Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s6.t4.12

v1.c7.s6.t4.12

Great monks of Tibetan Buddhism proposed the concept of Four Tantras (rgyud bzhi) in 10ᵗʰ century CE. On the premise of sutras and shastras defined strictly, Tantras were classified into Action Tantra, Performance Tantra, Yoga Tantra and Great Yoga Tantra, and the system of four tantras was established; hereafter, Great Yoga Tantra was classified into three Tantras, Upaya Tantra (also called Father Tantra), Intelligence Tantra (also called Mother Tantra) and Nondual Tantra, and the theory of Four Tantras or Six Tantras of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism was created.