『금강의 화환』(Vajrāvalī)에서 관정(灌頂)에 대한 아바야카라굽타의 해석

Abstract

This study briefly explores the consecration ceremony prescribed in Abhayākaragupta's Vajrāvalī (VA), his magnum opus. In order to synthesize various consecration rituals that were highly developed particularly in late Indian Tantric Buddhism, Abhayākaragupta first elaborately chose maṇḍalas and elaborately arranged consecration rituals. Also, Vajradhara (or Vajrasattva) underlies the VA and activates all of its rituals. In the VA, These three factors are responsible for synthesizing maṇḍalas and their maṇḍala rituals belonging to yogatantras and yoginītantras. The Vajrāvalī system was very influential even until the end of Indian Buddhism. One of the principal reasons for this was its practicability which could be applied to all Buddhist maṇḍalas and their maṇḍala rituals. Abhayākaragupta innovated a 'sequence of rituals' (prakriyā) for achieving such a great synthesis. Abhayākaragupta's original interpretations can be clearly seen in the consecration ceremony, particularly in the 'master consecration' and the post-initiatory rituals. This study first examines the meaning of the consecration ceremony in the entire range of Tantric Buddhism. Then, the 'master consecration,' the three higher consecration rituals, and the post-initiatory rituals are briefly explored according to their sequence in the VA. Finally, this study examines the centrality of Vajradhara that activates all consecration rituals as the underlying principle of the VA. Also, this underlying principle seems to reduce the importance of sexual rituals such as the 'secret consecration' and the 'consecration of the knowledge of the insight' that may provoke a great controversy.