Ajay Kumar at 05:32, 29 August 2023

2023-08-29T05:32:30Z

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{{redirect|Mahāmāyā|the mother of the Buddha|Maya (mother of the Buddha)}}
{{other uses|Mahamaya (disambiguation)}}
{{Vajrayana}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
{{Contains special characters|Tibetan}}

The '''Mahāmāyā Tantra''',<ref group=note>Toh 425, Degé Kangyur vol. 80 (rgyud ’bum, nga), folios 167a–171a</ref> ({{Lang-sa|श्रीमहामायातन्त्रराजनाम, {{IAST|Śrīmahāmāyātantrarājanāma}}}}) (Tibetan: ''sgyu 'phrul chen po'i rgyud'') is an important Buddhist [[Anuttarayoga Tantra|Anuttarayoga tantra]] or Yoganiruttaratantra particularly associated with the practice of [[Dream Yoga]].

The Mahāmāyā Tantra is a short text, having only three chapters and it deals with subjects such as Siddhis, the classification of Hetu, Phala and Upayatantras, and manifestations of the deity Mahāmāyā.<ref name=Sundeep />

This text should not be confused with the [[Mayajala-tantra]].

==History==

===Origins===
The Mahāmāyā Tantra probably first appeared within Buddhist tantric communities in the late ninth or early tenth centuries CE. Based on instances of intertextuality <ref group=note>Verses 3.12–14 of the Mahāmāyātantra contain a number of close correspondences with verses 12.52, 53, and 55 of the Guhyasamājatantra.</ref> it is considered to postdate the [[Guhyasamāja Tantra]]; and because it is less doctrinally and structurally developed than tantras such as the [[Hevajra|Hevajra Tantra]], its origins are likely to precede that text, and it is usually considered to be amongst the earliest of the Yoginī tantras.<ref name=GloriousMahamaya />

By the eleventh century CE the Mahāmāyā Tantra was circulating within monastic institutions as well as communities surrounding tantric adepts or [[mahāsiddha]]s.

===Lineage===
xx<ref name="BDRCW11577" />

===Translations===
The Mahāmāyā Tantra was originally translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan by the Indian paṇḍita Jinavara and the great Tibetan translator Gö Lhetsé ('''gos lhas-btsas'') (11th C CE).

Recently the Sanskrit text of this tantra has been reconstructed, with the help of the Tibetan text and the extant Sanskrit commentaries, by [[Lobsang Tenzin|Samdhong Rinpoche]] and published by the Central University of Tibetan Studies.<ref name=SamdongR>{{cite book |author=Samdhong Rinpoche |date=1992 |title=Mahamaya tantra, with Gunavati comm. by Ratnakarasanti, critically edited Sanskrit text with Tibetan version |publisher=Central University of Tibetan Studies |author-link=Lobsang Tenzin }}</ref> It has been translated into Hindi by Dr. [[Kashinath Nyaupane]]<ref name=Nyaupane /> and an English translation has been made by the [[Dharmachakra Translation Committee]], under the patronage and supervision of the 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha project.<ref name=GloriousMahamaya />

==Content==

Om Hrim Mahamaye Sarvashakti Hridayankari Devi Shri Parashakti Namostute

Translation: "Om, I bow to the great goddess Mahamaya, who is the source of all power and resides in the heart. I offer my respects to the supreme divine mother Parashakti."

{{Empty section|date=March 2018}}

==Deity==
Although Mahāmāyā is a feminine deity, in her mandala and sadhana or meditation practice, she takes the form of a male [[heruka]] deity embracing a consort.<ref name=GloriousMahamaya/>

The principal form of this meditational deity Mahāmāyā has a blue complexion and stands in dancing (ardhaprayanka) posture with his (proper) right leg extended and left leg bent up. The deity has four faces (c. blue, yellow, red and green) and four arms; the first pair of arms hold a skull cup and a khatvanga staff and embrace the consort Buddhadakini (''sangs rgyas mkha' 'gro ma'') who is also blue in color and has her right leg wrapped around him. His second pair of arms hold an arrow and a bow. He wears a shawl of human skin and the ornaments of a heruka.<ref name=BDRCT2GS1087 />

In the [[Shangpa Kagyu]] tradition of [[Tibetan Buddhism]] Mahāmāyā is one of the deities of the practice known as "The Deities of the Five Tantra Classes" (tib : ''rgyud sde lha lnga'') which is the main [[yidam]] practice of this school. This practice brings the deities of the [[Guhyasamāja Tantra|Guhyasamāja]], Mahamaya, [[Hevajra]], [[Cakrasaṃvara Tantra|Cakrasamvara]] and [[Yamantaka|Vajrabhairava]] tantras into a single mandala, imagined at different [[C̣akra|chakras]] within the body of Cakrasamvara.<ref name="ShangpaNet" /> In this practice Mahamaya is usually visualized in a two armed heruka form, standing in a dancing posture, dark blue in color, holding an arrow and bow, and embracing a red consort.<ref name=HimArt624 />

==Hindu Traditions==
{{expand section|date=December 2017}}
In [[Shaivism|Śaivism]] Mahāmāyā (महामाया) is the name of one of the twenty four goddesses of the Sūryamaṇḍala according to the [[Kubjika]]mata Tantra. She presides over the [[pitha]] of [[Ujjain]].<ref name=WisdomLib/>

In [[Shaktism|Śāktism]] Mahāmāya is one of the names of [[MahaShakti|Mahāsakti]] or one of the sixty-four [[Matrikas]] or [[Yogini]] to be worshiped during Āvaraṇapūjā.<ref name=WisdomLib/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=GloriousMahamaya>{{cite web|url=http://read.84000.co/translation/UT22084-080-009.html |title=The King of Tantras, the Glorious ‌Mahāmāyā |author=Dharmachakra Translation Committee |website=84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha |publisher=84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha |access-date=2017-12-25 }}</ref>
<ref name=Nyaupane>{{cite book |last=Nyaupane |first=Kashinath |title=Mahamaya Tantram (Sanskrit text with Hindi translation |date=2016 |location=Varanasi |publisher=Indica Books |isbn=978-8186117279 }}</ref>
<ref name=Sundeep>{{cite web|url=http://www.sundeepbooks.com/servlet/sugetbiblio?bno=004864|title= Mahamaya tantra|author= |website=Sundeep Books |access-date=2008-01-21 }}</ref>
<ref name=BDRCW11577>{{cite web |url=https://www.tbrc.org/#library_work_ViewByOutline-O01DG005d1e316%7CW11577 |title=ma hA mA yA'i bla brgyud gsol 'debs |author=kun dga' bzang po |language=bo |website=BDRC |publisher=sde dge par khang |access-date=2017-12-27}}</ref>
<ref name=ShangpaNet>{{cite web |url=http://www.resourcecenter.shangpa.net/en/the_five_tantra_classes_or_deities_of_the_five_tantra_classes |title=The "Five Tantra Classes" (tib : rgyud sde lnga) or "Deities of the Five Tantra Classes" (tib : rgyud sde lha lnga) |access-date=2017-12-25 }}</ref>
<ref name=BDRCT2GS1087>{{cite web|url=http://www.tbrc.org/#!rid=T2GS1087 |title=Mahāmāyā |website=BDRC |access-date=2017-12-27}}</ref>
<ref name=WisdomLib>{{cite web |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mahamaya |title=Mahamaya, aka: Mahāmāya, Mahāmāyā; 7 Definition(s) |author= |website=Wisdom Library |access-date=2017-12-26 }}</ref>
<ref name=HimArt624>{{cite web|url=http://www.himalayanart.org/items/624 |title=Chakrasamvara and the Five Deities Tantra|website=Himalayan Art Resources|access-date=2017-12-25}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
*[http://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=523&page=2 Buddhist Deity: Mahamaya Main Page] - at Himalayan Art Resources
*[http://www.yoniversum.nl/dakini/shangpa.html Shangpa (Kagyud)]

{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Vajrayana]]
[[Category:Buddhist tantras]]
[[Category:Tibetan Buddhist practices]]

Mahāmāyā Tantra - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 05:32, 29 August 2023