Author: Alex Wayman
R Tajima/
Translator(s): Alex Wayman / R Tajima
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass
Year: 1998
Language: English
Pages: 381
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8120806409
Description
The Enlightenment of Vairocana is a covering for two books that study a famous Buddhist scripture with given Sanskrit titles of Vairocanabhisambodhitantra or Mahavairocanasutra. The first book, by Alex Wayman, translates the second chapter, which contains the body mandala of Vairocana's Compassion, copiously using Buddhaguhya's commentary, study of some other chapters such as the final one on fire lineage, and includes much introductory material, stressing the Indo-Tibetan approach, on such topics as the Dharmadhatu and the deities of the second chapter. The second book, by Ryujun Tajima, translates the first chapter, with the scripture's theory of becoming a Buddha in one life, copiously using Subhakarasimha's commentary, summary of the remaining chapters, and includes introductory material stressing the Sino-Japanese approach, especially introducing the reader to the positions of the Shingon sect. The two books complement each other, and provide the interested reader with a veritable feast of information. Hopefully the reader will appreciate the beauty of religious message, and the efforts of the two authors to render the words of the scripture sensitively and carefully. It should be admitted that this is a profound Buddhist scripture with numerous well-crafted verses, and that it is resistent to the understanding, requiring lengthy attention for its penetration. AUTHORS ALEX WAYMAN is well known for his previous works on Tantra. RYUJAN TAJIMA was long involved with this scripture, called Dainichikyo in Japanese.
Contents
BOOK I STUDY OF THE VAIROCANABHISAMBODHI TANTRA Foreword by Series Editor Introduction PART I Textual Studies PART II Doctrinal Positions of the Scripture PART III Introduction to and Translation of Chapter Two V-A-T PART IV Meditation and Ritual PART V Home BOOK TWO STUDY OF THE MAHAVAIROCANA-SUTRA (DAINICHIKYO) Editor’s Preface Tajima’s Foreword PART I Introduction PART II General Study of the Dainichikyo PART III Annotated Translation f the First chapter of the Dainichikyo PART IV Doctrinal Analysis of the First Chapter PART V Summary of Chapter II and following PART VI Bibliography Editor’s clarification PART VII Appendix Essay by the Editor A Final Note Indexes Introduction to two indexes Subject Index Sino-Japanese Indexes