The University of Nalanda c10.224

c10.224

Prajñopāya means ‘with knowledge’, *i.e.*, the Means produced by knowledge. What does ‘Upāya’ or ‘Means’ signify? It signifies universal compassion, as the asset of Vajrasattva with a strong and stable form. Upāya signifies this form. Upāya is Vajrasattva, who is identified with five elements and the five Tathāgatas and who is endowed with the attributes of expansion and contraction. It is embraced by knowledge (Prajñā)—the thunderbolt entering the lotus. A devotee should think of knowledge as non-dual. This is Prajñopāya. What is the relation between the two? The five senses with five presiding deities pertain to the nature of the five elements and they are all reduced to the form of Void; the Upāya is also Vajrasattva, he stands for all entities strong and stable, he also is reduced to the form of Void. The two letters OM and Hum represent non-duality. Vajrasattva is never two, but he has assumed the form of duality simply to illustrate the Union of Prajñopāya. If he were really two, then void would be joined to void (which is absurd),¹ Avalon's interpretation is also worth noting. He says, “Śūnyatā is associated with Karuṇā. The latter is the Power, Means (Upāya) or Method by which anything is done as compared with the Wisdom (Prajñā), which guides and utilises it. Prajñā utilises Upāya in order that Nirvāṇa may be attained. The Mahāyāna Buddhist does not seek liberation for himself alone. His object is that all beings may share that lot; a truly noble doctrine. In and for the purpose of worship, Wisdom is regarded as female and Power or Method as male. They are pictured as being in sexual union, the Male standing and the Female clinging to him with either one or both lower limbs circling his back. This denotes that Wisdom and Method are ever in union."¹