On Supreme Bliss: A Study of the History and Interpretation of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra

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|BookToc=*{{i|1. The Study of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra: Contextualizing the Tantric|1}}
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**{{i|1. "Tantrism" and Colonialism|9}}
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**{{i|2. Defining "Tantrism" and the Tantric|25}}
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**3. Tantrism in Context
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***{{i|1. Non-Origins|39}}
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***{{i|2. Buddhist Origins|45}}
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***{{i|3. Hindu Origins|53}}
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*{{i|2. Passion, Compassion and Self-Mastery: Approaches to Tantric Buddhism|65}}
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l. Purity 66
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2. Transformation and Perfection
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l. The Alchemy of Passion and Compassion 86
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2. Union and Self-Consecration 95
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3. The Way of Great Bliss
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1. Joy and Asceticism l 03
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2. Transgression and Self-Mastery
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1. Interpretation and Ambiguity 113
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2. The Logic of Mastery 128
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4. Concluding Models 147
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3. Competing Discourses in Theory and Practice 152
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I. The Discourse on V a.rr.ia
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1. Hegemonic and Counter-Hegemonic Ideologies 153
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2. Myth, Counter-myth and Ritual 16 l
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3. On Dissent, Protest and Counter-Culture: Resistance or Reproduction? 178
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2. The Practice of Dissent
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I. Heresies 193
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2. Renunciation and Liminality
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I. Liminal Persons 200
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2. Liminal Places 223
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3. Cosmic Mastery: Visions of Authority Within and Beyond the World
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l. Cosmology and A wakening 240
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2. The Collapse of Time and Space in the Mar.igala 250
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3. Mastery in and of the World
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l. The Guru, the King and the MaIJQala 262
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2. Lineage and the Transmission of Alternate Modes of Authority 280
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4. Revelation and Taxonomy: Categorizing Tantric Literature 293
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1. Modes of Tantric Discourse
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l. Primary Revelation 299
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2. Primary Exegesis 303
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3. Secondary Revelation 309
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4. Secondary Exegesis 313
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2. Tantric Doxography
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1. Compilations 314
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2. Classification Schemes 319
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3. Tantric Taxonomy and Early Medieval Indian Society 348
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5. Tantric Historiography
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l. Traditional Histories 364
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2. Modem Chronologies 389
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6. The Cakrasrupvara Tantra and the Origins of Heruka
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1. The Texts of the Cakrasamvara Tantra
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1. Description of Texts · 431
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2. Survey of Contents 438
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2. A Geneology of the Cakrasaqwara Tantra
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1. Buddhist Sources 446
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2. Hindu Sources 464
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3. Heruka
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1. The Origin of Heruka 473
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2. The Purification of Heruka 496
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Bibliography: Primary Sources 505
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Bibliography: Secondary Sources 525
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Appendix A: An Edition of the Cakrasrupvara Tantra, Chapters One to Four 588
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Appendix B: A Translation of the Cakrasrupvara TantTai Chapters One to Four 614
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Appendix C: Tsongkhapa's Total Illumination of the Hidden Meaning, Ch. 1-4 622
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Appendix D: Sumatikirti's Laghusa1Jtvaratantrapafalii.bhisandhi 760
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Appendix E: Cakrasarpvara Lineage Lists 765
 
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Revision as of 19:02, 19 March 2020

On Supreme Bliss: A Study of the History and Interpretation of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra
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Abstract

This thesis explores the development of an important Indian Buddhist scripture. the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, and the tradition of exegesis and practice based upon it. It consists of an edition and translation of the first four chapters of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, as well as a translation of the corresponding portion of Tsongkhapa's Total Illumination of the Hidden Meaning, a Tibetan commentary on this scripture. These texts are contextualized via efforts to define "Tantric Buddhism" as it is understood by the tradition itself, and via explorations of both the intellectual and socio-historical contexts within which Tantric Buddhism developed, and the ways in which different subtraditions within it were elaborated and categorized.
      It is argued that a common element of Tantric traditions is their resistance to the hegemonic ideology of caste. An exploration of this ideology and Buddhist resistance to it is undertaken. Tantric discourse was deployed as a form of resistance against caste ideology, but also constituted a counter ideology, which centered around the figure of the guru as a nexus of power and authority, and articulated in the model of the maṇḍala.
      The Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, is notable for the strong presence of "non-Buddhist elements." The Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, is a composite text drawing from diverse sources, and while it probably reached its final form in a Buddhist monastic context, there is significant textual evidence suggesting that it was the product of a non-monastic, renunciant milieu in which sectarian identification was not particularly relevant. The Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, is, in Levi Strauss' terms, a bricolage. It provides a particularly striking example of the processes of adaptation and reinterpretation which have continually led to the development of religious traditions. The Cakrasaṃvara's identification as a Buddhist tradition was the result of the efforts of commentators in India who constructed it as such, and by Tibetan commentators, who completed this process of adaptation.

Citation Gray, David Barton. "On Supreme Bliss: A Study of the History and Interpretation of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra." PhD diss., Columbia University, 2001.

tantra - Tantra, when juxtaposed with Sūtra, generally refers to the scriptures and texts which discuss esoteric topics. While the term is used to refer to texts on other topics, it is mostly used to refer to the genre of scriptures and texts on themes and topics associated with Vajrayāna Buddhism. Skt. तन्त्र Tib. རྒྱུད། Ch. 密宗

Vajrayāna - The esoteric Buddhist tradition which developed as a syncretic system involving deity worship, use of mantras, physical energy, and mystical practices. It is also known as the mantra tradition and the tantric school as a result of being based on texts known as tantras. Skt. वज्रयान Tib. རྡོ་རྗེ་ཐེག་པ། Ch. 金剛乘

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