(2 credits) This course will provide students with an overview to the history, theory, and ethical practice of the tantras of the Secret Mantra Vehicle as described in the works of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelukpa lineage, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The course will present a detailed description of the four classes of tantra, the differences between sutra and tantra, and a discussion of the scriptures and historical figures central to the history of the Vajra Vehicle in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. The course may also explore the meaning of Fundamental Mind, identify the essential practices of emptiness and deity yogas, map the grounds and paths of Secret mantra, and consider the ramifications of tantric views and ethics in our own lives.
