Hidden secrets of tantric sex

Is the Tantra a sex-obsessed corruption of Buddhism? Padmavajra thinks not.
The last great stage in the historical development of Indian Buddhism was known as the Vajrayana (exactly, 'The Thunderbolt Way) Its main contribution to Buddhism was several new and radical practices primary to Enlightenment.

The Vajrayana's aim was to beget the practitioner to Enlightenment as suddenly as promising, and one of its chief concerns was the liberalization and canalization of more and more of the practitioner's energy. Part of its way of finishing this was through sexual 4metaphor, sexual imagery, and even through what have been called 'sexo-yogic' practices.

Because of its deceptive use of sex as a position of spiritual attempt, the Vajrayana has provoked two fanatical responses in the West. In the early being of Buddhist studies, the Vajrayana was generally condemned as corruption of the moving ideals of Buddhism. More latest curiosity has tended to the other extremist. Some are attracted to the Vajrayana precisely because of its evident sanctification of crave in broad, and sexual desire in particular. In a topical exposition of the Vajrayana by a Tibetan teacher, we find the next, '...If desire for a female arises, it must be relied ahead...'. Such a presentation of the Vajrayana would look to propose that being a Buddhist does not compose shifting ourselves. We can, apparently, keep stow of our desires as they will chief us to Enlightenment.

The integrity behind the use of sexual themes in the Vajrayana is, as might be expected, far from also of the extremes mentioned. Though we are dealing with a huge and complex focus, it is possible to determine three apparent (still allied) aspects of the place of sex in the Vajrayana. First, there is the shock rate of sexual prose. For example, in the canonical texts of the Vajrayana - the Tantras - which flourished in India generally between the 4th and 10th centuries CE, we can find sexual intercourse with the chaodali (outcaste lass) and prostitutes being recommended. At that time, exchange - what to verbalize of sexual congress - with an outcaste, according to Hindu circle (back to which Buddhism had to some scope been strained), would have been deemed spiritually polluting. Nevertheless, in making such recommendations, the Vajrayana was only difficult to shock people out of their mundane communal conditioning. It was seeking to unfetter the energy safe up in the convention and proscribe of Hindu citizens.

Whether or not these recommendations were enacted is an open probe. Stephan Beyer enthusiastically describes the followers of the Vajrayana therefore: 'They sang of wisdom as the great Whore, for she opens herself to every man who seeks her...Made adoration to the spontaneous maiden within them, and preached a world upside down... And were altogether pretty outrageous and shocking to all citizens. It would be interesting to ponder how the Vajrayana would tell to our own age, where sexual freedom has become a kind of norm. If they hunted to shock people out of their conditioning nowadays, the old followers of the Vajrayana might have to arrive as shock bands singing about the ecstasies of celibacy!

In that passage quoted from Stephan Beyer, we read that the followers of the Vajrayana 'made adore to the spontaneous maiden within them'. This brings us to the following facet of sex in the Vajrayana, the so-called 'sexo-yogic' practices.

We have seen that the Tantras recommended sexual intercourse with the chaodali. Now, as well as aiming to decondition, this place of recommendation would sometimes also have been referring to certain forms of yogic exercise. Here, the word c~anda1i is not referring to a lady at all. In this situation, chaodali can be translated as 'the angry one' and, only affirmed, refers to the necessary energy that must be contacted and incorporated into our system. It parallels the better known kundalini.

The practices associated with the awakening of the chaodali happen in the anuttara-yoga Tantra, the maximum raze of Vajrayana ritual, and - traditionally - should be undertaken only after time of successful guidance in Hinayana, Mahayana, and lessen Vajrayana disciplines. Indeed, in India and old Tibet, these practices would not have been known about, even in guess, by those not initiated into them. (This might be one of the reasons why these practices were 'secret away in sexual talking - to keep them out of the access of those not keen to undertake them.) Sangharakshita has recalled that in his own link with Tibetan monks, lamas, and lay people, there was no special interest exposed in these tradition, and definitely no unhealthy accent.

There also seems to be some query as to whether the 'sexo-yogic' practices were proposed to portray something unrefined at all. Herbert Guenther, a critic typically very convinced of himself, says in commenting on one of these practices: 'We move in a world which maybe is neither animal nor mental, but may join of both (or be something completely different). In some of the practices found in the Tantras and their related facility we meet elaborate visualization techniques where the practitioner is instructed to see himself as a Buddha in sexual union with a female spouse, usually described as a dakini. Here the bearing of sexo-yogic comment merges with the third viewpoint, that of sexual symbolism.

Within the Mahayana, Enlightenment was principally seen as the insoluble union of wisdom and compassion. Mahayana artists were fond of depicting this union in paintings and imagery, in the form of the androgynous suppose of the Bodhisattva - a lovely sixteen-year-old: gentle, yet intense in appearance.

The Vajrayana sought to show this union even more vividly, and so depicted the Buddha or Bodhisattva in sexual union with the dakini. We regularly come across such numbers in Vajrayana art. The Buddha or Bodhisattva looks unruffled, contemplative, heavenly; while the dakini - appearing like a spirit - embraces him tightly, and looks rapturously into his face. Here the gentleman dignitary symbolizes Compassion, the female appear Wisdom. Sangharakshita has commented on such depictions therefore: 'One must observe that while there are two records there are not two people: there is only one Enlightened being, one Enlightened brains, within which are united motive and emotion, wisdom and compassion.

These representations embody under the form of sexual symbolism (here of course one has nothing to do with sexuality in the ordinary intellect) the idyllic of Wisdom and Compassion united. 4 Traditionally, these imagery are considered amply sacred, inspiring profound respect and piety, not in any way stimulating a sexual retort. However, they have suffered abuse.

Some people go so far as to advise that. during sexual intercourse, the man should envision himself as the Buddha: the female should picture herself as the dakini. Both should experience their lovemaking as an enactment of the uniting of Wisdom with Compassion. Such recommendations impart the deluded with a first grade means of rationalizing away their mundane desires.

For most of us, such a perform would be a purely mental activity making no significant difference to the plain urges intricate. It would be no more than a interpret way of having sex. For those experienced enough to see and feel themselves to be a Buddha at such time, it is highly dodgy that they would want to interest themselves with sex at all! Being so contented, undamaged, and stuffed within themselves, they would hardly penury to range outside themselves for their pleasures.

To conclude, within the Vajrayana, sex - as most of us understand and experience it - is not part of the channel to Enlightenment at all. Sexual patois within the Vajrayana is sternly metaphorical, precisely symbolic: not to be full exactly. Indeed, if taken literally, some Vajrayana writings will not lead us to Enlightenment, but will sink us more deeply in the slush of greed, hatred, and delusion.