Topic summary
Mantrayana
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Vajrayana.
Place within Buddhist tradition
The Paramitayana consists of the six or ten paramitas, of which the scriptures say that it takes three incalculable aeons to lead one to Buddhahood. The tantra literature, on the other hand, says that Mantrayana leads one to Buddhahood in a single lifetime. According to the literature, the mantra is an easy path without the difficulties of Paramitayana. Mantrayana is sometimes portrayed as a method for those of inferior abilities, but the practitioner of mantra must still adhere to the Bodhisattva vow.