SESSION 4 - Mahāvairocana / The Great Illuminator

DESCRIPTION

This session is focused on the central figure of Vajrayana Buddhism, Vairocana Buddha - the “Great Illuminator.’ As Buddhism developed outside of India, the historical and even legendary figure of Śākyamuni Buddha becomes eclipsed by a more grand sense of ‘Buddha” as Enlightenment itself. This ‘Enlightenment itself’ then becomes personified as the central figure of a cosmic maṇḍala of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

PART ONE: The Avataṃsaka Sūtra

“This Flower Treasury Adornment ocean of worlds was adorned and purified by Vairocana Tathagata in the remote past by cultivating enlightening practices for as many kalpas as dust particles in an ocean of worlds, in each kalpa associating with as many buddhas as there are particles of dust in an ocean of worlds, in the presence of each buddha purely practicing great vows as numerous as dust particles in an ocean of worlds.”
The conclusion of the first assembly, Chapter Six, is called ‘Vairocana’
The primary bodhisattva throughout the sutra is Samantabhadra, an equally transcendent counterpart to Vairocana.
The Ten Stages of the Bodhisattva, Chapter 26, is given by Vajragarbha Bodhisattva - a process that culminates in the ‘Coronation’ (abhiṣeka).
The sutra also contains many references to ‘Traceless’ Vajra Protecting Spirits.

PART TWO: The Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra

The sutra on ‘The Enlightenment of Vairocana,’ also called the Mahāvairocana Sūtra - a sutra/tantra.
A discourse between Mahavairocana Buddha and his disciple Vajrasattva, considered an esoteric form of Samantabhadra. The term Vajrasattva is also applied to all vajra-beings, or vajra-bodhisattvas; especially those in the moon-circle in the east of the Vajradhatu maṇḍala.
Taught in conjunction with the Vajraśekhara Sūtra (’Vajra Crown’) in Japanese Shingon
These are the teachings and rites received by Nagarjuna by Vajrasattva in the Iron Stupa.
Three chapters are on the mandala of the Body Mystery with instruction on the laying out of the mandala and abhiṣekha ritual. This mandala is also known as the Mandala of the Womb Realm (Sanskrit: Garbhakosha or Garbhadhatu).
Three chapters on the mandala of the Speech Mystery. Instruction in mantras using the letters of the alphabet in various combinations.
Five chapters on the mandala of the Mind Mystery with further chapters regarding meditating on the letters of the alphabet which involves placing them around the body while visualizing oneself as the Buddha and four chapters on the 100 syllable meditation.
Miscellaneous chapters including the six Homa fire rituals

PART THREE: The Evolution of Vajrapāni

In the Pali Canon, ‘Vajirapāṇi’ appears in the Ambaṭṭha Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya #3) as a thunderbolt-wielding yakṣa (’nature spirit’)- identified as Śakra-devānām Indra - who vows to split someone’s head into seven pieces with their club.

As Buddhism expands into Central Asia and fuses with Hellenistic influences into Greco-Buddhism, the Greek hero Heracles was adopted to represent Vajrapāni. In that era, he was typically depicted as a hairy, muscular athlete, wielding a short "vajra" club

From the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Part 8, section 4: At that time, the Bodhisattvas in the lineage of the Bodhisattva-King Vajra Treasury, numbering eight-four thousand million billion times the number of sand-grains in the River Ganges, stood up in the midst of the great assembly, bowed before the Buddha, and then addressed the Buddha saying, “…World-Honored One! These beings who cultivate their minds by correctly practicing this samādhi may be seated in their Site of Awakening (bodhimaṇḍala), or they may be walking upon the roads, or their minds may not be focused while they are relaxing in their villages, but in any case we and our followers will constantly attend upon them and stand guard over them. Even if the Mara King who presides over the Parinirmita-vaśavartin Heaven should seek to have his way with these beings, he will be utterly unable to do so. Lesser ghosts and spirits will be able to approach no closer than seventy miles from these good people — unless these ghosts and spirits are also resolved to become enlightened and are joyfully practicing meditation in stillness. World-Honored One! With our bejeweled vajra clubs we will smash to bits the skulls of evil demons if ever they or members of their retinues should seek to intrude upon these good people in order to disrupt their practice. We will always help these good people fulfill their wishes.”
In the Vajrayana, Vajrapāni is ‘the best of those subduing the difficult to tame’ - demonstrating this through a legendary Subjugation of Maheśvara (i.e. Śiva)

PART FOUR: The Evolution of the ‘Primordial Buddha’

Vajrapani should not be confused with Vajradhara (’Vajra Wielder’ above) - the ultimate primordial Buddha or Adhi-Buddha. The 'state of Vajradhara' is synonymous with complete realization and the Dharmakāya, as is Vairocana. A key signifier of Vajradhara are the two vajras crossed at the chest.

Likewise, Vajradhara should not be confused with Akṣobhya Buddha (above), who holds a single vajra in the lap and performs the bhūmisparśa (’Earth Touching’) mudra with the right hand. Akṣobhya is considered the chief of the ‘Vajra Family’ in the cosmic mandala of the Primordial Buddha.