Four classes of tantra

The Sarma tradition of new translation schools, recognizes four classes of tantra (Wyl. rgyud sde bzhi):

Three outer classes—

• Kriya Tantra,
• Charya Tantra and
• Yoga Tantra;

And one inner class of tantra, which is called

• Anuttarayoga Tantra, or Highest Yoga Tantra.

The latter is divided into three:

• Father Tantras, such as the Guhyasamaja Tantra, the King of Tantras;
• Mother Tantras, such as the Chakrasamvara Tantra; and
• Non-dual Tantras, such as Kalachakra.

Further Reading

• Glenn H. Mullin, The Dalai Lamas on Tantra (Snow Lion Publications, 2006)

Internal Links

• The six classes of tantra of the Nyingma school.