RS204 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Mudra, Caodong School, Shandao

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RS204
• Professor: Mavis Fenn

Document Summary

The four schools (basic elements: there is a notion that the cosmic power is not just in the cosmos but also within the human body, belief that breaking certain taboos brings a certain type of power, certain common elements among the four schools, mulasarcastivadin vanaya, use of initiations, use of mantras and mudras, mandalas sacred drawings of the universe and the enlightened mind, centered on a particular deity, deity/guru yoga to be treated as if they were the deity, thangkha a mandala that hangs on the wall, bell: prajna bell represents the highest wisdom, the vakra on its own represents enlightenment. The highest yoga tantras: kalacakra, hevajra, and cakrasamvara tantras: teachings originate with samantabhadra, all of these schools have a buddha as the primary person who bestowed the teachings, tantras, etc, padmasambhava, two major transmission lineages: lineage is important, teachigns: sutra, tantra, mind, terma hidden things could be ritual implements, pieces of written texts, texts received in person.