Northern Buddhism

The term "Northern Buddhism" is a historical and geographical designation, not a self-applied doctrinal one. It contrasts with "Southern Buddhism" (Theravada) and arose from the geographical spread of Buddhist schools from India. It primarily refers to Mahayana traditions that flourished north of India.

It means the "destruction of temptation"' during the course of Yoga practice.

Helena Blavatsky's definition, "destruction of temptation," while seemingly focused on a specific yogic practice, hints at a deeper aspect of the Mahayana path. The Bodhisattva's journey is indeed a profound engagement with the world's suffering, which necessitates a rigorous dismantling of egoic desires and attachments, the very "temptations" that bind beings to the cycle of rebirth. Mircea Eliade, in his study of mysticism, recognized how spiritual disciplines often involve a radical transformation of the self, a shedding of the mundane to embrace the sacred. In Mahayana, this is not merely an internal purification but an active engagement with the illusionary nature of phenomena, as elucidated by scholars like D.T. Suzuki in his writings on Zen. The emphasis on emptiness (sunyata) means that the perceived solidity of temptation, like all things, is ultimately without inherent existence. This understanding liberates the practitioner not through avoidance but through a profound insight into the nature of reality, allowing for skillful action within the world without succumbing to its delusive allure. The Northern Buddhist traditions, with their expansive cosmologies and intricate philosophical systems, offer a profound framework for understanding this process, not as a sterile renunciation, but as a dynamic and compassionate participation in the unfolding of existence. It is a path that calls for both profound wisdom and boundless empathy, a testament to the interconnectedness of all sentient life.