[Buddha-l] Lamas and such

[JKirkpatrick]

> 
> I would think "Tantric Buddhism" (or Vajrayana/Mantrayana)
would do 
> well for most areas that would be considered
"Lamaistic"--former 
> Tibet, the Himalayan Kingdoms, Mongolia, Kalmykia and Buryatia.

This doesn't quite work as Tibetans etc. insist that their
Buddhism follows all three yana: shravakayana, mahayana and
mantrayana.

In English the word "Tantra" is probably far more misunderstood
than the word Lama. Why is it OK to add "-ic" or "-ism" to the
word Tantra and not to the word Lama?

- chris
================
I had always come across the three yanas as hinayana, mahayana
and vajrayana. 
This cluster you cite--shravakayana, mahayana and mantrayana--
is news to me.  
Also, I never saw shravakayana before-what's that?
Since when did mantrayana become a separate practice? 
Why can't one just use Tibetan Buddhism or Mongolian Buddhism to
apply to the various schools & locations of, leaving scholars to
reference precise differences in Tibetan or Mongolian?

Joanna