An Examination on the *Hevajranāmatantrārthasaṃgraha: The Authorship Found in the Classification of Tantras

Abstract

Although the *Hevajranāmatantrārthasaṃgraha (abbr. HVNTAS), a commentary on the Hevajra-tantra, exists only in Tibetan translation, it has no attribution of authorship in its colophon. The purpose of the present paper is to present clear evidence that the authorship of HVNTAS belongs to Nāro-pa.

Research on HVNTAS reveals that the text, attributing the source, quotes the *Paramādya, the *Vinayāmoghasiddhi, the Kāśyapaparivarta, and the Pradīpoddyotana of Candrakīrti. The same quotations of the *Paramādya, the *Vinayāmoghasiddhi, and the Kāśyapaparivarta are also found in the Caryāmelāpakapradīpa (chap. 9) of Āryadeva. Furthermore, HVNTAS also refers to the Pradīpoddyotana.

The Tantra classification of HVNTAS is four classes—Kriyā, Ubhaya, Yoga, and Mahāyoga. In HVNTAS, the *Paramādya, the Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgraha, the *Sarvakalpasamuccaya etc. are listed as Yogatantra, the Samāyoga, the *Vinayāmoghasiddhi, the Guhyasamāja, the Abhidhānottara etc. as Mahāyogatantra.

The Sekoddeśaṭākā of Nāro-pa quotes two parts from the Caryāmelāpakapradīpa, so Nāro-pa is related to the Ārya School. According to the author’s studies, the influence of the Pradīpoddyotana is clearly found in the *Vajrapadasārasaṃgrahapañjikā and the *Sarvaguhyapradīpaṭīkā written by *Yaśobhadra, alias Nāro-pa. The author, therefore, understands Nāro-pa as a successor of the doctrine of the Ārya School, especially of Candrakīrti.

Judging from the fact that the HVNTAS mainly quotes many scriptures and treatises important in the Ārya School, and also refers to the Pradīpoddyotana, it most likely is to be attributed to Nāro-pa.