About Avadhūtipa, Damarupa and missing links

Damarupa & Avadhūtipa, Treasury of Lives, Sakya Ngor, 1400 - 1499, Rubin Museum of Art

Damarupa, or Ḍamarupa, who is part of the Lamdré (lam ‘bras) transmission of the Sakya school is considered a mahāsiddha, and a student of Khāṇapa, who is considered a student of Virūpa. Khāṇa(pa) is part of the 84 mahāsiddhas, but not Damarupa. Damarupa is instrumental in the upward attribution of the 'Vajra Verses' to Virūpa. The Indian transmission of the “whispered lineage” going down to the Tibetan Drokmi lotsāva (992? - d.1043/1072) is said to have reached him going progressively back in time via Gayadhara (10-11th century), Avadhūtipa, Damarupa, the Lamdré Khāṇapa and the Lamdré Virūpa. Five of the 'Vajra Verses' are said to have been brought out from Oḍḍiyāna by Lamdré Khāṇapa later on[1].

From: Taking the Result as the Path (Cyrus R. Stearns, Tibetan Classics 4)

For clarity, and if that wasn't clear until now, I myself belong to the category of sentient beings with afflictions and impure appearances.

In Taking the Result as the Path (Cyrus R. Stearns, Tibetan Classics 4), the “Vajra Verses” of Lamdré Virūpa are attributed to a Virūpa having lived in the 7-8th century). Compare with Gayadhara’s lifetime (10-11th century) and with the trio Lamdré Avadhūtipa, Damarupa and Lamdré Khāṇapa to fill up a gap of 300 years… Lamdré Avadhūtipa and Damarupa carry a heavy responsibility in maintaining the lineage uninterrupted, but since it is a “whispered lineage”, there is a lot of leeway for instructions through visions, dreams, travels to Oddiyana , heavenly ascents etc. Frankly we don’t know where or when the “Vajra Verses” were written, but it’s safe to assume their final version in Tibetan translation dates at the earliest from the time of Sachen Nyingpo and his sons (12th-13th century), which is already quite a bit closer to the Virūpa of the Amṛtasiddhi.

Gayadhara and Damarupa (detail HA352)

Do we know Lamdré Avadhūtipa and Damarupa from other sources than Sakya literature? Representations of this duo seem to date from the 15th-16th century onwards. Nothing in Mahāsiddha hagiographies. Even the website The Treasury of Lives can’t do better than to publish a thangka with the both of them (see above).

I was hoping to discover more about Damarupa’s life from the website Maṇḍalas Life, but nothing there either. I haven’t looked into Tibetan sources, apart from TBRC not listing him as an author. The Sakya Research Center mentions three works (13th-16th century) in which Damarupa is mentioned[3]. I admit it’s not a thorough search, but I have a hunch it may not be worth the effort. Drop me a line if you know more about Damarupa in more ancient settings. The best bet is Taranatha's Life of Krsnacarya-Kāṇha (David Templeman, LTWA, 1989), where Damarupa seems to have been inspired by a certain Dhumapa (p. 53-54), but that hagiography dates from the 16th century. 

Lamdré Avadhūtipa, top right (detail HA352)
Vajradhara, Nairātmyā and Lamdré Khāṇapa at the right

Next step is to look into Lamdré Avadhūtipa, who at least must have met or seen Damarupa to receive the transmission. There are mixed results. Dīpamkara Śrījnāna Atiśa (982-1054) is said to have studied with a tantric yogi Avadhūtipa from the age of 11 years onwards, and during 7 years, studying Madhyamaka and Tantric practices.

“ Historical information for Avadhūtipa is elusive in that there are at least four individuals with this name in works preserved in the Tibetan Tengyur. Tibetan historians writing after the fourteenth century also provide varied accounts of his life and his relationship to Atiśa. therefore limit the references about Avadhūtipa and his teachings to works written by Atiśa, the early Kadampa biographies of Atiśa, and the early Kadampa commentaries on Atiśa’s Middle Way.” Jewels of the Middle Way: The Madhyamaka Legacy of Atisa and His Early Tibetan Followers, James B. Apple

From this Avadhūtipa, Atiśa received “the special instruction (upadeśa) of apratiṣṭhita [madhyamaka] darśana”[5]. So this one shared the same view as "Advayavajra Avadhūtipa". They seem pretty close.

“In another work translated while in India, Atiśa’s Open Basket of Jewels directly cites Avadhūtipa three times. The first citation emphasizes the nondifference between gnosis and the dharmadhātu, the second citation advocates practicing the vehicle of secret mantra and attaining Mahāmudrā, and the third citation prescribes not judging others while continuously meditating on emptiness. As we shall see, the nondifference between gnosis and the dharmadhātu (the realm of reality) will be a major source of controversy between Atiśa and his students trained in Tibet.” (Jewels of the Middle Way)

James B. Apple published fragments of translations from Atiśa’s Open Basket of Jewels in his article Atiśa’s Open Basket of Jewels: A Middle Way Vision in Late Phase Indian Vajrayāna, 2010. Atiśa’s Avadhūtipa seems to be the “Advayavajra Avadhūtipa” who met Śrī Śabaripāda.

“My lama, the great venerable [one], the lord of yogis, Avadhūtipa[6] [Nāropa?!], with previously acquired supernatural cognition, had a vision and heard [Nāgārjuna’s] teaching, seeing him while dwelling on Śrī-Parvata. A disciple of the Ārya, the Venerable Nāgābodhi, who is renowned as Śrī Śabaripāda, also always listened to the dharma.”

This small passage of Atiśa could well have led to the many spin-offs about Maitripa and Śrī Śabaripāda. Avadhūtipa is not really a name and can simply design anyone living like an avadhūta. Any association with Lamdré Avadhūtipa? We find yet another (?) Avadhūtipa in the Kālacakra milieu.

“Kālacakrapāda the Elder had many students, among whom were three known as Kālacakrapāda the Younger: Avadhūtipa, Śrībhadrabodhi and Nālandāpa; also Nāropa, Sādhuputra, Ratnakaragupta, Mokṣakaragupta, Vinayākaramati, Siṃhadhvaya and Anantajaya.” (Kalacakra.org)

Avadhūtipa is also sometimes said to be another name of Maitripa/Advayavajra, and Marpa is said to have met with Avadhūtipa.

“Mar pa is said to meet him again during his second, and last, journey to India, when Nāropa was in the practice and unavailable.656 At that time, Maitripa was in the charnel ground of the Mountain Blazing like Fire, in the east of India. The text states that it was at that time that Maitrepa–called Avadhūtipa–accepted Mar pa as his disciple; he gave him the same transmissions as before and induced in him profound meditation experiences. 656 Tāranātha & Templeman, 11-13.” (A Lineage in Time : The Vicissitudes of the rNgog pa bka’ brgyud from the 11th through 19th centuries, Cécile Ducher, 2019, p. 182)

I looked in the English translation of Tāranātha’s The Seven Instruction Lineages, but the name “Avadhūtipa” is not to be found there on the indicated pages. I believe Padma Karpo[7] does mention it, but the name given to Maitrīpa by Śavaripa was “Advayavajra Avadhūtipa”. So it may not be the same individual as Lamdré Avadhūtipa. A more likely candidate would be an Avadhūtipa in Nepal, whose disciples hung out with members of the Bharo clan. This Avadhūtipa is also called “Paiṇḍapātika the Great” (bsod nyoms pa), a kṣatriya native from Eastern Bengal (BA p. 390-391), specialised in Vajravārāhī (phag mo gzhung drug)[8]. That was in the 11th century. But we would still have only Damarupa and Lamdré Khāṇapa to bridge the gap with Lamdré Virūpa from the 7-8th century. “Paiṇḍapātika the Great” or one of his students could make a likely candidate for Lamdré Avadhūtipa. Interestingly, texts on Kālacakra have been written both by Kālacakrapāda (many) and by Paiṇḍapātika (one).

Atiśa’s and Marpa’s Avadhūtipa seems to correspond more or less to Advayavajra/Maitripa. But does Lamdré Avadhūtipa, especially when he’s associated with Damarupa? There also is the story of Gayadhara impersonating Maitrīpa, pretending to be Maitrīpa to 'Gos Khug pa Lhas-btsas (11th), a student of Atiśa, while trying to sell instructions to him (Luminous Lives, Cyrus R. Stearns, p. 95[9]). If hagiographs themselves give away this sort of information, we better be careful. Who can trust Gayadhara? Or according to Tāranātha (1575-1634), who can trust "the silly Tibetans"? 

"After that, the Tibetans, when recounting the story of the debate with Śāntipa, give the meaning quite incorrectly and in Aryadeśa there are not even any oral accounts of it. The following is said about Tibet—“Bhotā Svana Bāktya Sāmaya Coteka Siddhi Sādhaka Kya,” which means, “What the Tibetans say is like the sounds of dogs barking, or like the sound of a Siddha or Sādhaka who has abandoned his vows". One should know how the common lies of the silly Tibetans have been thus compiled." The Seven Instruction Lineages

Gayadhara and Drokmi (detail HA18330)

What to do with Damarupa? Frankly the Lamdré lineage looks quite “interrupted” to me, if it has to go all the way back to Lamdré Kāṇhapa[10] and to his guru, Lamdré Virūpa, in the 7-8th century. Iconographically Damarupa & Avadhūtipa could be brothers and they even look a lot like Virūpa, but the gap… the gap. Especially with interdisciplinary projects like the Haṭhayoga Project, academics specializing in Tibetan matters really ought to look more seriously into ways of dating Tibetan texts and considering apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, revelations and their attributions, because otherwise anything attributed to a 7-8th century Virūpa, a Padmasambhava (or rather his or king Trisong Detsen’s “direct students” or “translators”) etc. in Tibetan materials would always or often predate Indian, Chinese, Nepalese, Mongolian etc. materials.

Lamdré lineage going all the way back to Lamdré Virūpa (HA352)

***

[1] The Life of Mahasiddha Virūpa, Lama Choedak Yuthok, Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Canberra, Australia.

[3] sna tshogs thob pa'i gsan yig [2007] (557) lam 'bras lam gsan yig [2007] (139), attributed to 'phags pa blo gros rgyal mtshan/ (1235–1280)

bde stong mchog gi sgra sgrog Da ru pa gong dkar lam 'bras bla brgyud [dig], attributed to theg chen chos rje kun dga' bkra shis/ (1349–1425)

DA ma ru pa gong dkar ba rnam thar I_B1 [xyl] (38a) attributed to rgya ston byang chub dbang rgyal/ (1470–ca. 1540/50s)

Also: David Templeman, Taranatha's Life of Krsnacarya-Kāṇha, Library of Tibetan Works & Archives (1989)

"[Dhumapa] also performed the ācārya's offices and also took the time to beat the drum known as a pataha and to blow the various musical instruments. He became known as Dhumapa due to the sound of the music he made. It is said that by meditation on the yoga of Vajranairātma, he was able to attain the very highest state, and that supported by the Hevajra Tantra he attained siddhahood." (p. 53-54) 

[5] Colophon to the Sūtrasamuccayasañcayārtha, from Jewels of the Middle Way

[6] James Apple adds the note : "Jo bo rje’i gsung ’bum (806.18) adds nā ro pa". The original text seems to mention only Avadhūtipa. This needs to be looked into further.

[7] Pad ma dkar po 1527-1592) in his 'Brug pa'i chos 'byung.

[8] Passed on to lDong ngar ba, who bestowed it on Paiṇḍapātika junior, that we know from the Bharo clan, where he was a house priest.

[9] “At that point, Lord Gayadhara was staying in Gro mo. They met on the banks of a river and ['Gos, Lo tsa ba] asked about his story. [Gayadhara] replied, "I am the Victor Maitrīpa." Since he was expert in Dharma and also had great oral instructions, ['Gos Lo tsa ba] was pleased, and invited him. On the path as they traveled to Tibet, the translator heard the news that all the Mon people from before were waiting along all the paths, saying, "All those we said were ghosts passing by last year were a Tibetan translator carrying much gold. He invited a paṇḍita, and is returning."

When the translator and his attendant discussed it, [Se] Shes rab smon lam, who was a disciple of Mgos, said, "If the masters, the translator and the paṇḍita, do not live it would be like the eyes of all Tibetans being blinded at the same moment. I will go impersonating the master." The translator and Se both exchanged clothes. It is said that the translator escaped by impersonating a beggar, and that Se escaped without being killed due to the force of his devotion to the master and his fine awakening of the enlightenment mind.

In general, there has been no one in Tibet except Se Shes rab smon able to sacrifice his life for the sake of the master. So it has been stated.

When the translator and the paṇḍita reached Tibet, they met all the previous disciples of Lord Gayadhara in 'Go yul, and [it was revealed] that he was not the Son of the Victors, Maitripa. Mgos said, "The master has lied to me." The lord replied, "Don't you want the Dharma? I am more expert in the Dharma than Maitrīpa." And Mgos was also extremely pleased with the Dharma.”

[10] “The dating of Kṛṣṇācārya is full of problems, few of which are capable of a final resolution. According to the Western tradition the Buddha's Parinirvāṇa was approx. 560 B.C. According to the Tibetan tradition it was 948-947 B.C. (See Roerich, G. The Blue Annals p.22). According to the Tibetan reckoning Kṛṣṇācārya’s birth was approx. 475 A.D. which is far too early to be consistent with the internal references in this text,_e.g. the consecration of Somapurī . If the Western dating were adopted (and the Tibetans certainly do not) this would bring his birth to about 1060 A.D. which is a more workable date, but still not consistent with the dating of certain internal references such as the aforementioned Somapuri consecration, King Devapala, the fact that Maitrīpa (n. 178) is said to be a rebirth of Kṛṣṇācārya (n. 179) and that Maitripa's dates are 1007/1010-1085 A.D. See Snellgrove, D.L. The Hevajra Tantra, Pt.I, p.13, n.4.” David Templeman, Taranatha's Life of Krsnacarya-Kāṇha, Library of Tibetan Works & Archives (1989)

The virile Virūpa

Virūpa served by the future Sukhasiddhi (detail HA101354) 

Virūpa is not only a key figure for Haṭhayoga, but also for Tibetan Buddhism in general, and the Sakya school in particular. What would remain of it without this legendary mahāsiddha, whose life we only know through hagiographies written during the Tibetan Renaissance[1]. According to these sources Virūpa would have lived in the 8th-9th century in India. Many Tibetan texts are attributed to him and many Tibetan transmissions owe him some kind of spiritual paternity, but only as the first human and Indian recipient of revelations received from a yoginī or a ḍākinī, not just any yoginī or ḍākinī, but from an esoteric Buddhist Vajraḍākinī[2] or Vajrayoginī. According to some academics (e.g. Miranda Shaw, Is Vajrayoginī a Feminist?[3]) as soon as the 7th-8th century. Tibet and Nepal had to wait until the 12th century, before any of these transmissions trickled through, or were processed in the workshops of the likes of the 3rd Sakya Trizin Sa chen kun dga' snying po[4] (1092-1158).

Nairātmyā and Virūpa

According to Tibetan traditions the Indian mahāsiddha Virūpa received instructions from Nairātmyā, various forms of Vajrayoginī and of King Indrabhūti’s sister Lakṣmīṅkārā. It is my hypothesis that most “Indian” transmissions have three steps: a tantric deity or yoginī instructs a mahāsiddha, who instructs an Indian or Tibetan, and from there may enter history if there are no other hagiographic gimmicks at play. Tibetan texts may also be attributed to known Tibetan translators, reputed for having traveled to India and Nepal and met with Indian teachers. Hagiographies present Virūpa as a practitioner of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, who only later (at 70 years old) was brought into contact with the Hevajra Tantra through Nairātmyā, a “Vajrayoginī” who is Hevajra’s consort.

Indrabhūti with Lakṣmīkarā on the lap and Virūpa to his back to the left and,
possibly Padampa Sangye to the right (Wanla Interior Christian Luczantis)

This could be another hagiographic gimmick required because the main tantras had already been taught, commented etc., and amendments and additions are only possible through aural lineages, in which celestial messengers (ḍākinī, yoginī, khecarī) can instruct preferably Indian siddhas and mahāsiddhas, because of the required Indian pedigree for gsar-ma canonical textes. Once a transmission received and passed on by Virūpa was accepted, other transmissions using the same procedure became possible. For a fully canonical text, tantra or treaty, the mention of an Indian teacher, an Indian paṇḍit and a Tibetan translator were required. Later on, aural transmissions and revelations (gter ma) were another possibility.

The Vajrayoginī Chinnamasta transmission (HA7597)
is said to have its origin in Lakṣmīṅkārā, passing through Virūpa 

When new, often non-Buddhist, materials appeared in Nepal or elsewhere on the silk road, and were of interest to Tibetan Buddhists, they may have been integrated in this way into Tibetan canonical literature. I am merely speculating. It seems that for śaktī material related to Mother tantras, Virūpa was the ideal Indian mahāsiddha for it to make it enter Tibetan transmissions, through often already established Tibetan figures, both real or fictional, with a hagiographical pedigree. Any śaktī material would be passed on through Virūpa who himself received it from a “Vajrayoginī”. E.g. Nairātmyā for śaktī material related to the Hevajra Tantra, Vajravārāhī for the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, Lakṣmīṅkārā for the Guhyasamāja. This is the gist, I am still speculating here.

I don’t think Tantrism, Buddhist or other, was “feminist” or concerned with including women and giving them a place in their hierarchy other than as a hierarch’s wife or consort. Tantrism is a symbolic world, where everything points to something else, and a “few good men” were in charge.

In theories of matter and form a woman is the “animated” property of a man (father, husband, a son or the king for widows), it is a man who “determines” a woman[5], who (as “undetermined matter”) has no determination of herself and receives it from a man. E.g. Mrs. John Smith.

“Aristotle (and legions after him) believed that things are unions of matter and form. In the case of animals, the four elements in combination (matter) are shaped by form, which governs both the purposeful configuration of things and their growth, and is related to soul, which in its turn is related to pneuma or "breath," a principle of life and movement. This fifth higher element, this quintessence, is related to the heavenly bodies, to their light, and to their perfect movement. This pneumatic spark of life, Aristotle believed, is carried and transmitted by semen. Men thus represent the immediate contact of heaven and earth. Women are at one remove from that contact. Men are associated with the two higher elements -air, which is closer to the heavens, and fire, which tries to reach the heavens. Women, by contrast, are associated with the lower elements of water and earth. It is for this reason that women are by nature colder than men, says Aristotle, and because of this coldness women are unable to convert blood into semen. This is Aristotle's explanation of menstruation. The monthly failure to convert blood into semen is, according to Aristotle, systematically related to other relative imperfections in female nature --passivity chief among them-- and it was possible for Aristotle to formulate the idea, which has had a long historical life of its own, that the female is an incomplete or mutilated male[6]....” David Summers, "Form and Gender," New Literary History, 1993, 24: 243-271), p. 254.

In the Ayurveda theory of the seven bodily constituents (saptadhātu), there is a gradual refinement of the constituents : rasa or lasikā (plasma), rakta (blood), māṃsa (muscular tissue), meda or vasā (fat tissue), asthi (bone), majjā (bone marrow), śukra (reproductive tissues). This may give rise to ideas like those spread by Sri Swami Sivananda (in Practice of Brahmacharya 1934). Confused ideas or perhaps not…

“My dear brothers! The vital energy, the Veerya [vīrya] that supports your life, which is the Prana of Pranas, which shines in your sparkling eyes, which beams in your shining cheeks, is a great treasure for you. Remember this point well. Veerya is the quintessence of blood. One drop of semen is manufactured out of forty drops of blood. Mark here how valuable this fluid is!”

Tibetan medicine, like Ayurveda, aims to refine and purify ojas (t. mdangs) for rejuvenation (rasāyana t. bcud len). In Tibetan Buddhism, bodhicitta is another word for bindu (t. thig le) or semen (bīja, vīrya). According to the refinement theory, lymph is the gross form of “seed-essence”, as Keith Dowman translates bindu, and “purified 'semen' is Awareness” (jñāna, t. ye shes)”[7].

"The nutrition extracted from food in the stomach passes through the "vein which seizes the distilled essence" to the liver, where it is assimilated by bile, phlegm and air (the three humours). Refined nutrition forms blood, and refined blood forms flesh while the unrefined blood forms bile. Refined flesh forms fat, and unrefined flesh is excreted through the nine orifices. The distilled essence of fat forms bones, and unrefined fat forms grease and sweat. Refined bone forms marrow, and unrefined bone forms nails, teeth and hair. Refined marrow forms semen or menstrual blood (conceived as female creative seed), while the unrefined marrow forms the flesh around the anus. Refined semen is stored in the heart centre as "radiance", which produces long-life and gives a shine to the complexion.”

“The refined semen in the heart centre permeates the body as Awareness; "heart centre" is here a metaphor for the all-pervasive sphere of essential being (dharmakaya).” Sky Dancer, p. 247

For rejuvenation purposes, the objective is to fill the whole body with Awareness, i.e. refined semen, bodhicitta. Hagiographies sometimes specify that when cutting the body of a realised yogi, not blood but white bodhicitta is seen to be flowing in his veins. Should we “reinterpret” (recycle) this sort of refinement theory? Could we? June Campbell in Traveller in Space (p. 116-117) is very specific about this[8].

“In anuyoga, though not in Dzokchen atiyoga, loss of semen is equated with killing a Buddha. Semen, seed-essence and bodhicitta are synonymous.” Keith Dowman, Sky Dancer, p. 247

If loss of semen is equated with killing a Buddha, is loss of menstrual blood also?

For a Śaiva/kaula take on this, Lilian Silburn writes in Kundalini , The Energy of the Depths[9]:

“As a conscious energy, Kuṇḍalinī is at the source of the two currents that govern life: prāṇa, vital energy, and vīrya, virile potency, in the broad sense of the word. The former term denotes essentially the expanding aspect of energy, the latter its adamantine intensity. They are the two manifestations of the inmost vitality (ojas), from which they emerge until they blend into one energy of unique flavor (sāmarasya)—the bliss born from the merging of instinctual life with the inner mystical life. Thus vīrya, effective power, includes all forms of efficience and inspires every kind of fervor, whether of lovers, of artists or of the mystic.

This Kuṇḍalinī yoga, therefore, is the ultimate achievement on the path of energy, a higher path, complete in itself, advocated by the Kula system; but since it involves the body, it is also related to the lower path, known as the individual path. Since tantric practices aim at awakening and controlling Kuṇḍalinī, it is not possible to grasp the true meaning of Tantrism without a real knowledge of Kuṇḍalinī.[10]”

Lilian Silburn makes more sense, but still what are we to do with this notion of “vīrya” in the broad sense of the word? “Adamantine intensity”, “effective power”, agency as the opposite of passivity, “Awareness”, why the connection with “virile potency”? And what do ḍākinīs have to do with that? In Virūpa’s Amṛtasiddhi, similar ideas about “form and matter” can be found. I don’t say it’s the same, but when this sort of imagery is at the foundation of an ideology, how could it not go wrong, from a liberal modern point of view of course?

Semen (bindu), male (bīja) and female (rajas), is moved by pneuma (prāṇa), joined at heart level, projected by pneuma (prāṇa), thus piercing the four elements, moves into space (brahmā) via the central channel, and leaving the body through the Brāhma aperture. For Tibetan Buddhism, this solution was very welcome but too basic, too ascetic, too much like “yogic suicide” (utkrānti) into “mere emptiness”, without any interest for eternal symbolic Tantric (after)worlds, where ḍākinīs, yoginīs and khecarīs had the mission to receive a Heroe’s (vīra) or yogi’s bindu and to carry it to a Tantric pure land (khecara), where it could manifest as a siddha or vidyādhara.

Virūpa is also considered to have played a major role in approaching the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra and the Hevajra Tantra through the development of the Sampuṭa Tantra. Sampuṭa is a alchemical term (“a sealed crucible[11]”) found in Virūpa’s Amṛtasiddhi, and could represent the union of male bīja (white) and female rajas (red) into a bindu, over which a yogi is said to be able to have control of. In Virūpa’s Amṛtasiddhi to liberate the bindu. In Tibetan ‘Pho ba practice to transfer it to specific pure lands, directly or with a ḍākinī serving as a vehicle, such as described in the 2nd Dalaï-lama’s work on Niguma’s tantric yogas[12]. One specific form of transference is the use of “mystical substances”, without the use of active pneumatic support.

“Should one wish to perform the transference in conjunction with the use of mystical substances, this is described in the oral tradition as follows:
One’s own and a female’s fluids
Lead energy and mind upward.
Salt opens the mouth of the channel
And brain guards against hindrances.

As indicated here, one takes a small quantity of each of these substances, places them in one’s palm and recites many mantras. The substance is then applied to the Brahma aperture. This has been taught by the gurus of old. This method is known as ‘transference by the power of intention’. In it there is no need for transference by the power of the airs.”[13]

For similar recipes, see the Tantra of Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa from chapter 12 onwards. To me this is very telling of the “spiritual materialistic” ideology behind yogic practice in esoteric Buddhism. “One’s own” fluid is the male semen (bīja) and the “female’s fluid” is rajas. Not because the point of view of the author “happens to be” that of a male monk, but because this practice is meant for male yogis. Without male semen as one’s natural “mystical substance”, to which the “female’s fluid” is added, there would be no way for the mixture to work. It is not a question of simply interchanging the “mystical substances”, in case a dying female yogi would apply her own “determinable“ fluid (rajas) and a given male’s fluid (bīja) with the other “mystical substances”. It’s about “form and matter” ideology. A woman needs to be “reborn” as a man first to be able to have access to this sort of practice, and for it to succeed (allegedly). In this medieval sexist ideology there also is no room for adapting “sexual practice” into same-sex practice, etc., not because of any moral considerations, but simply because it is Amṛtasiddhi-technically not possible. If Amṛtasiddhi practice and its later derivations and integrations are the heart blood of Tibetan Buddhism, then there is no way out of this. It’s a fundamental part of it as “form and matter” ideology is also in other religions.

form - matter
heaven - earth
puruṣa - prakṛti
God - Nature
Śiva - śaktī/powers
male - female
lama - consort/mudrā/sang yum/ḍākinī, etc.

“As the “coupling pair” conceive of themselves as deities, sampuṭa can be regarded as a nondual, blissful awareness as expressed by the sexual union of Heruka (whether Saṃvara or Hevajra) and his consort. All these esoteric connotations, however, boil down to the union (sampuṭa) of emptiness (female) and compassion (male), or gnosis and skillful means. The cultivation of this nondual state (sampuṭa) is the central theme of the Father and Mother tantras, with the former laying the theoretical foundation for the processes that occur in the body by explaining the subtle body with its channels, winds, and drops, and the latter shifting the emphasis to consort practice with its powerful dynamic. Whatever the exact method, the result of this practice is the recognition of the ever-present (but mostly unrecognized), blissful, nondual wakefulness, in which emptiness and compassion are an indivisible unity.” Introduction to the 84000 translation of the Sampuṭa Tantra

Sampuṭa can be and is indeed often glossed like that, but from a Amṛtasiddhi point of view the fact remains that according to Virūpa’s widespread concrete ideology and methods,[14] mind (including reinterpreting) is not part of the solution[15], even when applied to constructive imagination (svādhiṣṭhanena yogena). This anti-intellectualist strand is still very widespread.

“(8.9) He who tries to control Mind by means of self-empowering yoga (svādhiṣṭhanena yogena) deludedly chews a rock and, thirsty, drinks the sky.
(8.10) He who has not attained the level of a Siddha, does not have the grace of a guru, does not have the innate capability of abiding by the Dharma agotraḥ) [and] is full of demerit will lead [his] Mind to emptiness [alone].”

Only pneuma (prāṇa) can control Bindu and lead to the full liberation of the yogi, or rather of his reunited “non-dual” essence, substantially speaking, with a different further use depending on the yogi’s inclination: “yogic suicide” or a khecara career. Because of haṭhayoga’s own principles, this can’t be reinterpreted on “mind” level, it’s not a question of understanding, knowing, or even “wakefulness”, but of simply doing. Or so I understand the core message of Virūpa’s Amṛtasiddhi… How to "reinterpret" the 2nd Dalaï-lama’s mystical recipe (see above) or those of the Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa Tantra?...

As long as Tibetan Buddhism considers this sort of ideology and method as the nec plus ultra of Buddhism (more generally defined through its triple training - triśikṣa), and the only way to genuine liberation, it will indeed be difficult to be conciliatory. This strong belief seems to explain a lot to me about the current attitude of Tibetan hierarchs.

It has to be specified here that different forms of yoga may have a different ideology. Haṭhayoga gives priority to prāṇa, Rājayoga to mind, and Jñānayoga resorts to the intellect (buddhi) and will. They can even coexist. Similar approaches exist in Tibetan Buddhism, but it does still claim that only the highest practices of Vajrayāna lead to full Buddhahood or equivalent realisations. And in that case being a man is clearly and at the least an advantage.

***

[1] 950-1200 C.E., Tantric Buddhism in the Rebirth of Tibetan Culture, Ronald M. Davidson, Columbia University Press

[2] “Vajraḍākinī wrote instructions for visualizing Vagiśvara, a form of Mañjuśrī”. Shaw, p. 84
note 60: “ 'Phags pa 'jam dpal ngag gi rgyal po'i sgrub thabs, sDe-dge 3442. This form of Mañjuśrī is also known as Vāgrāja and Vādirāja”.

[3] "Is Vajrayogini a feminist? A Tantric Buddhist Case Study?" In Alf Hiltebeitel and Kathleen M. Erndl, Is the Goddess a Feminist? (2000), p. 167

[4] “Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, who had received (the whispered lineage of) Lamdre teachings from his Tibetan teacher, Zhangton Chobar, had also received Lamdre teachings directly from Mahasiddha Virupa in a pure vision. In Mahasiddha Virupa's lineage, the Hevajra Tantra is classified as Non-dual Tantra, and the only sole tradition* for Lamdre teachings is the Sakya tradition.” The Origin of the Hevajra Tantra,

[5] « Pour Thomas d'Aquin, les femmes n'ont guère de choix « existentiel» : elles doivent être « déterminées ou déterminables ». Aristote avait comparé la « femelle » à « la matière aspirant au mâle comme à une forme», c'est-à-dire à une détermination. Transposée sur un plan juridique, cette métaphore trouve sa conséquence ultime. Une femme est déterminée quand elle appartient à un homme dans un cadre légal, c'est-à-dire matrimonial (secundum legem matrimoni) ; elle est déterminable quand rien n'empêche qu'elle appartienne à quelqu'un. » Penser Au Moyen âge, Alain De Libera, Éditions Points, 1991. p. 207

[6] E.g. in the Generation of Animals (2.1.732a3-10) it is argued that in the formation of a fetus a man's semen imparts the superior form and a woman's menstrual fluid the inferior matter. Wikipedia

[7] Keith Dowman, Sky Dancer, The Secret Life & Songs of the Lady Yeshe Tsogyel, Snow Lion (1996), pp. 247-248

[8] “It seems unlikely that the crude equation of menstrual blood with semen in Tibetan texts was due to an ignorance of the facts of male and female physiology and sexuality, but in the medical texts which describe human physiology, it is written that ‘Refined marrow forms semen or menstrual blood (conceived as female creative seed)’,41 thus linking the two substances as parallel. Why the female creative seed should be equated with red menstrual blood, rather than the yellow corpus luteum of the ovum, which, as the carrier of the life force, would be the true equivalent of the semen, can only be supposed, but it is evident that the symbolism associated with the colours red and white, to represent the female and male respectively, is conveniently found in these two fluids. It is also apparent that the function of menstrual blood is confused by its association with procreativity and the sexual act, for as modern scientific investigation has shown, the ovum, if not fertilized, is destroyed long before the onset of menstruation, and therefore menstrual blood contains no ‘seed essence’ in the way semen can be said to. Indeed the most recent research points to the purpose of menstrual blood as being related to a protective mechanism in female physiology, to prevent infection by rogue sperm, rather than being simply the aftermath of ovulation, and unsuccessful fertilization, as has long been thought.” Traveller in Space, June Campbell

[9] Kundalini, The Energy of the Depths, A Comprehensive Study Based on the Scriptures of Nondualistic Kasmir Saivism.

[10] « L'éveil de la kuṇḍalinī est, en quelque sorte, l'éveil de l'énergie cosmique qui gît, latente, en chaque être humain, une telle énergie étant à la source de tous les pouvoirs, de toute la force, de toutes les formes de vie dont il est capable. (...) Energie consciente, la kuṇḍalinī est à l'origine des deux courants qui régissent la vie : prāṇa, énergie vitale, et vīrya, efficience virile au sens large, le premier mettant l'accent sur l'aspect épanoui de l'énergie et le second sur son intensité adamantine. Ce sont les deux manifestations de la vitalité profonde (ojas) dont ils émanent avant de se fondre en une seule énergie à saveur unique (sāmarasya), béatitude propre à la fusion de la vie de l'instinct et de la vie intérieure et mystique. » Lilian Silburn, La Kuṇḍalinī ou l'Énergie des profondeurs : étude d'ensemble d'après les textes du Śivaïsme non dualiste du Kaśmir, Paris, les Deux Océans, 1983, p. 17.

[11] “Sealed fire-resistant pot containing mercury and other reagents.” “Process of stabilising mercury to resist heat; result of heating mercury with gold or silver to form a solid ball.”

[12] Zab lam ni gu'i chos drug gi khrid yig ye shes mkha' 'gro'i zhal gyi lung, translated into English by Glenn Mullin in Selected Works of the Dalai Lama II, The Tantric Yogas of Sister Niguma, Snow Lion (1985).

[13] The Tantric Yogas of Sister Niguma, p. 146

[14] “The essence of the body is Bindu, semen. Death comes about by the fall of Bindu, life by its preservation. Control of Bindu brings about all supernatural powers and liberation. Bindu is of two kinds. The lunar kind, called Bindu, is situated at the top of the central channel; the solar kind, called Rajas, is at its bottom. The best yoga is joining the two of them in the head. Bindu, breath and the mind are all connected: controlling one controls the other two (ch.7). The mind presides over the body. Despite what is taught elsewhere, the mind cannot be controlled by the mind, but only by the breath (ch.8). Prakṛti manifests in the body as mental and physical disturbances, the latter as the three Doṣas (Pitta, Kapha and Vāta), and must be destroyed (ch.9).

The Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) arise from Prakṛti. Rajas and Tamas must be destroyed; there is a special Mudrā for doing so (ch.10).” The Amṛtasiddhi and Amṛtasiddhimūla: the Earliest Texts of the Haṭhayoga Tradition. Critically Edited and Translated by James Mallinson and Péter-Dániel Szántó. Introduction.

[15] “(8.11) In the same way that fire is not conquered by fire, nor air by air, nor water by water, Mind [is not conquered] by Mind.”

Des transmigrants prenant en main leur transmigration

Virūpa figurant comme source de la pratique de Yamāntaka rouge en haut de la thanka (XVIIème, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston). Une vendeuse d’alcool (la future Sukhasiddhi) lui sert de l’alcool (HA87206).

Le Bouddha pāli, qui aurait proclamé à sa naissance “Ceci est ma dernière naissance", enseigna la fin de toute nouvelle existence (punarbhava, yang srid). Avec la brahmanisation du bouddhisme[1], l’idée d’un principe spirituel passant d’existence en existence, “se réincarnant” se répand dans le bouddhisme, en Inde comme ailleurs.

C’est au fond “la conscience” (vijñana), ou plus précisément la conscience mentale (manovijñana), qui passe d’une existence à une autre. Du maraṇabhava (existence au moment de la mort) à l’antarābhava (existence intermédiaire), à la nouvelle existence (punarbhava), dont la "pensée naissante" (upapatticitta) est la première manifestation, toutefois “souillée d’avance de toutes les passions (kleśa) de la sphère où elle se réincarne”[2]. Cette conscience qui transmigre (‘pho ba) d’existence en existence, servira en même temps d’embryon du futur Bouddha (tathāgatagarbha), que tout être pourra devenir un beau jour, en cessant d’être un être.

La transmigration/le transfert (‘pho ba) est généralement subi, mais le Yogācāra et sa “science de l’esprit”, et le bouddhisme ésotérique par la suite, développera des méthodes permettant à l’adepte d’avoir une maîtrise partielle ou totale de son transfert, voire de sa libération définitive (mokṣa). Pour ce qui suit, je m’appuie aussi sur la thèse de Ching Hsuan Mei (2009)[3].

Il y a des traductions chinoises du VIème et du VIIIème siècle (par Bodhiruci, Buddhaśānta et Yi jing) de deux sūtra “idéalistes” traitant de la transmigration (‘pho ba) passive. Ces sūtra ont également été traduits en tibétain (Jinamitra, Dānaśīla and Ye shes sde) et ont pour titre 1. 'Phags pa srid pa 'pho ba zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo (Ārya-bhavanasaṃkrānti-nāma-mahāyāna-sūtra)[4] et 2. Tshe 'pho ba ji ltar 'gyur ba zhus pa’i mdo (Āyupattiyathākāraparipṛcchā-sūtra). Ils sont “idéalistes” car ils mettent sur le même plan le corps physique et le corps mental, le premier étant le produit du deuxième. Rien ne peut être transféré d’une existence à une autre hormis le karma. Dans la série de la pensée (sems kyi rgyud), en transmigrant de ce monde au monde suivant, la fin d’un moment de conscience (vijñana) est appelée “mort” et l’apparition du moment de conscience suivante “naissance”. Mais la conscience précédente ne va nulle part, et la conscience suivante ne vient de nulle part. Parce qu’elles n’ont pas d’essence.

Rakta Yamari / Yamāntaka rouge (détail HA87206).

Hormis la “transmigration maîtrisée” par le biais de la pratique du triple entraînement (triśikṣā), ou par des méditations (“mentales”) spécifiques, une des “premières” méthodes tantriques du bouddhisme indo-tibétain fait appel à Yamāntaka (gshin rje gshed), aspect courroucé de Mañjuśrī psychopompe. Yamāntaka ("le destructeur du Seigneur de la mort") est la réponse, l’intégration et l’adaptation bouddhiste ésotérique au culte de Yama, au XI-XIIème siècle. 

L'auteur présumé du texte ci-dessous : Brahmane Peldzin/Śrīdhara  (détail HA87206).

Une des pratiques (Rang gi sems gong du 'pho ba’i man ngag byin rlabs dang bcas pa, pas de mention du titre Indique[5]) centrées sur Yamāntaka rouge (Rakta Yamari[6]), explique une pratique de transfert actif, avec un examen des signes de mort imminente basé sur la disparition graduelle des énergies (pneuma), et une pratique inversée de yantra ('khrul 'khor bzlog ste bya ba ni). Au moment opportun, la conscience est expédiée (‘pho ba)[7]. Le futur transmigrant renonce à tout, et fait offrande et don, à la divinité, au guru, aux six classes d’êtres. Il doit s’abstenir de tout attachement au corps. Il remémore sans cesse la divinité, et ne pense qu’au guru. Il imagine Yamāntaka rouge au sommet de sa tête. A partir du Hūṃ au centre du coeur, et toutes les orifices ayant été fermées, il expédie le Hūṃ, qui est le support de la pensée (citta). Celui-ci rejoint le Hūṃ dans le coeur du guru. En cas de désir (‘dod tshe), pas de remontée pneumatique (‘og tu mi dgug), ou bien il ferme toutes les autres orifices. Les deux canaux sont fermés par les syllabes d’upāya-prajñā. Au centre du coeur, dans le canal médian, il y a une demie-lune et Hūṃ. Le Hūṃ du dessus est expédié tel un météore par le pneuma entrant [dans le canal médian]. Ou bien, le yogi transfère [la conscience] par la lumière ('od kyis). Après avoir fait le yantra du tir à l’arc, le Hūṃ sur la lune dans le canal médian au niveau du nombril, va fermer l’ouverture au-dessus du coeur au centre. Par la syllabe de la force (pneumatique), la pensée (citta) est entraînée, et expédiée dans le coeur de la divinité [Yamāntaka rouge] et s’y mélange (bsre). Si le yogi souhaite (re)naître dans d’autres lieux, il utilise les trois syllabes [respectives] et il y expédie [la conscience][8]. Ou bien encore, un yogi sans élaboration (aprapañca), à partir de la vacuité de la diversité, expédie [sa conscience] dans la sphère lumineuse ('od gsal ngang du). C’est la mahāmudrā[9].

Cette transmission descendrait d’un “Virūpa” plus réconciliant, davantage brahmane. Les bases du transfert (‘pho ba) sont bien présentes dans cette pratique, y compris les transferts de type dharmakāya, saṃbhogakāya et nirmāṇakāya, mais de quand ce texte date-t-il réellement ?

***

[1] Voir Interpreting "Brahmanization" in the Indian Buddhist Monastery with J. Z. Smith, Nicholas Witkowski, dans Thinking with J.Z . Smith

[2] La Vallée-Poussin - Bouddhisme, études et matériaux, p. 30.

[3] The Development of 'Pho ba Liturgy in Medieval Tibet, Mei, Ching Hsuan, Bonn 2009, p. 86

[4] rgyal ba chen po rnam par shes pa dang po de ‘gags ma thag tu gang la rnam par smin pa myong bar gyur ba mngon pa de dang skal ba ‘dra ba’i sems kyi rgyud 'byung ngo*// rgyal po chen po de la chos gang yang*/ 'jig rten 'di nas 'jig rten pha rol tu 'pho ba yang med la ‘chi ‘pho dang skye bar mngon pa yang yod de/ de ni ‘chi ‘pho zhes bya/ gang rnam par shes pa dang po 'byung ba de ni skye ba zhes bya'o// rgyal po chen po rnam par shes pa tha ma ‘gag pa’i tshe yang gang du yang mi ‘gro/ rnam par shes pa dang po skye ba’i char gtogs pa ‘byung ba’i tshe yang gang nas kyang mi ‘ong ngo// de ci’i phyir zhe na/ ngo bo nyid dang bral ba’i phyir ro//

[5] Le texte a été composé par le brahmane dPal ‘dzin, représenté avec une tête de buffle…

[6] Virūpa fait partie de la transmission. “The Main Indian Lineage: Vajradhara, Manjushri Yamari, Jnanadakini, mahasiddha Virupa, Dombi Heruka, Viratipa, Matigarbha, Gambhiramati, Vajrasana Ashokashri, Nishkalangka Devi, Revendra Prabha, Chag Lotsawa Choje Pal (the first Tibetan in the lineage), etc. There were many lineages of Rakta Yamari to enter Tibet and most are traced back to the mahasiddha Virupa.” Himalayan Art

[7] Le passage en Wylie au complet :

dpal ldan gshin rje gshed dmar po//
dmigs pa'i spyi bor bsgom//
dbu ma gnyis ni sprad byas la//
snying dbus hU~M las sgo rnams bkag/
sems rten hUM ni yar 'phangs te//
bla ma'i hUM ni snying gar bsdu//
'dod tshe 'og tu mi dgug go//
yang na sgo gzhan bkag rjes la//
rtsa gnyis thabs shes yi ges dgag/
snying dbus dbu mar zla gam hU~M//
de steng hU~M ni skar mda' ltar//
'jug pa'i rlung dang sbyar bar bya//
yang na 'od kyis 'pho ba ste//
gzhu dbyibs 'khrul 'khor byas rjes su//
lte bar rlung bcas zla bar hU~M//
snying dbus gong bus bu ga dgag/
stobs kyi yi ges sems drangs nas//
lha yi thugs kar 'phongs te bsre//
gnas gzhan gang du skye 'dod par//
yi ge gsum gyis drangs te 'phang so//
yang na spros med rnal 'byor pa//
sna tshogs stong pa'i gzugs 'di las//
'od gsal ngang du 'pho ba ste//
phyag rgya chen po nyid 'gyur ro/

[8] “The [processes of] visualisation are: visualising the light-blue [syllable] Nri for human, the white Āḥ for god, the green Su for Asura, the dark-red Tri for animal, the light-green Phre for hungry ghosts and the smoked colour Du for the hell beings. [When] the nature of awareness [is] illuminated as such, the transference [will be] done.” Passage extrait du terma Da' ka 'chi brod 'pho ba du Tertön Sangyé Lingpa (1340–1396), traduit en anglais en entier par Ching Hsuan Mei.

[9] yang na spros med rnal 'byor pa/ sna tshogs stong pa'i gzugs nyid las// 'od gsal ngang du 'pho ba ste// phyag rgya chen po nyid 'gyur ro/

La voie du yogi immortel selon Virūpa

Virūpa arrêtant le soleil (détail HA4005)

Ma lecture “bête et méchante”[1]

L’importance du corps dans le bouddhisme ésotérique et dans les tantras en général, ainsi que sa revalidation n’ont pas pour objet le corps ordinaire, c’est-à-dire le corps de rétribution (corps physique), le corps de relents (inconscient) et le corps mental (psyche), il ne faudra pas s’y tromper. Ce n’est pas une célébration de l’immanence, non, plutôt une invitation à une certaine transcendance (jīvanmukti), à devenir immortel comme les dieux. Pour cela le Virūpa de l’Amṛtasiddhi utilise tous les moyens dont il dispose de façon pragmatique (siddha). Il prend ce dont il a besoin dans le cadre mythologique des religions indiques pour son projet. L’immortalité d’un dieu, mais aussi le nirvāṇa, enfin un nirvāṇa.

Quand “Virūpa” internalise ainsi l’ésotérisme (bauddha-śaiva-nātha), c’est le corps en tant que microcosme, et potentiel d’ascension macrocosmique, ainsi que la sortie, qui devient le centre de l’attention ésotérique. Il n’y a plus de réelle frontière entre les deux. Ou comme le dit la Table d’émeraude : “Ce qui est en bas est comme ce qui est en haut, et ce qui est en haut est comme ce qui est en bas”. 

Le Virūpa de l’AS ne s’encombre pas de rituels, de puja, de travail intellectuel, ni même de méditation, ou de la génération de corps mentaux, juste de son “yoga” extrême. Il ne témoigne pas beaucoup de respect à ceux qui suivent ces voies, et les incite à le suivre dans son “yoga” à minima. Il y a uniquement du respect pour le maître qui enseigne cette voie.

Quand des matériaux et pratiques de “Virūpa” commencent à être incorporés dans les lignées bouddhistes tibétaines, le ton change. Les échanges entre maîtres et disciples (zhus lan) sur la nature de la pensée et les exercices associés laissent place à des échanges sur des points précis des pratiques haṭhayogiques, kāyasiddhiques, d’immortalité du corps et de l’esprit, d’ascension spirituelle, bref, le fonds commun des religions, mais néanmoins un peu façon punk ou cynique grec. Les adeptes de Virūpa semblent accepter le cadre et le diagnostic, mais pas les solutions proposées, et ne témoignent pas beaucoup de respect à ceux qui les proposent… Avec l’AS on n’a pas l’impression d’un texte du vajrayāna. Le yogi de Virūpa n’est pas un prêtre. A part enseigner sa méthode aux autres, il n’a pas l’air de trop se soucier du bien des êtres et de la planète, puisqu’il compte tout faire sauter. Fabienne Bagnis écrit dans son compte-rendu du livre :

“L’introduction comporte une brève entrée en matière (p. 3-5) mentionnant l’affiliation revendiquée de l’AS avec le milieu Vajrayāna. Toutefois, le traité de yoga s’en écarte puisqu’il s’adresse au yogin célibataire. Cela implique l’absence totale de rituels sexuels pourtant courants dans le Vajrayāna orthodoxe et la présence de plusieurs techniques d’onanisme assumées dont la visée est la libération du cycle des transmigrations.” Compte rendu de lecture sur la monographie de James Mallinson et Péter-Dániel Szántó (2022)

Les "techniques d'onanisme" auxquelles fait référence Fabienne Bagnis sont sans doute les techniques traitées dans le chapitre 20 de l'Amṛtasiddhi.

Le manuscrit AS bilingue

Il s’agit d’un manuscrit bilingue, mais la version tibétaine (AS) ne semble pas (encore) avoir été publiée intégralement, ce qui est bien dommage. Le deuxième texte (Amṛtasiddhimūla, ASM) est en revanche un texte du vajrayāna. Il partage avec l’AS les chapitres 11-13, mais pas verbatim. Le manuscrit du premier (AS) serait gardé à la bibliothèque culturelle du palais des nations à Beijing et des scans (Schaeffer) en circuleraient...

Certes, les bouddhistes connaissaient déjà le potentiel du corps mental (manomaya-kāya), les correspondances entre leurs extases et l’ascension macrocosmique, ils savaient comment monter à Tuṣita, pour y recevoir des instructions de Maitreya, et ceux qui en étaient incapables pouvaient par leur dévotion et ferveur naître à Sukhāvatī après leur mort, c’est-à-dire après la séparation de “la pensée” et de leur corps de rétribution. Avec le développement du bouddhisme mahāyāna et ésotérique, l’appareil ritualistique s’était grandement enrichi, et était bien conscient du lien microcosmique, mais “Virūpa” allait “dématérialiser” tout cela davantage. Le yogi se tourne vers l’intérieur de son corps et devient littéralement omphalopsychien… 

Satyres omphalopsychiens en Atlante, fixant leurs nombrils 

Désormais son corps est le cosmos, et le cosmos est son corps. Le bien des êtres devient principalement une affaire interne. L’avantage des passerelles intercosmiques est que l’on peut aller dans les deux sens, des aller-retours et ascensions-descentes psychopompes sont possibles à tout moment, ici grâce au lien entre pensée, souffle et semence (bindu). Mais il n'est pas question de cela dans ce texte (AS), qui veut aller droit au but.

Avec la mode de l’intériorisation, ce qu'enseignent les purāṇa sur l’univers macrocosmique vaut désormais aussi pour le microcosmique. La “pratique”, même sobre et intériorisée, véhicule toujours le cadre mythologique, le but étant néanmoins la percée/destruction du Mont Meru et l’ouverture vers le Brahmā. En adoptant les pratiques de Virūpa, le bouddhisme doit aussi adapter sa mythologie interne, tout en gardant sa méthode. C’est la poursuite d’un retour du mythologique, déjà entamé par les tantras. Un retour, car la littérature de prajñāpāramitā, le madhyamaka et l’étude de la logique avait laissé sa marque. Ce retour en force du religieux est accueilli comme un grand progrès par les bouddhistes tibétains ésotériques, qui retiendront surtout la promesse de devenir un Bouddha, voire plus[2], dans l’espace d’une existence. Contrairement à “Virūpa”, ils garderont tout du bouddhisme ésotérique, et ses yogis seront aussi des yogis, mais surtout des prêtres. Leur univers reste le même, mais est désormais doté d’un ascenseur design super rapide. L'univers résultant est un peu comme le metaverse, mais sans besoin de lunettes Meta quête.

Meta quête, photo BDM

Selon l'AS, la quête de l’immortalité de Virūpa consiste à joindre le soleil (rajas) et la lune (bindu) dans le ciel. Il faut purifier le corps en développant les qualités (guṇa : sattva, rajas, tamas) et éliminer les défauts (doṣa : pitta, kapha, vāta). Tout cela est bien schématiquement représenté dans le corps metaversel. Pour l’AS la karmamudrā avec le corps d’un autre n’est plus nécessaire[3] et même le devatāyoga (8.9-10), le metaverse deVirūpa fournit tout ce qu’il faut. La quête est centré sur, dans et autour de la colonne vertébrale, le mont Meru et ses 14 niveaux (l'ascenseur). Tout se trouve à la même place qu’à “l’extérieur”, dans le macrocosme. Il n’y a plus question d’une carte et d’un territoire, tant que les lunettes Meta quête sont bien fixées au front. Mais la libération (mokṣa) reste de mise, la quête sera une quête alchimique intérieure[4]. A la fois alchimique, pneumatique, mythologique, astrologique… C’est une pratique autosuffisante. La clé est la déesse (māhavidyā) au centre (madhya), une sorte de Sophia, à la fois à l’origine de la création, et destructrice de l’ignorance (2,4). De la lune en haut du corps s’écoule le nectar de l’immortalité, qui est brûlé par le soleil au nombril. Voilà la cause de la mortalité. Quand le soleil et la lune, en mouvement, se rencontrent et s’unissent, c’est la création à l’extérieur, et le “yoga” à l’intérieur (4,8-10).

“(4.11) When Fire, as Sun, as Rahu, journeys upwards in the body [and] the lunar nectar of immortality goes downwards then men die.

(4.12) For it is only [when] all these elements move upwards in the body that these two, the Sun and the Moon, are said to bestow liberation.”

Les pneuma font fonctionner le corps psychosomatique. Les principaux sont le prāṇa (lunaire) situé au coeur, et l’apāna (solaire) situé à l’anus/périnée, responsables pour la création et la destruction. Leur union (yoga) favorise la libération. Le premier texte (AS) rend hommage à Virūpa, le deuxième (ASM) à la déesse Chinnamastā, la tête tranchée, tenant une épée. Quel est son symbolique ? Peut-être un lien avec ceci ?

“(6.20) And after taking the sword that is Breath, cutting off Breath’s coming and going, and piercing the pathway of Brahma and the other [gods], enjoy blissful happiness!

(6.21) He who abandons the yoga of Breath and practises another yoga is a fool who throws himself off a mountain peak expecting to survive.”

La semence (bījam) mâle, lunaire, est l’essence du corps et de ses constituants, et contient les dieux en forme subtile (5,1-2). Elle est le principe vital, la cause des quatre joies, et contrôlé par le pneuma. L’union des semences mâle (bīja) et femelle (rajas) est cause de procréation, mais chez le yogi de “yoga”. La semence mâle se situe dans la tête (Kāmarūpa) et la semence femelle dans le périnée (yoni).

“(7.13) This [union] is a fundamental element, the ultimate teaching. This is considered the best yoga. This is the path which bestows liberation. This is the ultimate secret.

(7.15) Bindu is Buddha, Bindu is Śiva, Bindu is Viṣṇu, [Bindu is] Brāhma, Bindu is the god in all [beings], Bindu is the mirror of the three worlds (trailokyadarpaṇaḥ)[5]”

Après l’époque glorieuse de la prajñāpāramitā, la pensée (citta), c’est désormais autre chose. Elle n’est pas Buddha, Śiva, etc. C’est même elle qui produit l’Errance (saṃsāra). La philosophie arrivera peut-être à bout de la pensée, mais la philosophie fait chuter dans la vacuité (8.8)… <rires> Entendez-vous aussi ces yogis en shorts s’esclaffer ? Avec la perfection de la sapience, et la voie du milieu, le bouddhisme serait trop nihiliste (nāstika). Et les exercices mentaux comme se visualiser en corps mental, en une divinité ?

“(8.9) He who tries to control Mind by means of self-empowering yoga (svādhiṣṭhanena yogena) deludedly chews a rock and, thirsty, drinks the sky[6].

(8.10) He who has not attained the level of a Siddha, does not have the grace of a guru, does not have the innate capability of abiding by the Dharma agotraḥ) [and] is full of demerit will lead [his] Mind to emptiness [alone][7].” <rires>

Non plus, la pensée ne peut pas sauver la pensée (8.11). Exit le triple entraînement (triśikṣa) bouddhiste. Désormais la pensée est asservie au pneuma pour saisir les semences (bindu), et bloquer la lune et le soleil dans le ciel (microcosmiquement bien entendu). Sans cela, pas d’état de Bouddha, et même un Bouddha ne serait qu’un saṃsārika[8]. Il n’y a que le “yogi”, celui qui a réussi le “yoga” décrit dans l’Amṛtasiddhi de Virūpa, qui est capable de relever tous les défis mythologiques des purāṇa, décrits de façon intériorisée dans le chapitre 13 de l’AS. Le grand sceau (mahāmudrā) sapientiel (samatā-vipaśyanā-mahāmudrā) ou tantrique laisse place au grand sceau alchimique, façon Virūpa afin de traverser enfin le saṃsāra.

“(11.3) Carefully press the perineum with the left heel, extend the right foot and hold it firmly with the hands.
(11.4) Lift up the haunches onto a seat (āsane), put the chin on the chest, close the nine [bodily] openings and fill up the abdomen with air.
(11.5) Put the mind at the crossroads (catuḥpathe) and commence breath-control. Stop the movement of the Moon and Sun, and perform restraint of the breath (prāṇayantvaṇam).
(11.6) This is the assimilation (jāraṇā of impurity kṛṣṇa (kāṣayasya), the activation (cāraṇam) of Bindu and Nāda, the flushing of all the channels and the kindling of the fire.[9]”

Pas de traversée du saṃsāra sans ce lavement micro-macrocosmique ! Ensuite, il convient d’édifier le corps immortel, une création parfaite, de façon “pluridisciplinaire” yoguique/alchimique/astrologique/mythologique. Le yogi devient yoguiquement[10] et gestuellement le grand dieu (Śiva ?) et la déesse, pour accomplir la grande Percée (māhavedha), car :

“(13.1) Know the [hand-gesture] seal to be, like the Lock, of two kinds: the Yoni Seal (yonimudrā) for the goddesses and the Penis Seal (liṅgamudrā) for the [great] god.

(13.3) A woman of virtue and beauty is useless without a man; the Great Seal [mahāmudrā] and Great Lock [māhabandha] are useless without the [Great] Piercing [māhavedha][11].”

Tout comme une belle femme n’a aucune utilité sans un homme, le grand Sceau et la grande Ligature sont inutiles sans la grande Percée. Le yogi/couple primordial se met à la Percée (vedha) du bas jusqu’en haut de l’univers. Les dieux au milieu du Mont Meru tremblent. Brāhma et les autres vont mourir. Le noeud  (granthi, mdud) de Brāhma est percé et dénoué, ensuite le noeud de Viṣṇu, puis finalement celui de Rudra. La liane de l’ignorance (mohamayīṃ latām) est tranchée, et la porte du Brahmā (brahmadvāram) sur l'espace est ouverte. Le yoga a réussi (13.8-12). C’est la seule consécration (abhiṣeka) sur la voie des Siddhas, il n’y en a pas d’autre (13.15[12]). Tout est désormais connu grâce à la déesse du canal central (“Sophia”). Cela n’empêche pas la pratique régulière du haṭhayoga (14.4), qui passe par quatre phases progressives (19), et qui conduira à l’état de libéré vivant (jīvanmukti).

“(32.3) Even a Buddha is unperfected [and] considered a man in saṃsāra as long as the lord that is seed (bījendraḥ), which has the form of Brahmā, leaks from the body[13].”

Un Bouddha incontinent avec des fuites de bīja toujours perdu dans le saṃsāra ... Frank T.J. Mackie, sors de ce corps ! En revanche, le yogi qui a acquis un corps de gnose (jñānakāyaḥ) et de pure connaissance (viśuddhajñānadehaḥ) serait libre des qualités (guṇa) de proliférations cognitives (prapañcaguṇavarjitaḥ), omniscient, omniprésent, éternel, aurait une bonne fortune et la vérité comme objectif (35.2). Autrement dit le nirvāṇa, le seul et unique.

Une autre opinion de Virūpa dans la tradition tibétaine contre son propre système : Les 84 vers de Śrī Virūpa, [DG n° 2283]

***

[1] De la traduction anglaise de la première partie (AS). James Mallinson and Szántó Péter-Dániel. The Amṛtasiddhi and Amṛtasiddhimūla, The Earliest Texts of the Hathayoga Tradition (Institut français de Pondichéry, 2022)

[2] Car un Bouddha peut être un simple saṃsārika sans la méthode de Virūpa.

[3] “The Amṛtasiddhi contrasts its celibate yoga method with the sexual yoga of mainstream Vajrayāna, in which the male participant is usually said to experience orgasm and ejaculation. A minority of schools, the best known of which is the Kālacakra, teach sexual yoga in which semen is not released.” The Amṛtasiddhi and Amṛtasiddhimūla.

[4] Complète avec mahāmudrā (grand sceau), māhabandha (grande ligature), māhavedha (grande percée, jāraṇa (digérer), cāraṇa (activer) et māraṇa (tuer). La semence mâle-bīja ("mercure"), nectar de l’immortalité, et femelle-rajas ("souffre") peut être épaissie (mūrcchita), fixée (baddha), dissoute (līna), et éteinte (niścala). Il y a question de creusets (puṭa) et de double creusets (saṃpuṭa) liés et scellés. La lune se trouve en haut dans le ciel (canal central), le soleil en bas. Les quatre cercles le long du canal/ciel sont percés par le souffle expédié du nombril. Les quatre éléments sont détruits.

[5] Bindurbuddhaḥ śivo bindurbindurviṣṇuḥ prajāpatiḥ | binduḥ sarvagato devo bindustrailokyadarpaṇaḥ ||7.15|

Comme le tibétain de cette édition bilingue n’a pas été rendu public, sauf erreur, je ne peux pas faire de comparaison, à part les observations faites en commentaire dans la traduction anglaise de l'ASM. La version tibétaine sera-t-elle l’exacte traduction de la version newari de l'AS ?

[6] svādhiṣṭhānena yogena yastu cittaṃ prasādhyati | śilāṃ carvati mohena tṛṣitaḥ khaṃ pibatyapi || 8.9

[7] asiddhapadamārūḍho guruprasādavarjitaḥ | agotraḥ pāpasaṃpūrṇaścittaṃ śūnyaṃ pravartayet || 8.10

[8] “Même un bouddha, tant qu'il n'est pas perfectionné [par la pratique enseignée dans l'Amṛtasiddhi ], est considéré comme un homme du monde (sāṃsārika)" - 32.3ab tāvad buddho 'py asiddho 'sau narah. sām.sāriko matah. |

[9] yoniṃ saṃpīḍya vāmena pādamūlena yatnataḥ | savyaṃ prasāritaṃ pādaṃ karābhyāṃ dhārayeddṛḍham || 11.3
āsane kaṭimāropya cibukaṃ hṛdayopari | nava dvārāṇi saṃyamya kukṣimāpūrya vāyunā || 11.4 || 

cittaṃ catuḥpathe kṛtvā ārabhetprāṇayantraṇam | candrārkayorgatiṃ bhaṅghā kuryādvāyunivāraṇam || 11.5
jāraṇeyaṃ kaṣāyasya cāraṇaṃ bindunādayoḥ | cālanaṃ sarvanāḍīnāmanalasya ca dīpanam || 11.6

[10] “(13.1) Know the [hand-gesture] seal to be, like the Lock, of two kinds: the Yoni Seal (yonimudrā) for the goddesses and the Penis Seal (Liṅga-mudrā) for the [great] god.”

[11] guṇarūpavatī nārī niṣphalā puruṣaṃ vinā | mahāmudrāmahābandhau vinā vedhena niṣphalau || 13.3

[12] sarvābhiṣekasaṃsiktaḥ sarvādhikārasaṃbhṛtaḥ | siddhamārgeṇa saṃyukto naro bhavati nānyathā || 13.15||

[13] tāvadbuddho ’pyasiddho ’sau naraḥ sāṃsāriko mataḥ | yāvadravati bījendro dehato brahmarūpakaḥ ||32.3