Homage to the Bhagavan Tathagata Ratna-shikhin. Homage to the Bhagavan Tathagata Vimala-ujjvala-ratna-rashmi-prabhasa-ketu. Homage to the Tathagata Suvarna-jambu-dhvaja-kancha-nabha. Homage to the Tathagata Suvarna-abhasa-garbha. Homage to the Tathagata...

All the details of the four points for analyzing the increased efficiency of general tantra pertain to anuttarayoga. Beyond that, however, the same four points may help us to understand why the highest class of tantra, anuttarayoga, is even speedier than the other three...

The non-Gelug traditions agree with most points made by Gelug concerning why anuttarayoga is a more efficient and speedier path than the three lower tantras. We need to note, however, the following additions or variations. (1) Closer Analogies General Sakya Anuttarayoga ...

[As background, see: The Main Features of Tantra] Methodology Tantra is well known as being a quicker and more efficient method for achieving enlightenment than is sutra. To appreciate tantra and put full enthusiasm into its practice in a realistic manner, it is important...

Except for the following variations in assertions, the non-Gelug traditions of Tibetan Buddhism – Sakya, Kagyu, and Nyingma – agree with Gelug on the various reasons why general tantra is more efficient than sutra. (1) Closer Analogies Buddha-Nature and Positive Self-Images...

(1) Closer Analogies The Kalachakra Tantra has many unique features not shared in common with the other anuttarayoga Buddha-figure systems. The upward and downward analogies of general anuttarayoga still pertain to its practice, except that Kalachakra does not entail practice...

One of the major Mahayana sutra texts studied by all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism is “A Filigree of Realizations” (“Abhisamayalamkara”), a commentary by Maitreya on the “Prajnaparamita Sutras” on the stages of the realizations.

The Eight Worldly Concerns Apart from the experiences and feelings within our minds, there is also the content of our life. It’s the same thing here; we should try not to make a big deal out of it all. The Buddhist teachings emphasize a list of eight transitory things in life...

The Gelug Svatantrika presentation of the eight branches of an arya pathway mind as explained by Tsongkhapa in “A Golden Rosary of Excellent Explanations.”

Review In our discussion of the Seven Point Mind Training, we’ve discussed the first of these points, the training in the preliminaries, which prepare us to follow the Mahayana training, and the second point, the actual training in bodhichitta. We’ve discussed the training in...