On the Discipline that Vajrapāṇi Introduced into the Later Stage of Indian Buddhists’ World, with a Reference to Vīrabhojya-ritual

Abstract

Vajrapāṇi, the author of Laghutantraṭīkā, a commentary on the beginning of the ten and a half stanzas of Cakrasaṃvaratantra, presented epoch-making theories and practices, which contributed to the newly emerging circle of the Kālacakratantra school. This paper firstly refers to the vīrabhojya-ritual (Heroes’ feast), which is a saṃgha version of the gaṇacakra introduced to the Buddhist tantric world by Vajrapāṇi. Secondly the paper considers his basic opinion of the bhikṣu-ācārya’s supremacy to the cellaka-ācārya (monastery-dwellers, but non-monks, rather priests) and gṛhastha-ācārya (householders, lay Buddhist tantrists), considering the qualification of vajrācārya or guru. Vajrapāṇi proclaims the enforcement of Vāgīśvarakīrti’s principle, ‘bhikṣuṃ vajradharaṃ kuryāt’ through abhiṣeka rituals. Throughout his opinion of strong monastery-orientation and the principle of the organization constitution in the Buddhists world, we can presume his own identity of formally being a monk, after taking abhiṣeka, becoming a vajradhara (vajra-holder). In the last chapter of the Laghutantraṭīkā, Vajrapāṇi explains the application of Vajrayāna’s discipline and suitable manner (samaya) to each category of Buddhist followers when they participate in the saṃgha’s activities.