By the Rajput era, the Mahayana sect of Buddhism had established its complete dominance over the Hinayana sect. Apart from the Hinayana and Mahayana sects, many different schools and sects had arisen in Buddhism at this time. The Vajrayana sect was special among them. If Mahayana portrayed the Buddha as the great savior, Vajrayana portrayed the Buddha as a Vajraguru who had attained all inhuman perfections.
To achieve these siddhis, the followers of Vajrayana started doing many esoteric practices. As a result, Tantrism entered Buddhism. Buddhist Sandharam and Vihar became centers of Tantrism and esoteric practices. The lives of the monks and nuns had become joyful and luxurious. Corruption, superstition, and grave differences had entered the unions. The life of the monasteries had become corrupt and tainted.
Discrimination also arose between the common people and the monks who followed Buddhism. The characters of the Buddhists had become so degraded that they no longer even had the strength to follow the basic principles of Buddhism. As a result, the indifference of the upper classes towards Buddhism was increasing. Even the Rajputs ruling at that time had no passion for Buddhism, especially for non-violence.
The Buddhist principle of non-violence had become impractical due to the wariness and imperialist policy of the Rajputs, as a result, the Rajputs should have given state patronage to Buddhism. The revival of the Brahmin religion and the religious enthusiasm of Kumaril-Bhatt and Shankaracharya have also declined Buddhism. Many principles of Buddhism and philosophy were incorporated into the newly awakened and reorganized Hindu religion.
Gradually Buddhism became concentrated in monasteries only. The shadow of Buddhism remained in Bengal for some time because for some time Buddhism continued to flourish in Bengal and Bihar under the patronage of the Pala kings. However, the Islamic invaders, due to their staunch hostility towards Buddhism, destroyed Buddhist Sangharama viharas and monuments.