Within Vajrayāna, samaya refers to a network of ethical and spiritual commitments that safeguard the integrity of tantric practice and make its methods spiritually effective. At the heart of these commitments is the relationship with the vajra master: maintaining respect, trust, and devotion, not disparaging or abandoning the guru, and following instructions that accord with the Dharma. Closely related is the commitment to vajra siblings, the fellow practitioners with whom one shares initiation, which includes avoiding anger, serious conflict, or exploitation, and seeking harmony and reconciliation when discord arises. These relationships are not merely social; they are regarded as the living mandala within which realization unfolds.

Another central dimension of samaya concerns the meditational deity, mantra, and mandala. Practitioners commit to maintaining the visualization of themselves as the deity during practice, not regarding the deity, mantras, or sacred symbols as ordinary, and performing the received sādhana regularly unless explicitly released from it. There is also a strong emphasis on secrecy: tantric names, mantras, empowerments, and specific instructions are to be kept confidential and not revealed to those who are unprepared or uninitiated. Mantras are to be recited correctly and respectfully, not used for selfish or harmful purposes, and not mixed in a confused way with practices from incompatible systems.

Samaya also rests upon the broader Mahāyāna ethical foundation. Practitioners are enjoined not to abandon bodhicitta, the resolve to attain awakening for the benefit of all beings, and not to give up loving-kindness and compassion, even toward those who cause harm. This includes avoiding serious harmful actions such as killing, grave deception, or causing schism, and cultivating generosity, patience, and conduct that benefits others. The view is likewise protected: one maintains a correct understanding of emptiness and pure perception, seeing the guru as Buddha, companions as dāka and ḍākinī, and the environment as mandala, while avoiding disparagement of Mahāyāna or Vajrayāna teachings.

Finally, samaya extends to one’s overall tantric conduct and ritual life. Practitioners commit not to reject the Three Jewels, not to forsake the tantric teachings, and to maintain ritual purity, including proper participation in tantric feasts and observances as prescribed in their tradition. The body is treated with respect as a basis of the path, and tantric methods—whether involving substances, sexuality, or subtle-body practices—are not to be misused in ways that contradict the Dharma or harm others. When these commitments are damaged, the tradition emphasizes prompt confession, purification, and restoration, reflecting the understanding that samaya is the life-force of Vajrayāna practice rather than a mere list of rules.