Lec. 2.4 The Tantrayana or Vajrayana Tradition

EL29 Mindfulness Meditation
Lecture 2.4: The Tantrayana or
Vajrayana Tradition
Theravada vs. Mahayana
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Quick discussion to consolidate
your
“”Spirit” of the elders
Key virtue: compassion
memory!
(karuna)
Teaching of the elders
Key virtue: wisdom (bodhi)
Religion is primarily for
monk
Ideal: the Arhat (lonely
saint)
Nirvana for the individual
Avoids metaphysical
speculation
Conservative in views
Tipitaka texts only
A bit like Catholicism
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Religion is for laypersons as
well
Ideal: the Bodhisattva
Nirvana delayed until all
beings relieved of suffering.
Elaborates metaphysics
More liberal and inclusive
Many, many texts revered –
wisdom as evolving with
sages.
A bit like Protestantism
Describe 3 differences between Theravada
and Mahayana Buddhism
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Ok to chat with your neighbours
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Lecture Overview
• Evolution, distribution
and diffusion
• Belief system
• Meditation practices
• Icons and symbolism
Key Learnings:
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Key Learning #1:. Evolution, diffusion & distribution: Tantrayana
evolved out of India in the 5-8th century and spread primarily to Tibet,
Mongolia and Japan. Popular in North America now.
Key Learning #2: Beliefs: rapid, but risky, enlightenment through
secret and esoteric meditative practices. An evolutionary offshoot of
Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Hinduism, mixed with local religious
beliefs.
Key Learning #3:. Meditation: Master to student transmission in
secret is key to meditation approaches. Tantrayana explored a
number of technical meditation approaches, but also adopted local
esoteric belief systems (rituals, magic, demons, etc). Chanting quite
common.
Key learning #4: Symbols & art: Artistic and symbolic expression
reached a zenith in Tantrayana Buddhism, by the adoption of Tibetan
cultural gods, demons and beliefs that were already in existence.
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Key Learnings:
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! 
! 
! 
Key Learning #1:. Evolution, diffusion & distribution: Tantrayana
evolved out of India in the 5-8th century and spread primarily to Tibet,
Mongolia and Japan. Popular in North America now.
Key Learning #2: Beliefs: rapid, but risky, enlightenment through
secret and esoteric meditative practices. An evolutionary offshoot of
Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Hinduism, mixed with local religious
beliefs.
Key Learning #3:. Meditation: Master to student transmission in
secret is key to meditation approaches. Tantrayana explored a
number of technical meditation approaches, but also adopted local
esoteric belief systems (rituals, magic, demons, etc). Chanting quite
common.
Key learning #4: Symbols & art: Artistic and symbolic expression
reached a zenith in Tantrayana Buddhism, by the adoption of Tibetan
cultural gods, demons and beliefs that were already in existence.
Divisions of Buddhism
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Three Rafts for Crossing the River
•  Theravada Buddhism
•  Mahayana Buddhism
•  Tantrayana or Vajrayana or Esoteric
Buddhism
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Evolution of Buddhism
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Number of
schools & sects
tends to rise over
time – true of
most religions.
More
philosophical and
scholarly ideas
get added on to
the original
teachers ideas.
Complexity rises.
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Vajrayana
Buddhism
•  DevelopedinIndia
aroundthe5thcentury
CE
•  CametoTibetin7th–
8thcenturiesCE
•  OBenviewedasthe
thirdmajorschoolof
Buddhism,aBer
Theravadaand
Mahayana
•  Esoteric,secret
pracGcesdesignedto
achieveenlightenment
quickly
IntroducGontoBuddhism
00 - INTRODUCTION
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The Spread of Buddhism
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Within two centuries
after the Buddha
died, Buddhism
began to spread
north and east into
Asia
To Europe & N.
America in the 19th
to 20th centuries
By 8th century,
Buddhism migrated
to Tibet and Tantra
was born.
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Distribution of Vajrayana Buddhism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism
TibetanBuddhism
•  The goal of spiritual
practice is
to become a Bodhisattva (i.e.
attainment of a state in which
one will subsequently become
a Buddha—after some further
reincarnation),
•  Faster,butriskierpathto
enlightenment
•  ImportanceoftheLamaor
teacher
•  Importanceofritualand
iniGaGons
•  PreoccupaGonwithrelaGonship
betweenlifeanddeath
•  Richvisualsymbolism
•  Prominenceofsupernatural
beings
•  Incorporatedelementsofearlier
Tibetanreligions
IntroducGontoBuddhism
00 - INTRODUCTION
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6
One Perspective:
Three Historical Phases of
Buddhism
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1. Early Conservative Theravada
Buddhism---focusing on the:
Developmental Dimension
2. The Mahayana Revitalization--focusing on the:
Relational Dimension
3. Phase Three Diversity (Pure
Land, Zen & Vajrayana)--focusing on the
Technical Dimension
Quick check:
How much can you recall so far?
Which of the
following countries is
NOT a Tantra
country?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
India
Tibet
Mongolia
Nepal
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Which of the
following is NOT a
characteristic of
Trantra?
•  Faster,butriskierpathto
enlightenment
•  ImportanceoftheLamaor
teacher
•  Importanceofmindful
breathing
•  Importanceofritualand
iniGaGons
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Key Learnings:
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! 
! 
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Key Learning #1:. Evolution, diffusion & distribution: Tantrayana
evolved out of India in the 5-8th century and spread primarily to Tibet,
Mongolia and Japan. Popular in North America now.
Key Learning #2: Beliefs: rapid, but risky, enlightenment through
secret and esoteric meditative practices. An evolutionary offshoot of
Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Hinduism, mixed with local religious
beliefs.
Key Learning #3:. Meditation: Master to student transmission in
secret is key to meditation approaches. Tantrayana explored a
number of technical meditation approaches, but also adopted local
esoteric belief systems (rituals, magic, demons, etc). Chanting quite
common
Key learning #4: Symbols & art: Artistic and symbolic expression
reached a zenith in Tantrayana Buddhism, by the adoption of Tibetan
cultural gods, demons and beliefs that were already in existence.
Principle Schools of ThirdPhase Buddhism
All grow out of the Mahayana movement:
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Vajrayana Buddhism, the Tantric Buddhist
tradition of India & Tibet
Ch’an or Zen Buddhism, the East Asian
school centered on meditative practice
Pure Land Buddhism, the East Asian school
centered on devotional practice directed
towards rebirth in the Pure Land of
Amitabha (Amida) Buddha
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Characteristics of 3rd-Phase
Buddhism
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emphasis on the technical aspect of
the path, on radical & powerful
techniques;
liberation here and now: union of
wisdom and method
focus on immediate worldly context
& concerns as the context for
enlightenment
rejection of scholasticism
Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism
Sutra: “thread”
vs.
Tantra: “something woven”
Origins of Tantra lie outside of both
Buddhism and Hinduism
Some would argue that Tantra has
deviated too far to still be called
Buddhism.
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The Vajrayana Buddhism of
Tibet
The Three
Vehicles
!  Hinayana
! 
Mahayana
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Vajrayana
Tantra
Sutra-yana
&
Mantra-yana
(Tantra-yana)
4MajorTibetanSchools
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
Nyingma
Sakya
Kagyu
Gelug
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Vajrayana Buddhism
1. Tantra is Concerned with Direct Experience
2. Tantra Works with symbols and magic & rituals.
3. Tantra Addresses the Whole Person
4. Tantra Sees the World in Terms of Energy
5. Tantra Makes Use of the Strongest Experiences of
Life
6. Tantra Sees Samsara and Nirvana as
Interrelated
7. Tantra Begins at the Highest Point: enact
enlightenment
Vajrayana Buddhism & Death
Reflections on Death
I. Death is certain (i.e., inevitable).
II. The time of death is uncertain (i.e.,
unpredictable).
III. Only spiritual practice is of help at the
time of death.
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Vajrayana Buddhism & Death
Reflections on Death
I. Death is certain (i.e., inevitable).
A. Death will come and we will not be
able to escape it.
B. Life diminishes uninterruptedly; we
cannot augment it.
C. A normal life leaves little time for
spiritual practice; one is either too
young, too busy with family, or too old.
Vajrayana Buddhism & Death
Reflections on Death
II. The time of death is uncertain (i.e.,
unpredictable).
A. Life in general is short; moreover, the
young and healthy may die before the old
and infirm.
B. There are few causes of life, many of
death, and the former can easily turn into
the latter.
C. The body is weak and susceptible.
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Vajrayana Buddhism & Death
Reflections on Death
III. Only spiritual practice is of help
at the time of death
A. Wealth is of no help.
B. Friends and relatives cannot help.
C. Even one’s own body cannot help.
Bardo Thodol:
Tibetan Book of the Dead
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Composed in the 8th century by
Padmasambhava
The text describes, and is
intended to guide one through,
the experiences that the
consciousness has after death,
in the bardo, the interval
between death and the next
rebirth.
The text also includes chapters
on the signs of death and rituals
to undertake when death is
closing in or has taken place.
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Quick check:
How much can you recall so far?
! 
Which of the following is NOT one of the 4
Tibetan traditions?
a)  Red hat - Nyingama
b)  Yellow hat - Gelug
c)  Green hat - Dhramka
d)  White hat - Kegyu
e)  Flower - Sakya
Key Learnings:
! 
! 
! 
! 
Key Learning #1:. Evolution, diffusion & distribution: Tantrayana
evolved out of India in the 5-8th century and spread primarily to Tibet,
Mongolia and Japan. Popular in North America now.
Key Learning #2: Beliefs: rapid, but risky, enlightenment through
secret and esoteric meditative practices. An evolutionary offshoot of
Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Hinduism, mixed with local religious
beliefs.
Key Learning #3:. Meditation: Master to student transmission in
secret is key to meditation approaches. Tantrayana explored a
number of technical meditation approaches, but also adopted local
esoteric belief systems (rituals, magic, demons, etc). Chanting quite
common.
Key learning #4: Symbols & art: Artistic and symbolic expression
reached a zenith in Tantrayana Buddhism, by the adoption of Tibetan
cultural gods, demons and beliefs that were already in existence.
14
Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism
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Jambhala (Lord of Wealth)
in ritual sexual union with
consort, Sino-Tibetan,
18th-19th century
Key Elements of Tantric
Buddhism
•  mantra
•  mandala
•  magic (“mysticism”): magical
world view: homologies between
microcosm and macrocosm
•  demonic dimension of human
experience: sex & death
•  esotericism: importance of relying
on a guru or lama
Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism
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Some definitions of mantra:
•  “the sound expressing some fundamental structure
of existence”; “a seed-syllable” or “power syllable”
•  “mind protector”
•  "word(s) believed to be of 'superhuman origin,'
received, fashioned, and spoken by the 'inspired'
seers, poets, and reciters in order to evoke divine
power(s) and especially as means of creating,
conveying, concentrating, and realizing intentional
and efficient thought, and of coming into touch or
identifying oneself with the essence of the divinity
which is present in the mantra.” Jan Gonda
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The Vajrayana Buddhism of
Tibet
Vajrayana Forms of Practice
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Purely Mahayana Forms
example: Healing Anger
meditations
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Mahayana Forms with
Tantric elements
example: Visualization
Practices
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Focused on the Archetypal
buddhas.
Use of mantras & mandalas
Mandala’s as the universe, nirvana, and
an aide to meditation .
Tantric Forms (with Buddhist
content)
example: “Tibetan Book of the
Dead” practices
Mantra and Mandala
in Vajrayana Practice
Visualization Practice (Deity-yoga) in the
Mahayana
•  Establish a relationship of veneration &
aspiration
•  Awareness of the difference & distance to be
traversed
Visualization Practice in the Tantric Vajrayana
•  Establish a relationship of aspiration &
identification
•  Awareness of the immediacy & proximity of
the goal
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Quick check:
How much can you recall so far?
! 
After making a beautiful mandala, why do
monks destroy it?
a)  They didn’t like it and wanted to start again
b)  Symbolized impermanence and non-attachment
c)  The master ordered it so
d)  Part of a magic ritual to achieve Nirvana
Key Learnings:
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! 
! 
! 
Key Learning #1:. Evolution, diffusion & distribution: Tantrayana
evolved out of India in the 5-8th century and spread primarily to Tibet,
Mongolia and Japan. Popular in North America now.
Key Learning #2: Beliefs: rapid, but risky, enlightenment through
secret and esoteric meditative practices. An evolutionary offshoot of
Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Hinduism, mixed with local religious
beliefs.
Learning #3:. Meditation: Master to student transmission in secret is
key to meditation approaches. Tantrayana explored a number of
technical meditation approaches, but also adopted local esoteric belief
systems (rituals, magic, demons, etc). Chanting quite common.
Key learning #4: Symbols & art: Artistic and symbolic expression
reached a zenith in Tantrayana Buddhism, by the adoption of Tibetan
cultural gods, demons and beliefs that were already in existence.
17
Vajrayana Buddhism
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Vajra: symbolizes the
impenetrable, immovable,
immutable, indivisible, and
indestructible state of
enlightenment or Buddhahood.
Bell: hand bell sends the
message to evil spirits that
they must stay away from the
consecrated area where the
ritual is being performed.
Phurpa, sometimes called a
"magic dagger", is a tantric
ritual object used to conquer
evil spirits and to destroy
obstacles.
Chopper: is one of the most
prominent weapons used by
Buddhism's angry deities, both
male and female. Continuously
brandished by them or simply
carried in their hands, its
purpose is to chop up
disbelievers.
Ritual Objects
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Vajrayana Art
Golden skinned
Buddha
Tibet
Nagarjuna. Tibet,
1700–1799. Gelug
lineage
18th-century Eastern Tibetan thanka, with
the Green Tara (Samaya Tara Yogini) in the
center and the Blue, Red, White and Yellow
taras in the corners
Final Quiz: what does this object
represent?
Bell: hand bell sends
the message to evil
spirits that they must
stay away from the
consecrated area
where the ritual is
being performed.
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Part 2: Hand’s on practice
- chanting meditation
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