Editing Vajrayana (section)

==Philosophical background==
[[file:Temple No.- 3, Nalanda Archaeological Site.jpg|thumb|[[Nalanda mahavihara|Nalanda Mahavihara]], a major center for the study of Vajrayana philosophy during the [[Pala Empire|Pala era]].]]

According to [[Alex Wayman]], the philosophical view of Vajrayana is based on [[Mahayana]] [[Buddhist philosophy]], mainly the [[Madhyamaka]] and [[Yogacara]] schools.{{sfn|Wayman|2008|p=3}} The major difference seen by Vajrayana thinkers is the superiority of Tantric methods, which provide a faster vehicle to liberation and contain many more skillful means (''[[upaya]]'').

The importance of the theory of [[shunyata|emptiness]] is central to the Tantric Buddhist view and practice. The Buddhist emptiness view sees the world as fluid, without an ontological foundation or inherent existence, but ultimately a fabric of constructions. Because of this, tantric practice such as self-visualization as the deity is seen as no less real than everyday reality, but a process of transforming reality itself, including the practitioner's identity as the deity. Stephan Beyer notes, "In a universe where all events dissolve ontologically into Emptiness, the touching of Emptiness in the ritual is the re-creation of the world in actuality".{{sfn|Beyer|1973|p=69}}

The doctrine of [[Buddha-nature]], as outlined in the ''[[Ratnagotravibhāga]]'' of [[Asanga]], was also an important theory that became the basis for Tantric views.{{sfn|Snellgrove|1987|p=125}} As explained by the Tantric commentator Lilavajra, this "intrinsic secret [behind] diverse manifestation" is Tantra's utmost secret and aim. According to Wayman, this "Buddha embryo" (''tathāgatagarbha'') is a "non-dual, self-originated Wisdom ([[jnana]]), an effortless fount of good qualities" that resides in the mindstream but is "obscured by discursive thought".{{sfn|Wayman|1977|p=56}} This doctrine is often associated with the idea of [[Luminous mind|inherent or natural luminosity]] ([[Sanskrit|Skt:]] ''prakṛti-prabhāsvara-citta'', [[Tibetic languages|T.]] ''’od gsal gyi sems'') or purity of the mind (''prakrti-parisuddha'').

Another fundamental theory of [[Tantric practice]] is that of transformation. In Vajrayāna, negative mental factors such as desire, hatred, greed, and pride are used as part of the path. As French Indologist Madeleine Biardeau notes, the tantric doctrine is "an attempt to place ''[[kama]]'', desire, in every meaning of the word, in the service of liberation."<ref name="Williams, Wynne page 202">{{harvnb|Williams|Tribe|Wynne|2012|p=202}}.</ref> This view is outlined in the following passage from the ''[[Hevajra tantra]]'':

<blockquote>Those things by which evil men are bound, others turn into means and gain thereby release from the bonds of existence. By passion the world is bound, by passion too it is released, but by heretical Buddhists this practice of reversals is not known.{{sfn|Snellgrove|1987|pp=125-126}}</blockquote>

The ''Hevajra'' further states that "one knowing the nature of poison may dispel poison with poison."<ref name="Williams, Wynne page 202"/> As Snellgrove notes, this idea is already present in [[Asanga]]'s ''[[Mahayana-sutra-alamkara-karika]]'' and therefore it is possible that he was aware of Tantric techniques, including sexual yoga.{{sfn|Snellgrove|1987|p=126}}

According to Buddhist Tantra, there is no strict separation of the profane or ''[[samsara]]'' and the sacred or ''[[nirvana]]''; rather, they exist in a continuum. Everyone is seen as containing the seed of enlightenment, which is covered over by [[Kleshas (Buddhism)|defilements]]. [[Douglas Duckworth]] notes that Vajrayana sees [[Buddhahood]] not as something outside or an event in the future, but as immanently present.{{sfn|Duckworth|2015|p=100}}

Indian Tantric Buddhist philosophers such as [[Buddhaguhya]], [[Vimalamitra]], [[Ratnākaraśānti]], and [[Abhayakaragupta]] continued the tradition of Buddhist philosophy and adapted it to their commentaries on the major Tantras. Abhayakaragupta's ''Vajravali'' is a key source in the theory and practice of tantric rituals. After monks such as [[Vajrabodhi]] and [[Śubhakarasiṃha]] brought Tantra to Tang China (716 to 720), tantric philosophy continued to be developed in Chinese and Japanese by thinkers such as [[Yi Xing]] and [[Kūkai]].

Likewise in [[Tibet]], [[Sakya Pandita]] (1182–28 – 1251), as well as later thinkers like [[Longchenpa]] (1308–1364) expanded on these philosophies in their tantric commentaries and treatises. The status of the tantric view continued to be debated in medieval Tibet. [[Tibetan Buddhist]] [[Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo]] (1012–1088) held that the views of sutra such as Madhyamaka were inferior to that of tantra, which was based on basic purity of ultimate reality.{{sfn|Rongzom Chözang|Köppl|2008|loc=ch. 4}} [[Tsongkhapa]] (1357–1419), on the other hand, held that there is no difference between Vajrayāna and other forms of Mahayana in terms of ''[[prajnaparamita]]'' (perfection of insight) itself, only that Vajrayāna works faster.{{sfn|Wayman|2008|p=5}}