The Nine Vehicles

Terjemahan Indonesia: Sembilan Kendaraan
Source: Dakini Yogini Central – The Nine Vehicles

 

These are the stages that Guru was talking about in a recent Dharma Speech.

The author also stated that classification may differ from sector to sector and please read these with an open mind and do not get fixated.

Use all written/verbal materials at your own Discretion please!

Remember to apply Basic Principles of Buddhist teachings.

Amituofo!

Enjoy!!!

~~~~~

The Nine Vehicles

Tib., theg-pa rim dgu: nine vehicles
A Tibetan Classification of the Buddhist Teachings

 

Esoteric Teachings of Vajrayana (rdo-rje-theg-pa) "Diamond Vehicle",
also known as Mantrayana (sngags-kyi-theg-pa) "Vehicle of Mantra"

The Higher or Inner Tantras (nang rgyud)

9. Ati Yoga (shin-Tu rNal-'Byor) or Non-Dual Tantras (Skt., advitiatantra); better known as Dzogchen (rDzogs-Pa Ch'en-Po) "Great Perfection" (Skt., mahasandhi)

8. Anu Yoga (rJes-Su rNal-'Byor) or Mother Tantras (ma-rgyud; Skt., matryoga)

7. Maha Yoga (rNal-'Byor Ch'en-Po) or Father Tantras (pha-rgyud; Skt., pitryoga)

The Lower or Outer Tantras (phyi rgyud)

6. Yoga Tantra (rnal-'byor-pa'i rgyud)

5. Carya Tantra (spyod-pa'i rgyud) or Upa Yoga (gnyis ka) "both" (Skt., ubhaya)

4. Kriya Tantra (bya-ba'i rgyud) or Kriya Yoga (bya-ba) "Yoga of Action"

Exoteric Teachings (mdo-lugs) of the Buddhist Sutras

3. Mahayana (theg-pa chen-po) "Great Vehicle", also known as Bodhisattvayana (byang-chub sems) "Vehicle of Enlightened Beings"

2. Pratyekabuddhayana (rang gyal-ba'i theg-pa) "Vehicle of the Solitary Buddhas" a division of Hinayana (theg-pa dman-pa) "Small Vehicle"

1. Sravakayana (nyan-thos-pa'i theg-pa) "Vehicle of the Listeners" a division of Hinayana (theg-pa dman-pa) "Smaller Vehicle"

 

A note on sources

In general, the "Nine Vehicles" as presented here is a classification of all systems of spiritual teachings into nine paths or vehicles (Skt., yana; Tib. theg-pa) that comes from the Nyingma tradition; the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

However, in order for readers to orient themselves more easily, I have also added a great number of terms for these teachings that come from other traditions. Also, one should keep in mind that not only the Nyingma, but Vajrayana in general, has a somewhat biased view of non-Vajrayana Buddhism and its schools; regarding its own teachings as more advanced (just as do most other religions). Thus, for example, the use of terms such as "Lesser Vehicle" for Hinayana.

The classification and terminology presented here has been collected from a great variety of sources; from more or less all of the works given in the accompanying bibliography. Mainly, however, I'm indebted to the works of Keith Dowman, John Myrdhin Reynolds, John Shane and Giuseppe Tucci; although these authors are not at all responsible for this specific presentation of mine.

Last not least, the reader should realize that different schools apply (slightly) different classifications, and regard some texts as more important than others. Exactly which of the major Buddhist Tantras belongs to which stage and group, is a question often debated among the different schools and one that varies from account to account. An extensive discussion of this "problem", but then from a Gelugpa point of view, is provided in mKhas grub-rje's (1385-1438) Fundamentals of Buddhist Tantras (translated by F. D. Lessing and A. Wayman).