Tantra developed not only within Hindu traditions. It also played an important role in Buddhism.
What Is Buddhist Tantra?
Buddhist Tantra refers to a group of esoteric teachings and practices that became especially prominent in India during the first millennium CE.
These practices could include:
– mantra; – mandala; – visualization; – ritual; – meditation; – initiation; – practices involving images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
The ultimate goal remained the Buddhist aim of liberation from suffering and the attainment of awakening, but the methods often became more elaborate and highly symbolic.
Buddhist Tantra later developed particularly strongly in Tibet, where it became an important part of Vajrayana Buddhism.
It is important to understand that Buddhist Tantra is neither a separate religion nor a “sexual version of Buddhism.” It represents a broad body of Buddhist philosophy, ritual, and meditation.
Tantra in Buddhism is a distinctive set of methods within the wider Buddhist tradition.
In the next article: Tantra and Hinduism — why Tantra cannot simply be considered a separate branch of Hinduism.