密教

Literally, it means secret. As the esoteric teaching is regarded to be phenomenal or spiritual matters, it cannot be revealed to those who are not fit or tuned to fit and receive it. Moreover, these spiritual truths are apprehended by the intuition only, and cannot be explained in words. Esoteric teaching is not contrary to exoteric. It is said that every Buddha has both a revealed and a mystic truth or doctrine. The former is written in sūtras, and the latter is transmitted and apprehended by the faculty of Bodhi latent in our heart. See also Tantrayāna.