Introduction

The Heruka Root Tantras belong to the Highest Yoga Tantra of Vajrayana Buddhism. Buddha taught the extensive, middling and condensed Heruka Root Tantras. The Condensed Heruka Root Tantra, which has fifty-one chapters, was translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan.  

Commentaries to the Condensed Heruka Root Tantra given by Buddha Shakyamuni, and many other commentaries written by Indian Buddhist Masters such as Mahasiddhas Naropa and Lawapa, were also translated. Later commentaries were written by Tibetan Tantric scholars based on Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary to the Condensed Heruka Root Tantra entitled Clear Illumination of All Hidden Meanings.  

I have translated the first and last chapters of the Condensed Heruka Root Tantra from Tibetan into English. As Je Tsongkhapa said, each word of the root Tantra has many different meanings; I have translated the hidden meaning, not the words. My purpose in doing this is to benefit the people of this modern world.