Within the Vajrayāna landscape, the most widely recognized lineages are those of Tibetan Buddhism. These are commonly enumerated as Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug, with Jonang often acknowledged as a distinct, though historically smaller, tradition. Nyingma, the “Ancient” school, is regarded as the oldest Tibetan lineage and is especially associated with Dzogchen teachings and the revelation of terma, or “treasure” texts. Kagyu, the “Oral Lineage,” is renowned for its emphasis on direct experiential realization, particularly through Mahāmudrā meditation, and includes important sub-schools such as Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, and Drukpa Kagyu. Sakya is marked by its Lamdré, the “Path and Fruit” system, which articulates a synthesis of sūtra and tantra. Gelug, founded by Tsongkhapa, is characterized by rigorous monastic discipline, philosophical study, and a structured presentation of the stages of the path, and it is within this school that the Dalai Lama lineage is situated. Jonang, though smaller, is noted for its distinctive doctrinal orientation and its place within the broader Tibetan tantric milieu.

Beyond Tibet, Vajrayāna took on different yet related forms in East Asia. In Japan, Shingon represents a fully esoteric Buddhist school, established by Kūkai and centered on mantra, mudrā, and maṇḍala, particularly those associated with Mahāvairocana. Tendai, while not exclusively esoteric, developed a substantial esoteric current within its broader framework, integrating tantric practices alongside other Buddhist methods. These Japanese lineages preserve and transmit Vajrayāna-style rituals and contemplative techniques in a manner adapted to their own doctrinal and institutional settings. In this way, the Vajrayāna heritage appears as a constellation of related but distinct traditions, each maintaining its own transmission lines, ritual systems, and contemplative emphases, yet all oriented toward the transformative possibilities of tantric practice.