Likewise, the drinking of sexual fluids was also reinterpreted by later commentators to refer illusory body anatomy of the perfection stage practices. Buddhism - Veneration of Buddha, Dana Ritual, Uposatha Days, and Around 600 BCE, a religious reform movement swept across India that questioned orthodox Hinduism. [67] Padmavajra (c 7th century) explains in his Tantrarthavatara Commentary, the secret Body, Speech, and Mind of the Buddhas are:[68], These elements are brought together in the practice of tantric deity yoga, which involves visualizing the deity's body and mandala, reciting the deity's mantra and gaining insight into the nature of things based on this contemplation. Thus, the term is variously translated as Diamond Vehicle, Thunderbolt Vehicle, Indestructible Vehicle and so on. This form of esoteric Buddhism is unique in that it developed in Southeast Asia and has no direct connection to the Indian Tantric Movement of the Mahasiddhas and the tantric establishments of Nalanda and Vikramashila Universities. Indonesian Esoteric Buddhism refers to the traditions of Esoteric Buddhism found in the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra before the rise and dominance of Islam in the region (13-16th centuries). When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Japanese art - Heian Period, Esoteric Buddhism, Emperor - Britannica The Sutrayana is the method of perfecting good qualities, where the Vajrayna is the method of taking the intended outcome of Buddhahood as the path. [21] It is farthest removed from the earlier Buddhist traditions, and incorporates concepts of messianism and astrology not present elsewhere in Buddhist literature. According to Alex Wayman this "Buddha embryo" (tathgatagarbha) is a "non-dual, self-originated Wisdom (jnana), an effortless fount of good qualities" that resides in the mindstream but is "obscured by discursive thought. Vajrayna can also be distinguished from the paramitayana. We can be certain as well that many others are lost to us forever, in whatever form. The explanatory tantra of the Guhyasamaja tantra, the Vajramala, states: "The body becomes a palace, the hallowed basis of all the Buddhas. [28], Ronald M. Davidson meanwhile, argues that Sanderson's arguments for direct influence from Shaiva Vidyapitha texts are problematic because "the chronology of the Vidyapitha tantras is by no means so well established"[29] and that "the available evidence suggests that received Saiva tantras come into evidence sometime in the ninth to tenth centuries with their affirmation by scholars like Abhinavagupta (c. 1000 c.e. In tantric deity yoga, mantras or bijas are used during the ritual evocation of deities which are said to arise out of the uttered and visualized mantric syllables. Snellgrove, David. Shingon Buddhism - Encyclopedia of Buddhism The distinction between traditions is not always rigid. The Jana Tilaka Tantra, for example, has the Buddha state that the tantras will be explained by the bodhisattva Vajrapani. These yogis were known to frequent charnel grounds (above-ground cemeteries where bodies were left to decompose as part of mortuary rituals) and associated themselves with the transitional sphere between life and afterlife. In: Buddhismus in Geschichte und Gegenwart. These tantras (sometimes termed 'Anuttarayoga tantras' include many transgressive elements, such as sexual and mortuary symbolism that is not shared by the earlier tantras that are studied in East Asian Buddhism. It is the weapon of choice of Indra, the King of the Devas. [103], Another form of esoteric Buddhism in China is Azhaliism, which is practiced among the Bai people of China and venerates Mahakala as a major deity.[104][105]. thig le) and chakras ("wheels"). In 1224, the medieval Japanese scholar-monk Dhan (1179-1252) composed The Compendium on Esoteric Mindfulness of Buddha (Himitsu nenbutsu sh), which begins with another seemingly simple question: Why is it that practitioners of mantra and meditation rely on the recitation of the name of the Buddha Amitbha? Shankara attacked Buddhist thought for its denial of the atman, but his understanding of liberation through oneness of the atman with Brahman is similar to the Buddhist concept of attaining nirvana through non-attachment. [1] It includes practices that make use of mantras, dharanis, mudras, mandalas and the visualization of deities and Buddhas. Esoteric Buddhism Meaning: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Path Less [112] The temple complex at Borobudur in central Java, built by the Shailendra dynasty also reflects strong Tantric or at least proto-tantric influences, particularly of the cult of Vairocana. (435). A mantra (literally "spell" or "charm") is recited to clear and protect the mind from illusion. Operating on the margins of both monasteries and polite society, some adopted the behaviors associated with ghosts (preta, pisaca), not only as a religious praxis but also as an extension of their implied threats. It is the only form of Vajrayana Buddhism in which the scriptures are written in Sanskrit and this tradition has preserved many Vajrayana texts in this language. Cite This Work Its priests do not follow celibacy and are called vajracharya (literally "diamond-thunderbolt carriers"). Wayman, Alex; The Buddhist Tantras: Light on Indo-Tibetan esotericism, page 83. Guhyamantra, Tib. Williams, Wynne, Tribe; Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, page 205-206. As Buddhism became the dominant religion across Asia, the teachings inspired new schools of thought. The Theravadins trace their lineage to the Sthaviravada school, one of two major schools (the Mahasanghika was the other) that supposedly formed in the wake of the Council of Vaishali (now in Bihar state . Buddhism had been introduced centuries earlier following the missionary efforts of Ashoka and so the Chinese were already acquainted with the basic teachings and overall message. An important element in some of these rituals (particularly initiations and tantric feasts) seems to have been the practice of ritual sex or sexual yoga (karmamudra, "desire seal", also referred to as "consort observance", vidyavrata, and euphemistically as "puja"), as well as the sacramental ingestion of "power substances" such as the mingled sexual fluids and uterine blood (often performed by licking these substances off the vulva, a practice termed yonipuja).[79]. For example, the Ornament for the Essence of Manjushrikirti states: Distance yourself from Vajra Masters who are not keeping the three vows Esoteric Buddhism is generally classified under the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) Buddhism. Shingon Buddhism ( Shingon-sh) is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks such as Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra . Feminine deities and forces are also increasingly prominent in Vajrayna. Vajrayana - Wikipedia According to Louis de La Valle-Poussin and Alex Wayman, the philosophical view of the Vajrayana is based on Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, mainly the Madhyamaka and Yogacara schools. Tibetan Buddhist Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo (10121088) held that the views of sutra such as Madhyamaka were inferior to that of tantra, which was based on basic purity of ultimate reality. Shingon is an esoteric or tantric form of Buddhism, whose name is based on the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese zhen yan (), literally meaning "true word," which is the phrase used to translate mantra. "Yana" was originally an instrument used in ancient India to hold things, meaning "load"; Buddhism believes that it can carry all living beings from the shore of life and death to the . Esoteric Buddhism is the mystical interpretation and practice of the belief system founded by the Buddha (known as Sakyamuni Buddha, l. c. 563 - c. 483 BCE). Repentance, to an Esoteric Christian, is the "turning in" of one's thoughts toward oneself and away from the world. The primary texts of Shingon Buddhism are the Mahavairocana Sutra and Vajrasekhara Sutra. Shingon is one of the few remaining branches of Buddhism in the world that continues to use the siddham script of the Sanskrit language. The siddhas claimed they possessed the true teachings of the Buddha which had been given in secret to a select few prior to his death. Buddhism was enthusiastically received in these other lands but continued to struggle to gain and hold followers in India. https://www.worldhistory.org/Esoteric_Buddhism/. JIATS, no. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major . Nevertheless, it weakens the effectiveness of our tantric practice. Tokyo: Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, 2009. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Tibetan Buddhism also includes numerous native Tibetan developments, such as the tulku system, new sadhana texts, Tibetan scholastic works, Dzogchen literature and Terma literature. Douglas Duckworth notes that Vajrayana sees Buddhahood not as something outside or an event in the future, but as immanently present.[47]. Chinese Diamond SutraInternational Dunhuang Project (Public Domain). Sanderson, Alexis; Vajrayana:, Origin and Function, 1994. Mark, Joshua J.. "Esoteric Buddhism." The Buddha's best-known teachings, the four noble truths and . "[31] Davidson further adds that like the Buddhists, the Shaiva tradition was also involved in the appropriation of Hindu and non-Hindu deities, texts and traditions, an example being "village or tribal divinities like Tumburu".[32]. [8], According to Ronald M. Davidson, the rise of Tantric Buddhism was a response to the feudal structure of Indian society in the early medieval period (ca. Esoteric Buddhism relied heavily on visualization in its praxis. Vajrayana, in the history of Buddhism, marks the transition from Mahayana speculative thought to the enactment of Buddhist ideas in individual life. The second two, while also denying the Hindu atman, recognized a self undifferentiated from the universe which suffered under the illusion it was a separate self distanced both from its source and from other selves in the world. Buddhism - Four Stages, Three Planes, Five Buddhas | Britannica As noted by French Indologist Madeleine Biardeau, the tantric doctrine is "an attempt to place kama, desire, in every meaning of the word, in the service of liberation. The practice of ingestion of sexual fluids is mentioned by numerous tantric commentators, sometimes euphemistically referring to the penis as the "vajra" and the vagina as the "lotus". Wayman, Alex; Yoga of the Guhyasamajatantra: The arcane lore of forty verses: a Buddhist Tantra commentary, 1977, page 56. [98][99][100] During the Yuan dynasty, the Mongol emperors made Tibetan Buddhism the official religion of China, and Tibetan lamas were given patronage at the court. Further complications arise as seemingly equivalent terms can have subtle variations in use and meaning according to context, the time and place of use. The new faith splintered in 383 BCE over doctrinal differences, and many Buddhist schools developed including Sthaviravada and Mahasanghika, which would encourage still more. Esoteric Buddhism offers the same basic platform but claims one can attain results more quickly by embracing and then letting go of the attachments of life as one becomes more spiritually mature. These include mantras, mandalas, mudras, deity yoga, other visualization based meditations, illusory body yogas like tummo and rituals like the goma fire ritual. "[web 3]. Esoteric Buddhism - Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia [84], A vajra is also a scepter-like ritual object (Standard Tibetan: dorje), which has a sphere (and sometimes a gankyil) at its centre, and a variable number of spokes, 3, 5 or 9 at each end (depending on the sadhana), enfolding either end of the rod. During the Meiji Restoration, when Shinto was declared an independent state religion separate from Buddhism, Shugend was banned as a superstition not fit for a new, enlightened Japan. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. In this sense, the mantrayana would refer not simply to the recitation of a mantra but to the entire range of practices designed to transform the ordinary practitioner into a deity and his ordinary world into a mandala. Vajrayna Buddhism was initially established in Tibet in the 8th century when various figures like Padmasambhva (8th century CE) and ntarakita (725788) were invited by King Trisong Detsen, some time before 767. [73] This visualization is to be combined with "divine pride", which is "the thought that one is oneself the deity being visualized. Snellgrove, David. The texts called tantras began to appear in India in the late seventh and early eighth centuries CE, often written in a nonstandard Sanskrit. Although a large number of Tantric scriptures are extant, they have not been formally ordered or systematized. The first three names have to do with the importance of revelation through written works mantras and tantras while the last with the value of the experience which leads to a truth as valuable and unbreakable as a diamond. [citation needed], The secrecy of teachings was often protected through the use of allusive, indirect, symbolic and metaphorical language (twilight language) which required interpretation and guidance from a teacher. 144-145. [34], According to several Buddhist tantras as well as traditional Tibetan Buddhist sources, the tantras and the Vajrayana was taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni, but only to some individuals. Williams, Wynne, Tribe; Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, page 217. After monks such as Vajrabodhi and ubhakarasiha brought Tantra to Tang China (716 to 720), tantric philosophy continued to be developed in Chinese and Japanese by thinkers such as Yi Xing and Kkai. Dharmachakra MudraJean-Pierre Dalbera (CC BY). The influence of Indonesian Esoteric Buddhism in Dvipantara and beyond Their primary goal was for each person involved to become an awakened bodhisattva by recognizing that social norms were simply a trap that kept one chained to the world of illusion and suffering. Esoteric Buddhism is the mystical interpretation and practice of the belief system founded by the Buddha (known as Sakyamuni Buddha, l. c. 563 - c. 483 BCE). The program had four aspects of equal importance: A student submitted to a teacher who helped them understand scripture, apply reason and experience to interpretation of scripture, and act correctly on that interpretation. Buddhism | Definition, Beliefs, Origin, Systems, & Practice [50] However the practitioner of the mantra still has to adhere to the vows of the Bodhisattva.[50]. Tibetan Buddhism, also called (incorrectly) Lamaism, branch of Vajrayana (Tantric, or Esoteric) Buddhism that evolved from the 7th century ce in Tibet. Williams, Wynne, Tribe; Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, pages 198, 231. Orzech, Charles D. (general editor) (2011). Some accounts also maintain Padmasambhava is a direct reincarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni.[36]. And as far as different types of Buddhism go, Vajrayana is one of the most unique. Vol. Davidson, Ronald M. Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement, p. 171. Hinduism offered a greater variety of ritual and pageantry while also advancing the concept that everyone held a spark of the divine, was in fact a divine being and part of the universe, which contrasted sharply with the Buddhist doctrine of emptiness-of-self and simplicity of observance. This continuum is the pattern of universal love and compassion shown throughout time by the supernatural entities of buddhas, of which Sakyamuni Buddha was only one, to humanity. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Esoteric Buddhism is a book originally published in 1883 in London; it was compiled by a member of the Theosophical Society, A. P. Sinnett. Esoteric Buddhism Alfred Percy Sinnett, Rosemanio (Contribution by) 3.95 74 ratings7 reviews First published in 1883 Esoteric Buddhism is a practical clue to the meaning of almost all ancient religious symbolism. by Robert A. F. Thurman. One should not, then, renounce the world of illusion but recognize its value since one could not accrue spiritual merit without it and, without the spiritual merit one earned through the discipline of distancing oneself from that world, one could not advance toward enlightenment. The lineage for Shingon Buddhism differs from that of Tibetan Vajrayana, having emerged from India during the 9th11th centuries in the Pala Dynasty and Central Asia (via China) and is based on earlier versions of the Indian texts than the Tibetan lineage. [69], Vajrayana is a system of tantric lineages, and thus only those who receive an empowerment or initiation (abhiseka) are allowed to practice the more advanced esoteric methods. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. For the book by A. P. Sinnett, see, Toggle Academic study difficulties subsection, Affirmation of the feminine, antinomian and taboo, Ray, Reginald A.; Indestructible Truth: The Living Spirituality of Tibetan Buddhism, 2000. Buddhist efforts at conversion were hampered further by the Hindu Revival of the 8th and 9th centuries CE encouraged (according to tradition, at least) by the sage Shankara who advocated the doctrine of Advaita Vednta ("non-duality") emphasizing the ultimate reality of Brahman, the existence of the atman, and the illusory nature of all else. Buddha, according to tradition, was a Hindu prince named Siddhartha Gautama who renounced his position and wealth to seek spiritual enlightenment. (1987) Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: Indian Buddhists and their Tibetan successors. There are also magical quasi-tantric traditions in Southeast Asia, sometimes termed Esoteric Southern Buddhism , though they are not called "tantric" and have been marginalised by state . Esoteric Buddhism in India was a Form of Tantrism that incorporates indigenous magical and ritualistic elements such as symbolic gestures ( mudras) and spells ( mantras ), as well as diagrams ( mandalas) and the worship of numerous deities. 33, No. The vajra is a mythical weapon associated with Indra which was said to be indestructible and unbreakable (like a diamond) and extremely powerful (like thunder). The relationships between Taoism and Buddhism are complex, as they influenced each other in many ways while often competing for influence. On Esoteric or Tantric Buddhism - benebell wen [109], There are two Esoteric Buddhist schools in modern Korea: the Chinn () and the Jingak Order ( The oldest Esoteric Buddhist literature in Old Javanese is the Sang Hyan Kamahayanikan, which describes teachings coming from Dignga. In the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantras, the most widespread tantric form in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, this method is divided into two stages, the generation stage (utpatti-krama) and the completion stage (nispanna-krama). Practitioners of Vajrayna need to abide by various tantric vows or pledges called samaya. These techniques do not rely on deity visualization per se but on direct pointing-out instruction from a master and are often seen as the most advanced and direct methods.[78]. Related Content Institute of Oriental Culture Special Series, 23, pp. Only Brahman existed and human beings existed, through the atman, as parts of Brahman. Alex Wayman points out that the symbolic meaning of tantric sexuality is ultimately rooted in bodhicitta and the bodhisattva's quest for enlightenment is likened to a lover seeking union with the mind of the Buddha. Davidson, Ronald M. Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement, p. 228, 231. Esoteric Buddhism is also known as Mantrayana ("mantra vehicle"), Guhyamantrayana ("secret mantra vehicle"), Tantrayana ("tantra vehicle"), and Vajrayana ("diamond vehicle"). rdo rje theg pa) and Secret mantra (Skt. Tantric Temples: Eros and Magic in Java, page 99. Cozort, Daniel; Highest Yoga Tantra, page 57. [25], Alexis Sanderson notes that the Vajrayna Yogini tantras draw extensively from the material also present in Shaiva Bhairava tantras classified as Vidyapitha. Davidson, Ronald M. Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement, p. 214. Of the texts that survive a very small proportion has been published; an almost insignificant percentage has been edited or translated reliably. It may be one word or even one syllable (as in the case of Om, the sacred syllable), a sentence, or a series of sounds. By chanting mantras, maintaining mudras, or practicing certain forms of meditation, Tendai maintains that one is able to understand sense experiences as taught by the Buddha, have faith that one is innately an enlightened being, and that one can attain enlightenment within the current lifetime. It is said to be like a swift and powerful river, allowing those who practice it to traverse the path to enlightenment more rapidly than other forms of Buddhism. [46], According to Buddhist Tantra, there is no strict separation of the profane or samsara and the sacred or nirvana, rather they exist in a continuum. They are engaged by various means such as pranayama (breath control) to produce blissful experiences that are then applied to the realization of ultimate reality.[77]. (530). There is even direct borrowing of passages from Shaiva texts. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. bindu, Tib. Tantric Buddhism: History, Beliefs and Practices - LotusBuddhas The basic form of instruction is quite similar to that of Shankaras 8th-century CE program in that scriptures are used as a base on which to build spiritual experience, exercise reason, and perform spiritually relevant actions that move one closer to becoming a bodhisattva who can then help others along the same path. There are several Buddhist tantric traditions that are currently practiced, including Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, Shingon Buddhism and Newar Buddhism. In the vehicle of Sutra Mahayana the "path of the cause" is taken, whereby a practitioner starts with his or her potential Buddha-nature and nurtures it to produce the fruit of Buddhahood. Beyer, Stephan; The Cult of Tr: Magic and Ritual in Tibet, 1978, page 69. Williams, Wynne, Tribe; Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, page 198. Davidson adds that Buddhists and Kapalikas as well as other ascetics (possibly Pasupatas) mingled and discussed their paths at various pilgrimage places and that there were conversions between the different groups. There are two parts to it: the Exoteric and the Esoteric Buddhism. Tntrika is a term denoting someone who follows the teachings of scriptures known as Tantras, but only in Saivism, not Buddhism [] Tantric Buddhism is a name for a phenomenon which calls itself, in Sanskrit, Mantranaya, Vajrayna, Mantrayna or Mantramahyna (and apparently never Tantrayna). The terminology associated with Vajrayana Buddhism can be confusing. Traditional Vajrayna sources say that the tantras and the lineage of Vajrayna were taught by kyamuni Buddha and other figures such as the bodhisattva Vajrapani. The student masters various meditation techniques and studies the tantra, generally understood to mean "the continuum" as expressed in Tantric texts. [110][111] This tradition practices and studies a set of tantric texts and commentaries associated with the more "left hand" (vamachara) tantras, which are not part of East Asian Esoteric Buddhism. During the process of deity visualization, the deity is to be imaged as not solid or tangible, as "empty yet apparent", with the character of a mirage or a rainbow. Esoteric Pure Land Buddhism (Pure Land Buddhist Studies Esoteric Christianity promotes introspection with the goal of attaining the knowledge of Self. pg 3. Ngagpas of the Nyingma school keep a special non-celibate ordination. dissertation, Oxford, Trinity Term 2001 pg 8, "Epigraphical evidence for the cult of Mahpratisar in the Philippines", "Seeing Chen-Yen Buddhism: Traditional Scholarship and the Vajrayna in China", "Research Review of Bai Esoteric Buddhist Azhali Religion Since the 20th Century", "Georgieva-Russ, Nelly. During the Vedic Period (c. 1500 - c. 500 BCE) in India, the belief system known as Sanatan Dharma ("Eternal Order"), better known as Hinduism, developed from earlier beliefs through the written works known as the Vedas which preserved a much older oral tradition.

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