Is Vajrayana a branch of Mahayana?

[anak-bawang 0]

 

 

Hi, I'm new here and I got several questions. Is Vajrayana similar to Mahayana? Do you think that we can say Vajrayana is a branch of Mahayana? Why?

If somebody can explain me the answer, it will be very helpful for me. Thank you...

 

 

[lokeshvara 0]

Hi Bawang,

this is a buddhist topic so i'm not sure how much response you will get but to answer your question, it is both a branch of mahayana and seperate. it really depends on who you ask. it is a part of mahayana in that it contains central mahayana beliefs like the bodhisattva vow, the trikaya, the teachings in the sutras etc. it is different in that it is a tantric tradition. it relies on the guru student relationship and has added to the scriptural cannon by including the Tantras. so all vajrayana practitioners are mahayana but not all mahayana are vajrayana.

 

hope this helps.

[shvu 1]

 

 

Hi, I'm new here and I got several questions. Is Vajrayana similar to Mahayana? Do you think that we can say Vajrayana is a branch of Mahayana? Why?

 

If somebody can explain me the answer, it will be very helpful for me. Thank you...

 

 

 

Branch is not an accurate way of connecting the two. But historically, Mahayana Buddhism has been known to be existing from 100 BC at least and Vajrayana showed up around 500 years later. This is by literary texts which means the traditions may have originated earlier.

 

Mahayana concepts are commonly found in Vajrayana Buddhism and it is generally believed that Vajarayana was a new system founded upon Mahayana Buddhism.

 

Cheers