![]() ![]() 4 This accords with Gregory Schopen’s general observation, based on inscriptional evidence, that “dhāraṇī texts were publically known much earlier and more widely than texts we think of as ‘classically’ Mahāyāna”. 3 The Mahāmāyūrī also appears as a remedy for snakebites in the earlier Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinayavastu. To complicate things further, the core of the Mahāmāyūrī, for one, is rooted in Indian Buddhist traditions that predate even the rise of Mahāyāna. A close perusal of these five texts might then lead the reader to construe them as standard Mahāyāna texts with a preponderance of elements-magical mantra formulas, ritual prescriptions, pragmatic aims, and so forth-that only later coalesced and developed into a typically tantric practice tradition with its own unique set of view, meditation, and conduct. Yet missing from nearly all these texts is any extensive mention of the contemplative visualization exercises, specialized ritual gestures ( mudrā), elaborate maṇḍala diagrams, and initiation ceremonies so typical of full-blown Buddhist tantra. Indeed, these scriptures do contain elements- powerful incantations, an emphasis on external ritual hygiene and other material details such as auspicious dates, and so forth-that resonate with standard Kriyāyoga practice as understood in Tibet. Tibetan redactors of Kangyur collections have catalogued this set of five texts together within the final Action ( kriyā) tantras section of the “tantra collection” ( rgyud ’bum) division. ![]()
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