Wed, 21 Jun 2006
Advayavajra
I found anothe biography of Maitripa on the web, this time under the name of Advayavajra (non-dual thunderbolt). It's curious that the guru yoga I do every morning traces the lineage back through Maitripa instead of Naropa. I suppose it's because Maitripa is identified more with mahamudra ans Naropa more with tantra. For a time Maitripa was a monk at Nalanada, the biggest Buddhist college at the time. He practiced tantra secret but then one day he was found out and expelled by Atisha.
While he was studying all the inner secret studies, a novice monk saw him and a woman drinking beer together and disputes arose within the monastic community over it. The Acarya spewed up milk, and as the novice drew near, he vomited up beer with no explanation for his action. Furthermore, once when the proctors and the rest had heard of this and come for him, the beer turned into milk and the woman become invisible or, as it is said, changed it a ritual bell. Later on while the monks were lying in ambush for him the Siddha was unable to disguise himself with mantras, and so they expelled [him].
According to the Blue Annals, he discovered two texts by Maitreya expounding the doctrine of Buddha Nature, hidden in a stupa.
According to the History of the School of bTsan, the Mahayana Uttara Tantra Sastra and Dharmadharmatavibhanga remained unknown to scholars. The Venerable Maitripa saw once a shining light coming out from a crack in a stupa, and having investigated it, discovered the two books (from inside the stupa), He then offered prayers to the Venerable Ajita (i.e. Maitreya) appeared before him surrounded by clouds, and expounded the books to him. Maitripa then preached the two books to Anandakirti.
