Yoga tantra

Yoga tantra (Skt. yogatantra; T. rnal 'byor rgyud རྣལ་འབྱོར་རྒྱུད་) is a class of tantra that emphasizes inner yogic meditation upon reality, combining skillful means and wisdom.

Cortland Dahl states:

Unlike the first two outer tantras, this approach does not place as much emphasis on acts of ritual purity. In terms of the view, Yoga practitioners see the ultimate truth as the pure wisdom of reality itself, while in terms of the relative truth, they see all phenomena as the expression, or luminosity, of the ultimate. In meditation, practitioners of this vehicle view themselves as inseparable from the deity and practice a formless meditation that involves immersing oneself in the ultimate nature of reality itself.

Jamgon Kongtrul states:

Yoga tantra is so named because it emphasizes the inner yoga meditation of method and wisdom; or alternatively, because based on knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the profound ultimate truth and the vast relative truth, it emphasizes contemplation that inseparably unites these two truths.

Yoga tantra is the second of the three outer tantras according to the Nyingma school and the second of the four classes of tantra according to the Sarma schools.

Explanation

Explanation from Vimilamitra

Vimalamitra writes:

The seven principles of Yoga Tantra are as follows: First, as the gateway to this approach, concentration is emphasized. Second, the view of this approach has two aspects: The ultimate is viewed as the sphere of reality, naturally pure wisdom. The relative is held to be the result of realizing this ultimate, namely, the assembly of deities of the five families, or of the vajra family. Third, meditation in this vehicle consists of meditating on the deity via the manifest enlightenment that involves images, and settling continually in the state of reality itself, which transcends images. When meditating on the deity, moreover, oneself (as the samaya being) and the deity (as the wisdom being) are treated as companions. Fourth, in terms of conduct, one must act in harmony with the scriptures of this tradition, such as maintaining the vows of the five buddha families. Fifth, the result of this approach is the actualization of wisdom, which is pure inside and out, and the subsequent attainment of the level of the pure, rich array. Sixth, the duration it takes to reach this level is either five or three lifetimes. Seventh, in terms of benefit, this approach utilizes the four forms of enlightened activity to work for the welfare of both oneself and others.

Explanation from Alak Zenkar Rinpoche

Alak Zenkar Rinpoche explains vehicle (yana) of yoga tantra according to the Nyingma system of nine yanas as follows:

The vehicle of yoga tantra is so-called because it emphasizes the inner yogic meditation upon reality, combining skilful means and wisdom.

Its entry point, view, meditation, conduct and results are as follows:

i. Entry Point

Having been matured through the eleven empowerments—the five empowerments of the disciples (water, crown, vajra, bell and name) as well as the six empowerments of the master (the empowerment of irreversibility, empowerment of seeing secret reality, authorization, prophecy, confirmation and praising encouragement)—one keeps the samayas as described in the particular texts.

ii. View

The ground, the way in which the view is established, is as follows. Ultimately, all phenomena are realised to be clear light, beyond conceptual elaboration. Through the blessing of this, the relative is seen as the deities of the vajradhātu.

iii. Meditation

One meditates on the yoga of skilful means, visualizing oneself as the deity by means of the five aspects of awakening and the four miraculous things,[13] and summons the wisdom being, who then dissolves into oneself, and is sealed by means of the four mudrās, and so on. There is also the yoga of wisdom, in which one rests in a state in which ultimate non-conceptual wisdom is inseparable from the relative appearance of the deity of the vajradhātu.

iv. Conduct

One practises ritual purification and cleanliness simply as a support.

v. Results

As a worldly attainment, one becomes a celestial vidyādhara, and as the supermundane accomplishment, one attains enlightenment in Ghanavyūha, as one of the five buddha families (in addition to the four families previously mentioned, there is also Amoghasiddhi’s buddha family of enlightened activity).

Within East Asian Buddhism

The tantras within this category are also signficant within the East Asian traditions of Shingon and Tendai. However these traditions follow a different classificaton system.

Texts

Translation into Tibetan

Ringu Tulku states:

For the Yoga Tantra in particular, there were three renowned systems in India: those of Shakyamitra, who was learned in the words; Buddhaguhya, who was learned in the meaning; and Anandagarbha, who was learned in both the words and the meaning. Buddhaguhya’s lineage came to Tibet during the first dissemination of Buddhism, but it did not continue. During the later dissemination of Buddhism, only the lineage of Anandagarbha spread.

When the great translator Rinchen Zangpo went to Kashmir, he contacted many lamas from whom he received the tantras and pith instructions. He became very learned in the tantras in general, and especially in the Yoga Tantras. Most of the Yoga Tantras were already translated into Tibetan, but after comparing the earlier translations with the commentaries, he retranslated many of them. He translated many commentaries, such as the Light of Suchness, which is a commentary on the Gathering of Suchness.

Key texts

Texts in this class include:

• Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgraha ("Compendium of Principles of all the Tathagatas"), aka. Tattvasaṃgraha Tantra ("The Compendium of Realities")
• Vajraśekhara Tantra ("Vajra Peak Tantra"), an explanatory tantra related to the Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgraha
• Vajraśekhara Sūtra, a Chinese translation of the first chapter of the Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgraha
• Sarvarahasyatantra ("The Tantra, the Universal Secret")
• Trailokyavijayakalpa ("The Great Sovereign of Practices, the Victory Over the Three Worlds")
• Paramādikalpa ("The Supreme")
• Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorāja ("The Tantra Purifying Evil Destinies")

Full list of texts

For a complete list of Yoga tantras included in the Tibetan Kangyur, see:

• Yoga tantras, 84000 Collection

See also

• Outer Tantras
• Classes of Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism

Sources

• Dahl, Cortland (2009), Entrance to the Great Perfection: A Guide to the Dzogchen Preliminary Practices, Shambhala 
• Jamgön Kongtrul (2005), Systems of Buddhist Tantra, The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Six, Part Four, translated by Ingrid Loken McLeod; Elio Guarisco, Snow Lion . Archive version
• Ringu Tulku (2006), The Ri-Me Philosophy of Jamgon Kungtrul the Great, Shambhala 

Further reading

• rnal 'byor rgyud, Christian-Steinert Dictionary
• Hopkins, Jeffrey, trans. and ed. The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra. Vol. 1, Tantra in Tibet. By Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa). With a commentary by the Dalai Lama. 1st revised edition. Boulder, CO: Snow Lion Publications, 2016. outline