Kukurija

Shuyu Kanaoka

Jnanamitras aryaprajnaparamita-naya-satapancadasa-tika (Tohoku. 2647,

Peking photostat 3471) is only one extant commentary on the Prajnapara-
mita-naya-satapancasatika (abbreviation Pn). Tibetan translator's name is
deest. But, with regard to the author, Jnanamitra, it is known to some
extant. He entered into Tibet after the death of King Khri-srorn lde-brtsan
(1)
(754--797) who established the foundation of Tibetan Buddhism. This co-
(2)
mmentary's name is mentioned in the Denkar-ma Catalogue which was
(3)
compiled by the order of this king at the age of dragon (hbrug gi lo),
Accordingly, the scholar, Jnanamitra flourished in the early 9th Century

(esp, 800-824), so that whose commentary on the Pn must be seen to be

(4)
written before these periods. It can be seen to be made almost in the
same period with the completion of the Chinese translation of the Pn by

(1) G. Tucci: Minor Buddhist Texts, II, Bhavanakrama, Roma 1958, p. 50

(2) No. 523 in "the Denkarma, an oldest catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist
canons with Introductory notes, by Prof. Shuki Yoshimura, Kyoto 1950, p.
49, i. e. Thul brgha lna bcu pahi hgrel pa.
(3) This age is identified variously by scholars. Prof. Yoshimura identified
it as 824 A. D (op. cit. P. 9-x-14). Prof. C. Sato of Kyoto University seems
it as 788 A. D. in his "Study on Ancient Tibetan History" vol II (in Japa-
nese) p. 772. While Prof. G. Tucci supposed it as 800-x-812 A. D (op. cit.).
(4) Prof. J. Nagasawa: The Theology of the Karikas of Prajnaparamitana-
yasatapamcasatika (Rishukyo) in India (The Chisan Gakuho, Nos, 27. 28,
Nov. 1964, p. 29).

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 Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka) (9)
Amoghava jra who returned to China from India on 746 A. D. for the
(5)
purpose of its translation.
In the first part of this commentary the short history of the comple-
tion of the bigger and minor texts of the Pn and Vajrasekhara-sutra is
sketched by him. From early date, this parts was received a great atten-
tion from Prof. S. Togano, from which he got an important suggestion
about the completionboth of the Pn)and of the 18 assembliesof the
(7)
Vajrasekhara sutra.
Further, recently, Prof. Nagasawa examined this description to see
the history of the completion of the bigger and minor texts of the Pn,
where be finally gained the conclusion that, first, from Mula-kalpa, abb-
reviated text was made, from which enlarged extant bigger text was
(8)
completed.
I agreed with this Prof. Nagasawa's opinion after the examination of
the similar materials and some others. The conclusion was published in
(9)
some academic meeting.
Among this description an acarya who named Kukuraja plays a very
important role. About him, now, especially two points should be made
clear.
(1) Is he an acarya who well versed in the Vajr6ekharasotra?
(2) Did he play an actural role in completion of the Pn?
It is not expectable, therefore, that the whole life and details of
teaching of Kukuraja to be made clear in this short article. But, actual
cirumstances of the completion of the Pn will be examined to some extent.

(5) ibid. P. 29
(6) Prof. S. Togano: Study on the Prajnaparamitanayasatapancasatika, (in
Japanese), Koyasan, Koyasan 1930, pp. 37-v38,
(7) ditto: The history of the Esoteric Buddhism. (in Japanese), Koyasan
1933, pp. 49-50,
(8) J. Nagasawa: op. cit., pp. 3241.
(9) 'On the "original text" of the Prajnaparamita-naya-satapanca-satika'
The paper was read at the meeting of the Association of Bukkyoshigakkai,
1965. See "Bukkyo-shigaku, vol. 12 no. 4, pp. 1-12.

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(10) Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka)

II

First, Jnanamitra's statements should be shown. "de bshin ga nan no

shes nas sa rba bu ddha sa ma yo ga (Sarvabuddhasamayogo) la sogs pahi
glegs bam rnams ma phyi bar de dag gis don yid la mason sum du gsar
bar gyur to. de nas spob de za hor (Zahor) kyi yul du gsegs nas rgyal
po hkhor dan bcas pa rnams la dha rma (dharma) de dab glad de. dpal
rdo rje sems dpah (Vajrasattva) yis lunft bstan nas rgyal pos bsams pa
bdag cag hkhor danft bcas pa rnams rdo rje dbyins kyi dkyil hkhor ltan
bsgom du ltsal te. dbus su rgyal po Rid btsun mo dam pa bshi yum gyi
sar bkod. glon po bshi rigs bshihi sar bkod. sras mo rnams nan gi lha
mohi sar bkod. btsunmo phal ba (N=pa) rnams gyihi (N phyi) iha mohi
sar bkod. blon po phal pa rnams sgob sun bshi dan. bskal pa bzan pohi
byan chub sems dpah ltar bkod pa dan. rgyal po sa bsams pa bdag cag
hkhor dan bcas pa rig hdsim gya gnas su grub pahi phyir dam pahi
chos hdi mi nub par bya bahi phyir sras sa kra bu ti (Sakrabhuti) rgyal
tshab to dbani bskar nas. Ah tsah rya ku kus (Abarya Kuku, p. 295a & N.
278a, Kukuru) lun dan man nag bstan pa rgyal bu del bstan to bshag nas
bsdoms pa dan."
"Thus, by them, all of the neanings of the texts such as Sarvabudd-

hasamayoga and others were made clear. After that, this teacher (or Acarya
Kukuraja) went to Zahor district, where be delivered this dharma. Thus
(he) was given a promise (vyakarana) by Vairasattva asking that the king
should meditate in the methods of Vajr-adhatn-man dale with his followers.
(The methods of meditation are as follows). The King himself should
be established in the centre, while the four queens in the mother's land.
The four vassals should be established in the four kinds of land. The
four star-women established in the land of heavenly maiden. Genral
vassals are ornamented at the four gates which protect the outside, just
like the bodhisattvas of the present day (bhadra-kalpa).
In order not to make this dharma originated by the king annihilate,
his son Sakrabhuti was worshiped as a prince, to whom, by Acarya Ku-
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 Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka) (11)

kuraja (or Kukuru, Kuku), Upadesa (bstan-pa) of Agama (lun) and Mantra
(man nag) was taught."

From the above description the following four points will be known.
(1) Acarya Kukraja delivered the meanings of the Sarvabuddhasama-
yoga.
(2) It was done in the land of this King or Zahor district.
(3) He was given a promise of Vajradhatumandala by Vajrasattva.
(4) Further this dharma was transmitted by the A.carya to the prince
Sakrabhuti.

According to this, it is known that Acarya Kukuraja was a teacher

of the King Indrabhuti and was well versed in the tenets of 18 assemb-
lies of the Vajrasekhara-sutra. But, as was pointed out early by Prof.
(10)
Togano, Acarya Kukuraja was not, from the beginning, versed in this
tenets.
Just in the preceeding parts of the Jnanamitra's commentary above
mentioned, the circumstances are explaimed as follows.
After the Lord's nirvana, the newly emerged Sarva-buddhasamaja (by
Togano)-yoga and other Vajra-sekhara-sutras could not been comprehen-
ded its meaning even by the King Indrabhuti. At that time, in Malaya
District of East India, an Acarya Kukura (or Kukuraja), who well versed
in the Esoteric Buddhism, delivered the thousand of teachings in the day
time, sat in samadhi in the night, and had five wisdoms with him. The
King despatched an envoy to this Acarya asking him to come to the
king to deliver the teaching of the Vajrasekhara-sutra.
But, even the Acarya had not seen the 18 assemblies of the Vajrase-
khara-sutra, so he borrowed the texts to read it, but he could not unders-
tand` the whole meaning easily. Thus he prayed Buddhadeva, by whom
he met Vajrasattva and was taught directly the tenets of the sutra. He
could teach his understandings to. the King, and gave him abhisekha with

(10) Peking Photostat。 vol. 77, 44-2-1, the 63rd box, 本 績 解 上295; Narthan,

Toyo-bunko, Nar T-II-65, 278bf)

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(12) Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka)

this method. Again, this big sutra was given by the King to the Prince,
who gave to it to his daughter. But this daughter, the Princess Govadevi
was not adult enough to receive this dharma, so, for her sake, the Prince
Sakrabhutiabbreviatedit into 150slokas.
Therefore my conclusion about the completion of the Pn which agrees
with that of Prof. Nagasawa is as follows.
From the original text (Mulakalpa), the 150 slokas of Pn was abbre-
viated, which further was enlarged into the extant form of the Tibetan
bigger text. In this process Acarya Kukuraja played an important role.
The relation between the texts and Acaryas are to be shown as follows.
Vajrasattva-->Kukuraja-Indrabhuti (the above are the Mulakalpa)-
Sakrabhuti--Govadevi (the abbreviated sutras-*the enlarged sutra).

III

Now, it is necessary for us to examine in other materials whether

this personality (Kukuraja) is similarly stated or not.
(12)
First in the history of Taranatha, Kukuraraja (Kukuraja) is stated at
least in the next three points.
(1) He is contemporary with Dharmakirti and the Tibetan king Sron.
(13)b
tsan sgam po, whose period is reduced by a scholar as to 649 A. D.
(2) Also contemporary with Acarya Lvapa, lndrabhutivrapa, Lalitavajra
and others.
(3) He is also called as Saroruha(mtsho skyes),Vrapa and Khyihi rgyal
po or the dog king.

Just after this statement, we can see the short statement of the great
yogin-Kutaraja, who had various kinds of dogs with him and delivered
a sermon to the thousand of viras and yogis in the day time, and in the
night, went into the Sitavana forest (cemetery), where he exercised the

(11) The history of the Esoteric Buddhism, p. 50. note 2,

(12) tshul brgya lna bcu pa.
(13) Schiefner's ed. S. 144, German tr. S. 188, Teramoto's Japanese tr. p. 259a
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 Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka) (13)

whole training of the Secret ganacakra (tshogs kyi hkor ro).

With them, he continued this exercise for twelve years, and finally
he got the Mahamudrasiddhi stage, where he delivered 5 tantras of Bu-
ddhisms and other yoga tantras. His last stage of concentration is called
as the Candra-guhyabindu-tantra (Zla gsaii thig lehi rgyud).

It is not certain whether this person (Kutaraja) identifies with our

Kukuraja or not, but some of his behaviors were similar with that of
the latter. Further, as will be seen later, their tenets are also very alike.
If he is similar with Kukuraja, it will be necessary for us to add on
his characteristics an ability of sexoyogism which is symbolized by the
exercise of ganacakra.

IV

In the Tibetan bstan hgyur, fourteen books are mentioned which att-
ributed to Kukuraja.
Sri-Vajrasattva-guhya-artha-dhara-vyuha-nama (T. 1644, P, 2537; T.
and P. stand for Tohoku and Peking photostat catalognes respectively).
4U2 Sri-Vajra-heruka-guhya-artha-dhara-vyuha-nama (T. 1665, p. 2538).

Sri-Vairocana-guhya-artha-dhara-vyuha-nama (T. 1666, P. deest).

G4 SrI-Padmanartesvari-guhya-artha-dhara-vyuha-nama (T. 1667, P. 2539).
5 Sri-Vajra-ratna-prabha-guhya-dhara-vyuha-nama (T. 1668, P. 2540).
66 Sri-Sughotalalita-guhya-artha-dhara-vyuha-nama (T. 1669, P. 2541).
7 Sarva-mandala-anuvarti-panca-vidhi-nama (T. 1670, P. 2542).
8 Sri-Sarvabuddha-samayoga-mandala-vidhi-nama (T. 1671, P. 2543).
Maha-mayatantranusari-heruka-sadhana (T. 1627, P. 2499).
11 Vajrasattva-sadhana (T. 1628, P. 2500).
Mohataruna-kalpa (T. 1629, P. 2501).
Mahamaya-sadhana-mandala-vidhi (T. 1630. P. 2502, 2516).
13 Sri-mahamaya-tattva-sukha-bhavana-anusari-yogabhavana-upadesa
(T. 1631, P. 2503).
0 (Sri-mahamaya-) Tattva-(sukha-) bhavana-anusari-yoga-bhavana-
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(14) Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka)

upades'a-nama (T. 2391, P. 3233).

(14) Srava-paricchedana-nama (T. 2329, P. 3234).

Generally speaking, these are the sadhanas of Mahamaya tantra or-

Yoga-tantra which offered to Heruka, Vairocana and Vajrasattva.
It is not possible to examine all of these works here, but it will be
(14)
useful for us to see the teaching extant in the No. 240 of Sadhanamala.
It's title is "Mahamaya-sadhana-upayika which tenets are very alike with
those of Tibetan No. 9 above mentioned.
The contents should be read as follows:
"Mahamayasadhanopayika (C. 695. A. D. Kukuraja).

I salute to Vajradaka. First, after making the words clear, chant

mrdu-vistah (?), observe the Hun character (karabija), meditate on one.
possesses the arms in vaksamanaka colour in front of Karuna-acala-vajra.
Then (if you) make offerings to him, preach unerring sermons, (dwell)
in virtuous rejoice and pure varieties (of phenomena), and make a vow-
of the threefold refuge, the Nama-aksara (of Heruka) will be born in
(your) own body month and will. That is as of ollows:
He is every existence apart from cause.
Ha is every exis tence evokes abandonment (hani).
E is every existence resolves paryyen (?).
Ru is every existence gives anything you want.
R is every existence possesses rejoice similarly.
U is existence of production and annihilation.
Ka is every existence possesses every rejoice similarly.
A is the first one of every existence which evokes after the pronuncia-
tion (?) of A-character.
After (chanting) above, (you) will realize Sunyata and will be able
to chant the mantra.
'Om, I am one whose reality is that of adamantine essencelessness

(14) Prof. C. Sato: op. cit. vol. I. pp. 209-225.

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 Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka) (15)

and wisdom. Exclude hindrances with the Hum character, realize the
five Vajras, observe Hum character in the mandala of sunyata which
consists of the four red sections of padma, jasmin (varataka) (and others)
which locate in the eight cemetries.
The four devine powers whose reality consists of that of benevolence
(maitri), mercy (karuna), rejoice (mudita) and.abandonment (upeksa) will
be given instantly inside of the sadhana to those who chant the Srivajra
(giti, as follows).
'hale sahi viasia kamalu pobohiU vajjem, ALLLLHi mahasuhena arohiU
nrtyem, ravikiranena paphulliA kamalu mahasuhena, (ALLLLHi maha-
suhena) arohiU nrtyam, vajradakinl-nrtyena vajrasattvam nivesayet'
Just after this giti, with the mind binded by Maya and awakened realities
(vastu), Hum character emerges. Karuna-acala-vajra (or Heruka) has four
faces of blue (nila), yellow (pita), white (sita) and dark blue (syama) and
four arms. In the right hands hold Vase (or skull, kapala) and arrow, while
in the left hands hold club (khatvanga) and bow. He sits in the seat of
anger (raudra-asana), having three eyes, wearing wet. knotless cord (? sar-
dra-mundasragdama), ornamenting his neck with skull-chain (kapala-mala).
(Also) ornamented with hair ornament., isaddamstra karala vadanam (?).
He stands feeling his yellow-brown hair stand on end.
Ci character of the body is yellow, orh character of the eye is white,
hum character of the ear is red, kha character of the nose is white, ah
character of the head is white, re character of the chest is red.
The characteristics (laksita) of the six arms and feet are aspects (lin-
gita) of self-born-wisdom (svabhaprajna). They are as wide as the sky.
They emerge from the reality of Vajradhara's abhisekha, protection
(adhisthita) of the body, mouth and will, and wisdom of extremely pure
spiritual world (dharma dhatn).
Thus, in the East part vajradakinl exists, who is blue in colour, has
four faces of blue, yellow, red and black in colour, and has four arms.
In his left hands hold club and bell, white in the right hands hold
Vajra and skull, which stand for the reality of wisdom of the earth-world.
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(16) Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka)
In the Sonth part, Ratnadakini exists, who is blue in colour, has four
faces of blue, yellow, red and black in colour and four arms. (In the
right hands) hold flag and slough of a snake, while in the left hands
hold threef roked club and treasure, which stand for the reality of the
wisdom of the water-world. In the West part, Padma-dakitni exists, who
is whiten-gold in colour, has four faces red, yellow, blue and black in
colour and four arms. In the right hands hold bow and skull, while in
the left hands, bow and double-flowering lotus flower, which stand for
the reality of the wisdom of the fire-world.
In the north-part, Visvadakini exists, who is black in colour, who
has four faces of black, blue, red and blue in colour and four arms. In
the right hands hold rosary (pasa) and skull, while in the left hands
hold club and dram, which stand for the reality of the duty completion
(krtya-anusthana) of the wind world.
All of these goddesses sit in the seats of anger, whose heads are
ornamented by the chain-of skulls, wear the wet pointless cord, have
three eyes, isaddamstra-karala-vadana (?), have red hair just alike
burning flame, and put shrilling drasmi with them.
Thus after looking inside of Karuna-acala-vajras who is an attribution
of the four goddesses (above mentioned), the wind from his head, mind,
navel (nabha) and pubes (guhya) realize according to the teaching of the
mandala of Mahendra, Varuna and Agni. Then you must do the magic
of duality (napumsaka). The charm-chanter (mantri) chants a magic of
charm (mantra-japa), when he feels painful. The yogin who holds the
self reality (dhammatma) gathered into the mantra reality of all existences
and beings, will do anything to do in every stage. In the eternal world.
That is all."

From his statement above mentioned, the author Kukuraja could be

seen as an esoteric yogin who well versed in the dhyana of Heruka or
Dakini.
It is not sufficient enongh to find out the direct relation between him
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 Kukuraja (S. Kanaoka) (17)

and the Pn or Mahasukha thought, but it will be easy and enough to

see him a reflection from the teaching of the Vajrasekhara sutra. There-
fore, when we consider this together with the statements of Jnanamitra's
commentary above mentioned, it is very probable that Kukuraja played
some role in the completion of the Mula-kalpa, but not probable that he
a8)
partipated in the completion of the Pn.
From this point of view also, it is not possible to identify "the enlar-
ged text" with the extant Tibetan bigger text as an original text of that
of extant small Pn, as was formerly painted out by Prof. Nagasawa and
myself.

(昭 和40年 度 綜 合 研 究)

(15) Prof. B. Bhattachacharyya mentioned fourteen extant works in his "Sad-

hanamala" vol. II. p. cii (1928). I add only the uombers of Tohoku and
Peking-photostat catalogues.
(16) idid. pp. 466-468.
(17) ibid. P. 466.
(18) Dr. S. B. Dasgupta introduces some sexo-yogic or Sahajayanistic docrines
which attributed to Kukkuripada (Kukuraja), in his "An Introduction to
the Esoteric Buddhism" (Calcutta 1958, pp. 101 and 172). He delivers Ku-
kkuripada as unique dualist of later Ecoteric Buddhism, e. g, as follows
"When the Bodhi -mind in its upward march reaches the ultimate state,
it merges itself wholly in Nairatama or Sunyata or the Sahaja-bliss-and
this merging of the Bodhi mind in goddess Nairatma, or perfect vacuity of
the nature or intense, is called the union of the Lod Mind and Lady Vacu-
ity
"In the Guhyasiddhi we find that the presiding deity over the mind is

the Lord Supreme (Bhagavan) and Prajna is the adamantine woman, and
the Lord was amorously sporting with this adamantine woman in the
form of Maha sukha."
But it will be necssary to conclude the identification of this Kukkuripada
and our Kukuraja,
(19) About Prof. Nagasawa's article, see note no. 6, and about my publication
see note no. 9.

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