Actually, in both sutra and tantra, the outer and inner preliminaries must be practiced; as long as it is Mahayana, renunciation and bodhicitta must be developed. Though there are some differences in terminology, the content of the practice is essentially the same. Whether it is in sutra, tantra, Ch’an, or Pure Land, all require renunciation and bodhicitta; without this foundation, what point is there in reciting the buddha’s name? Or in practicing Ch’an? We should recite the buddha’s name and meditate on this basis; only then are we truly practicing Pure Land and Ch’an Buddhism.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH - Sutra and Tantra: Similarities and Differences