Non-dual tantra (Tengyur Section)

  • Tib.: gnyis med rgyud/

First published 2010. Last updated 30th Jul 2023.

Commentaries and liturgical works related to the tantras of Hevajra and Kālacakra (Toh 1180-1400)

This initial subsection on non-dual tantra‍—and thus the whole tantra section of the Tengyur‍—gives pride of place to works related to the Hevajratantra (Toh 1180-1345), as Zhuchen Tsültrim Rinchen in his Degé Tengyur catalogue (dkar chag) follows the view that the Hevajra should be classified as a non-dual tantra. This is in contrast to the order in the Kangyur, where it is found among the “mother” or wisdom tantras. The extensive Hevajra commentaries and liturgies here fill nine volumes of the Tengyur.

The next group of works on non-dual tantra, filling over four volumes, are those of the Kālacakratantra (Toh 1346-1394), including not only the treatises and liturgical works but also the abridged root tantra itself (Toh 1346) and its commentary, the Vimalaprabhā, also found in the Kangyur.

This section also includes a small group of works on the Mañjuśrīnāmasaṃgīti, which heads the non-dual tantra section in the Kangyur (and is considered by some traditions to be related to the Kālacakra). Other works on this tantra are found in the Skillful means tantra subdivision, in the Yoga tantra section, and in the “Other works on tantra” collections.