An Introduction to Tantric Buddhism c7.71

c7.71

We have seen above how the Śūnyatā-doctrine of the Mahāyānic philosophers was adopted by the esoteric Buddhists; but the emphasis of Mahāyāna is not only on Śūnyatā; as a religion it is characterised by its stress on universal compassion. This Mahāyāna doctrine of compassion was also adopted by these Tāntric Buddhists in toto. All the preachings, all the rites and ceremonies, all the mystic practices have the stamp of Karuṇā on them, *i.e.*, everything is said to be undertaken only with the view to saving the world from all miseries. We have seen in the *Bodhi-caryāvatāra* how the devout Bodhisattva was earnestly praying to all the enlightened ones, bent on entering *nirvāṇa*, not to accept *nirvāṇa* until the suffering world be saved from the miseries of life and every one be helped in realising perfect wisdom. We find a very beautiful echo of it in the *Jñāna-siddhi* where all the compassionate Buddhas are solicited not to accept their own *nirvāṇa*, but to wait on and on until all the creatures attain perfect Buddhahood.¹ In the *Sādhana-mālā* we find it an essential part of many of the *sādhanas* to pray to the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas, bent on attaining *nirvāṇa*, to wait for time eternal for the benefit of all beings. The Buddhas, who are the fathers of the afflicted helpless beings, are requested to postpone their *nirvāṇa* and to preach the true religion among all the beings until they are enabled to cross the sea of *saṃsāra* and attain perfect bliss. The aspirer is found not only to pray to the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas to renounce their *nirvāṇa*,—but he himself also renounces his own *nirvāṇa* and pledges his life for the benefit of all beings. It is said—“I have deceived all the beings—how shall I save them (who are pitiable alas!) from this unfathomable sea of existence? Thus being filled with compassion for the beings, the aspirer should reject the *śūnyatā* which makes a man altogether static,—and through the effort of the mind he should produce a *citta* which is full of the *dharma-dhātu*.² It is said in the *Citta-viśuddhi-prakaraṇa* of Āryadeva that great beings with sound wisdom and alert mind should win the fierce battle of life and then save others also. A beast also courts affliction for his own interest; but rare and blessed are those master minds who court affliction for the sake of the world. The wretched selfish creatures also bear the pains of cold and blast for their own sake,—but why should they not do the same for the interest of the whole world?³ It is often seen, when a Sādhaka is going to worship any god or goddess with all the paraphernalia of rituals and ceremonies, he takes, at the outset, the resolution that he will deliver all the beings and enable them to attain complete *nirvāṇa*.¹