Anuttarayoga Tantra

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Anuttarayoga Tantra ("Highest Yoga Tantra" or "Highest Union Continuity") is the highest of four or six levels (depending on school) of Buddhist tantra, characterized by the symbolic use of sexual and wrathful energy to effect transformation and attain enlightenment. They are also sometimes called "yogini" tantras.

[edit] Varieties of Anuttarayoga Tantras

Five collections of annuttarayoga tantras became prominent in Tibet initially: Guhyasamaja (Secret Gathering), Yamantaka (Death Conqueror), Hevajra (Hail, Vajra!), Mahamaya (Great Play of Illusion) and Chakrasamvara (Wheel of Great Bliss.) The Kalachakra Tantra (Wheel of Time), now widely considered the most profound of them all, was disseminated slightly later.

[edit] Classification

In the Gelug, Kagyu and Sakya schools associated with the second transmission (Sarma) of Tibetan Buddhism the four level of tantras in the Sarma schools are, in order of the level of acuity of their practitioners, Kriya tantra, Charya tantra, Yoga tantra and Anuttarayoga tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra. In the Nyingma school, Anuttarayoga tantra is sometimes used as a synonym for the Mahayoga tantra of their nine-yana formulation.

Anuttarayoga Tantras are classified as either Mother, Father or Non-dual tantras.

Father Tantras utilize mainly pratigha (aggression) as the path of practice, focusing on the sunyata (emptiness) aspect of Buddha nature. Among the Father Tantras are Guhyasamaja and Yamantanka, as well as the practices of māyākāyā (illusory body) and of svapnadarśanadream (dream yoga).

Mother Tantras utilize tṛṣṇā (desire) as the path of practice, focus on the prabhasvara (luminous) aspect of Buddha nature. Among the Mother Tantras are Chakrasamvara, caṇḍālī (heat/energy generation), and prabashvara (clear light yoga). The practice of the Vajrayogini sadhana evolved out of the Chakrasamvara sadhana and is now a de facto practice in its own right.

Non-dual Tantra utilize both desire and aggression as an antidote to avidyā (ignorance), focusing on both the sunyata and prabhasvara aspects of Buddha nature. Among the Non-dual Tantras are Kalachakra, Hevajra and antarābhava (the yoga of the intermediate state).