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'The Diamond Vehicle' or 'The Adamantine Vehicle', Vajrayana (see vajra) consists of a collection of techniques for the practice of Mahayana Buddhism, along with the texts that expound those techniques (the Buddhist Tantras). It is also known to the west as Tantric Buddhism. It is the tradition behind Buddhism, and is sometimes expounded as a third and separate major school of Buddhism, the others being Mahayana and Hinayana (also see Theravada).

There are four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism: Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Geluk. All four schools identify themselves as belonging to the Mahayana or "Great Vehicle" tradition, which also dominates in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and Bhutan.

• The techniques are characterized by:
  • The use of mantras, or short verbal formulae
  • Strong focus on the guru, or teacher
  • A highly-developed tradition of meditation, including concentration techniques such as the visualization of bodhisattvas.

Practitioners are introduced to a collection of Vajrayana practices through a series of initiations.

These can be divided into six categories:

• Three Outer Tantras:
  • Kriyayoga
  • Charyayoga
  • Yogatantra

• Three Inner Tantras:
  • Mahayoga
  • Anuyoga
  • Atiyoga - Dzogchen - Cha'an - Bön

The practice of Atiyoga is divided into three classes: Mental (SemDe), Spatial (LongDe), and Esoteric Instructional (MenNgagDe).

Vajrayana developed in Northern India from about 600CE (hard to say exactly when). Main philosophical schools relevant to Vajrayana are the Madhyamika of Nagarjuna, Chandrakirti and Vijnanavada (aka Yogachara, Chittamatra) of Asanga, Vasubhandu. The most famous teacher of Vajrayana is Guru Padmasambhava.

See also: Tibetan Buddhism