A Guide to Understanding the Yanas

Over the last two weeks alone I have had about 5 - 6 people query about what is hinayana, sutrayana, Mahayana, vajrayana and tantrayana. I understand fully the confusion as many years ago when I got interested in Buddhism I was also confused with all these terms. I will try to share and explain as best I can according to what I understand.

In Buddhism, there are two major paths of achieving enlightenment that is the Hinayana path and the Mahayana path. ( "Yana" means the vehicle by which you travel across the Ocean of Suffering onto enlightenment's shore. ) From these two paths, the Mahayana Path is then divided into 2 methods of crossing this ocean. One is by way ofSutra hence the Sutra-yana and the other by way of Tantra or Tantra-yana which is sometimes referred to as Vajrayana.

1. The Hinayana path deals with purifying one's negativities ( like harmful habits, delusions of mind etc )and therefore leading onlyoneself out of samsara. So this vehicle is like a Kayak, and theKayak is made to carry only a single person across the waters.

2. The Mahayana on the other hand is like a ferry boat, it is a vehicle made to ferry oneself and loads of people across the waters.The size of the Ferry boat is like the vastness of one'scompassionate vow to ferry ALL sufferers across before you yourselfdock on to land.

- 2a. One of the Mahayana's two Methods is the Sutrayana path, which deals with one's burdens and negativities a little at a time through strict observance of rules, vows and moral discipline.... Because the process is arduous and slow, it could literally take many many lifetimes before one can purify the negatives and bring forth the positive... But then again, to the "Mahayanist" one of the main practices is the 6 Paramittas of which one is Patience... So whatsthe rush even if it takes 3 aeons? Rushing begets impatience whichbegets mistakes and yada yada yada.

-2b. Tantra-yana is extremely rare due to it efficacy and promise ifone practices this path sincerely, it is possible to attain enlightenment in a single life time. This method not only works on the physical and mental disciplines but it also brings Buddhahood's Potential achievement closer to us even while in ourdefiled human form... transforming it all into Pure Form and activity. It uses Samsara's poisons against itself... like using poison to cure poison


What is the difference between the yanas? None really...Since all yanas aims to bring one out of suffering. Of course, the level of enlightened clarity is not the same. Also, between the paths and methods, it is almost like learning to swim. A practitioner of Sutra will start learning from the Baby Pool, then graduate to the Adults Pool Shallow end and eventually, start moving towards the deep end. A process like this could take ages.... But is safe

Tantra on the other hand will dump the student straight into the deep end cold turkey style. And in order to learn and also survive, One must surrender totally into the hands of one's instructor and trust him/her! He/She will keep you afloat, Safe, teach you to swim that you can help yourself (and others) So thats why in Tantra practices, the results are super fast and the practice of Guru Devotion is of utmost importance, for if we do not trust and follow our instructor, its very easy for the student to drown in the deep end of Samsara... very quickly and painfully.

The reason for Tantra and its speed is that, out of overwhelming feelings of compassion for other's welfare and disgust for suffering one moves on the Dharmic highway. It is like being told, within this year your loved one is gonna drown in this lake.... The person obviously would want to learn swimming and rescue techniques as quickly as possible to be equipped with the skill to save the loved one. The Sutra way is akin to learning swimming in our young days and maintaining that skill to be prepared for any emergencies. The Hinayana way, metaphorically, I would say is wearing a life jacket and swimming across.

This is just my own understanding of the various yanas, not perfect but its an idea :)