Tantra: The Foundation of Buddhist ThoughtIn this sixth and final volume in the Foundation of Buddhist Thought series, Geshe Tashi Tsering brings his familiar, helpful approach to the esoteric practices of Buddhist tantra. Anticipating the many questions Westerners have upon first encountering tantra's colorful imagery and veiled language, Tantra uses straight talk to explain deities, initiations, mandalas, and the body's subtle physiology of channels and chakras. Tantric Buddhism provides a quick avenue to buddhahood by means of dissolving the body's wind energies into the central channel at the heart, mimicking the transformations of consciousness that occur at the time of death. Guiding readers systematically from tantra's generation stage through to the full enlightenment of the completion stage, Geshe Tashi Tsering even unpacks a simple compassion practice composed by the Dalai Lama, using it to illustrate the building blocks common to all such visualization techniques. Tantra is a fitting conclusion to this accessible and practical series. |
Contents
Appendix | 2 |
The Unique Features of Vajrayana | 9 |
Entering the Vajrayana | 23 |
The Initiation | 30 |
The Lower Tantras | 43 |
Yoga without Sign | 58 |
Pranayama | 71 |
Preparation for Highest Yoga Tantra | 77 |
EMPTINESS and Bliss | 128 |
PHYSICAL ISOLATION | 135 |
VERBAL ISOLATION | 148 |
THE ILLUSORY BODY | 156 |
UNION | 162 |
Appendix 1 | 169 |
The Six Deities within the Nyungné Practice | 185 |
| 203 | |
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Common terms and phrases
actual clear light Akshobhya aspect Avalokiteshvara bardo become blessing bliss and emptiness bodhichitta bodhisattva Buddhist called calm abiding central channel classes of tantra clear light clear-light mind completion stage concentration conceptual consciousness consort death process deity practice deity yoga deity’s dharmakaya Dhyani Buddhas disciples dissolution dissolve elements energy experience five five Dhyani Buddhas four empties four joys front-generation Guhyasamaja guru heart chakra highest yoga tantra illusory body indestructible drop inseparable intermediate-state knots kriya tantra loosened lotus lower tantras Mahayana mandala meditation mental isolation merit field moon disc move mudra nirmanakaya offering ordinary death path physical isolation post-meditation prac practitioner pranayama prayer purify realization of emptiness rebirth recitation sadhana sambhogakaya sense sentient sound subtle body subtle winds Sutrayana syllables tantric practice teachings Tibetan Buddhism tice tion understanding of emptiness vajra master Vajradhara Vajrasattva Vajrayana practice vehicle verbal isolation visualize ourselves vows winds enter wisdom realizing emptiness