rangdrol's Blog

When Buddha’s teachings reached Tibet, they had been established and systematized since long time in the north of India. The teachings were divided into the cause vehicle and the resultant vehicle, in Sutra and Tantra – the exoteric and esoteric teachings of the Buddha.
The Tibetan School of the Ancient Translation (Nyingma) has an unbroken line of enlightened masters of the Sutrayana and Mantrayana since the time of the students of Buddha Shakyamuni and goes back to the efforts of the Dharma king Trisong Detsen, the Abbot Shantarakshita and the tantric master Padmasambhava. It classifies the entire Buddhadharma’s teaching corpus in nine paths. Each of these paths you enter through a particular gate, i. a. motivation and / or empowerment. Each path is based on a particular view, i. e. an understanding of how one considers oneself, the phenomena and how they work together. Each path is associated with certain vows and samayas, has certain meditative practices, behaviors and leads to a corresponding fruit.
Here is an overview of the nine yanas – the nine vehicles that lead to liberation or Buddhahood.