Vajrayāna sources consistently portray tantric methods as both powerful and precarious, especially when undertaken without proper grounding. A recurrent danger is ego inflation: the subtle tendency to use “advanced” or “secret” practices to feel spiritually superior, or to construct a special tantric identity rather than loosening the grip of self-clinging. Closely related is spiritual materialism, where one chases experiences, visions, or powers as if they were trophies on the path. These tendencies are addressed by placing bodhicitta at the very heart of practice, by emphasizing humility in relation to the guru and the lineage, and by repeatedly reflecting on emptiness so that all experiences, roles, and attainments are seen as illusory and impermanent rather than as grounds for pride.

Another set of pitfalls arises from misunderstanding tantric symbolism and view. Sexual and wrathful imagery, or references to taboo substances, can be misread as license for indulgence or aggression, rather than as symbolic methods for transforming desire and aversion. Likewise, emptiness can be distorted into a kind of nihilism that appears to justify unethical conduct. Traditional safeguards include clear instruction that such imagery is primarily symbolic, insistence on a firm basis in śīla, renunciation, and compassion, and careful guidance on Madhyamaka philosophy so that emptiness is understood as inseparable from ethical responsibility. Many lineages therefore restrict advanced practices, such as sexual yoga or intense subtle-body yogas, to practitioners who have already demonstrated stability and integrity.

The relationship with the guru is both a central support and a potential source of harm. Devotion, if unexamined, can slide into blind obedience and open the door to exploitation, while teacher misconduct or student projection can deeply damage trust in the path. Classical teachings respond by urging students to examine a teacher carefully before committing, looking for ethical discipline, learning, and compassion, and by describing how to maintain basic respect while stepping back from a teacher whose conduct is seriously compromised. At the same time, the vows and samaya that structure this relationship can themselves become a danger when broken or misunderstood, so communities emphasize learning clearly what commitments are being taken, and employ regular confession, purification practices such as Vajrasattva, and guru yoga to repair minor breaches and renew intention.

A further cluster of dangers concerns psychological and energetic imbalance. Intense deity visualizations, subtle-body practices like tummo, and complex rituals can destabilize those without sufficient mental grounding, sometimes leading to confusion, agitation, or emotional upheaval. To address this, Vajrayāna traditions stress a gradual path: refuge, basic ethics, calm-abiding and insight meditation, followed by extensive preliminaries such as ngöndro, before moving into more esoteric yogas. Oral transmission and detailed instruction from qualified lineage holders are treated as indispensable, with teachers adjusting or slowing practices when signs of imbalance appear. Throughout, there is a steady reminder that ritual forms and external implements are meaningful only insofar as they support inner transformation, and that the true measure of tantric practice lies in increasing compassion, clarity, and ethical sensitivity rather than in dramatic experiences or displays.