Esoteric means “secret.” In contrast to the exoteric teachings of the Mahāyāna, esoteric teachings are called the Vajrayāna, Diamond Vehicle, or Mantrayāna, True Word Vehicle. However, the buds of these teachings had already arisen when Mahāyāna Buddhist scriptures were written. Dhārāṇis, which in Mahāyāna scriptures were held to be able to support wholesome dharmas such as the memorization of scriptures, came to be used as spells. In esoteric teachings they developed into mantras, true words and vidyās, incantations.

In the Suvarṇaprabhāsottama Sūtra, Supreme Golden Light Sūtra, one can find the beginnings of esoteric thought in the form of prayers, magic, and so on. These teachings became systematically formulated starting in the seventh century CE after the appearance of the Mahāvairocana Sūtra, Mahāvairocana [Tathāgata] Sūtra, and Vajraśekhara Sūtra, Diamond Peak Sūtra.