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How
does Mahayana Buddhism relate to Tantric Buddhsim?
Historically
Mahayana Buddhism first appears historically in India
around the first century A.D, or perhaps a little bit earlier.
It continues down to today as the only type of Buddhism practiced in
Eastern and Central Asia. (=Mongolia, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan,
and Vietnam)
Tantra or Vajrayana Buddhism first appears historically in
India around the sixth century A.D. It
is known to some extent in all Mahayana countries, but is dominant only in
Central Asian Buddhist countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia.
Scripturally
Mahayana is distinct from earlier Buddhism in its
acceptance of the Mahayana Sutras, such as the
Heart Sutra, the Teaching of Vimalakirti Sutra,
the Diamond Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, etc. (Mahayana Buddhists also accept all of the sutras
used by Theravada Buddhists.)
Tantra is distinct in having its own scriptures, texts
which are called tantras instead of
sutras. Tantric Buddhists also accept all of the Mahayana sutras and all
of the sutras used in Theravada. |
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Relationship
to other types of Buddhism
Mahayana claims that the highest fulfillment of our
potential is reached only in attainment of Buddhahood and that this cannot be
achieved through non-Mahayana practices alone.
Tantric practice is very often seen as a branch or specialization within
Mahayana rather than a separate tradition outside Mahayana.
Tantra agrees that
the highest fulfillment of human potential is only in attainment of Buddhahood.
This cannot be achieved through non-Tantric practices alone--ultimately,
one must follow practice tantra in order to become a Buddha.
View
of Reality
Mahayana emphasizes the need for both compassion and
wisdom, working together on the bodhisattva path.
Wisdom means experiential realization of the profound emptinesss as
explained in Mahayana texts.
Tantra accepts this
Mahayana philosophy and the associated practices, but sees their ordinary forms
as fundamental preliminaries which are extended and enhanced through special
tantric meditative and ritual techniques such as deity
yoga.
In Tibet
In Tibet the vast majority of people were and still
are Buddhists and their Buddhism is a tantric form of Mahayana.
They definitely do not see themselves as having left the Mahayana, but as
having completed and fulfilled it, in dedicating themselves to Tantra.
This is the perspective of Lama Yeshe’s book.
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