Goble, Geoffrey. “Chinese Esoteric Buddhism: Amoghavajra and the Ruling Elite.” PhD dissertation, Indiana University, 2012.
| Assertion | Argument | Place in source |
|---|---|---|
|
Goble cites Orzech, who has suggested that Doubu tuolouni mu 都部陀羅尼目 T903 was the work of Amoghavajra’s disciple rather than Amoghavajra himself. However, Goble disagrees with Orzech and states that if the text was not by Amoghavajra’s own hand, than “it at least had his imprimatur.” Orzech (1998): 151 n. 50. |
83 n. 117 |
Goble notes that while many extant texts are attributed to Śubhākarasiṃha, “only four are mentioned in the Kaiyuan catalogue”: 大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 T848, 蘇悉地羯囉經 T893, 蘇婆呼童子請問經 T895, 虛空藏菩薩能滿諸願最勝心陀羅尼求聞持法 T1145. |
61 |
|
|
Goble argues that the Zongshi tuoluoni yizan 總釋陀羅尼義讚 T902 was “probably not produced by Amoghavajra at all” but is “almost certainly” the work of a Japanese author. He writes that no text of this title (or anything similar) appears in the Korean canon, in any Chinese bibliography, or in Amoghavajra’s list of titles from 771. Goble claims that the version contained in the Taishō is “based on two texts held by Japanese Buddhist institutions (at Buzan 豐山 and Kōzanji 高山寺).” |
30 |
|
Goble notes that the Suji liyan moxishuolou aweishe fa 速疾立驗魔醯首羅阿尾奢法 T1277 is the only “clear example” which Strickmann gives of a text which was authored or reworked by Amoghavajra. He adds that the reason for Strickmann’s attribution is unclear, but suggests it is based on the absence of any Sanskrit or Tibetan version. Strickmann (2002): 229; Strickmann (1996): 80-81. |
20-21 |
|
Goble briefly refers to 金剛峰樓閣一切瑜伽瑜祇經 T867 as an “apocryphon” falsely attributed to Vajrabodhi. He cites Misaki, Ryōshū 三崎良周. Mikkyo to jingishiso 密教と神祗思想 (Thoughts on Esotericism and Deity Worship). Tokyo: Sōbunsha, 1992. pp 137-141. |
91 n. 3 |
Goble argues that the tradition of associating Amoghavajra with the "Diamond Pinnacle" 金剛頂一切如來真實攝大乘現證大教王經 T865 and the "Great Vairocana" Sutras 大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經略示七支念誦隨行法 T856 (and more generally all texts produced by Śubhākarasiṃha) is based more on “historical fact rather than pious fictions.” He adds that there are explicit references to texts translated by Śubhākarasiṃha in those of Amoghavajra. |
82 |
|
|
Goble cites Osabe who argued that Amoghavajra’s Ba baoguang bolouge shanzhu mimi tuoluoni jing 大寶廣博樓閣善住祕密陀羅尼經 T1005A contains traces of “Confucian ethics.” Among the elements which Osabe identified as "Confucian ethical principles" were (among a list of bad behaviour): not respecting one’s parents or the honoured ones, slandering or harming sages, being unfilial to one’s parents, and disrespecting one’s elders. However, Goble is critical of Osabe’s interpretation of these elements as Confucian because Osabe appears to assume that filial piety is the exclusive domain of Chinese society and Confucian tradition.” Osabe (1990 = 1971): 89-105. |
11-12 |
Goble notes four texts which were attributed to Vajrabodhi in the Kaiyuan Catalogue T 2157. These four texts were: 金剛頂經瑜伽修習毘盧遮那三摩地法 T876, 千手千眼觀世音菩薩大身咒本 T1062A, 千手千眼觀自在菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼呪本 T1061 and 不動使者陀羅尼祕密法 T1202. |
58 |
|
|
In his Jin’gangding jing yujie shibahui zhigui 金剛頂經瑜伽十八會指歸 T869 Amoghavajra claimed that the Diamond Pinnacle Sūtra was composed of eighteen component texts, referred to as “assemblies” (hui 會). Goble cites Giebel who has identified several extant texts related to the assemblies mentioned by Amoghavajra. These include Yiqie rulai jin’gang sanye zuishang mimi dajiaowang jing 一切如來金剛三業最上祕密大教王經 T885 and Foshuo zuishang genben dalejin’gang bukong sanmei dajiaowang jing 佛說最上根本大樂金剛不空三昧大教王經 T244. Goble stresses that these texts do not correspond to the assemblies discussed by Amoghavajra but “seem only to be related to those assemblies.” Giebel, Rolf W. "The Chin-Kang-Ting Ching Yu-Ch'ieh Shih-Pa-Hui Chih-Kuei: An Annoted Translation." Naritasan Bukkyo Kenkyujo Kiyo (Journal of Naritasan Institute for Buddhist Studies) 18 (1995). Giebel’s analyses are informed by Tanaka Kimiaki’s 田中公明 Mandara Ikonorojī イコノロジー (Maṇḍala Iconology). Tokyo: Heikō Shuppansha 平河出版社, 1987. |
74 n. 87 |
|
Goble cites Orzech who argued that Yuanzhou’s 大唐貞元續開元釋教錄 T2156 "Supplement" is not a comprehensive catalogue, but “propaganda for the esoteric school and preeminently for the Scripture for Humane Kings.” Orzech 1998: 203-4. |
27 n. 62 |
|
Goble notes that 玄宗朝翻經三藏善無畏贈鴻臚卿行狀 T2055 was composed in 735 by Li Hua 李華, “a litterateur and relatively low-ranking member of the Imperial Bureaucracy during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.” |
52 |
Goble writes that out of the three extant Acala texts attributed to Amoghavajra, 底哩三昧耶不動尊聖者念誦祕密法 T1201 and 底哩三昧耶不動尊威怒王使者念誦法 T1200 “are more certainly his.” |
155-156 |
|
|
Goble suggests the possibility that the attribution of Jin’gangding yiqie rulai zhenshishe dasheng xianzheng dajiaowang jing 金剛頂一切如來真實攝大乘現證大教王經 T874 to Amoghavajra is “apocryphal.” He claims that Amoghavajra’s "scriptural submissions and the relevant catalogues" cannot verify this attribution because T874 “bears the same title of the more widely regarded text” T865. Thus the attribution is of “uncertain provenance.” However, he adds that T874 is “certainly” based on Amoghavajra’s T865. |
121 n. 104 |
Goble notes that the six extant versions of the Azi wu lun 阿字五輪 are all “apocryphally attributed”: 大毘盧遮那經廣大儀軌 T851, 三種悉地破地獄轉業障出三界祕密陀羅尼法 T905, 佛頂尊勝心破地獄轉業障出三界祕密三身佛果三種悉地真言儀軌 T906, 佛頂尊勝心破地獄轉業障出三界祕密陀羅尼 T907 and 尊勝佛頂脩瑜伽法儀軌 T973 are falsely attributed to Śubhākarasiṃha, and 金剛頂經瑜伽文殊師利菩薩法 T1171 to Amoghavajra. |
91 n. 3 |
|
|
Goble notes in passing that the Wenshushili pusa ji zhuxian suoshuo jixiong shiri shan’e suyao jing 文殊師利菩薩及諸仙所說吉凶時日善惡宿曜經 T1299 is “almost certainly not a product of Amoghavajra’s translation project.” He does not elaborate on the reasons for making this claim. |
87-88 n. 1 |
|
Goble notes that Amoghavajra’s 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼念誦儀軌法 T972 “explicitly refers to the procedures of” 蘇悉地羯囉經 T893: 然後於壇前安卑脚床子。去地半寸。或茅草薦或藉以淨物。念誦者坐之。念誦人應淨澡浴。澡浴法如蘇悉地中說 (T972:19.364c18-21). |
82-83 |