Three inner tantras

The Nine Yanas

Sutrayana (Outer Yanas)

1. Sravakayana

2. Pratyekabuddhayana

3. Bodhisattvayana

Three outer tantras

4. Yana of kriya tantra

5. Yana of charya tantra

6. Yana of yoga tantra

Three inner tantras

7. Yana of mahayoga

8. Yana of anuyoga

9. Yana of atiyoga

Related topics

Tibetan Canon ~ Four classes

The three inner tantras are the final three divisions within the nine yanas of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

The three divisions of the inner tantras are:

• Mahayoga
• Anuyoga
• Atiyoga (also known as Dzogchen or the Great Perfection)

Among other factors, the three divisions of Inner Tantra 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.

The three divisions of the Inner Tantra correspond roughly to the highest category of tantras of the New Translation schools, there known as Highest Yoga Tantra.

Texts

Some of the tantras of the three inner tantras are included in the Kangyur, but there is also a separate collection of the three inner tantras known as the Nyingma Gyubum.

There are also many tantras of this tradition that were revealed as termas.

See also

• Outer Tantras
• Vajrayana

Sources

• Dudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History, Wisdom Publications, second edition, 2002, ISBN 978-0-86171-199-4.

• Tulku Thondop (1999), Masters of Meditation and Miracles, Boston: Shambhala