VAJRAYANA
Vajrayana is an umbrella designation that denotes the
final form of Buddhism to evolve in India; this term
first comes into evidence in the eighth century. The
Vajrayana is often taken to be identical with Man-
trayana or Guhyamantrayana, the vehicle of secret
spells or incantations. In a very general sense, Vaj-
rayana means the vehicle (yana) of the thunderbolt or
of the adamantine scepter (vajra), although the desig-
nation of the male member as the vajrasometimes
caused the Vajrayana to be interpreted as the erotic ve-
hicle, wherein sensuality may be employed for libera-
tion. The modern attempt to proliferate terms with
-yanaas a final element —(e.g., Kalacakrayana, Saha-
jayana, etc.) —is in error and none of these inauthen-
tic neologisms appears in the literature. The Vajrayana
scriptures are the TANTRAS, and they with their com-
mentaries present several different strategies to discuss
the theoretical nature of this latest vehicle: Vajrayana
as a subset of the MAHAYANA, Vajrayana as the
fruitional or advanced vehicle, and Vajrayana as the
third discipline of the sorcerer. Each of these will be
considered in order.
Mahayana subset
According to this schematism, normative Indian Ma-
hayana revealed two distinct ways (naya): the method
of the perfections (paramitanaya) and the method of
MANTRAS(mantranaya). The former consists of the
standard six or ten PARAMITA(PERFECTIONS) of the Ma-
hayana and requires three incalculable eons to achieve
the condition of buddhahood—the highest perfect
awakening at the tenth or eleventh stage of the Ma-
hayanist path. The method of mantras, however, is said
to confer this state in a single lifetime: buddhahood in
this very body, as the literature affirms. This acceler-
ated progress is possible because of the very powerful
techniques associated with the use of mantras, so that
the activity of the yogin’s entire body, speech, and
mind are employed in the process. Thus, the yogin vi-
sualizes BUDDHAS, BODHISATTVAS, or esoteric DIVINI-
TIESeither before him or identical to himself, recites
mantras associated with such figures, and employs
breathing techniques and other forms of physical yoga
to accelerate the process of identification. Those fol-
lowing the esoteric path often maintain that the dif-
ference between the methods of perfection and the
methods of mantras stems from their respective atti-
tudes toward defilement. Whereas the method of per-
fections requires the elimination of defilement, in the
method of mantras none of the physical or psycho-
logical functions are abandoned, but they are trans-
formed into forms of the gnosis of awakening. In this
light, the method of mantras was considered an easy
path, without the difficulties inherent in the method
of perfections. Similarly, the Vajrayana was sometimes
said to be preached as a response to the needs of those
with inferior ability, who could not renounce the world
but had to maintain a householder’s position. How-
ever, as a subset of the Mahayana, a follower of the
method of mantras is also expected to adhere to the
vows of the bodhisattva, to practice the perfections as
well and to operate on a continuum with the decorum
expected of the bodhisattva.Fruitional vehicle
The Vajrayana may also be called the fruitional vehi-
cle (phalayana), with the Mahayana classified as the
causal vehicle (hetuyana). In this schematism, the875