Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s6.t4.9

v1.c7.s6.t4.9

In terms of tracing back to historical sources of Tantrism for the new tantras and old tantras, there are many common views as well as subtle differences. Tantrism is propagated from the oneness of the three bodies of the Buddha. It is declared with the spiritual body to support the original meaning, instruct with the reward body to purify self-nature, and preach with the embodiment to embellish words and realise phenomena. There were three birthplaces for Tantras: the first was the place of the Buddha’s spiritual body. The founder, Samantabhadra Dharmakaya Buddha declared great perfection self-nature to retinues or disciples in Wisdom Ocean without time concepts and words. The second was the place of the Buddha’s reward body. The founder Sambhogakaya Mahavairochana presented superior doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism to five Buddhas, five consorts including Mother Voidness and Freedom, Bodhisattvas including Kshitigarbha and female Bodhisattvas including Grace and Charm as well as retinues or disciples in self-appearance altar filled with voidness with six syllables or indescribable words and it was in the age of self-appearance of intelligence. The third was the place of the Buddha’s embodiment. The founder Vajra Dhara, appeared an illusory intelligence body of Vajrasattva instructed inscrutable exoteric and esoteric doctrines to numerous retinues or disciples including obtainers of good karma, Bodhisattvas, achievers, intelligent cultivators of voidness, worldly gods, dragons, human beings, asuras and dri za in the Tushita heaven (one of the six heavens of desire), and it was in the age between infinite life and life of 100 years. The old school emphasised the place of the original founder Bodhisattva of Universal Benevolence largely when narrating Tantric heritance and source of entire Buddhism. The unshakable holy place of Dharmakaya Buddha was highlighted by the fact that Bodhisattva of Universal Benevolence declared great perfection to reduce the places of other Buddhas and the combination of the three bodies makes the reward Buddha and the embodiment Buddha are in the secondary or subordinate place.