The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2606 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Vajracchedika-[Prajñap
ramit
-] S
tra
:
Vajradhara
.
In Tantric Buddhism, the source of the Five J
nas or
Dhy
ni-Buddhas
. He is identified with the Absolute or primordial reality which is the source of all enlightenment.
Vajray
na
(Skt., ‘thunderbolt-’ or ‘diamond-vehicle’). The
Tantric
aspect of
Mah
y
na
Buddhism, which sees itself as a succession built upon the preliminary stages of H
nay
na and of S
tray
na (the
s
tra
aspect of Mah
y
na Buddhism). Followers of Vajray
na see the S
tray
na as a long path, developing only compassion and wisdom; the Vajray
na, however, is seen as a swift path (Tib.,
myur.lam
) offering enlightenment in the present lifetime by the development of method. The term Vajray

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