30.2: Shingon or Japanese Esoteric Buddhism

The goal of estoteric Buddhism is to achieve a sudden spiritual awakening through the use of secret rituals which might include mantras, gestures, or the visualization of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and other deities, in the case of Shingon using one or both of a pair of powerful and elaborate mandalas. These techniques are passed down through a guru or teacher which is what gives them their esoteric or secret nature. Vajrayana focuses on transcending dualistic thinking and discovering the point of intersection between the core Buddhist values of wisdom and compassion.