Saṃvara versus Samaya in Yoginī Tantra
Overview
Section titled “Overview”Canonical entry drawn from a single source layer in 14_DEEP_TABOO_SAMAYA_BOUNDARIES_v2_2.md.
Research layers
Section titled “Research layers”Layer 1: Saṃvara versus Samaya in Yoginī Tantra
Section titled “Layer 1: Saṃvara versus Samaya in Yoginī Tantra”Source file:
14_DEEP_TABOO_SAMAYA_BOUNDARIES_v2_2.md
Tradition: Buddhist Tantra
Restriction class: INITIATORY-SECRECY / SAMAYA
The Hevajra tradition preserves a useful technical distinction:
- saṃvara can denote a proscription or vow to abstain from specified acts;
- samaya denotes pledges/commitments that must positively be maintained.
This prevents a common research error in which every tantric restriction is called “samaya.”
Research protocol
Section titled “Research protocol”For each tantra:
- list prohibitions separately;
- list positive commitments separately;
- identify initiation level;
- identify ritual consequences of breach;
- identify any repair/confession procedure;
- record whether the rule is literal, symbolic, contextual, or contested in commentary.