The Vajrabhairava Tantras: Tibetan and Mongolian Versions, English Translation and Annotations.

• Author: Rocher, Ludo
• Position: Book Review

By BULCSU SIKLOS. Buddhica Britannica, Series continua, vol. 7. Tring, U.K.: THE INSTITUTE OF BUDDHIST STUDIES, 1996. Pp. xv + 279.

The tantras of Vajrabhairava, one of the Buddhist tantric Yamantaka deities, belong to the "father" (pitr) type of the anuttarayogatantra (rnal 'byor bla med rgyud) which, together with the kriyatantra, the caryatantra, and the yogatantra, constitute the four categories of "Esoteric Buddhism."

The volume contains five brief texts, in English, Tibetan, and Mongolian translations: (1) The Vajramahabhairava Tantra, "translated by the Tibetan translator and monk Rdo rje grangs in the presence of the Indian pandita Bha ro phyag"--i.e., Mahakaruna (pp. 10, 11)--"rdum who is possessed of the highest attainments," and "translated into Mongolian by Toin corji" (colophon, p. 49); (2) The Ritual Procedure Tantra of Vajrabhairava, "translated by the capable great pandita Amoghapada and the Tibetan translator and monk Mar pa renowned as the Master of Dharma," and "translated into Mongolian by Toin corji" (p. 61); (3) The Myth (without colophon) (p. 65); (4) The Three Chapter Tantra of Vajrabhairava, "translated and edited by the Indian teacher Uyamadra and the Tibetan translator Rong zom chos kyi dbang po" (p. 74); (5) The Musk Shrew Rites, "translated by the Tibetan translator Rwa rdo rje grags from...