11/04/2022
🔥 A Guide to Esoteric Buddhism (Tangmi)
🔶 What Is Esoteric Buddhism?
Esoteric Buddhism is not a religion but a practical, esoteric philosophical approach to spiritual development. The term ‘esoteric’ means “inner teaching.” By these means, the student can speed up their spiritual evolution and enhance their ability to manifest desires in this lifetime. These ritual formulae in Esoteric Buddhism provide shortcuts to enlightenment, whether they are mantras, mudras, meditation, or mandalas.
Mantrayana and Ta**ra are also terms used to describe Esoteric Buddhism. Its mythology stems from ancient texts such as the Kalachakra Ta**ra and the Guhyasamaja Ta**ra, which many kept secret throughout antiquity. They only passed it on to chosen initiates and royalty. One of the most surprising things for many people who are new to Esoteric Buddhism is that to practice Buddhism under a guru, they will have to submit to a process of initiation by that master.
Buddhist Esotericism is a spiritual tradition that great enlightened masters founded. The main intention of Buddhist Esotericism is to transform every being into enlightened Buddhas. You must achieve this goal through intensive initiations.
Many preserved the main teachings of Buddhist Esotericism for thousands of years, orally and through sacred texts. That was until the Buddhist Master, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, discovered them in the 20th century. As a Buddhist practitioner, you develop a close relationship with a guiding Buddha, Bodhisattva, or deity and work towards becoming spiritually united with this being.
The Difference Between Esoteric Buddhism and Exoteric Buddhism
Exoteric Buddhism is the most widespread sect of Buddhism. Emperor Ashoka founded it. According to the book “The Transmission of Exoteric Buddhism,” Exoteric Buddhism mainly refers to the study and practice of Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism in public.
🔶 Origins and Evolution
Esoteric Buddhism originated in northern India, where Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya, now Bihar, under a Bodhi tree. In the 5th century, there were already many schools of thought in India. For example, there was a great deal of discussion concerning the nature of existence and how to attain liberation from suffering.
Mahasiddhas (great adepts) in the eighth and ninth centuries formed the esoteric school of Buddhism, later known as Vajrayan. The esoteric path is a shorter path to enlightenment than the exoteric path. It is a path of direct routes, employing special means and methods to help students communicate with the Dharmakaya, the true nature of the Universe.
The Buddha categorically forbade any form of magic and sorcery. During the First Council of Rajagaha, held just after the Buddha’s death, an assembly of monks recited his teachings. And Ananda, one of the Buddha’s chief disciples, recited a prohibition against using charms and spells to gain material things. In the Pali canon, this prohibition appears in the Vinaya Pitaka.
🔶 History of Esoteric Buddhism
Nagarjuna was the foundational figure in developing Mahayana Buddhism, best known for his central role in developing the Prajnaparamita Sutras, among other texts. As an exponent of the Middle Way (Madhyamaka) doctrine, Buddhists also credit him with developing the Bodhisattva ideal, which leads to a state beyond suffering and rebirth. Many believed that he was also responsible for creating Esoteric Buddhism, which synthesized all the various Buddhist practices into what we recognize as Buddhism today.
The Golden age of Buddhism started with Emperor Ashoka. He converted to Buddhism after the Battle of Kalinga, which was one of the most devastating battles in history. He decided to spread his belief after converting to Buddhism. He did this by building more than 84,000 stupas (Pillar-like structure or burial mound), 288 chatteris(circular stone), and pillars and sending his emissaries to spread Buddhism.
Emperor Kanmu sent Kukai(Kobo Daishi) from China to Japan in 804. This amazing monk of noble birth spearheaded the introduction of the esoteric teachings of Buddhism to Japan. He studied Esoteric Buddhism at sacred Mt. T’ien-T’ung, and went to Chang’an in 808 to study under Huiguo, the great master of Esoteric Buddhism.
Historians venerate Kobo Daishi as the founder of the Shingon school within the esoteric Buddhist tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism. Shingon Buddhism is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese transliteration of his name, Ciming (in Chinese, Zhenming). Kukai took this as his ordination name. The Shingon school of Esoteric Buddhism in Japan is a complex subject. In the case of Kukai, he recognized the richness of ritual and symbolism for his nation and embraced it.
🔶 Sacred Mysteries of Esotericism
The Esoteric Teachings have remained present in the world since the beginning of time. The teachings passed from generation to generation, and many preserved them through the centuries. However, historians say esoteric teachings stay hidden from the general public for purposes of spiritual enlightenment.
The original concept of the Esoteric and the Occult was that there is a hidden stream that runs through all spiritual paths. This stream is not a river; however, it’s more like blood vessels and capillaries. In this system, we can call each of these individual vessels a Dharma Stream, representing the inner wisdom of each spiritual path. The following are significant parts of that spiritual path.
🔶 Meditation
Esoteric Buddhist Meditation is a form of meditation that uses the inner mental images of deities. Adepts can use it for healing, stretching, or as a form of concentration. They do this by creating a quiet place in the mind to explore the thoughts and feelings that arise. Esoteric Buddhist Meditation methods work to attain enlightenment and are especially suitable for people living in today’s world.
🔶 Mantras
A mantra is a collection of words and sounds that you can chant repeatedly. This helps to achieve the desired result. Mantra is a Sanskrit word that literally means “instrument of thought.” It is a powerful spiritual instrument because when practiced with concentration, it leads to meditation.
To better understand the effect of mantras on our minds, we can imagine chanting a mantra is the same as imagining an object or event. The mind, in this sense, acts like a video camera that automatically captures thoughts and images. This is why when we chant a mantra over and over again, we become deeply familiar with it. We are also able to better understand its meaning and message.’
🔶 Mandala
The mandala is a coming-together of a series of images in a circle, used for the contemplation and meditation upon the nature of reality, the universe, life and death, etc. It is a representation of the essence of all things in the world. We often find it in religious or meditational settings. The mandala represents the mind. Mandalas can also take the form of flat drawings, three-dimensional sculptures, and graphics in video games.
🔶 Esoteric Sutras
Esoteric Sutras are the core texts of Esotericism in Asia. In Japan, they are Shingon Buddhism, Tendai Buddhism, and Shinnyo Buddhism. The Mahavairocana Sutra was the first to arrive and is the main esoteric scripture for Shingon Buddhism. The Diamond Peak Sutra is the main esoteric scripture for Tendai Buddhism, and it arrived in 806 AD when Japan finally adopted Buddhism after over 150 years of suppression.
Mahayana Buddhism is the ‘great vehicle’ of Buddhism. The Mahayana sutras are the scriptures that form the foundation of this school. The earliest Mahayana sutra is the Lotus Sutra. Unfortunately, it is a mix of short and long sutras, seemingly contradictory, and it is not clear who wrote it. Such lack of clarity is typical of Mahayana scriptures.
🔶 Namasya
Many faithful Buddhists regard Namasya as the most important part of the Sutra. That’s because confession is an important approach to get rid of the bad karmas in Buddhism. It is the Buddhism practice that cultivators have to do before they take Yidam’s initiation. Namasya can also draw the inner of cultivators closer to Yidam.
🔶 Mode
Modo is the Latin word for “mode” and translated into Tibetan is “kye’u.” The second level of cultivation practices is Mahayana, which many call “higher training.” For example, the Vajrayana practices include:
▪ Taking refuge in Three Jewels,
▪ Taking refuge in Guru.
▪ Taking refuge in Yidam.
▪ Chanting Mantras for protection.
▪ Reciting Mantras for merit and others.
🔶 Dhyana-Contemplation
When the disciples and Yidam work together with the master, they can easily achieve the Dhyana-contemplation level. The process of changing one’s body into the Yidam is different for both of them. They also need to possess a very strong power of concentration and visualization.
🔶 Esoteric Buddhism Today
Today, there are several forms of Western Buddhism with widely divergent practices and views. Although they have declined in the west, traditions like Zen and Tibetan Buddhism are still popular in Asia. In the West, the main forms of Buddhism are the more traditional Theravada and Mahayana. We can trace both these traditions to India.
The six living Buddhas in Tibet are two incarnate lamas and four tulkus. The two incarnate lamas are the tenth Panchen Lama and the eleventh Dalai Lama, both of whom the Chinese government has been holding since the 90s. The four tulkus are the Karmapa Lama, Shamarpa Lama, Dudul Dorje Rinpoche, and Gyalwa Choying Wangmo (10th) Rinpoche.
