The history of Tibetan Buddhism dates back almost one and a half thousand years. During this time, it developed four large schools - nyingma (Tib. rnying ma), kagyu (Tib. bka' rgyud), sakya (tib. sa skya) and gelug (tib. dge lugs)1 - and there are many small schools, or lineage lines, in which certain philosophical views and systems of Buddhist practices are transmitted. This paper examines some aspects and features of Buddhist Tantrism, which is the basis of Tibetan Buddhist schools. Here we will not go into the subtleties of philosophical differences between the views of different traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, as this question in itself deserves to become the subject of many large studies. We will note only the most important features of the various types of tantra that form the basis of all these traditions.

The general principle according to which Buddhism is divided into directions and schools from the very beginning of its existence is that people are different from each other and therefore need an individual approach. This is the basis of the Buddha's entire attitude to truth and its possible interpretations. A follower of Buddhism studies philosophy and practices for the sake of liberation from suffering and achieving Enlightenment (Tib. byang chub) or Buddhahood, which is achieved for the benefit of all beings. However, different paths lead to this goal, and there can be no one dogma at all. This approach is the cornerstone of the entire process of transmitting and spreading the Buddha's Teachings. The teaching itself is so vast that it is impossible for one person to know or apply it in its entirety, and from the very beginning of its existence it is transmitted by many different schools and directions. Each of the schools has its own specifics, each practices its own set of methods that help a certain type of person develop their mind and learn about its nature.

Here the author adheres to the point of view that Shakyamuni Buddha made three so-called turns of the wheel of Teaching during the 45 years of his activity as the founder of this spiritual tradition.

The teaching of the first turn-hinayana, or Small Chariot (Tib. theg chung) - contains methods for calming the mind and teaching about the absence of the true reality of the human self (Tib. bdag med, lit. not-Self, or not-Atman). This is mainly the Teaching of personal liberation from suffering and the eradication of its causes, the achievement of nirvana (Tib. mya ngan las ' das pa), i.e. complete mental peace and tranquility. The teaching of the second turn - Mahayana, or the Great Chariot (Tib. thegpa chenpo) - goes beyond one person and also speaks about the development of compassion (Tib. thugs rje) to all beings in all worlds, as well as the emptiness (Tib. stongpa nyid) or the absence of the real essence of all phenomena of the conditioned world. To quote the famous Buddhist scholar Nagarjuna (II-III centuries), " he (the Buddha) preached the Doctrine of how to get rid of the evil spirit.

1 Many sources refer to the five main schools, including the bon tradition. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, at a conference of lamas and abbots of monasteries of various traditions in Sarnath, India, in December 1988, proposed to officially adhere to this view.

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heavy deeds... To some, however, he preached a Doctrine that was not based on duality, but was mysterious and awe-inspiring. For some, it is a Teaching that is centered on emptiness and compassion, and applied to Enlightenment" (Androsov, 2000, p. 249). The Vajrayana or Diamond Chariot (Tib. rdo rje thegpa), without denying the first two chariots, adds to this the theory of the Buddha nature (Tib. sangs rgyas kyi snying po), which is inherently present in all phenomena and beings. This direction focuses directly on the qualities of Enlightenment itself. The main idea of Vajrayana is that perfection is already here and now, it has always been, is and will be. You just need to learn to see what is always present. Vajrayana is also called the "chariot of tantra" (Tib. rgyud).

These three chariots do not contradict each other; it is more correct to say that each subsequent level is based on the previous one, i.e. mahayana includes hinayana, and both of these levels serve as the basis for the Diamond Chariot view.

For almost four centuries, the Buddha's teachings were transmitted exclusively orally , until the first handwritten texts were compiled in the first century BC. This collection included many of the teachings of the first turn, while others continued to be transmitted only orally and after the appearance of these texts - as a rule, over time they were also recorded and included in the canon. Followers of the Great and Diamond Chariots believe that many of the teachings were transmitted not just orally, but also secretly - until the necessary conditions were ripe for them to be announced to many. For example, in Buddhism, it is believed that the texts of the sutras of the "Prajna Paramita" cycle ("Perfection of Wisdom"), which form the written basis of the Mahayana, remained hidden for more than 500 years before the great Nagarjuna appeared (II-III centuries) and opened these treasures to the world, explaining also their meaning and significance. At the same time, according to him, the depths of Learning always remain a mystery to the average person [Androsov, 2000, p.169].

Similarly, in the middle of the 1st millennium, Tantric texts began to appear. In Vajrayana, it is believed that the teachings of the tantras were given by Shakyamuni Buddha himself to several of the most gifted students - among them the Bodhisattvas Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Vajragarbha, Kings Suchandra and Indrabodha are most often mentioned. Moreover, these higher teachings were given in a very unusual setting. Left alone with the chosen one, the Buddha turned into yidam2, the "main character" of the tantra that he thus transmitted. In this yidam's body of light, surrounded by his mandala3 ), a retinue of other yidams and dakinis (4), the Buddha showed the disciple the nature of phenomena without words. It is believed that until the fourth century A.D. 5 tantra was transmitted only orally and strictly confidentially.

Tantra cannot be studied and practiced without a special ritual initiation received personally from a skilled master - a person who himself, having received the same initiation, diligently practiced this tantra and achieved perfection in it, which must be confirmed by his teacher. Only a mature, prepared person can receive initiation.-

2 This concept applies exclusively to Tantric Buddhism. Yidams (tib. yid dam) are images of enlightened beings in male or female forms, different colors, with different numbers of arms and legs, etc. They are personifications of various qualities of the enlightened mind: different types of wisdom, power, bliss, compassion, etc. By identifying with these images of light in meditation, the tantric develops in himself the corresponding aspects of Buddhahood [Kongtrul, 1995, p. 8]

3 The word mandola (tib. dkyil ' khor) can have many levels of meaning. There are frequent references to the mandates of yidams or Buddhas, and in this context, the author sees such a translation as "force field"as very successful. The space around the Enlightened One has its own properties. Symbolically, it is represented as follows: he sits in his palace on a special throne decorated with symbols of his condition; he is surrounded by a retinue of other yidams with similar qualities; various bodhisattvas help him; certain protectors stand guard at the four gates of the palace, and so on; all these are aspects of his mandala, or force field.

Dakini 4 (Tib. mkha '' gro, lit. "skywalker") - in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, as a rule, an enlightened woman with the highest intuitive wisdom and the ability to awaken inspiration.

5 Regarding the time of the first written text of tantra, sources disagree, naming dates from the third to the sixth century.

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a loyal disciple, " a worthy vessel." Moreover, when taking initiation into a tantric practice, the disciple must make a vow not to disclose the details of the practice to those who have not received such initiation. It is not surprising that for such a long time in India, the tantras themselves, and even the fact of their existence, remained secret.

It was only around the fifth century that the tantras were spoken of, and eventually they also appeared in the form of texts - most likely the first to be written was the Guhya Samaja (Tib. gsang ba ' dus pa). Then interest in these practices grew so much that the texts and meaning of the tantras became known to a very wide circle of practicing Buddhists. In the second half of the 1st millennium A.D., during the reign of the Pala dynasty - the last emperors who generously patronized Buddhism - the Tantric trend was fully formed into an independent chariot, tantra became one of the dominant forces in the spiritual life of India.

During this period, there was a tradition of Mahasiddhas (Tib. grub cheri) - yogis who practiced tantra and achieved perfection in it. History knows the names of 84 Mahasiddhas, but in reality there were hundreds of them. The word mahasiddha means "great and perfect," or " having the highest attainments." In this context, achievements or perfections are understood as two types of abilities - "ordinary" and "higher". Ordinary perfections are called the power over the first elements (water, earth, fire, air, and space), which manifests itself in various magical abilities - the gift of clairvoyance, the ability to fly or pass through walls, and so on. Such achievements are not the goal of the spiritual path - on the contrary, they are a kind of byproduct of meditation, and when they are the object of special attention or attachment, they even become a hindrance to development. The highest perfections-the goal of practice-are the state of mahamudra (Tib. phyag rgya chen po), i.e., the ability of the mind to dwell naturally and effortlessly in what is, experiencing everything as a unity of bliss and emptiness. Here it is the equivalent of Enlightenment. These two kinds of perfections are obtained through the practice of tantra.

What exactly is tantra? In Buddhism, this word refers to a class of Vajrayana teachings transmitted both orally and in writing. The written text of tantra often begins with the traditional words: "So I once heard"; sometimes instead we read: "Now I will reveal a secret", or: "There is no tantra higher than this". What follows is a story in which Shakyamuni Buddha appears here in some form of State of joy, or sambhogakaya (Tib. longs spyod rdzogs pa'i sku), surrounded by various bodhisattvas and dakinis. Then one of the closest students is asked to explain some truth from a context that is close to describing the very nature of the mind. In response, the Buddha explains in poetic, sometimes cryptic form, and then instructs the disciple on how to meditate so that what is said "penetrates his heart." The entire practice of each tantra usually refers to a single yidam along with its mandala (Tib. dkyil 'khor). The texts of some tantras also contain sections devoted to astrology, donation rituals, creating images of yidams and Buddhas, describing historical events or predictions, etc.

For example, in one of the tantras of the Chakra Samvara cycle (dbal ' khor lo sdom pa), a bodhisattva named Vajrapani asks the Buddha to convey to him the meaning of the concept of "the unthinkable" (bsam gyis mi khyab).

Usually, the higher the class of tantra, the more complex the language in which it is written. The three outer tantras are presented in terms that can in principle be understood independently, knowing the Mahayana context. In the texts of the highest yoga class, most of the teachings are given in encrypted language, replete with both very abstract philosophical categories, and sexual symbols, images from the rampant life of ordinary people, etc. This complicates the task of understanding, thereby significantly increasing the importance of oral transmission. For example, in the Hevajra Tantra (Snellgrove, 1959), the following lines occur::

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which is obscene...
We move in a dance, not caring about what is decent
we eat meat and drink wine, not knowing the measure, [...
love, not strife.
The drum thunders. [101].

In the same chapter, we read:

Passion frees him...
The world is bound by passion, [93].

Or we find such philosophical images:

There is nothing else in the world
It is all
,A three-part world arises in me.
Everything that exists arises in me, [77, I. 8, 41].

Or:

Underlying conditioned reality
Ineffable nature of the mind
[dPal 'khor lo sdom pa..., f. 351].

Actually, the language of tantra is not intended to logically explain anything to the adept reading the text. Rather, the function of this particular language is to circumvent stereotypical patterns of thought and promote direct insights and insights in the practitioner's mind. In particular, the presence of" vulgar "images in a" sacred "context, where everything by definition should be permeated with the light of truth, is a powerful factor in destroying the usual ideas about the dualism of" pure and impure","sacred and ordinary". After all, it is the realization of the non-duality of samsara and nirvana that is the fruit of the Diamond Chariot practice. As for the detailed logical explanations of the material encoded in the tantras, they are partially explained in the commentaries and are always given orally in the third part of the initiation - "thri".

Such texts, which are considered direct words of the Buddha and therefore contained in the Tibetan Kangyur (Tib. bka' 'gyur), are usually called "indigenous". Almost every word in them needs extensive interpretation, and therefore in Tibetan Buddhism there is a Tengyur (Tib. bstan 'gyur) - a huge set of commentaries on the root texts of sutras and tantras.

But even the comments, even the most profound and detailed, are not enough to understand the meaning of tantra. Here it is very important to understand that in Buddhism, the Diamond Chariot means "to fully understand" a particular teaching. This does not mean remembering, explaining to yourself based on logic, and being able to tell others using concepts. Such knowledge will one day be forgotten: As Tilopa (988-1069), the Indian founder of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, said to his disciple Naropa (1016-1100), "the theory is that a patch, it will become worn out and fall away" (Berzin, 1997, p. 8). For true understanding, one must not interpret the meaning for oneself, but "gain" it internally - such understanding cannot be lost.

Traditionally, there are three stages of understanding: knowledge, experience, and full comprehension (Tib. go, nyams myong, rtogs). Here, knowledge is an intellectual understanding of words and symbols, an accurate representation, clarification. Experience results from the practice of meditation, which is the absorption of perceived reality and the inner response to it in the student's mind. Finally, comprehension is a direct and confident awareness of true reality.6
6 These three concepts are most often used in the context of Mahamudra practice. They are also called the "three stages of birth" (Tib. skye lugs gsum).

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Of these three stages, only the first is achievable by reading the text, studying the comments, and thinking about them. To gain experience, it is also necessary to meditate, following exactly the instructions contained in this tantra.

The differences between the levels of knowledge and experience are often illustrated by the example of virtual and real travel. Knowledge appears if we read a book about a particular country. We can remember a lot of things, learn them by heart, but such knowledge will remain abstract and devoid of power until we visit this country. We can even get a lot of things wrong, based only on the words we read or hear, because our knowledge consists of nothing but concepts. Only a real trip there will give us an experience that we can trust. When you have already breathed the air of this country, drunk its water, touched its rocks and trees, met the eyes of its people-your knowledge becomes powerful. Then just the name of a country will instantly evoke a lively inner response from the sounds, smells, feelings and insights experienced there. Then if you talk about her, you can be trusted. You haven't just read about it - you've been there.

Another example: you can spend your whole life listening to stories about oranges and knowing a lot about them, but to really understand what they are, you need to see an orange, hold it in your hands, smell it, peel it and eat it. This is the difference between knowledge and experience. It is only experience that gives our intellectual knowledge its persuasiveness and transformative power, leading to real understanding.

To gain experience, you need to practice meditation (tib. sgom). Meditation in Buddhism is understood as a kind of mental exercise aimed at concentrating the mind and keeping it at rest, and then, when the mind has already acquired the necessary stability, at revealing the inner qualities and knowing its nature. Meditations of the higher classes of tantra usually consist of two phases: 1) construction, or development (Skt. utpatti-krama, tib. bskyed rim), and 2) fulfillment or mergence (Skt. sampanna-krama, tib. rdzogs rim). In the first phase, the practitioner focuses on objects-represented images of Buddhas, their enlightened qualities, mantras, etc.To describe this process, the word "visualization" is often used, which does not fully reflect the nature of this concentration, reducing it only to visual representation. In reality, inner vision is only one way to focus on an object. The meditator can also use other means of perception, as well as direct internal knowledge about the object of his meditation. In this phase, attachment to the extreme of existence, to the clarity of the mind, to the reality of its manifestations is purified. In the second phase, the images presented become light, the meditator merges with this light and then, as a rule, rests in a state of awareness "without an object", thus clearing the attachment to the extreme of non-existence, to the reality of emptiness.

A symbolic description of meditation is always found in the root text, but the student cannot begin meditation without receiving initiation from a qualified teacher. This is the peculiarity of the "oral" or "direct" transmission of the teachings of the Diamond Way: true understanding and development are impossible without personal contact with the bearer of the tradition. The tantra text contains only a description of the means to achieve the goal; the teacher during the initiation directly shows the goal itself.

Tantrics talk about different ways to convey the meaning of the Teaching in this direct way. The highest way is "beyond words and signs", from heart to heart. This is how Shakyamuni Buddha passed on the tantras to his closest disciples - just by appearing before them in the form of a yidam with a mandala entourage, he directly awakened the enlightened nature in their minds.

Later, when people no longer possessed the same abilities as the Buddha's disciples, teachers used "sign transmission", indicating the true reality with various special symbols or gestures. This is how Marpa the translator received initiations from his Indian teachers (XI-XII centuries) [Mar pa'i rnam thar, 1990, p. 117].

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Finally, the most widely used method of transmission, also today, involves the use of signs, gestures, words, rituals, and various types of blessing. Full initiation means that the power or authority to perform the practice (tib. dbang), the content of the root text (tib. lung), and practical instructions for meditation (tib. khrid) are transmitted.

Once initiated, the student can begin a practice that brings more and more experience. Like the smooth surface of water in a cup that we have stopped shaking, a calm mind begins to reflect all things with complete clarity. By comparing their feelings with the oral instructions they have received, asking the teacher questions, and following the teacher's advice, the practitioner verifies and deepens their experience. In the process of such practice, the third and highest level of understanding is gradually acquired - the comprehension of true reality.

It should be noted that only study and meditation are not enough for full comprehension: you also need a special "tantric" behavior (Tib. spyodpd) in the so-called post-meditation phase. The yogi's behavior is characterized as relaxed and unpredictable, often even shocking, but dictated solely by compassion and spontaneous wisdom [Dowman, 1985, p. 21]. This means that the highest gaze of the Diamond Chariot should be preserved in all situations of life, the clear light of the mind should "shine through" all phenomena. There should be no difference between meditation and the state outside of it. Tantric teachers say that true reality cannot be seen, it cannot be an object of perception , because it permeates everything [Nydahl, 2000, p. 111]. You can only comprehend it by experiencing it, by "becoming it," without separating yourself from it. Following the vows of a tantric yogi (Tib. dam tshig), the disciple includes everything that happens in his life in the Path of Enlightenment.

In Vajrayana, there are several ways to divide tantra into classes and types. When this division first appeared, it is difficult to say exactly; sources again disagree. Many Vajrayana followers claim that it was given by the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, along with the tantras themselves (Berzin, 2002, p. 1-2). This claim is disputed by many Buddhologists, but it is just as difficult to refute it as to prove it. Certainly, different versions of the division of tantras were already widely used in India during the time of the Mahasiddhas (VIII-XI centuries). Dalton, in particular, writes about this in great detail [Dalton, 2005, p. 115-131]. The most complete and complete classification with explanations is given by the great Tibetan scholar Bud (1290-1364). In total, there are four classes of tantra, and almost all areas of Tantric Buddhism agree on this point.7 It is customary to list them from the lowest to the highest: kriya-, charya -, yoga-and anuttara-yoga-tantra [Bu ston, f. 89b]. The higher the level of tantra, the more closely the practitioner identifies with Buddhahood. If at the level of kriya tantra the meditator is small and the Buddha or yidam is big, then in the highest class of meditations, anuttara tantra, the Buddhist imagines himself in the form of a Buddha or yidam. Similarly, from the lowest class to the highest, Pure Vision becomes more and more comprehensive. There are fewer and fewer distinctions between "pure" and "impure" phenomena and situations, and a fuller experience of the one, non-dual nature of everything.

1) Kriya Tantra (tib. by a ba'i rgyud) focuses primarily on purifying the body, speech, and mind. The Tibetan word bya ba can be translated as "action" or"something to do". This points to rituals as an essential part of the practice of this level of tantra. Being an "external" tantra, it obliges to perfect "external purity": the adoption of "clean" food (without meat, garlic, alcoholic beverages), who-

7 The nyingma school more often uses a division into six classes: external-kriya -, charya - (upayoga -) and yoga-tantra - and internal-maha-yoga -, anu-yoga-and ati-yoga-tantra.

Another well-known division is given by Luipa (VIII-IX centuries), who distinguishes six types of tantra: ritual tantra (kalpa), action tantra (kriya), performance tantra (charya), yoga, secret yoga, and completely secret yoga. The first of these categories, Bud points out, includes texts describing the details of performing rituals, for example, in the manufacture of medicines, etc. (in the generally accepted division, this is part of kriya tantras). The latter category arises due to the allocation of anuttara yoga to an independent category of Maternal tantras (Terentyev 2004).

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sexual abstinence and other restrictions during practice periods. The practice here consists mainly of making offerings to the yidams, reciting praises and mantras. By meditating on the body, speech, and mind of a yidam or Buddha, students receive his blessing. It is believed that the practice of kriya tantra can lead to Enlightenment in sixteen lifetimes.

2) Charya Tantra (Tib. spyodpa'i rgyud), in addition to purifications and other rituals, also pays attention to meditation. The word spyod pa in this case can be translated as "practice". Here, the yidam is visualized more as a friend or close relative, although his qualities are still much higher than the student performing the practice. At the same time, charya tantra emphasizes that the absolute nature of yidam does not differ from the true nature of the meditator, which is close to the view of the next class - yoga tantra. Here, Buddhahood is achieved in seven lifetimes.

3) Yoga Tantra (Tib. rnal 'byor rgyud) states that at the absolute level, everything that exists is free from all conceptualization, empty and shining with clarity. On a relative level, all manifestations exist as a mandala of Buddhas. There is not much emphasis on purifying the body, speech, or mind, because meditation cleanses everything automatically. The practitioner often appears in the imaginary form of a yidam or Buddha, working with his "poisons of the mind" directly, transforming them into the five kinds of higher knowledge through meditation. The path of yoga Tantra is believed to lead to Enlightenment for at least three lifetimes.

4) Anuttara tantra, or maha-anuttara yoga tantra (Tib. rnal 'byor chenpo bla na med pa' i rgyud) is the "inner", highest tantra. Its Tibetan name is most often translated as "tantra of unsurpassed higher yoga". It treats ritualism and any kind of purification with disdain [Dowman, 1985, p. 8]. At this level, there is nothing at all "impure" compared to anything "pure". Pure vision embraces all phenomena without exception, all of them permeated by the clear light of consciousness, the subject and object of perception, as well as perception itself-all this together makes up one perfect whole. This non-duality is expressed by the combined forms of the male and female Buddhas. Seeing the image of a male Buddha and a female Buddha in a loving embrace (Tib. yab yum), the tantric knows that this is a symbolic representation of the inseparable unity of compassion and wisdom, bliss and space. This class includes the following tantras: "Guhya samaja", "Yamantaka" (Tib. gshin rje gshed), ("Vajra-bhairava "(tib. rdo rje 'jigs byed), "Hevajra" (tib. kyai rdo rje), "Mahamaya" (tib. sgyu ma chen mo), "Chakra-samvara "(tib. 'khor lo bde mchog) and" Kalachakra " (tib. dus 'khor). Others are often added to this list, such as the Vajra Yogini tantra (Tib. rdo rje rnal 'byor ma). Different sources name a different number of tantras of this class. By practicing inner tantra, one can achieve Enlightenment even in one lifetime.

According to many commentaries, particularly by Bud, anuttara tantras are meant for people who have the most powerful feelings (skt. klesa, tib. nyon mongs), or "poisons of the mind", and therefore the methods of this class are the most powerful 8.

8 Bud leads to [... a number of approaches to substantiating the fourfold division of tantra:

1) " According to the four castes of people.

People from the Brahmin caste tend to believe that people of noble birth achieve Liberation through rituals. They are happy to engage in austerities, ritual ablutions, and the like - that is, they are attracted to kriya tantras. People from the merchant family (i.e., vaisyas) are not capable of heavy asceticism, nor do they engage in low deeds. They tend to combine the method of inner yoga and wisdom with external actions, i.e. they tend to gravitate towards charya tantras. People of the royal family (kshatriyas - A. T.) are not at all capable of austerities, are committed to the five pleasures and tend to yoga tantras. Common people (sudras - A. T.) are impure in body, do evil without thinking, eat five kinds of meat and five nectars, do menial work - for them anuttarayoga tantras" [...]

2) Classification according to the four types of poisons of the mind (tib. nyon mongs) [...]

Bud refers to the category of kriya tantra people with strong and medium ignorance. For those who are only slightly ignorant, these are the charya tantras. For those who have a weak or average ignorance supplemented by average lust and anger, yoga tantras are intended. Anuttarayoga-tantra-for those who have the most powerful of all three "poisons".

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Most sources, especially the karma Kagyu school, classify anuttara tantra as paternal, maternal, and non-dual. If we approach tantras as methods of transforming various qualities of the mind into enlightened ones, then in this light the most important differences between these groups of tantras will be the differences in their effect on the practitioner's mind - which particular qualities of the mind they work with first. Each of the tantras has a full and comprehensive effect, and the practice of any of them leads to ultimate Enlightenment. At the same time, each of them has its own specific characteristics, knowing which it can be argued that this or that group of tantras will better correspond to a certain human character or mindset. The devotees who brought Buddhism from India to Tibet-scholars, translators, and mystic yogis-often received initiations and instructions from the same Indian masters. Then, in the Land of Snow, they established their own schools, relying on some of the methods they brought as central and most important for themselves, and people with similar qualities and inclinations were drawn to these schools.

The fatherly tantras (Tib. pha rgyud) were developed and transmitted in such a way as to primarily encourage the inclusion of feelings such as anger or anger in the Path. They focus primarily on the void aspect of Buddha nature. For example, the Guhya Samaja tantra is considered paternal. The school of transmission of fatherly tantras is primarily nyingma.

The Mother Tantra (Tib. ta rgyud), which is emphasized in the Kagyu school, emphasizes primarily the aspect of clarity, or "luminosity" of the Buddha nature, and helps to turn the interfering emotions of desire and attachment into a Path. An example of Mother Tantra is the Chakra Samvara.

As for the Non-dual tantras (Tib. gnyis med rgyud), on which the Gelug school "specializes", their transformative power is directed first of all to the third of the main "poisons of the mind" - ignorance, and only then to anger and desire. They illuminate the clarity and emptiness of the mind equally. An example is Kalachakra (Thinley, 1980, p. 46; Berzin, 1997, etc.).

Very often in the works of Kagyu masters, you can find explanations of the differences between the branches of Tibetan Buddhism, based on their overcoming of different "poisons of the mind". Indeed, since each of the major schools in Tibet has one of these three groups of tantras as the most important, it is quite logical to say that the schools contain teachings that help certain types of character. One often reads or hears that "Nyingma followers are so-and - so" or "Kagyu followers are so-and-so", and the characteristics given to a whole mass of representatives of a particular school are very accurate. Something unites people who practice in the same tradition, they probably have some common feature that distinguishes them from colleagues from other areas. According to the above division of tantra into classes and groups, we can say that this common feature is nothing more than a set of "poisons of the mind", in which, in the case of kagyu, for example, desires and attachments dominate, and in the case of nyingma - anger and anger [Nydahl, 2000, p.187]. This division is common and seems logical: all 84,000 Buddhist teachings are clearly divided into four groups of 21,000, depending on which "poisons of the mind" they overcome - anger, desire, ignorance, or all three equally.

So, the study of Tantra (as systems of practice) and Tantric literature provides a key to understanding the enduring value of this heritage for the illumination of the Diamond Chariot and Tibetan Buddhism in general, including Buddhism in Russia. In the light of the above, it becomes clear that Tantrism combines moral ideals (love, compassion, shared joy) and sometimes the most unexpected means (upaya, Tib. thabs) of the spirits-

3) Classification by ability: "Persons with lower abilities, small minds-are satisfied with external actions, ablutions, etc. It is for them that external icons (Tib. phyi' 'i bris sku) and the like were invented...". Adepts of anuttarayoga tantras in this system are those who have the greatest abilities and sharpness of receptivity [Terentyev, 2004].

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the Right Path. Of course, the study of tantra is extremely difficult due to the unfamiliar terminology and methods of achievement, especially for people of Western culture. But at the same time, we must remember that it is Tibetan Buddhism that has preserved this unique heritage of world civilization and it should not be left without scientific attention.

list of literature

Androsov V. P. Buddhism of Nagarjuna: Religious and Philosophical Treatises, Moscow, 2000.
Nidal Ole. The Great Seal: The View of Mahamudra of the Diamond Path Buddhism, St. Petersburg, 2000.
Terentyev A. A. Classification of written sources of Vajrayana II Internet site "Buddhism in Russia", 2004.

Torchinov E. A. Introduction to Buddhism: A Course of lectures, St. Petersburg, 2005.
Berzin A. The Bonding Practices for Mother Tantra. The Berzin Archives, 1997 (Internet resource).

Berzin A. Making Sense of Tantra. The Berzin Archives, 2002 (Internet resource).

Bu ston. rGyud sde spyi rnam bzhad bsdus pa rgyud rin po che'i gter sgo 'byed pa'i lde mig // Collected Works. Part 14 (PHA) / Ed. by L. Chandra. New Delhi, 1969. F. 89b ff.

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