First,as a learner and a shallow practitioner ,I hope to clear
some misunderstanding about the practice of Vajrayana
Buddhism
Esoteric Buddhism began from our Compassionate Buddha Sakyamuni
historically
It is written that After His Parinirvana , Vajrapani Bodhisattva
and Many Dakini and Vajra gather at Present-day Pakistan to convene
the passing down of Vajrayana Scripture ,it was passed down to many
lineage master and finally the 3 master of True Word School
(Vajrabodhi , Fearlessness and another person i cant remember bring
the Vairocana Sutra (or the Great Sun Sutra) to Tang Dynasty
China
The Point of meditation with a consort deity is not totally general
in Vajrayana Buddhism ,it is only part of a practice.
Esoteric Buddhism is separated into the Eastern Esoteric
(flourished now in Koyasan Lineage of Japan ) and Tibetan
Buddhism
The Basic of Esoteric is still to seek liberation by entering the
practice of Bodhisattva
The teaching is classified under reveal and the tantric .The nature
of Tantric is for the Lineage Master Oral transmission and cannot
be reveal due to its inconceivable powers to make one reduced the
number of "wrong path" taken
I hope this would make a clear understanding on Vajrayana
Buddhism.
How to differentiate it as a authentic School of Esoteric ?
1.Does it teaches the 4 Dharma Seal?
2.Does it have a proper Lineage tracing to Buddha Sakyamuni?
3.Is there practice and chanting more directed to benefits other
spiritual and not wealth?
4.Is the Esoteric School recognised by the Office of the Tibetan
government-in-exile?