Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s6.t5.9

v1.c7.s6.t5.9

As the school inheriting the old Tantric doctrines, the Ningmapa sect took the lead in differentiating doctrines of Sakyamuni. The whole Dharma is divided into nine vehicles: "nyan thos, rang rgyal, byang sems, kri ya, Au pa, yo ga, bskyed pa ma ha yo ga, lung Aa nu yo ga and rdzogs pa chen po Aa ti yo ga" etc and the first vehicle "nyan thos" is graded to the ninth vehicle "rdzogs pa chen po Aa ti yo ga" to gradually reach the supreme realm of great perfection. As one of the main founders of old tantric heritance, Vimalamitra had profound influences on the Ningmapa sect which was the pyramidal Buddhist or cultivation system, especially played an important role in forming the thought of great perfection.