Vajrayna

Vajrayna is a term that may refer to Vajrayana, the esoteric branch of Buddhism known as the Diamond Vehicle. The spelling Vajrayna is less common and appears mainly as a variant in informal usage; most scholarly and practitioner sources use Vajrayana or Vajrayāna. Vajrayana denotes a path that uses tantric methods, ritual visualization, and guru-guided practice to transform ordinary experience into awakening.

Origins and scope: Vajrayana developed within Indian Buddhism and tantric movements from roughly the 7th to 12th centuries and spread to the Himalayas, where it became a dominant form of Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan, Ladakh, and parts of Nepal and Mongolia. It is associated with several major Tibetan Buddhist schools, including Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, Kadam, and later Gelug, each preserving distinct lineages of instruction and ritual.

Core practices and concepts: Central features include initiation or abhisheka, guru yoga, and a strong emphasis on the guru-disciple relationship. Practitioners engage in tantra-based meditations, mantra recitation, mudras (hand gestures), mandalas, and deity visualizations. The path often follows generation and completion stages of tantric practice, along with ethical disciplines and ritual observances.

Texts and authorities: Vajrayana draws on both sutra and tantra literature, with important tantras such as the Kalacakra, Guhyagarbha, and Hevajra tantras, as well as commentarial works by Indian and Tibetan scholars. Lineage lamas transmit teachings through specific tantric initiations and oral instructions.

Contemporary presence: Today Vajrayana remains central to Tibetan Buddhist communities in the Himalayas and to diaspora networks worldwide. It continues to influence Buddhist art, ritual practice, and scholarly study, while facing contemporary discussions about secrecy, ethics, and interpretation in modern contexts.