TILOP PROJECT 2 *Tilatailavajragīti FABRIZIO TORRICELLI 2018 THE TILOP PROJECT Omnia sunt communia (Thomas Müntzer) Seventeen titles extant in Indic and Tibetan sources can be ascribed to the tenth-century Bengali yogin Tilop ― 1. Tillopādasya Dohāko a, 2. *Tilatailavajragīti, 3. rī-sahaja a varasvādhi ṭhāna, 4. Vajraḍākinīni kāyadharma, 5. *Vajraḍākinībhāvanādṛ ṭicaryātrayasa ketanirde a, 6. Sa varopade amukhakarṇaparamparācintāmaṇi, 7. Tattvacaturupade aprasannadīpa, 8. Mahāmudropade a, 9. Karuṇābhāvanādhi ṭāna, 10. Vi āntarabāhyanivṛttibhāvanākrama, 11. *Nimittasūcanāvyākaraṇa, 12. aḍdharmopade a, 13. Acintyamahāmudrā, 14. *A ṭaguhyārthāvavāda, 15. *Sekagranthamocanāvavāda, 16. *Nijadharmatāgīti, 17. Gurusādhana. Their Tibetan translations can be found in the bsTan ’gyur, the bDe mchog snyan brgyud plus related hagiographic material, and in the gDams ngag mdzod. Since the arrangement of the above texts differs in the three collections, they have an arbitrary order also here. The virtual papers I want to share are parts of an ongoing project. Each issue consists of the edition of a Tilopan text with parallel English translation, critical notes, and glosses. Although imperfect, I wish the semifinished material of this construction site could be of some use to the student. Fabrizio Torricelli *Tilatailavajragīti *Til mar gyi rdo rje’i mgur Adamantine Song of Sesame Oil The Tibetan text of this adamantine song (rdo rje’i mgur : vajragīti) by Tilop is preserved in the hagiographic literature of the bKa’ brgyud tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It can be found in the eleventh-century account (lo rgyus) of Tilop ’s life by Mar pa Chos kyi blo gros, the rNal ’byor gyi dbang phyug ti lo pa’i lo rgyus (β 15.1–4), in the thirteenthcentury hagiography (rnam thar) by rDo rje mdzes ’od included in his bKa’ brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo rin po che’i gter mdzod dgos ’dod ’byung gnas (θ 69.6–70.5), and in the sixteenth-century one by dBang phyug rgyal mtshan, the rJe btsun chen po ti lo’i rnam par thar pa (νA 63.3–64.2, νB 48.1–4).1 This song represents an uncommon case among the Tilopan texts because we can locate with a reasonable degree of certainty where it was conceived and sung. Mar pa, the author of the siddha’s earliest hagiography, reports that Tilop at a certain point of his life would have taken up residence in Paṇtsapana/Paṇtshapana, ‘a trade centre in eastern Bengal’ (β 14.3: shar phyogs Bha ga la’i brgyud Paṇ tsha pa na’i tshong ’dus; Torricelli and Naga 1995: 6, 32–34). The toponym is elucidated by rDo rje mdzes ’od as ‘the market of the group of five captains’ (θ 70.5: Pan tsa pa na ded dpon lnga tshogs pa’i tshong dus), that is to say ‘The Five’s Market’ or *Pañc paṇa (pañca-āpaṇa), seemingly hinting at the administrative system in use at that time. The sigla of the relevant hagiographic material (β, θ, ν) correspond to those described, discussed and used in Torricelli 2018. Western readers can find two alternative versions of the song in Gyaltsen and Rogers (1986: 58) and Gyaltsen and Huckenpahler (1990: 45). 1 1 Ancient Bengal, ever since its partial incorporation in the Gupta Empire in the fourth century CE, was organised according to a system of territorial divisions (bhukti) controlled by governors (uparika, uparikamahārāja), as we can infer from the Gupta inscriptions found at Baigram (Basak 1931– 32), Damodarpur (Basak 1919–20), and Paharpur (Dikshit 1929–30). That administrative structure was substantially maintained by the P la and Candra Buddhist dynasties, namely until the time of Tilop (Majumdar 1971: 286 ff.). Every district (vi aya) of a territorial division was managed by five people, viz. (1) a district magistrate (āyuktaka, or vi ayapati, or else kumārāmātya), who had his centre in the main town of the district (vi ayādhikaraṇa) and was assisted by a board of four local notables (adhi ṭhānādhikaraṇa), (2) the chairman of the merchant guild in the town (nagara re ṭhin), (3) a representative of the mercantile class (prathamasārthavāha), (4) a representative of the artisan class (prathamakulika), and (5) a representative of the scribal class (prathamakāyastha). Back to Mar pa’s location of *Pañc paṇa ‘in eastern Bengal’, the main marketplace of northeastern Bengal at Tilop ’s time would have been rīhaṭṭa, for Skt haṭṭa ‘market’ consistent with Tib. tshong ’dus (MVy 5532). If this is the case, it stands to reason that *Pañc paṇa might be identified with rīhaṭṭa, i.e. current Sylhet (Jalalabad) in Bangladesh. Most probably the city was already the district market of the northern region of the ninth-century kingdom of Harikela (Majumdar 1942). Nonetheless, in view of the fact that a copperplate inscription issued in the fifth regnal year of the Candra ruler rīcandra (r. c. 925–c. 975) was discovered in the village of Paschimbhag (Pa cimbh g), in the present-day Moulvibazar District of the Sylhet Division, we can assume that the area was under the Candra sway since about 930 (Chaudhury 1966; Sircar 1967–68). Thus, we can have a picture of the political map of the Candras’ Bengal at Tilop ’s time: Vaṅga with Vikramapura as central seat of authority, Samataṭa with Devaparvata, and Harikela with the port town of Caṭig õ (Chittagong) and rīhaṭṭa. It must be said that the name Paṇ tsa pa na, Paṇ tsha pa na, Pan tsa ka, Pan tsa pa na, Panytsa pa na occurring in the Tibetan hagiographies of Tilop is not always a toponym: it can be a demonym as well. So is Tilop addressed in the first prediction (lung bstan : vyākaraṇa) made to him, ‘You are the One from *Pañc paṇa’, that is to say ‘You are *P ñc paṇa’ (khyod rang Pan tsa pa na yin). So does Tilop introducing himself at the presence of the ḍ kinīs in Uḍḍiy na, ‘I am the One from...’ (bdag ni Pan tsa pa na yin). The same nickname (Panytsa pa na) is confirmed by Tilop 2 himself in his celebrated ‘Small Text’ (gzhung chung), the rīSa varopade amukhakarṇaparamparācintāmaṇi (dPal sDom pa’i man ngag zhal nas snyan du brgyud pa yid bzhin nor bu; . 2238, T . 1529; bD 1b2–16b2, vol. 1, pp. 106–35; gD NGA gZhung chung 1b1–5a3, vol. 5, pp. 252–59): NGA bde gshegs thugs la snang ba dri med *P ñc paṇa, realizing that appearances panytsa pa nas rtogs pas ki ri li ru gsang are undefiled in the Sugatas’ hearts, bdag mnyes (v. 3) served the Lord of Secrets at Kirili. While in *Pañc paṇa/ rīhaṭṭa, Tilop should have been rather young for the reason that Mar pa styles him a brahmin student (bram ze’i khye’u : māṇavaka; MVy 3846). He would have had two jobs there, as a servant of the courtesan (smad ’tshong ma) Bharima and a sesame miller (β 14.4–7): mtshan bzhin skyes pa ’gugs pa dang skyel ba’i las byas | nyin bzhin til ’bru ba’i las byas pas rgya gar skad du ti lo pa | bod skad du | til bsrungs zhabs shes grags so || In the night-time he would do the work of inviting and accompanying men into Bharima’s. During the day, he worked as sesame miller, and that is why he is known as Tilop in the language of India, and as the Sesame Keeper in Tibetan. de nas dur khrod ke re li zhes bya bar phyin nas bha ri ma gnyis gsang ba sngags kyi spyod pas mnyes te | mthar phyin par mdzad do || After that, he and Bharima went to the charnel ground called Kereli. There they took delight in the practice of the secret mantras and performed it to its completion. de nas yang tshong ’dus der til ’bru After that, while scattering sesame ’phro la phyag rgya chen po mchog la seeds in the above-mentioned market nye ba’i dngos grub thob par gyur to || place, he attained the perfection close to the sublime mahāmudrā. der grong khyer gyi mi rnams mthong tshul tha dad de ’ga’ zhig gis ni me dpung ’bar bar mthong | ’ga’ zhig gis rus rgyan la me ’bar bar mthong ste | mi rnams kyis gdams pa zhus pas | nga’i yid la skyes pa’i gnyug ma des rjes ’jug khyed kyi snying la zhugs par byos shig At that moment, the people of the town had different visions of him: some saw flames blazing from him, while others saw his bone ornaments blazing. The people asked for instruction. At this, ‘O followers, may the innate reality that arose in my intellect enter your hearts!’ 3 | ces brjod pa dang | de ma thag tu grol so he uttered, and bar gyur to || immediately liberated. de nas yul de’i rgyal po ’khor bcas glang po che la bzhon nas bsnyen bkur la yongs pas | bram ze’i khye’u dang | bha ri ma gnyis kyis tshangs pa’i sgra chen pos rdo rje’i mgur bzhes pa... they were After that, as the king of that country surrounded by his retinue came riding an elephant to pay his respect, both the brahmin student and Bharima raised an adamantine song with a loud Brahm voice... Mar pa Chos kyi blo gros, rNal ’byor gyi dbang phyug ti lo pa’i lo rgyus, fols 4b–5a (pp. 14–15) TBRC W24891 4 Tibetan Manuscript Image of the Siddha Tilop rDo rje mdzes ’od, bKa’ brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo rin po che’i gter mdzod dgos ’dod ’byung gnas, fol. 17b (p. 33) TBRC W1KG10187 5 *Til mar gyi rdo rje’i mgur rNam thar β θ νA νB 5a1–3 35a6–b5 31a3–b2 20b1–4 1 gang zhig snying por zhugs pa til gyi mar || rmongs pas til la yod par shes gyur kyang || rten cing ’brel ’byung yan lag ma shes na || til mar snying po ’byung bar mi nus ltar || 1 2 3 4 2 lhan cig skyes pa gnyug ma’i ye shes de || ’gro ba kun gyi snying la yod gyur kyang || bla mas ma mtshon rtogs par mi nus so || 5 6 7 3 til brdungs phub ma bsal bar gyur pa las || til mar snying po ’byung ba de bzhin du || bla ma sten pas de bzhin de nyid don || til mar bzhin du brda’ yis bstan par bya || 8 9 10 11 4 yul rnams dbyer med ngo bo gcig tu ’gyur || kye ho ring ’gro gting dpag dka’ ba’i don || da lta nyid du gsal ba ngo mtshar che || 12 13 14 • 1 zhugs] β : gyur codd. • 2 rmongs pas til la yod par shes gyur kyang] β : rmongs pas til la yod pa ngo shes kyang θ : til la yod par shes kyang rmongs pa dag νB : til la yod par shes kyang rmongs pa dang νA • 3 na] β : nas θ : pas νA : pa’i νB • 4 po] codd. : por θ. • ’byung bar] β : ’byin par θ : ’dzin par νA νB • 5 de] codd. : kyang θ • 6 ba] codd. : ba’i νA • yod gyur] β θ : gdod nas νA νB • 7 so] β : pas θ : te νA νB • 8 brdungs] codd. : rdungs θ • bsal] β νB : gsal θ νA • gyur pa β θ : byas pa νA νB • las] codd. : la θ • 9 ’byung] codd. : byung β • de] β θ : ji νA νB • 10 ma sten pas] β : mas bstan pa codd. • de nyid] β : nyid kyi codd. • 11 brda’ yis bstan par bya] β : ’jug pa gsal bar byas codd. • 12 gcig] θ νB : cig β νA • ’gyur] β : gyur codd. • 13 ring ’gro] codd. : ring du ’gro ’dod θ • 14 gsal ba] β θ Ś rtogs pa νA νB 6 Adamantine Song of Sesame Oil 1 2 3 4 Whatever be its essence, sesame oil Is known by the fool as present in sesame seeds, but Ignoring how its components are combined, He is not able to extract sesame oil, the essence. In the same way, 1 5 6 7 The co-emergent, that innate gnosis, Is present in the heart of all beings, but It has no efficacy unless illustrated by a guru. 2 8 9 10 11 Grinding sesame and clearing away the husks, Sesame oil, the essence is extracted: similarly, When one is close to the guru, thus the sense of reality Will be shown: by means of symbols like sesame oil. 3 12 13 14 Objects of sense become one with the indivisible being. Hey, so far extending, so hard to measure in its depth, the sense Now is clear. Wonderful! 4 7 Abbreviations and Sigla bD gD c. codd. fol. MVy . r. TBRC T . v. bDe mchog snyan brgyud gDams ngag mdzod (circa) approximately (codices) all other sources folio Mahāvyutpatti tani Catalogue reign Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center, Cambridge, Ma. T hoku Catalogue verse Tibetan Sources dBang phyug rgyal mtshan (source ν) ― rJe btsun chen po ti lo’i rnam par thar pa. In rJe btsun ti lo pa dang nā ro pa’i rnam thar rin po che.  Photostat of νA: The Biographies of Tilopā and Naropa by Dba phyug rgyal mtshan. Rje btsun Ti lo pa’i rnam par thar pa zab gsal rin chen gter mdzod bskal bza yid ’phrog. Mkhas mchog Nā ro Paṇ chen gyi rnam par thar pa dri med legs b ad bde chen ’brug sgra. Reproduced from a manuscript from Dzongkhul Monastery in Zangskar. Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang 1976, 1–157.  TBRC W1KG8722.  Photostat of νB: Bka’ brgyud gser ’phre rgyas pa. A reproduction of an incomplete manuscript of a collection of the lives of the successive masters of the ’Brug pa Dkar brgyud pa tradition reflecting the tradition of Rdzo khul in Za s dkar established by Grub dba ag dba tshe ri . Reproduced from a manuscript preserved in Za s dkar, vol. I. Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang 1982, 9–97. gDams ngag mdzod ― ’Jam mgon Kong sprul Blo gros mtha’ yas. gDams ngag mdzod.  Photostat: Gdams ag mdzod. A treasury of instructions and techniques for spiritual realization. Compiled by ’Jam-mgon Ko -sprul Blo-grosmtha’-yas. Reproduced from a xylographic print from the Dpal-spu s blocks. 12 vols. Delhi: N. Lungtok and N. Gyaltsen 1971.  TBRC W21811. bDe mchog snyan brgyud ― bDe mchog snyan brgyud nor bu skor gsum. 8  Photostat: Bde mchog sñan brgyud nor bu skor gsum. Collected ancient instructions for the practice of the orally transmitted teachings focussing upon Cakrasamvara by various masters of the tradition. Arranged and edited by the Fourth ’Brug-chen Padma-dkar-po (1527–1592). Reproduced from a manuscript collection from Bhutan. 2 vols. Tashijong (Palampur, H.P.): Sungrab Nyamso Gyunphel Parkhang, Tibetan Craft Community 1985.  TBRC W23155. rDo rje mdzes ’od (source θ) ― bKa’ brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo rin po che’i gter mdzod dgos ’dod ’byung gnas.  Photostat: bKa’ brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo rin po che’i gter mdzod dgos ’dod ’byu gnas. A collection of lives of the successive masters in the transmission lineage of the ’Bri-gu Bka’-brgyud-pa tradition in the Nepal-Tibet borderlands by Rdo-rje-mdzes-’od. Reproduced from a rare manuscript from Limi Dzing Pegyeling. Bir, Kangra: D. Tsondu Senghe 1985.  TBRC W27600. Mar pa (source β) ― Mar pa Lo ts ba, Mar pa Chos kyi blo gros. rNal ’byor gyi dbang phyug ti lo pa’i lo rgyus. In Byang chub bzang po, ed. bDe mchog mkha’ ’gro snyan brgyud, kha: brGyud pa yid bzhin nor bu’i rnam par thar pa.  Photostat: Bde mchog mkha’ ’gro sñan rgyud (Ras chu sñan rgyud). A manuscript collection of orally transmitted precepts focussing upon the tutelaries Cakrasamvara and Vajravārāhī, representing the yig-cha compiled by Bya -chub-bza -po. Reproduced from a rare manuscript in the library of Apho Rimpoche. Vol. I. New Delhi 1973, 8–28.  TBRC W24891. Mahāvyutpatti ― Bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa chen po. Ogiwara Unrai. 荻原雲來, ed. 1915. Bon-Wa daijiten 梵和大辭典. Tokyo. Rep. 1959. TokyoŚ Sankib . Revised ed. 1934–1974. Tokyo: Suzuki Gakujutsu Zaidan. tani Catalogue = Suzuki, Taisetz Teitaro, ed. 1961. The Tibetan Tripitaka. Peking edition. Reprinted under the supervision of the Otani University, Kyoto. Catalogue and Index. Tokyo-Kyoto: Tibetan Tripitaka Research Institute. T hoku Catalogue = Ui, Hakuju and Munetada Suzuki, Yensh Kanakura, and T kan Tada, eds 1934. A Complete Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canons (Bkaḥ-ḥgyur and Bstan-ḥgyur). Sendai: T hoku Imperial University. 9 Other Sources Basak, Radhagovinda. 1919–20. The Five Damodarpur Copper-Plate Inscriptions of the Gupta Period. Epigraphia Indica 15, 113–45. ―――1931–32. Baigram Copper-Plate Inscription of the [Gupta]-Year 128. Epigraphia Indica 21, 78–83. Chaudhury, K.G. 1966. Pa chimbh g Copper-Plate of Mah r ja rīchandradeva (10th century A.D.). In The Nalinī Kānta Bhaṭṭa ālī Commemoration Volume. Dhaka: Dhaka Museum, 166–98. Dikshit, Kashinath Narayan. 1929–30. Paharpur Copper-Plate Grant of the [Gupta] Year 159. Epigraphia Indica 20, 59–64. Gyaltsen, Khenpo Könchog, transl., and Katherine L. Rogers, ed. 1986. The Garland of Mahamudra Practices. New York: Snow Lion Publications. Gyaltsen, Khenpo Könchog, transl., and Victoria Huckenpahler, ed. 1990. The Great Kagyu Masters. The Golden Lineage Treasury. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra. 1942. Chittagong Copper-Plate of Kantideva. Epigraphia Indica 26, 313–18. ―――1971. History of Ancient Bengal. Calcutta: G. Bharadwaj. Sircar, Dinesh Chandra. 1967–68. Pashimbhag Plate of Srichandra, Year 5. Epigraphia Indica 37, 289–304. Torricelli, Fabrizio and Sangye T. Naga, ed. transl. 1995. The Life of the Mahāsiddha Tilopa by Mar pa Chos kyi Blo gros. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Torricelli, Fabrizio. 2018. TilopāŚ A Buddhist Yogin of the Tenth Century. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. 10