A BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE ON BUDDHISM
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Vajrayana

Considered an "esoteric" tradition, Vajrayana Buddhism is based on tantric Buddhist texts that were composed in India and Central Asia over several centuries, many concurrent with Mahayana texts. These teachings are highly ritualized and often involve the identification of the practitioner and specific Buddhist deities or enlightened figures. While closely associated with Tibetan forms of Buddhism, tantra can be found across Buddhist Asia in many forms.

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Texts	Society	Geography	Traditions
Non-Sutra Literature Sutra Literature	Buddhism and Acculturation Buddhism and Other Religions Buddhism and Society Buddhism and the Family Buddhism and the natural world Mysticism Social, Political, and Economic Aspects The Arts	Places (temple complexes, sacred mountains) Regions Temples Transregional studies	Bön Mahayana Modern Buddhist Movements The Eighteen Schools and the Early Councils Theravada Vajrayana
Persons	Philosophy	Rituals	Time Periods
Arhats and Bodhisattvas Buddhas Devas, deities, and demons Monks, nuns, and laypersons Scholars	Academic Discipline Buddhist Logic Cosmology Dreams Ethics Major Topics and Foundational Doctrines Monastic education and study	Calendric Rituals and Festivals Chanting and recitation Conversion to Buddhism Healing Rites, Divination, and Magical Protection Life-Cycle Rituals Meditation, Visualization, Awakening Merit-making and rituals of piety Monastic rituals Pilgrimage Rituals of Power	China India Japan Korea Sri Lanka The West Tibet Vietnam