Outer Tantras

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This article is about a subject relating to Buddhism. For the article relating to Hinduism, see Kriya Yoga.

The Outer Tantras are the second three divisions in the ninefold division of practice according to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. This system divides the whole of the Buddhist path into three divisions of three and is in contrast to the division of the Sarma, or New Translation schools (Gelug, Kagyu and Sayka) which use a fourfold division. The three divisions of the Outer Tantra correspond to the lower three category of tantras of the New Translation (Sarma) schools.

The three divisions of the Outer Tantras are:

Kriyayoga
Charyayoga or Upayoga (in Nyingma)
Yogatantra

As well as being differentiated in terms of emphasis in practice, the three categories of Outer Tantra are also textual categories, with lists of texts assigned to each category; for which see the individual articles for each section.