The Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa is often cited as the earliest example of an extant Indian Buddhist Tantra. Some scholars identify it as a compilation of a core verse text dated circa 6th century CE with later accretions and additions.[2] The Sanskrit version, significantly longer than its corresponding Chinese and Tibetan renderings, is still extant.[2]
The Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa states that mantras taught in the Shaiva, Garuda and Vaishnava tantras will be effective if applied by Buddhists since they were all taught originally by Mañjuśrī.[7] The attribution to Mañjuśrī is an attempt by its author(s) to counter the objection that the teachings in this text are of non-Buddhist origin.[7]
The bulk of the text deals with chants and mantras useful for spiritual purposes as well as material gain. Some chapters discuss fierce and sexual tantric rituals.[8]
The editio princeps of the mixed Sanskrit text was published by T. Ganapati Sastri in three volumes (Trivandrum, published 1920, 1923, and 1925 respectively).[9][10]
Rahul Sankrityayana's edition appeared in 1934.[11] Ganapati Sastri's edition with some modifications was reprinted by P. L. Vaidya in 1964.[12][13]
An English translation was published online in 2020 by the 84000 organization.[14]
^Matsunaga, Yukei (1985). "On the Date of the Mañjuśrı̄mūlakalpa". In Strickmann, Michael (ed.). Tantric and Taoist Studies in honour of R.A. Stein. Brussels: Institut Belge des Hautes Études Chinoises. pp. 882–894.
^ abSanderson, Alexis.『The Śaiva Age: The Rise and Dominance of Śaivism during the Early Medieval Period.』In: Genesis and Development of Tantrism, edited by Shingo Einoo. Tokyo: Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, 2009. Institute of Oriental Culture Special Series, 23, pp. 129-131.
^The Āryamanjuśrîmûlakalpa. Trivandrum: Printed by the Superintendent, Govt. Press., 3 vols, 1920, 1923, 1925, Trivandrum Sanskrit Series no. 70, 76, 84, new reprint ed. in one vol. University of Kerala 2008, Trivandrum Sanskrit Series no. 269 (Sri Satguru Publications reprint in 1989, Delhi; 1992 combined CBH reprint edition at Archive org.)
^Vaidya, Parashuram Lakshman (1964). Mahāyāna-sūtra-saṁgraha. P.2 P.2 (in Sanskrit). Darbhanga: Mithila Inst. of Post-graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning. OCLC246245976.
^Einoo, S.; Sanderson, Alexis (2009). Genesis and Development of Tantrism. Tokyo: University of Tokyo. p. 316.
