Editing Chakra (section)

===Buddhist tantra===

{{Main|Vajrayana}}

The esoteric traditions in Buddhism generally teach four chakras.<ref name=britchakra/> In some early Buddhist sources, these chakras are identified as: manipura (navel), anahata (heart), vishuddha (throat) and ushnisha kamala (crown).<ref name="Olson2009p78">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EwTnQcFjCQsC&pg=PA78 |title=Historical Dictionary of Buddhism |first=Carl |last=Olson |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-8108-6317-0 |page=78}}</ref> In one development within the Nyingma lineage of the ''Mantrayana'' of Tibetan Buddhism a popular conceptualization of chakras in increasing subtlety and increasing order is as follows: Nirmanakaya (gross self), Sambhogakaya (subtle self), Dharmakaya (causal self), and Mahasukhakaya (non-dual self), each vaguely and indirectly corresponding to the categories within the [[Shaiva]] ''Mantramarga'' universe, i.e., Svadhisthana, Anahata, Visuddha, Sahasrara, etc.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Geoffrey |last1=Samuel |author-link=Geoffrey Samuel |first2=Jay |last2=Johnston |title=Religion and the Subtle Body in Asia and the West: Between Mind and Body |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_qOz641rV0C |year=2013 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-136-76640-4 |page=40, Table 2.1}}</ref> However, depending on the meditational tradition, these vary between three and six.<ref name="Olson2009p78"/> The chakras are considered psycho-spiritual constituents, each bearing meaningful correspondences to cosmic processes and their postulated Buddha counterpart.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Or99AgAAQBAJ |title=New Buddhist Movements in Thailand: Towards an Understanding of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Santi Asoke |first=Rory |last=Mackenzie |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-134-13262-1|pages=108–109}}</ref><ref name="Olson2009p78" />

A system of five chakras is common among the [[Anuttarayoga Tantra#Mother Tantras|Mother class of Tantras]] and these five chakras along with their correspondences are:<ref>John C. Huntington, Dina Bangdel, ''The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art'', Serindia Publications, Inc., 2003, p. 231.</ref>

* Basal chakra ([[Mahābhūta|Element]]: Earth, [[Five Tathagatas|Buddha]]: [[Amoghasiddhi]], [[Bījā|Bija mantra]]: LAM)
* Abdominal chakra (Element: Water, Buddha: [[Ratnasambhava]], Bija mantra: VAM)
* Heart chakra (Element: Fire, Buddha: [[Akshobhya]], Bija mantra: RAM)
* Throat chakra (Element: Wind, Buddha: [[Amitābha|Amitabha]], Bija mantra: YAM)
* Crown chakra (Element: Space, Buddha: [[Vairochana]], Bija mantra: KHAM)

Chakras play a key role in [[Tibetan Buddhism]], and are considered to be the pivotal providence of Tantric thinking. And, the precise use of the chakras across the gamut of tantric sadhanas gives little space to doubt the primary efficacy of Tibetan Buddhism as distinct religious agency, that being that precise revelation that, without Tantra there would be no Chakras, but more importantly, without Chakras, there is no Tibetan Buddhism. The highest practices in Tibetan Buddhism point to the ability to bring the subtle pranas of an entity into alignment with the central channel, and to thus penetrate the realisation of the ultimate unity, namely, the "organic harmony" of one's individual consciousness of Wisdom with the co-attainment of All-embracing Love, thus synthesizing a direct cognition of absolute [[Buddhahood]].<ref name="Gyatso 2014">{{cite book | last=Gyatso | first=Geshe Kelsang | title=Clear Light of Bliss : Tantric Meditation Manual | publisher=[[Tharpa Publications]] | location=Cumbria, England | year=2014 | isbn=978-1-910368-03-9 | oclc=904051195 | at=Channels, Winds and Drops |quote=The ten doors are located along the central channel as follows: ... the point between the eyebrows ... the apex of the cranium ... near the back of the throat ... between the two breasts ... the navel channel wheel ... }}</ref>

According to Samuel, the buddhist esoteric systems developed cakra and nadi as "central to their [[soteriology|soteriological]] process". The theories were sometimes, but not always, coupled with a unique system of physical exercises, called ''yantra yoga'' or ''{{'}}phrul {{'}}khor''.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Geoffrey |last1=Samuel |author-link=Geoffrey Samuel |first2=Jay |last2=Johnston|title=Religion and the Subtle Body in Asia and the West: Between Mind and Body|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_qOz641rV0C |year=2013 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-136-76640-4 |page=38}}</ref> Chakras, according to the [[Bon]] tradition, enable the gestalt of experience, with each of the five major chakras, being psychologically linked with the five experiential qualities of unenlightened consciousness, the [[six realms]] of woe.<ref name="Tenzin 2002">{{cite book |first=Tenzin Wangyal |last=Rinpoche |editor=Mark Dahlby |date=2002 |title=Healing with Form, Energy, and Light: The Five Elements in Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra, and Dzogchen |location=Ithaca, NY |publisher=[[Snow Lion]] |isbn=1-55939-176-6 |pages=84–85}}</ref>

The [[Lung (Tibetan Buddhism)#Tsa Lung|tsa lung]] practice embodied in the [[Trul khor]] lineage, unbaffles the primary channels, thus activating and circulating liberating prana. [[Yoga]] awakens the deep mind, thus bringing forth positive attributes, inherent gestalts, and virtuous qualities. In a computer analogy, the screen of one's consciousness is slated and an attribute-bearing file is called up that contains necessary positive or negative, supportive qualities.<ref name="Tenzin 2002"/> Tantric practice is said to eventually transform all experience into clear light. The practice aims to liberate from all negative conditioning, and the deep cognitive salvation of freedom from control and unity of perception and cognition.<ref name="Tenzin 2002"/>

<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=180 heights=280>
File:Chakras and energy channels 2 (3749594497).jpg|A Tibetan illustration of the [[subtle body]] showing the central channel, two side channels, and five chakras
File:Cosmic Man with Diagrams of Newar Yogic Six Chakra Transformation LACMA M.91.118.jpg|A Tibetan [[thangka]] showing six chakras<ref>{{cite book |first1=John C. |last1=Huntington |first2=Dina |last2=Bangdel |title=The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art |publisher=Serindia Publications |year=2003 |pages=232–233 |isbn=978-1932476019}}</ref>
</gallery>