Not long after Buddha passed away, the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, the principal Mahayana teachings, disappeared from this world. It is said this is because some nagas who had received this teaching from Buddha had taken the extensive Perfection of Wisdom scriptures to their own world for safekeeping. There remained only a few practitioners who could understand these teachings, and most of them kept their practice secret. The only teachings of Buddha to remain widespread were the Hinayana teachings, and as a result many people assumed that these were the only teachings Buddha had given. Some time later the nagas invited Nagarjuna to visit them and returned the Perfection of Wisdom scriptures to him. Nagarjuna brought the scriptures to the human world and propagated them widely. Because of his special relationship with the nagas, and because he cured many nagas of sickness by means of special ritual prayers, Nagarjuna was given the name ‘Protector of the nagas’. ‘Arjuna’ was added to his name because he spread the Mahayana teachings with great speed and accuracy, just as the legendary archer Arjuna had delivered arrows from his bow. Hence he finally became known as ‘Protector Nagarjuna’.
Because he had a very lucid mind and great wisdom Nagarjuna was able perfectly to understand the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras and explain them to others. He spread these teachings widely, thus instigating a great revival of the Mahayana doctrine in this world. He presented a system of reasoning which, because it steers a flawless course between the two extremes of existence and non-existence, became known as the ‘Philosophy of the Middle Way’, or ‘Madhyamaka’. Nagarjuna composed many commentaries to the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras that elucidate the Madhyamaka view. These treatises, known as the Collection of Reasonings, include the famous Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, and its four limbs: Sixty Reasonings, Seventy Emptinesses, Finely Woven and Refutation of Objections. He also wrote Compendium of Sutras, Five Stages of the Completion Stage of Guhyasamaja and many other commentaries to the Sutras and Tantras. These activities are likened to Buddha’s second turning of the Wheel of Dharma.
Nagarjuna’s third period of auspicious deeds took place towards the end of his life. Acting on advice from Tara, he returned to Southern India and dwelt at a place called Mount Splendour, where he gave further extensive teachings on both the Sutras and Tantras and composed many more texts. These writings, known as the Collection of Praises, include such works as Praise of the Dharmadhatu, Praise of the Supramundane, Praise of the Inconceivable and Praise of the Ultimate. These activities are likened to Buddha’s third turning of the Wheel of Dharma.
It is not possible in such a brief account even to begin to do justice to Nagarjuna’s life and works. Throughout his life he devoted himself entirely to reviving the Mahayana Dharma and sustaining the Mahayana Sangha. To this end he gave prolific teachings, composed many books on Sutra and Tantra, and performed countless other excellent deeds. As mentioned in Gone to Lanka Sutra, Nagarjuna had accomplished the realization of the Bodhisattva’s first ground, called ‘Very Joyful’. He then advanced further and finally reached the land of the supreme bliss of enlightenment.
SHAWARI
Shawari was a disciple of Nagarjuna. From the point of view of common appearance he was a hunter, but he received empowerment and teachings on Heruka from Nagarjuna and practised them sincerely at Mount Splendour, where he attained enlightenment. It is said that even to this day those with pure karma can see Shawari there.
LUYIPA
Prince Luyipa was Shawari’s main disciple. On the tenth day of every month he used to go to a charnel ground to meditate. One day when he arrived there, he saw a group of men and women having a picnic. One of the women gave him a piece of meat and, when he ate it, his mind was blessed and instantly purified of ordinary appearance. He received a vision of Heruka and Vajrayogini and realized that the men and women were in reality Heroes and Heroines. While in the charnel ground, he received teachings directly from Heruka. Because Luyipa was a Heruka practitioner he came under the care of the Heroes and Heroines, and accomplished great results simply from tasting the piece of meat given to him by an emanation of Vajrayogini.
DARIKAPA
King Darikapa received empowerment and teachings on Heruka from Luyipa, who predicted that if Darikapa were to abandon his kingdom and apply great effort in the practice of Heruka and Vajrayogini he would swiftly attain enlightenment. Darikapa immediately left his palace and wandered from place to place as a beggar, practising meditation at every opportunity. In a city in South India he met a wealthy courtesan who was an emanation of Vajrayogini. This woman owned a large mansion in which he worked as her servant for twelve years. During the day he performed menial tasks in and around the house, and at night he practised Luyipa’s instructions. After twelve years he attained the fifth stage of completion stage, the union that needs learning. It is said that Darikapa and the courtesan’s entire entourage of fourteen thousand all attained the Pure Land of Keajra. This is because Darikapa was a pure Heruka practitioner and so everyone who saw or touched him created the cause to be reborn in Heruka’s Pure Land.
DINGKIWA
One of King Darikapa’s ministers, Dingkiwa, also received empowerment and teachings on Heruka from Luyipa, who predicted that he would meet a woman wine-seller who was an emanation of Vajrayogini. When he met her, Dingkiwa lived with her and served her for ten years, and as a result of her blessings attained enlightenment in that life. It is said that even the insects living in the place where he attained enlightenment were reborn in Heruka’s Pure Land.
GHANTAPA
The first lineage holder of these instructions on Heruka body mandala is the great Yogi Ghantapa. He received the empowerments and instructions of Heruka body mandala direct from Heruka. Ghantapa lived deep in a forest in Odivisha (present-day Orissa), in India, where he engaged in intensive meditation on Heruka and Vajrayogini.
Since he was living in such an isolated place his diet was poor and his body became emaciated. One day the king of Odivisha was out hunting in the forest when he came across Ghantapa. Seeing how thin and weak he was, the king asked Ghantapa why he lived in the forest on such a poor diet, and encouraged him to return with him to the city where he would give him food and shelter. Ghantapa replied that just as a great elephant could not be led from the forest by a fine thread, so he could not be tempted to leave the forest by the riches of a king. Angered by Ghantapa’s refusal, the king returned to his palace threatening revenge.
Such was the king’s anger that he summoned a number of women from the city and told them about the arrogant monk in the forest. He offered great wealth to any one of them who could seduce him and force him to break his vows of celibacy. One woman, a wine-seller, boasted that she could do this and she set out for the forest to look for Ghantapa. When eventually she found him she asked if she could become his servant. Ghantapa had no need of a servant, but he realized that they had a strong relationship from previous lives and so he allowed her to stay. Ghantapa gave her spiritual instructions and empowerments, and they engaged sincerely in meditation. After twelve years they both attained the Union of No More Learning, full enlightenment.
One day Ghantapa and the former wine-seller decided to encourage the people of the city to develop a greater interest in Dharma. Accordingly, the woman returned to the king and reported that she had seduced the monk. At first the king doubted the truth of her story, but when she explained that she and Ghantapa now had two children, a son and a daughter, the king was delighted with this news and told her to bring Ghantapa to the city on a particular day. He then issued a proclamation disparaging Ghantapa, and ordered his subjects to assemble on the appointed day to insult and humiliate the monk.
When the day came, Ghantapa and the woman left the forest with their children, the son on Ghantapa’s right and the daughter on his left. As they entered the city Ghantapa was walking as if he were drunk, holding a bowl into which the woman was pouring wine. All the people who had gathered laughed and jeered, hurling abuse and insults at him. ‘Long ago’, they taunted him, ‘our king invited you to the city but you arrogantly refused
