Mahamudra, in its classical formulation, is presented as an integral Vajrayana Buddhist path rather than a generic mindfulness technique. It is embedded in a larger mandala of commitments and understandings: refuge and ethical discipline, the cultivation of bodhicitta, devotion to a qualified guru and lineage, and, in many cases, tantric empowerments and related practices. The “Great Seal” here refers to the direct realization of the nature of mind and emptiness, not merely to present-moment attention or stress reduction. Traditional lineages therefore regard Mahamudra as a complete path to awakening, framed by specific philosophical views and ritual transmissions that give the practice its distinctive meaning and power.

At the same time, within this broader path there are methods that resemble what is now called mindfulness or metacognitive awareness. Instructions on settling the mind, observing thoughts and emotions as passing phenomena, and resting in a simple, non-grasping awareness can be articulated in experiential terms without explicit reference to Buddhist doctrine. These elements can be adapted for secular purposes, much as other Buddhist contemplative methods have been reframed for therapeutic or educational settings. When extracted in this way, they function as Mahamudra-inspired techniques for cultivating clarity and non-reactivity, rather than as the full Mahamudra path.

From the standpoint of traditional teachers, however, such adaptations are understood as partial and necessarily limited. Without the framework of bodhicitta, the view of emptiness, the relationship to a guru, and, where required, tantric initiation and transmission, the practice no longer constitutes Mahamudra in its strict sense. What is lost is not only a set of rituals or beliefs, but the very orientation toward complete awakening that gives the practice its depth and coherence. For this reason, many lamas distinguish between preliminary or common instructions on mind awareness, which may be shared widely, and the full Mahamudra path, which remains inseparable from its Vajrayana context.

A careful way of speaking, therefore, is to acknowledge that certain contemplative techniques characteristic of Mahamudra can be practiced in a secular manner, yet to reserve the term “Mahamudra” for the integrated Vajrayana discipline aimed at realizing the Great Seal. Secular practitioners may still benefit greatly from these adapted methods, but the transformative scope and intent are not the same as in the traditional setting. Recognizing this distinction allows respect both for the integrity of the lineage and for the genuine value of Mahamudra-inspired mindfulness in a non-religious context.