Six classes of tantra

Six classes of tantra ([Tib. རྒྱུད་སྡེ་དྲུག, gyüdé druk, [Wyl.]] rgyud sde drug) — in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, the tantras are divided into six classes:

• the three outer classes of tantra (which are common to both the Sarma and Nyingma schools):

1. the kriya tantra,

2. the charya tantra and

3. the yoga tantra.

and

• the three inner classes of tantra (which are specific to the Nyingma school):

4. the Mahayoga tantras,

5. the Anuyoga tantras and

6. the Atiyoga tantras.

Internal Links

• The four classes of tantra of the Sarma schools

Further Reading

• Tulku Thondup, The Practice of Dzogchen (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1989), pages 10-46.