What were Buddha's esoteric teachings?

Question

A friend tells me that buddha's original teachings were only his ley teachings. He - allegedly - also gave 'esoteric' teachings which he entrusted to a selected few. Apparently, these teachings were eventually revealed. Would anybody tell me what they are or, indeed, what you think of these assertions in the first place?

Answer 1

Re:what you think of these assertions in the first place?

It is laughable to say that The Buddha gave certain teaching to a select few;when in many sutta,The Buddha stated that He teaches with an open palm, i.e.not withholding anything back.Also,the assertions that certain teaching were beyond the understanding of the people then were very mischievous and give no respect to Buddha's disciples like Sariputta and many others.

Hope this helps.
Metta to all.

Answer 2

There were three turnings of the Wheel of Dharma. The first turning was the easiest and most foundational teachings about the Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, etc. The second turning of the Wheel involved the teachings of the Mahayana school. The third turning is said to be that of the Tantras, which has become known as the Vajrayana school and is practiced most commonly here in the TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region), but is gaining popularity in the West.

The Buddha believed that not everyone was at the same level and ready for the same teachings. This is called skillful means. He taught the way a doctor practices medicine. There is diagnosis and prescription. Not everyone has the same illness and so not everyone receives the same medicine.

Answer 3

The Legend of the Origins of The Esoteric Teachings

According to Shingon legend, Vajrasattva, after having been initiated by Mahavairocana into the deepest mysteries of Buddhism, hid himself within an iron tower in southern India. There the Bodhisattva concealed himself for centuries, until Nagarjuna opened the Iron Tower and, according to one version of this legend, received from Vajrasattva the two major sutras of Shingon Buddhism, the Mahavairocana Sutra and the Vajrasekhara Sutra.

Herein lies the fundamental teaching and practice of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism. Our bodies, speech, and minds in their present state become the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha, and we thereby become a buddha. This is the realm of the deep but lofty enlightenment that is unique to Shingon Buddhism.

Answer 4

Eat a healthy balanced diet, and stay nice and trim like me,Sit on your **** all day and let other people do all the work, youll live longer.Also it can be a good idea to write a few books on buddismn it can earn you a lot of dosh.

Answer 5

The teachings concerned with good differentiation of topics. The Kalachakra Tantra, for example.

Answer 6

budha did't taught anything,he simply told the right way of living and self discovery/exploration,thru meditation,the real source of every knowledge and scriptures,he propagated guru-diciple relationship.His teachings emerged 550 yrs.after his relinquishing his body,and those teachings were compiled by his followerers round the world,since guru/disciple relationship does't aallow any writings,that is a subject of vibrations,elfa waves.

Answer 7

There are eight schools of Chinese Buddhism. Four of them emphasize the meaning of the Dharma. They are T'ien-t'ai, Hua-yen (or Avatamsaka), Fa-hsiang (or Yogachara) , and San-lun (or Madhyamika). The other four schools are weighted more towards practice. They are the Ch'an, Pure Land, Vinaya, and Mantra schools.
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The Mantra School and Its Practice
The Mantra school is also known as the Esoteric school. Actually, there is nothing esoteric about this school. All of the Buddha's teachings are open to all, and there are no hidden secrets. The word esoteric here simply refers to the use of mantras as a form of practice. Mantras, the meaning of which is not apparent, are also referred to as true words. Among the eight schools of Chinese Buddhism, this school is unique in its prevalent use of mantras. The line between the Mantra school and the other seven exegetic schools is actually not definitive. The Mantra school also studies the Buddha's teachings, and the other schools also use mantras in Dharma service. It is just a matter of emphasis. The same can be said of sutras versus mantras. Many of the sutras, such as the Medicine Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, have a mantra at their conclusion. Even the extremely concise Heart Sutra also ends with this mantra, "Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha." Very often, the practice of one involves the other.

A. Understanding the Practice of Reciting Mantras
The main practice of the Mantra school is the recitation of mantras. The word mantra is the English translation of the Sanskrit word dharani. A dharani contains infinite meaning, and the word has also been translated as "true word" or "absolute practice." Take the practice of reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, pronounced as "O-mi-to-fo" in Chinese. While the words "O-mi-to-fo" refer to the Buddha's name, they are like a dharani in the sense that they, too, embody infinite significance. When we see someone, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to mean "How are you?" When we take leave, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to mean "Goodbye." When we step on someone accidentally, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to mean that we are sorry. When others give us a present, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to express our thanks. When we see someone getting hurt, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to show our sympathy. A few words, yet they embody so much meaning.
Within the Mantra school a common practice is to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum. These Sanskrit words mean "taking refuge in the mani jewel in the lotus." The recitation of mantras is not so much in the understanding of what the words mean but in focusing the mind away from deluded thoughts. While this may sound easy in theory, it is hard in practice. According to the sutras, if we can say this mantra with one-pointedness of mind, we can be free from the cycles of rebirth and be reborn in the Pure Land. The Mahayanasutra-lamkara-tika describes the merit of reciting this mantra as follows, "The Buddha wanted it to be known to all good men and women that this dharani is the wondrous original mind of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. If one sees this, one knows the way of liberation."
How well we say a mantra depends not so much on how accurately we pronounce the words but how focused we are. We need to focus our mind as we say one word after another. As long as we are mindful, it does not matter even if we say it wrong inadvertently or mispronounce some of the words. I do mean this literally, and I have a story to illustrate my point. Many years ago in a remote part of China lived an elderly woman. She wanted very much to practice Buddhism, but she lived in a very inaccessible place and had not yet had a chance to meet a teacher. One day, a lay Buddhist passed by the village, holding a string of prayer beads in his hands. As he walked, he kept up with his prayers. The elderly woman was delighted to find a Buddhist in her midst. She went up to the man and asked him how she should practice. The man was pleasantly surprised for no one had ever asked him such a question. He told the elderly woman, "I'll teach you a mantra."
The woman asked, "What mantra?"
The man replied, "Om mani padme niu." The Chinese character for hum is written very similar to the character for cow (pronounced as "niu"), and he mistakenly pronounced "hum" as "niu."
The woman was delighted that she had finally learned a way to practice. Every day she recited the mantra like the man had shown her. To keep track of how many times she had recited, she kept a pile of beans in front of her. Each time she said the mantra, she moved a bean from one side to the other. With utmost sincerity and singular focus, she said the mantra day in and day out. As time passed, her practice progressed to the point that the body, mind, and mouth were all reciting the mantra in unison. Every time she said the mantra, a bean would automatically jump from one side to the other. She did not have to move the beans at all.
Years passed. One day a mendicant monk passed through the village. The woman was ecstatic to see a monastic coming through, and as it was getting late, she invited the monk to stay for the night. When it was time for her evening practice, she began to say the mantra, "Om mani padme niu, …."The monk immediately realized that she mispronounced the mantra and corrected her on the spot. Now that the woman realized she had been mispronouncing the mantra, she wanted to correct herself. From that point on, the beans no longer jumped across the table on their own accord. In the past when there was no discrimination in her mind, she was able to say the mantra with single mindedness, so much so that even an inanimate object like a bean was moved by her sincerity. Now that she was worried about pronouncing the mantra correctly, she could no longer keep her mind focused like before, and her practice actually suffered. From this, we can see that while it is important to learn the sutras and mantras correctly, it is even more critical to focus the mind and do so with sincerity.
When we recite a mantra, we should not just recite it with our speech. We should also do so with our body and mind, or else the recitation is empty of meaning. Our hands should be in a mudra, and our mind should focus on what we are saying. To help the mind focus, it is a common practice in the Mantra school to contemplate the Sanskrit symbols of mantra words. When we recite mantras with our body, mind, and mouth, [we are in essence keeping the three doors of karma closed to delusion] and providing the conditions for our practice to grow. Reciting mantras in this manner can also help us grow in wisdom, keep our mind on right thought, mollify the effects of our unwholesome karma, attract goodness, and keep us from harm's way. In fact, when non-Buddhists hear a recitation of a mantra, a buddha seed is planted in their consciousness, which will germinate given the right conditions. On a more practical note, reciting mantras in a focused manner can help us stay calm in the face of crises and help us view our problems in perspective.

B. How to Practice Mindfulness of Mantras
There are five ways to practice mindfulness of mantras. First is the lotus method which means that the practitioner recites the mantra out loud. The recitation should be fluent, and the practitioner should pay attention to each word said. Second is the diamond method which means that the practitioner recites the mantra in silence. The mouth is closed, and the mantra is said in the mind. Although the mantra is not uttered, each word should still be clearly said in the mind. Third is the samadhi method. In this method, the practitioner first calms the mind with meditation and then contemplates the mantra words in samadhi. Fourth is the deep absorption recitation method. The practitioner first visualizes a lotus flower on top of which sits a white clam, emitting the Sanskrit sounds of the mantra. The practitioner then follows this lead to recite the mantra. Fifth is the radiance method. When the practitioner says the mantra out loud, he or she contemplates a ray of light emanating from the mouth. The ray of light symbolizes the practitioner's tutelary deity and its emergence from the mouth symbolizes that the person reciting the mantra and the tutelary deity are of one nature.

C. How to Gain Entrance into the Mantra School
Generally, when one is ready to become a Buddhist, one takes refuge in the Triple Gem of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Taking refuge is a rite in which one proclaims one's devotion to the Buddha's teachings and one's intention to walk in his path. To become a disciple of the Mantra school of Buddhism, there are six objects of refuge. In addition to taking refuge in the Triple Gem, one also takes refuge in the lama, a tutelary deity, and a dakini. The lama is the teacher and plays a pivotal role in guiding the practitioner in his or her cultivation. A tutelary deity is a special form of the Buddha with whom the practitioner has special affinity. A dakini is a deity who protects the practitioner in the seeking of the Way. The selection of the dakini should be made with caution. If not, the practitioner may select the wrong deity or inadvertently upset other deities, inviting troubles for oneself.
The Mantra school is a school of many rites and rituals, such as abhishekha , reciting mantras, doing mudras, and the selection of a dakini. The teacher plays a very important role in the learning and performing of these rites and rituals. Unless we have access to a good teacher, it is best that we practice in the exegetic tradition and use the recitation of mantras to supplement our practice.