Introduction
At the root of tantric sadhana lies the Mahayanic concept of tathagatagarbha. This doctrine asserts that all beings inherently contain the seed of enlightenment and are potential Buddhas (Tathagatas). The Madhyamikakarika emphasizes that nirvana is not something attained through abandonment or achievement; rather, it is the eternal status of all sentient beings. Mahayana philosophy thus maintains that all beings are already Buddhas, a conviction reaffirmed by the Hevajra Tantra.
The Hevajra Tantra declares: “There exists no one being who is unenlightened from the awakening to his own nature. By their very intrinsic nature, the beings in hell, ghosts, animals, gods, titans, men and even worms and so on in the dung, are eternally blissful.” This profound statement underscores that enlightenment is innate, though obscured by defilements. The goal of tantric practice, therefore, is not to produce enlightenment but to realize the blissful nature that already exists within.
The Nature of Tathagatagarbha
The Concept of Tathagatagarbha represents the belief that every sentient being possesses Buddha-nature. This nature is eternal, pure, and blissful, but remains hidden due to ignorance and defilements. The Hevajra Tantraemphasizes that enlightenment is not external or newly created; it is the realization of one’s intrinsic nature. Thus, tantric practice aims to remove the veils of ignorance, allowing the practitioner (sadhaka) to awaken to the truth that they are already enlightened.
Concept of Avidya
Avidya, or ignorance, is identified in Mahayana as the primary obstacle preventing beings from realizing their enlightened nature. For the Madhyamika school, avidya manifests as kalpana or vikalpa—constructive imagination and false conceptualization. The root cause of samsara lies in clinging to views (drsti), which generate attachment and aversion, leading to suffering.
For the Yogacara school, avidya is the objectification of consciousness (visaya drsti) and the creation of subject-object duality (grahya-grahaka). Absolute consciousness is non-dual, but ignorance introduces the illusory idea of “other,” diversifying reality into subject and object. Thus, avidya functions as the creator of fundamental duality, obscuring the innate Buddha-nature.
Avidya in the Hevajra Tantra
The Hevajra Tantra uses terms such as ajnanam and aguntakamala to describe the obscurations that conceal enlightenment. It states: “Truly all beings are enlightened beings but they are veiled by the accumulation of defilements. By removing this veil of defilements, all beings are enlightened beings without doubt.”
These defilements are categorized into two types of avaranas(obstructions):
- Jneyavarana: Cognitive obscurations, including false views and conceptualizations such as worthiness/unworthiness (bhagabhagavicara) and likes/dislikes (istanistvikalpa). These distortions prevent recognition of the real.
- Klesavarana: Emotional obscurations, arising from afflictions generated by incorrect views.
The text adopts the Yogacara perspective that defilements stem from subject-object duality (grahyagrahakabhavat). By purifying these defilements, the practitioner realizes tathata (thusness), attaining direct awareness of the non-dual nature of reality.
Conclusion
The concept of tathagatagarbha lies at the heart of Mahayana and Vajrayana philosophy, affirming that all beings are inherently enlightened. The Hevajra Tantra reinforces this view, teaching that enlightenment is not produced but revealed through the removal of ignorance and defilements. Avidya, manifesting as duality and false views, obscures the innate blissful nature of beings. Through tantric practice, these veils are purified, allowing realization of the eternal Buddha-nature. In this way, tathagatagarbhaserves as both the foundation and the goal of spiritual practice, embodying the profound truth that all beings are already Buddhas.