Various Aspects of Buddhism

Tantric Buddhism: 

Source: Generative AI and from various sources

Tantric Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism that uses rituals, meditation, and other practices to achieve enlightenment. It's also known as Vajrayana Buddhism or Esoteric Buddhism. 

What it's about

        Tantric Buddhism is a faster, but riskier, path to enlightenment than the slower way of Mahayana Buddhism. 

        It's based on the idea that transforming poisons into wisdom can lead to enlightenment. 

        Tantric practices include meditation, mantras, incantations, and rituals. 

        The goal is to transcend the self and become one with a deity. 

How it originated

      Tantric Buddhism has roots in ancient Hindu and Vedic practices. 

      In medieval India, tantric Buddhism was associated with wandering yogis called mahasiddhas. 

What it involves 

Tantric practices can include:

  Meditation

  Sexual and sensual rituals

  Partner exercises

  Breathwork

  Dancing

  Singing

  Consort practices

  Ingesting taboo substances

  Visualizing oneself as a meditation deity

  Reciting texts

 

What it's called in other languages 

  In Chinese, it's called Tángmì, Hànchuán Mìzōng, or Dōngmì

  In Tibetan, it's called gyu, which means "continuity"

 

Vajrapani

Vajrapāni is also called Chana Dorji and Chador and extensively represented in Buddhist iconography as one of the earliest three protective deities or bodhisattvas surrounding the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha's virtues: Manjushri manifests all the Buddhas' wisdom, Avalokiteśvara manifests all the Buddhas' immense compassion, and Vajrapāni protects Buddha and manifests all the Buddhas' power as well as the power of all five tathāgatas (Buddhahood of the rank of Buddha).

Padmapani

Padmapani is a form of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who is the embodiment of Buddhist compassion. The name Padmapani translates to "lotus-bearer". 

Padmapani is often depicted holding a lotus in his left hand  He is sometimes shown with a small figure of the Buddha Amitabha on his head . He is sometimes shown with a slender waist, almond-shaped eyes, and elongated eyebrows . He is sometimes shown with a jeweled belt and flowers decorating his waist cloth .

Padmapani embodies the Buddhist virtue of compassion. The lotus symbolizes the purity of Buddhist thought