Esoteric Buddhism (Mìjiáo 密教) is a generic term that has been applied to various types of Buddhist thought and practice.
During the Republican period this term was divided into three types of esoteric Buddhism. The Esoteric Buddhism of China was generally felt to have disappeared in China. Two broad living traditions of Esoteric Buddhism were believed to remain, and in the 1920s and 1930s a number of Chinese Buddhists sought to revive the tradition of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism by studying in these traditions. These two traditions were:
For lists of the individuals associated with the study and propagation of each type of Esoteric Buddhism, follow these links.
Section Editor: Erik Hammerstrom