Vajrayana Buddhism: Beliefs, Meditations, and Practices
Branches of Buddhism
Like many religions, Buddhism inspired various paths of practice, philosophy, and ceremony. While there are many different lineages of Buddhism, the two main branches are Theravada and Mahayana. Vajrayana is part of the Mahayana.
Theravada is the basis of the yanas, which translates from the Sanskrit as “vehicles”. Buddhism developed and spread, throughout India and into Southeast Asia, and into Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Japan, and Korea. As this happened, the three vehicles, Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, continued to develop through the insight and realization of its practitioners. As Buddhism made its way from its birthplace some countries became predominantly Theravadin, others Mahayana, or Vajrayana.
In the Mahayana schools of Buddhist teaching, there is greater emphasis on becoming enlightened for the sake of all beings, rather than simply to liberate oneself. The path for this is the Bodhisattva path of the Mahayana. The Theravadan path culminates with becoming an Arhat. The Mahayana also emphasizes embracing the illusion with love, where traditionally the Theravadin discipline distances from the samsaric illusion in order to awaken.
Tantra, a nondual movement that incorporated many skillful means of transformation merged with the Mahayana and became the third vehicle of Buddhism.
Vajrayana Buddhism: Lineages & Terms
Other Terms for Vajrayana Buddhism:
The Diamond Vehicle
Tibetan Buddhism
Tantric Buddhism
Esoteric Buddhism
Lamaism
Mantrayana
The Sanskrit term vajra translates to "diamond" or "the thunderbolt." This term refers to our indestructible true nature, which is deathless, ever awake presence inseparable with emptiness. This is what we seek to realize, and then fully actualize consciously into every moment of our lives. Often Vajrayana is translated to simply mean “the diamond vehicle”.
Both Tibetan Buddhism and the Japanese Shingon Buddhism are Vajrayana lineages. Tibetan Buddhism is predominant in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Mongolia. It was also taught in and continues to be taught in China, usually by Tibetan masters. Shingon is primarily practiced in Japan.
Beliefs & Practices
The most important “belief” in Mahayana schools is that concept that within each of us is a Buddha-nature. However, in Buddhism there are actually no beliefs. The Buddha taught that we each have to examine his teachings for ourselves, not believe it just because he taught it, and then make our own assessments.
Our Buddha-nature can be accessed and allowed to open through all of our sincere spiritual practices, in Buddhism this means primarily through various kinds of meditation, including silent practice, visualization, mantras, prayers, physical exercises and breathing techniques, and songs of realization. The true nature of self, and the true nature of reality are not different. Reality is nondual. Realization of who we truly are, and what is the true nature of all that is, is nondual.
Vajrayana Buddhism teaches that it is possible for one to reach enlightenment in a single lifetime, instead of having to practice ethics, morality, compassion, and meditation through many. The use of spiritual tools such as visualization and mantra, breath and physical exercises aid in this speedy transformation. However the primary component that is said to speed realization is the mind to mind connection and devotion to an authentic teacher, and the awakened beings.
Tantra
The word tantra is Sanskrit for the English word "weave" and signifies the interlacing of Buddhist teachings with Buddhist practice. In Tibetan the word for tantra is gyu and means “continuity”. Tantric practices are often associated in the West with sexuality and sexual training. While there are spiritual instructions in Buddhism pertaining to a sexual connection, the tantras, in general, refer to the Tantric texts whose spiritual doctrines teach the use of meditation, mantras, and other spiritual aids and practices in order to attain Buddhahood.
Meditation
Meditation of many kinds is the primary practice Vajrayana Buddhists use to achieve spiritual understanding and a sense of the present. The mind is considered a sacred space of transformation. While often meditation will use breathing techniques, there are many different spiritual aids Vajrayana Buddhists can use to amplify their efforts in cultivating one's Buddha-nature.
Yidams & Bodhisattvas
Green Tara
One significant difference between the Western idea of meditation and some of the meditation practices in Vajrayana is that Vajrayana practitioners often focus on a buddha, for example Tara, or on a bodhisattva, such as Avalokitesvara, during their meditations. This is called yidam practice and the yidam is seen as inseparable with one’s teacher.
There is a meditation process where one becomes inseparable with the yidam and one opens to feel oneself and the enlightened being as one and the same. This helps us to feel our Buddha-nature. We can also taste our Buddha-nature when we tune into our basic goodness.
Mantras
Mantras are spoken or whispered Buddhist prayers. Each and every yidam has their own mantra or mantras. Chanting the mantra tunes us into the awakened body, speech, and mind of the awakened being. Chanting these phrases over and over also helps to clear the clutter in one's mind and to center one's focus on the present. Mantras are used to protect and bless the practitioner. The blessing occurs through the transmission of awakening from the Buddha or bodhisattva.
Two of the most well-known Vajrayana mantras are:
Om Mani Padme Hum -Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion’s mantra
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha -A female buddha, Tara’s mantra
Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation Aids
Prayer Wheels
Practitioners sometimes will use prayer wheels in their mantra practice. These hand-held decorated wheels are embossed with mantras that are repeated as the wheel spins slowly. Devotees are often instructed to envision the sacred words reaching out towards the sky and into the heavens.
Another meditation aid Vajrayana Buddhists use is called a mandala. These are meditated on in the mind. One can also view two or three dimensional mandalas that are beautiful art pieces. These artistic circular patterns are used to awaken a practitioner's mind to its deeper, more spiritual nature.
Mandalas
Mandalas are often colorful, intricate, and contain images of awakened beings or symbols. They represent different aspects of the universe or sacred Buddhist teachings and help to focus and heal the practitioner as they create them. In this way, it can be considered a kind of art-therapy.
Mudras
Mudras are symbolic gestures that are usually performed with the hands, but at times can include the movement of the whole body. Mudras help to incorporate the whole body in meditation.
Karma
“If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.”
The Buddhist idea that each of our actions is a cause that creates an effect. This is the basic concept of karma. In Vajrayana and other Buddhist denominations, breaking the cycle of unwholesome habitual negative patterns is of crucial importance. Again and again one needs to catch oneself from acting out, thinking, or speaking in ways that cause suffering to oneself or others. This helps to alleviate negative karma and create positive wholesome karma that supports the journey of awakening.
This cycle of unawakened life is called samsara. People can create positive karma in many ways. The primary teaching on this is to practice and develop what is called in Mahayana, the paramitas or perfections.
The paramitas or perfections:
patience
generosity
ethics and morality
joyful diligence
in meditation: concentration and wisdom
Buddhism emphasizes living with compassion and respect for all living things. By living a life of compassion, awareness, and by seeing through ignorance and coming to realization, one is able to end the cycle and reach enlightenment. A practitioner may choose the path of the bodhisattva, aspiring to awaken to liberate all beings, and one may reincarnate again and again in order to benefit beings.
Gurus
A common Theravada Buddhist teaching is that one must be a monk or a nun in order to attain enlightenment. In Vajrayana Buddhism, as with Mahayana Buddhism in general, the belief is that anyone, either monk or layperson, can reach enlightenment with the right spiritual practices and guided instruction. There is, however, great importance placed on the layperson and monk to work with a spiritual teacher, or guru, in order to truly understand the complex meanings of Buddhist texts and practices.
In Vajrayana, the texts are complex and subtle, so that it is generally inadvisable if not altogether dangerous for a student to practice them without the proper guidance of a teacher. Additionally, the inner teachings and empowerments are orally transmitted by teachers. The sacred relationship between student and teacher helps students to reach their full potential. The Tibetan word lama translates to "guru."
“To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.”
The most well-known lama of Tibetan Buddhism is the 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gaytso, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans. Tibetans believe him to be an emanation of Avalokitesvara. The current Dalai lama is considered to be the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lamas who came before him.
For further study, we recommend this 1.5 hour introduction led by Lama Döndrup:.
An Introduction to Vajrayana and the Student-Teacher Relationship
In this 1.5-hour video, Lama Döndrup provides an overview of the Vajrayana path, a precise and profound spiritual technology that is based on lineage—a living stream of teaching, designed to take students from the gross level of mind to the most subtle levels. Serious Vajrayana students require a strong relationship with a teacher to help make it through the issues and questions that come up along the way, and this teaching discusses the student-teacher relationship at various points. This is an important teaching for anyone currently or interested in studying and practicing Vajrayana.
