Inner Tantras
Encyclopedia
The Inner Tantras are the final three divisions in the ninefold division of practice according to the Nyingma
school of Tibetan Buddhism. They comprise the Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga. This system divides the whole of the Buddhist path into three divisions of three and is in contrast to the division of the Sarma, or New Translation schools (Gelug, Kagyu and Sayka) which use a fourfold division. The three divisions of the Inner Tantra correspond roughly to the highest category of tantras of the New Translation schools, there known as Anuttarayoga Tantra
.
The three divisions of the Inner Tantras are:
Other schools call them "Father Tantras", "Mother Tantras" and "Non-Dual Tantras".
Among other factors, the three divisions differ in terms of the emphasis they place on the generation stage
and completion stage
of tantric practice. The Mahayoga emphasizes the generation stage, Anuyoga the completion stage and Atiyoga the synthesis and transcendence of both.
As well as being differentiated in terms of emphasis in practice, the three categories of Inner Tantra are also textual categories, with lists of texts assigned to each category; for which see the individual articles for each section.
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
school of Tibetan Buddhism. They comprise the Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga. This system divides the whole of the Buddhist path into three divisions of three and is in contrast to the division of the Sarma, or New Translation schools (Gelug, Kagyu and Sayka) which use a fourfold division. The three divisions of the Inner Tantra correspond roughly to the highest category of tantras of the New Translation schools, there known as Anuttarayoga Tantra
Highest Yoga Tantra
Anuttarayoga Tantra , often translated as Unexcelled Yoga Tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra, is a term used in Tibetan Buddhism in the categorization of esoteric tantric Indian Buddhist texts that constitute part of the Kangyur, or the 'translated words of the Buddha' in the Tibetan Buddhist canon...
.
The three divisions of the Inner Tantras are:
- MahayogaMahayogaMahayoga is the designation of the first of the three Inner Tantras according to the ninefold division of practice used by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism....
- AnuyogaAnuyogaAnuyoga is the designation of the second of the three Inner Tantras according to the ninefold division of practice used by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism...
- Atiyoga also known as DzogchenDzogchenAccording to Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of the mind, and a body of teachings and meditation practices aimed at realizing that condition. Dzogchen, or "Great Perfection", is a central teaching of the Nyingma school also practiced by...
or the Great Perfection.
Other schools call them "Father Tantras", "Mother Tantras" and "Non-Dual Tantras".
Among other factors, the three divisions differ in terms of the emphasis they place on the generation stage
Generation stage
In Tantric Buddhism, the generation stage is the first phase of meditative Buddhist sādhana associated with the 'Father Tantra' class of anuttara-yoga-tantras of the Sarmapa or associated with what is known as Mahayoga Tantras by the Nyingmapa...
and completion stage
Completion stage
The completion stage is one of the two stages of Anuttarayoga Tantra. Completion stage may also be translated as perfection stage or fulfillment mode...
of tantric practice. The Mahayoga emphasizes the generation stage, Anuyoga the completion stage and Atiyoga the synthesis and transcendence of both.
As well as being differentiated in terms of emphasis in practice, the three categories of Inner Tantra are also textual categories, with lists of texts assigned to each category; for which see the individual articles for each section.