History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c92.98.1

v7.c92.98.1

The Guhyasamāja-tantra puts forward a quick and short method for realising Buddhahood and for the attainment of miraculous powers (siddhis) through the processes of Yoga. The siddhis are said to be of two kinds, Sāmānya (ordinary,¹⁷²⁵ such as becoming invisible) and Uttama (highest i. e. attaining Buddhahood). Four means for securing ordinary siddhis are mentioned and they are called *Vajra-catuṣka*. It is further provided that the best *siddhi* is acquired by the nectar of knowledge due to the six *aṅgas*¹⁷²⁶ of Yoga (and by no other way) viz Pratyāhāra, Dhyāna, Prāṇāyāma, Dhāraṇā, Anusmṛti and Samādhi. It is worthy of note that the first three aṅgas of yoga mentioned in the Yogasūtra viz. *yama*, *niyama*¹⁷²⁷ and *āsana* are omitted and a new one, Anusmṛti, is added. Yama could not be included because to the Guhyasamāja it did not matter if the sādhaka ate flesh, or indulged in sexual intercourse or told lies, while in Yogasūtra *yamas* are *ahiṁsā*, *satya* (truthfulness), *asteya* (not appropriating anything that does not belong to one), *brahmacarya* (sexual purity) and *aparigraha* (non-acceptance of gifts). Niyamas could not be included because among the five niyamas are svādhyāya (Veda study) and (Īśvarapraṇidhāna) devotion to or surrender to God. Many Bauddhas reviled the Veda and acknowledged no Supreme Deity. The Guhyasamāja introduced Yogic practices for quickly securing Buddhahood.