Vajrayāna
Vajrayāna, also known as Tantrayana or Tantric Buddhism, is one of the three primary paths to enlightenment within the Buddhist tradition. Originating in India, it has become particularly influential in Tibetan Buddhism, where it is often viewed as synonymous with the religion itself. Vajrayāna emphasizes a mystical approach to spiritual practice, incorporating elaborate rituals, meditation, and the use of mantras, mudras, and mandalas to aid practitioners in attaining enlightenment more swiftly than through traditional paths. Followers believe that while desire and negative behaviors are to be subdued rather than completely eradicated, wisdom paired with compassion is essential for personal transformation. The role of lamas, or spiritual teachers, is crucial in guiding practitioners through these complex practices, often fostering a deep student-teacher relationship. The path also includes unique aspects, such as the belief in the reincarnation of lamas, where the mind of a deceased teacher is thought to be reborn in a new child. Vajrayāna is practiced not only in Tibet but also in other regions, including Nepal, Mongolia, Bhutan, and Japan, making it a significant aspect of the broader Buddhist landscape.
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Vajrayāna
Vajrayana is one of three paths to enlightenment in the Buddhist tradition. It is also referred to as Tantrayana, Mantrayana, or Tantric Buddhism. While it had its origins in India and evolved over several centuries, Vajrayana has become such an integral part of Buddhist practice in Tibet that it is almost synonymous with religion in that country. However, it is practiced in other countries as well, such as Nepal, Mongolia, Bhutan, and Japan.
The Vajrayana path is mystical in its practices and rituals. This mystical approach is believed to provide a quicker way to enlightenment.
Background
Buddhism is an ancient faith tradition that includes many beliefs and a variety of views of the world. Its origins are attributed to Gautama Buddha, a native of India who claimed to have found enlightenment while meditating under a Bo tree. Two main forms of Buddhism developed: the Mahayana, or greater/universal vehicle, and Hinayana, the lesser vehicle. Those who followed Mahayana believed that all could reach enlightenment and become a Buddha, while Hinayana believers thought only a few could reach this level. Hinayana Buddhists eventually changed their name to Theravada, meaning the teaching of the elders.
All Buddhists believe there are four noble truths and eight steps on the path to achieving the fourth truth and enlightenment. The four truths are:
Life includes dukkha¸or suffering.
Nothing in the world is permanent, and people suffer because of desires for the impermanent things of the world.
Liberation comes from freeing oneself of desire for the things of the world.
Desire can be eliminated by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
Wisdom through right understanding
Wisdom through right thought
Ethical conduct through right speech
Ethical conduct through right action
Ethical conduct through right livelihood
Mental discipline through right effort
Mental discipline through right awareness
Mental discipline through right meditation
A Buddhist works on all these things simultaneously, striving to reach the ultimate goal of eliminating all desires and, therefore, all suffering. This state is called nirvana. Buddhists believe this goal is more than an individual can reach in one lifetime; therefore, Buddhists believe in reincarnation. This is the idea that each person is born, dies, and then is born again into another form, sometimes many times over, in a continuing effort to reach enlightenment.
A New Path
Around the seventh century, some who followed the Mahayana path of Buddhism adopted the idea that there could be a quicker path to enlightenment. This new path, Vajrayana, adhered to the teachings of the Theravada monks that emphasized the individual's roles and responsibilities in achieving enlightenment. There are gods, and they can help, Theravada teachings say, but the solution to problems is not in the supernatural. Rather, it is in meditation and efforts at self-improvement that increase what is good and noble in a person and eliminate behaviors and desires that are bad. These practices and beliefs are laid out in tantras (Buddhist scriptures) dating back to the days of Buddha and include a focus on the need to pair wisdom with compassion.
There are a few key differences between the Vajrayana path and the Mahayana path from which it originated. One is the attitude toward the elimination of negative aspects of desire and aggressive behavior. While Mahayana practitioners seek to completely eradicate this behavior, Vajrayana followers focus on subduing desire and aggression with wisdom. The Vajrayana path also has a greater emphasis on mystical practices, incantations, and rituals as a way for the individual to more quickly attain enlightenment. In addition, some of the tantric texts used by adherents appear to condone certain foods as well as physical and sexual acts that are contrary to other Buddhist practices. As a result of these differences, some do not see Vajrayana as a form of Buddhism.
Followers and those who study Buddhism, however, contend that those who do not see true Buddhist beliefs in Vajrayana are misinterpreting its concepts and practices. For this reason, those who adhere to this path, say a lama, or spiritual teacher, is needed to guide the student in the correct way to practice Vajrayana. Lamas—sometimes known as gurus—undergo training and study to prepare for this position. They spend much time in formal and informal study with their students, who often develop a strong devotion to their teachers. Buddhists in Tibet, where Vajrayana is most common, also developed the concept that the mind of a deceased lama could reappear in the body of a child, a concept known as the incarnate lama.
Key Concepts
The practice of meditation is important to followers of Vajrayana. They see meditation as a way of focusing the mind on one particular thing—a thought, breath, sound, etc.—for the purpose of increasing awareness and mindfulness as well as reaching closer to a godlike state. They also often practice elaborate yoga as a means of enhancing meditation and use both yoga and meditation more for their spiritual aspects than for the purposes of relaxation, stretching, and other physical benefits often sought by those who practice these things in the Western world.
Vajrayana adherents often use a single word or phrase as their focus for their meditative practices. This mantra is thought to summon the source of the divine within to ward off negative and distracting thoughts during meditation. They also use mudras, or specific gestures with the hands or body that replicate those of different Buddhas, as a way of invoking the presence of that Buddha and evoking his qualities. Mandalas are also important to Vajrayana Buddhists. These two- or three-dimensional circular diagrams represent the energies of different Buddhas and the realms they occupy; mandalas are used to guide the mind during meditation and are part of other rituals.
Bibliography
"Basic Concepts of Tibetan Buddhism." Brown University Library, library.brown.edu/cds/BuddhistTempleArt/buddhism.html. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Horton, David, editor. The Portable Seminary: A Master's Level Overview in One Volume. Bethany House, 2002, pp. 381–389.
Rinpoche, Mingyur. “Imagine You Are a Buddha.” Lion’s Roar, vol. 8, no. 1, Mar. 2023, pp. 68–73. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=161154844&site=ehost-live. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
"Theravada Buddhism." BBC, 10 Feb. 2002, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/theravada‗1.shtml. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
“Vajrayana Buddhism: Beliefs, Meditations, and Practices.” Sukhasiddhi Foundation, www.sukhasiddhi.org/blog/vajrayana-buddhism-beliefs. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.