<p>Many cults may call themselves "Buddhist" but no genuine school of Buddhism can engage in drug use. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The Dalai Lama said. "These kinds of substances are generally
  considered poison, very bad".</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://www.civilized.life/articles/dalai-lama/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.civilized.life/articles/dalai-lama/</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-28T01:45:38.153Z
2020-05-28T01:45:38.153Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>There's a copy of the referenced article here: <a href="https://www.cnsproductions.com/pdf/Touw.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Religious and Medicinal
Uses of Cannabis
in China, India and Tibet</a> by MIA TOUW.</p>

<p>The relevant quote from the article (which was copied into Wikipedia) is,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In
  Tantric Buddhism, which flowered in the TibetoHimalayan region, cannabis is an important part of the
  meditative ritual which may or may not include sexual
  intercourse. It is taken to facilitate the meditation and
  heighten awareness of all aspects of the ceremony. The
  large dose, taken orally, is timed so as to ensure
  increasingly heightened awareness from the beginning of
  the ritual onwards, with the greatest "high"-delayed when
  taken orally by about an hour and a half- coinciding with
  the climax of the ceremony (Bharati 1965). Secular use, both medicinal and
  recreational, is equally widespread but, as Sharma (1977b)
  notes, cannabis is taken for granted in the Himalayas and
  therefore is not much discussed.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The "Bharati 1965" reference is</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Bharati, A. 1965. <em>The Tantric Tradition</em>. London: Rider &amp; Co.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There's a Wikipedia article about the author of that reference -- <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agehananda_Bharati" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Agehananda Bharati</a>.</p>

<p>The book is available for bout $20 from Amazon -- <a href="https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B000I546A2" rel="nofollow noreferrer" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Tantric Tradition Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1970</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-28T08:37:20.517Z
2020-05-28T08:44:45.053Z
2020-05-28T08:44:45.053Z
ChrisW
<p>In fact, Vajrayāna Buddhism is well known as an alchemy path(rasayāna). Therefore, various tantric buddhist texts like Ćakrasamvaratantra, Vajramahabhāiravatantra, Mahākālatantra or Tārātantra explain the use of entheogens like Cannabis indica(sana/vijaya) and/or Datura metel(dhattura). Although, all these practices with the 'intoxication of the enemy'(amitra) are particullary transmitted for those that practice the 'inner mantra path'(Guhyamantrayāna), and logically guided by a qualified Guru.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-10T02:03:29.267Z
2021-03-10T02:03:29.267Z
Formell Jonathan
<p>I'm reading a Wikipedia article on Vajrayana Buddhism and it says: "In Tantric Buddhism, which originated in the Tibeto-Himalayan region, cannabis serves as an important part of a traditional ritual..."</p>

<p>It cites a journal that I don't have access to, so I can't look too much deeper into the source.</p>

<p>What's the historical background of this claim? Are there serious documents or Buddhist texts showing the use of cannabis or other drugs? </p>

<vajrayana>
Does Vajrayana Buddhism incorporate the use of cannabis?
# Does Vajrayana Buddhism incorporate the use of cannabis?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-28)

I'm reading a Wikipedia article on Vajrayana Buddhism and it says: "In Tantric Buddhism, which originated in the Tibeto-Himalayan region, cannabis serves as an important part of a traditional ritual..."

It cites a journal that I don't have access to, so I can't look too much deeper into the source.

What's the historical background of this claim? Are there serious documents or Buddhist texts showing the use of cannabis or other drugs?

**Tags:** vajrayana


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-28. Score: 2

Many cults may call themselves "Buddhist" but no genuine school of Buddhism can engage in drug use.

> The Dalai Lama said. "These kinds of substances are generally
> considered poison, very bad".
>
> <https://www.civilized.life/articles/dalai-lama/>


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-05-28. Score: 2

There's a copy of the referenced article here: [The Religious and Medicinal
Uses of Cannabis
in China, India and Tibet](https://www.cnsproductions.com/pdf/Touw.pdf) by MIA TOUW.

The relevant quote from the article (which was copied into Wikipedia) is,

> In
> Tantric Buddhism, which flowered in the TibetoHimalayan region, cannabis is an important part of the
> meditative ritual which may or may not include sexual
> intercourse. It is taken to facilitate the meditation and
> heighten awareness of all aspects of the ceremony. The
> large dose, taken orally, is timed so as to ensure
> increasingly heightened awareness from the beginning of
> the ritual onwards, with the greatest "high"-delayed when
> taken orally by about an hour and a half- coinciding with
> the climax of the ceremony (Bharati 1965). Secular use, both medicinal and
> recreational, is equally widespread but, as Sharma (1977b)
> notes, cannabis is taken for granted in the Himalayas and
> therefore is not much discussed.

The "Bharati 1965" reference is

> Bharati, A. 1965. *The Tantric Tradition*. London: Rider & Co.

There's a Wikipedia article about the author of that reference -- [Agehananda Bharati](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agehananda_Bharati).

The book is available for bout $20 from Amazon -- [The Tantric Tradition Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1970](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B000I546A2)


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-03-10. Score: 0

In fact, Vajrayāna Buddhism is well known as an alchemy path(rasayāna). Therefore, various tantric buddhist texts like Ćakrasamvaratantra, Vajramahabhāiravatantra, Mahākālatantra or Tārātantra explain the use of entheogens like Cannabis indica(sana/vijaya) and/or Datura metel(dhattura). Although, all these practices with the 'intoxication of the enemy'(amitra) are particullary transmitted for those that practice the 'inner mantra path'(Guhyamantrayāna), and logically guided by a qualified Guru.


---

