Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

Description: This is an authoritative translation of the Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, the most important early Indian Buddhist tantra, composed in the mid seventh century. This tantra just preceded the composition of the Tattvasaṃgraha, the tantra which marked the birth of mature esoteric Buddhism in India. Theses two texts together above all other literature represented classic Indian esoteric Buddhism in the seventh and eighth century, before it began to develop into new and more radical forms. The two also came to form the canonical basis of East Asian esoteric Buddhism, in which context they were known as the MahāVairocana Sūtra and Vajraśekhara Tantra respectively. The book has a 40 page historical introduction to the Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, and then a lengthy translation section including: the root tantra (30 chapters) in combination with Bhuddhaguhya's eighth century commentary, the seven chapter of its "supplementary tantra" (uttara-tantra), and finally Buddhaguhya's Condensed Commentary (Piṇḍārtha). The first chapter of the tantra is historically the most influential in East Asia. (David Germano)