vajra

[L.S.Cousins]

Haru,

On an impressionistic basis I had thought Mantrayaana to be earlier
or at least earlier in general usage than Vajrayaana. What is the
situation for, say pre-ninth century material ?

>The term vajrayaana is very common indeed in Indian Buddhist tantric
>literature. As Stephen Hodge mentions, it is used in the
>Sarvatathaagatatattvasa.mgraha. There are hundreds, probably thousands,
>of
>other occurrences.


>Mantrayaana is indeed found in Indian texts preserved in Sanskrit. But
>it
>is much less common a term than vajrayaana.

Lance Cousins
--
HEADINGTON, UK

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