The Lazy Yogi

thewaytozen-deactivated20120908 asked: Hello Lazy Yogi! I don't really understand Tantra and how it relates to Buddhism. Can you explain that to me? Please. Thank you. By the way, I love your site. It's really inspirational. I've even started meditating after discovering your blog a lil over a week ago.

That’s so wonderful to hear!

Tantra as it relates to buddhism is quite different than the kind of Tantra you find in India. 

For example, the Dalai Lama is a tantric buddhist. Tantrayana, specifically when referring to buddhism, is generally another word for vajrayana. A tantra is like a sutra in the sense that it is a text of some kind. 

A common theme for tantra is using the things that perpetuate samsara to actually release you from samsara. For example, visualization is heavily used as a technique in vajrayana buddhism. The capacity to visualize has often created delusions in people and by using visualization, vajrayana helps to dissolve those delusions. 

Buddhist tantra tends to be quite tame compared to the tantra you find in India, which often involves alcohol and drugs, meditating while seated on corpses, and some sexual practices. However, there are some self-realized tantric saints, like Ramakrishna, who have walked the tantric path to its completion without indulging in the more controversial practices. 

Don’t judge a practice by its outward appearance but rather on the inward effect it has on the practitioner. 

Personally, I will never recommend drugs, sex, or alcohol to anyone seeking a spiritual path. This does not mean they may not have a place on the path but they are not necessary and often create lifelong habits and distractions. 

Namaste, sister. :)