Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

Our Dharma-knowledge comes through purification in
the Hinayana and sublimation in the Mahayana, but the
Tantra contains the knowledge directing one to the
essence of Buddhahood and has been imparted by the
Enlightened One only to a few disciples having many
merits.
5. Breathing Meditations
Exoteric meditation practices principally concern the
mind, and though breathing meditations are taught, they
are only used to calm a disturbed mind. Such practices
do not use the five elements of materiality (although
with the normal breathing process the elements are
breathed in and out).
A higher value is placed upon the breath in the Tantra
for by the time one is ready to practice the Vajrayana
techniques, mental practice should have been already
well established. Mentality and materiality are identified
in Tantric practices, and then are very effective. In the
lower Tantras one does find some visualization of the
five elements but these do not correspond to the breath.
By contrast, in anuttarayoga, the second and third
initiations cannot be practiced without exercises using
the deep-breathing of wisdom-energy.
6. Positions of Teacher and Audience
The Tantras are taught by the glorious sambhogakaya
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