Vajrayāna presents itself as an esoteric development within the broad stream of Mahāyāna Buddhism, rather than as a separate religion. It shares the foundational Buddhist teachings: the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, dependent origination, non-self, and impermanence, as well as the Mahāyāna emphasis on the bodhisattva ideal, compassion, and emptiness. In this sense, it stands in doctrinal continuity with earlier forms of Buddhism, taking their insights as indispensable groundwork. Many Vajrayāna lineages explicitly organize the path in stages: foundational teachings, the bodhisattva path of the perfections, and then the tantric methods as a culminating phase. The same goal remains central throughout: full buddhahood for the sake of all beings, grounded in wisdom and compassion. What changes is not the destination, but the style and intensity of the journey.

Within this larger framework, Vajrayāna understands itself as a “swift path,” claiming that enlightenment can be realized far more rapidly, even within a single lifetime. This is justified as a form of skillful means: if methods are powerful, ethically grounded, and rooted in correct understanding, they are seen as legitimate ways to relieve suffering more effectively. Rather than only restraining or abandoning passions, Vajrayāna methods seek to transform them directly into wisdom. This is closely tied to a view that samsara and enlightenment are not two utterly separate realities, but can be experienced as non-dual when seen through the lens of emptiness. The very energies that ordinarily bind beings can, when properly understood and practiced, become the fuel for awakening.

The distinctive character of Vajrayāna lies in its tantric repertoire of practices, which are added to, rather than replacing, earlier Buddhist disciplines. Mantras and dhāraṇīs, deity yoga, mandalas, mudrās, and subtle body yogas all serve to reshape perception and experience in light of emptiness and compassion. Deity yoga, for example, trains practitioners to see themselves and their world as expressions of enlightened qualities, undermining deeply ingrained habits of ordinary, dualistic identity. Subtle body practices involving channels, winds, and drops are used to transform ordinary consciousness into a more refined, wisdom-oriented awareness. These methods are not understood as magical shortcuts, but as sophisticated contemplative technologies that presuppose a solid grounding in ethics, meditation, and philosophical understanding.

Because of the power and complexity of these methods, Vajrayāna places strong emphasis on transmission, initiation, and the teacher–disciple relationship. Access to many practices is given only through formal empowerments, accompanied by vows that protect the integrity of the path. Esotericism and secrecy are framed not as elitism, but as a safeguard to ensure that practices are undertaken with appropriate preparation and guidance. The guru or lama is regarded as indispensable for correctly understanding and embodying the teachings, especially in their more advanced forms. In this way, Vajrayāna situates itself as an advanced, esoteric application of core Buddhist wisdom, seeking to bring the full depth of Buddhist insight to bear on every aspect of experience.