadi
puru.so bhavi.syati tadaatmaana^m puru.saakaara^m
pa'syati / bhaavimaatari paramaanuraago(7) bhavati /
bhaavipitari ca mahaavadvi.s.ta.h(8) raagadve.sau ca
sukhadu.hkhavedane / tata.h kenakaare.naanayaa saard-
ha^m rati^m karomiiti cintayan / adu.hkhaasukhavedan-
atayaa vyaamugdho(9) bhavati / tata.h puurvakarmavaa-
taprerito mahaat.r.s.nayaa etaa^m ramaamiiti k.rtvaa
ka.s.tena ko hi puru.so mama striya^m kaamayatiiti
k.rtvaa taaraasa^mkrama.navad bhaavipit.r'siromaarge-
.na pravi'sya tasya 'sukraadhi.s.thita^m cittam adhi-
.s.thaaya bhaavimaatara^m kaamayantam aatmaana^m pa-
'syati sukhakaara.nam upaadadaati tata.h 'sukre.na
samarasiibhuuya mahaaraagaanuraage.naavadhuutiinaa.d-
yaa pitur vajraan(10) nirgatya maatu.h padmasu.siras-
thavajradhaatvi'svariinaa.dyaa(11) kuk.sau janmanaa.-
dyaa^m sthita.h / k.sara.naantaritavat tato bhavo
bhavati / sa ca krame.na kalalaarbudaghanape'sii'saa-
khaayuto navabhir da'sabhir va masair yenaiva maarge-
.na pravi.s.tas tenaiva maarge.na nirgato jaatir bha-
vati // yadi vaa strii bhavi.syati tadaa bhaavipitary
anuraago bhavati / bhaavimaat.r'siromaarge.na pravi-
'sya padme patitvaa 'sukre.na bhaavimaatari(12) ca dv-
e.sa.h / tatraatmaana^m striiruupa^m pa'syati /
_____________________________________________________
1. MSS. ĝmara.na^m citta^m yana.
2. Sic Camb.
3. paris, niyojayed; Camb. niyojana.
4. Camb. du.hkhi, daurmanasi.
5. Camb. mano 'pi.
6. Camb. omits aadi.
7. Camb. ĝanurajo.
8. Camb. apaĝ.
9. Camb. vyaasukho.
10. Tib. rdo-rje=p`o-rt gs.
11. Camb. dhaatve'svarii.
12. Camb. bhaavita.
p.470
mi'sriibhuuya tasyaa eva janmanaa.dyaa.m ti.s.thati
(1) / tata.h(2) puurvavan nirgacchati jaayate / tad
evam avidyaadibhir lokaa jaayante / lokaa's ca pa~nca
skandhaa eva / te ca du.hkhaa.h sa^msaari.nah pa~nca
skandhaa.h / na ca du.hkhena kaaryam asti mok.saarth-
inaam / avidyaanirodhaat pa~ncaskandhaabhaava.h /
'suunyataa tucchataa / na ca tucchcna kaarya^m mok.s-
aarthina.h / tasmaan na bhaavo mok.so naapy abhaava.h
/ tasmaad bhaavaabhaavavirahita^m praj~nopaayasa^mpu-
.tam / mahaasukharuupi.na^m 'sriimadacalanathaatmaka^m
caturaanandaikamurticitta^m bhavanirvaa.naaprati.s.th-
ita^m mok.sa.h(3)
raage.notpadyate loko raagak.sayaat k.saya^m gata.h/
acalaarthaparij~naanaad buddhasiddhi.h sam.rdhyati//
na calati praj~naasa^nge sukharasamudita^m tu yac
cittam /
vidhunan viramasumaara^m tad acalasa^mj~nayaa ca
kathitam //(4)
ity Ekallaviiraakhye 'Sriica.n.damahaaro.sa.natantre
pratiityasamutpaadapa.tala.h soda'sama.h.
_____________________________________________________
1. Camb. ti.s.thanti.
2. Camb. te.
3. Sic MSS.
4. Sic MSS.; metre and grammar uncertain.