六臂大黑天教法源流考

On the Origin of the Textual Cycle of the Six-armed Mahākāla Dharmapāla

六臂怙主教法(■)是藏传佛教密乘教法之一,自西藏佛教后弘期从古印度传入至今已有八百多年的历史。本文通过勾勒六臂大黑天神灵的来源及相关经典的藏译和在藏传佛教各宗派中的传承,指出六臂大黑天教法形成于古印度,后由琼布乃觉(■978-1127年)等译师引入和译介,逐步成为西藏佛教密乘修行的重要法门,尤其被藏传佛教香巴噶举派视为“黄金教法”(■)。而后来的格鲁派继承了香巴噶举派的教法传统,在克珠杰(■1385-1438年)等人的推动下,六臂大黑天教法成为格鲁派修行密乘的重要内容之一,六臂大黑天也同样成为格鲁派的重要护法神。时至今日,该教法在西藏仍有着深远的影响。

The textual cycle of the Six-armed Mahākāla Dharmapāla (mgon po phyag drug) was introduced fromIndia more than one thousand years ago during the later spread of Buddhism in Tibet. This article focuseson the origin of this cycle of teachings, the Tibetan translation of related texts, and how it was adopted andspread in different Tibetan Buddhist traditions. The author points out that the teaching of the six-armedMahākāla originated in India, and that its texts were translated and introduced by Khyung po rnal 'byor(?978-?1127) after which it gradually became an important teaching in Tibetan Buddhist tantric practice.In particular, it has been regarded as a Golden Teaching (gser chos) by the Shangs pa Bka′ brgyud school.Later, the Dge lugs pa school inherited this tradition. With its promotion by such masters as Mkhas grubDge legs dpal bzang po (1385-1438), this cycle of teachings became one of the most important aspectsof Dge lugs pa esoteric practice, and the six-armed Mahākāla thus became an important protector of Dgelugs pa. To this day, this teaching still has a profound influence in Tibet.