TheGhanavyūha sūtra (Sanskrit,Dense Array Sūtra, Tibetan: 'phags pa rgyan stug po bkod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo), also called theMahāyāna Secret Adornment Sūtra (Chinese: 大乘密嚴經,Dà chéng mì yán jīng) is aMahāyāna Sūtra which is an important scriptural source for IndianYogācāra andtathāgatagarbha thought.[1]
The Sanskrit source text is no longer extant. The sutra survives in two Chinese translations, one (Taishō no. 681) by the Indian translatorDivākara (613-687) assisted by Fazang, and one byVajrācāryaAmoghavajra (Taishō no. 682).[2][3] A Tibetan translation also survives as part of theKanjur (Derge Kanjur no. 110) and it is titled'phags pa rgyan stug po bkod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo (Skt.Ārya ghanavyūha nāma mahāyāna sūtra).[3]
The sutra recounts a discourse betweenŚākyamuni Buddha and a bodhisattva namedVajra-garbha (whose name is a synonym for theTathāgatagarbha) which takes place in the supremebuddhafield calledGhanavyūha (Dense Array or Secret Adornment).[3] The themes of this discourse are similar to the themes found in theLaṅkāvatāra sūtra, and include: the Yogācārathree natures doctrine, thetathāgatagarbha (also called nirvāṇadhātu ordharmadhātu in this sutra), theālayavijñāna (storehouse consciousness), and the eternal nature of theBuddha.[3] Just like theLaṅkāvatāra sūtra, theGhanavyūha sutra presents teachings on theemptiness of all phenomena and also on how all phenomena arise from mind.
According to theGhanavyūha, theTathagata (i.e. the Buddha, equated with nirvāṇadhātu anddharmadhātu) is unchanging, unable to be destroyed or extinguished, and is comparable to space (ākāśa). TheGhanavyūha states that the Buddha is all pervasive and compares the Buddha'somnipresence to the moon's reflection which pervades all bodies of water.[4] TheGhanavyūha also rejects the view thatnirvāṇa is a kind of annihilation or destruction (like a lamp which goes out), since buddha-nature is that which isunborn andundying.[5]
TheGhanavyūha says that Buddha's presence is always guiding sentient beings according to their needs through numerous skillful means (upaya).[4] The skillful means of the Buddhas include numerous magical transformations (nirmanas). He may appear as a normal being in the world, as adeva, asVajrapani, or asMahesvara.[6] The Buddha is compared to a gem which reflects many kinds of images and he is also compared to a sea captain who drives a ship.[7] The numerous transformations of the Buddha include all worlds, which are said to be contained in the Buddha's body.[7] According to theGhanavyūha, the Buddhas also teach numerous scriptures as skillful means, including non-Buddhist scriptures like theArthaśāstra and the threeVedas.[8]
Like theLaṅkāvatāra sūtra, theGhanavyūha associates the doctrines of the storehouse consciousness and thetathāgatagarbha. It states that the storehouse consciousness has two aspects, a pure consciousness and a defiled consciousness. The pure part of the storehouse consciousness, thenaturally luminous mind, is said to be a synonym for the tathāgatagarbha which is "luminous and always pure", while the defiled consciousness is what hides or conceals the pure aspect.[3]
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TheGhanavyūha uses the simile of the gold covered by rocks to explain this relationship:
O king, the mind is inconceivable, always being naturally luminous. It is the tathāgatagarbha, which abides like gold in rocks.[3]
The sutra also states that even though the storehouse consciousness has a pure aspect, this is not seen until the consciousness is purified throughsamādhi. This is compared to how gold does not shine inside gold ore until it is cleansed of the surrounding rock.[3] Another simile compares the pure consciousness tobutter, which only appears when the milk ischurned.[3]
TheGhanavyūha also compares the tathāgatagarbha with themoon, which seems to wane and to arise from the perspective of ignorant beings, but the moon itself does not truly arise or wane.[3] The sutra also equates the tathāgatagarbha with the perfected nature (one of Yogācāra "three natures").[3]
According to theGhanavyūha, the storehouse consciousness which abides in the body of sentient beings, is the cause of both the defiled things ofsamsara and of all pure phenomena, like the meditations of noble beings and the buddhafields.[3] Likewise, it is because of the pure stainless storehouse consciousness that bodhisattvas will become Buddhas.[3]
Also like theLaṅkāvatāra, theGhanavyūha states that the realization of the Buddha transcends all language and is free of all discriminating thought.[7]
The sutra also discusses the nature of Ghanavyūha, the supreme buddhafield. It states that through following virtuous teachers, hearing and contemplating the Dharma, and letting go of all concepts and cravings, one can be reborn there, achieve enlightenment, and manifest in countless ways to help all beings.[6]
The sutra was known to Indian authors likeBhaviveka (c. 6th century), who saw it as one of theYogacara sutras which were not of definitive meaning, but were only provisional (neyartha).[9]
InChinese Buddhism, the sutra was important to theHuayan school. The Huayan patriarchFazang wrote a commentary on it, theDasheng miyan jing shu (大乘密嚴經疏, no. X368 in the supplement to the Taishō canon,Xu zang jing 續藏經 vol. 34).[2][10] He also assisted in the first translation of the text into Chinese.[11] According to Fazang's doctrinal classification system, theGhanavyūha belongs to the highest class of scriptures, those related to "the dependent arising out of the tathāgatagarbha," a class of texts which also includes theLaṅkāvatāra and theAwakening of Faith.[12]
The Chan and Huayan patriarchZongmi also cites theGhanavyūha along with theAvataṃsaka Sūtra, theSutra of Perfected Enlightenment and theŚrīmālādevī as scriptures which expound the teaching ofsudden awakening, which Zongmi saw as being equivalent to the highest form ofChan (Zen).[13] TheGhanavyūha sūtra was also cited by the 8th century Chan monkHeshang Moheyan in defense of his "sudden awakening" doctrine.[14]
InTibetan Buddhism, theGhanavyūha sūtra is classified as one of the "Tathāgatagarbha sūtras of definitive meaning" (nges don snying po'i mdo) and it is cited by Tibetan traditions which rely on these teachings, such asJonang,Kagyu andNyingma. TheGhanavyūha sūtra was an important source for the Jonang school and it was considered byshentong scholars likeDolpopa andTaranatha as one of the "sutras of definitive meaning".[15] Likewise, the sutra was cited by theJonang scholar Blo bzang mchog grub rgya mtsho (1880-1940) and by the Kagyu scholarJamgon Kongtrul as a definitive sutra ofthe final dharma-wheel.[16][15] It is also cited by the Nyingma scholarDudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje.[17]
Scenes from theGhanavyūha sūtra are depicted in cave shrine murals aroundDunhuang, indicating its importance forCentral Asian Buddhism.[18]
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