Vajravarahi
Encyclopedia
Vajrayoginī is the Vajra
, literally 'the diamond female yogi
'. She is a Highest Yoga Tantra
Yidam
(Skt. ), and her practice includes methods for preventing ordinary death, intermediate state (bardo
) and rebirth (by transforming them into paths to enlightenment), and for transforming all mundane daily experiences into higher spiritual paths. Vajrayoginī is a generic female yidam
and although she is sometimes visualized as simply Vajrayoginī, in a collection of her sādhana
s she is visualized in an alternate form in over two thirds of the practices. Her other forms include Vajravārāhī (Tibetan: Dorje Pakmo, ; English: the Vajra Sow) and Krodikali (alt. Krodhakali, Kālikā, Krodheśvarī, Krishna Krodhini, Sanskrit; Tibetan:Troma Nagmo; Wylie:khros ma nag mo; English: 'the Wrathful Lady' or 'the Fierce Black One' ). Vajrayoginī is a and a Vajrayāna
Buddhist meditation deity
. As such she is considered to be a female Buddha
.
Vajrayoginī is often described with the epithet sarva
-buddha-dakinī, meaning 'the who is the Essence of all Buddhas'. Vajrayogini's sādhana
, or practice, originated in India
between the tenth and twelfth centuries. It evolved from the sādhana, where Vajrayoginī appears as his yab-yum
consort
, to become a stand-alone practice of anuttarayoga tantra in its own right. The practice of Vajrayoginī belongs to the Mother Tantra class of anuttarayoga tantra, along with other tantras
such as Heruka and Hevajra
.
According to scholar Miranda Shaw, Vajrayoginī is "inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric pantheon. No male Buddha, including her divine consort, Heruka
, approaches her in metaphysical or practical import." A number of lamas and other contemporary scholars do in fact argue otherwise, as is widely considered the supreme deity of the Tantric pantheon, but the importance of Vajrayoginī is agreed upon.
Buddhism teaches that the two stages of the practice of Vajrayoginī (generation stage and completion stage) were originally taught by Buddha . He manifested in the form of Heruka
to expound the Root Tantra of Chakrasaṃvara, and it was in this tantra that he explained the practice of Vajrayoginī. All the many lineages of instructions on Vajrayoginī can be traced back to this original revelation. Of these lineages, there are three that are most commonly practiced: the Narokhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginī to Nāropa
; the Maitrikhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginī to Maitripa; and the Indrakhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginī to Indrabodhi.
of wisdom set vertically on her forehead. Vajrayoginī is generally depicted with the traditional accoutrements of a including a cleaver (Tib. drigug, Skt. ) marked with a vajra
in her right hand and a kapala
(skull cup
) in her left hand which is filled with blood that she partakes of with her upturned mouth. Her consort is often symbolically depicted as a on Vajrayoginī's left shoulder, when she is in 'solitary hero' form. Vajrayoginī's khatvanga is marked with a vajra
and from it hang a damaru
drum, a bell, and a triple banner. Her extended right leg treads on the chest of red Kālarātri, while her bent left leg treads on the forehead of black Bhairava
, bending his head backward and pressing it into his back at the level of his heart. Her head is adorned with a crown of five human skulls and she wears a necklace of fifty human skulls. She is depicted as standing in the center of a blazing fire of exalted wisdom.
Each aspect of Vajrayoginī's form and mandala is designed to convey a spiritual meaning. For example, her brilliant red-colored body symbolizes the blazing of her inner fire (Tib. tummo
). Her single face symbolizes that she has realized that all phenomena are of one nature in emptiness. Her two arms symbolize her realization of the two truths. Her three eyes symbolize her ability to see everything in the past, present and future. She looks upward toward the Pure Dākiṇī Land (Skt. Kechara), demonstrating her attainment of outer and inner Pure Dākiṇī Land, and indicating that she leads her followers to these attainments. The curved drigug knife in her right hand shows her power to cut the continuum of the delusions and obstacles of her followers and of all living beings. Drinking the nectar of blood from the kapala
in her left hand symbolizes her experience of the clear light of bliss.
In her form as Vajravārāhī, when she is known as 'the Vajra Sow' she is often pictured with a sow's head on the side of her own as an ornament and in one form has the head of a sow herself. Vajrayoginī is often associated with triumph over ignorance, the pig being associated with ignorance in Buddhism. This sow head relates to the origins of Vajravārāhī from the Hindu
sow-faced goddess Vārāhī
.
The severed-headed form of Vajrayoginī is similar to the Indian goddess Chinnamasta who is recognized by both Hindus and Buddhists.
Vajrayoginī acts as a meditation deity
, or the yab-yum
consort of such a deity, in Vajrayāna
Buddhism. She appears in a that is visualized by the practitioner according to a sādhana
describing the practice of the particular tantra. There are several collections containing sādhanas associated with Vajrayoginī including one collection, the Guhyasamayasādhanamālā, containing only Vajrayoginī sādhanas and comprising forty-six works by various authors.
The yidam
that a meditator identifies with when practicing the is Vajrayoginī and she is an important deity for tantric initiation, especially for new initiates as Vajrayoginī's practice is said to be well-suited to those with strong desirous attachment, and to those living in the current "degenerate age". As Vajravārāhī, her consort is (Tib. Khorlo Demchog), who is often depicted symbolically as a on her left shoulder. In this form she is also the consort of Jinasagara (Tib. Gyalwa Gyatso), the red Avalokiteśvara
(Tib. Chenrezig).
Vajrayoginī is a key figure in the advanced Tibetan Buddhist practice of Chöd
, where she appears in her Kālikā or Vajravārāhī (Tibetan:rDo rje phag mo) forms.
Vajrayoginī also appears in versions of Guru yoga in the Kagyu
school of Tibetan Buddhism
. In one popular system the practitioner worships their guru
in the form of Milarepa
, whilst visualizing themself as Vajrayoginī.
The purpose of visualizing Vajrayoginī is to gain realizations of generation stage tantra
, in which the practitioner mentally visualises themself as their yidam
or meditational deity and their surroundings as the Deity's . The purpose of generation stage is to overcome so-called ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, which are said in Vajrayana
Buddhism to be the obstructions to liberation (Skt. ) and enlightenment
.
According to most commentaries associated with the deity, the practices of Vajrayoginī are relatively easy compared to those of other Highest Yoga Tantra
yidam
s and particularly suited to practitioners in modern times:
who was the abbess of Samding monastery, on the shores of the Yamdrok Tso Lake
, near Gyantse
, Tibet
was traditionally a emanation of Vajravārāhī (Tibetan: Dorje Phagmo). The lineage
started in 15th century with the princess of Gungthang, Chokyi Dronma (Wylie
: Chos-kyi sgron-me)(1422–1455). She became known as Samding Dorje Pagmo (Wylie
:bSam-lding rDo-rje phag-mo) and began a line of female tulku
s, reincarnate lamas
. Charles Alfred Bell
met the tulku in 1920 and took photographs of her, calling her Dorje Pamo in his book. The current incarnation, the 12th of this line, resides in Lhasa
. where she is known as Female Living Buddha Dorje Palma by the Chinese.
Vajra
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
, literally 'the diamond female yogi
Yogi
A Yogi is a practitioner of Yoga. The word is also used to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of South Asian Religions including Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.-Etymology:...
'. She is a Highest Yoga Tantra
Highest Yoga Tantra
Anuttarayoga Tantra , often translated as Unexcelled Yoga Tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra, is a term used in Tibetan Buddhism in the categorization of esoteric tantric Indian Buddhist texts that constitute part of the Kangyur, or the 'translated words of the Buddha' in the Tibetan Buddhist canon...
Yidam
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
(Skt. ), and her practice includes methods for preventing ordinary death, intermediate state (bardo
Bardo
The Tibetan word Bardo means literally "intermediate state" - also translated as "transitional state" or "in-between state" or "liminal state". In Sanskrit the concept has the name antarabhāva...
) and rebirth (by transforming them into paths to enlightenment), and for transforming all mundane daily experiences into higher spiritual paths. Vajrayoginī is a generic female yidam
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
and although she is sometimes visualized as simply Vajrayoginī, in a collection of her sādhana
Sadhana
Sādhanā literally "a means of accomplishing something" is ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Sikh , Buddhist and Muslim traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives.The historian N...
s she is visualized in an alternate form in over two thirds of the practices. Her other forms include Vajravārāhī (Tibetan: Dorje Pakmo, ; English: the Vajra Sow) and Krodikali (alt. Krodhakali, Kālikā, Krodheśvarī, Krishna Krodhini, Sanskrit; Tibetan:Troma Nagmo; Wylie:khros ma nag mo; English: 'the Wrathful Lady' or 'the Fierce Black One' ). Vajrayoginī is a and a Vajrayāna
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
Buddhist meditation deity
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
. As such she is considered to be a female Buddha
Buddhahood
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
.
Vajrayoginī is often described with the epithet sarva
Sarva
Sarva can refer to:* ', a Sanskrit word meaning all or everything and whole, complete.* ', meaning "archer", an epithet of the Vedic deity Rudra, and subsequently of the Hindu deity Shiva....
-buddha-dakinī, meaning 'the who is the Essence of all Buddhas'. Vajrayogini's sādhana
Sadhana
Sādhanā literally "a means of accomplishing something" is ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Sikh , Buddhist and Muslim traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives.The historian N...
, or practice, originated in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between the tenth and twelfth centuries. It evolved from the sādhana, where Vajrayoginī appears as his yab-yum
Yab-Yum
Yab-yum is a common symbol in the Buddhist art of India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet representing the male deity in sexual union with his female consort...
consort
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, to become a stand-alone practice of anuttarayoga tantra in its own right. The practice of Vajrayoginī belongs to the Mother Tantra class of anuttarayoga tantra, along with other tantras
Tantras
Tantras refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. Although Buddhist and Hindu Tantra have many similarities from the outside, they do have some clear distinctions. The rest of this article deals with Hindu...
such as Heruka and Hevajra
Hevajra
Hevajra is one of the main yidams in Tantric, or Vajrayana Buddhism. Hevajra's consort is Nairātmyā .-India:...
.
According to scholar Miranda Shaw, Vajrayoginī is "inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric pantheon. No male Buddha, including her divine consort, Heruka
Heruka
Heruka is also a name for the Tantric deity Chakrasamvara, for which see.Heruka , is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient beings. In China and Japan, it was named as Wisdom King. Herukas represent...
, approaches her in metaphysical or practical import." A number of lamas and other contemporary scholars do in fact argue otherwise, as is widely considered the supreme deity of the Tantric pantheon, but the importance of Vajrayoginī is agreed upon.
Origin and Lineage
VajrayānaVajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
Buddhism teaches that the two stages of the practice of Vajrayoginī (generation stage and completion stage) were originally taught by Buddha . He manifested in the form of Heruka
Heruka
Heruka is also a name for the Tantric deity Chakrasamvara, for which see.Heruka , is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient beings. In China and Japan, it was named as Wisdom King. Herukas represent...
to expound the Root Tantra of Chakrasaṃvara, and it was in this tantra that he explained the practice of Vajrayoginī. All the many lineages of instructions on Vajrayoginī can be traced back to this original revelation. Of these lineages, there are three that are most commonly practiced: the Narokhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginī to Nāropa
Naropa
thumb|right|NaropaNāropā was an Indian Buddhist yogi, mystic and monk. He was the disciple of Tilopa and brother, or some sources say partner and pupil, of Niguma. Naropa was the main teacher of Marpa, the founder of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism...
; the Maitrikhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginī to Maitripa; and the Indrakhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginī to Indrabodhi.
Iconography
Vajrayoginī is visualized as the translucent, deep red form of a 16 year old female with the third eyeThird eye
The third eye is a mystical and esoteric concept referring in part to the ajna chakra in certain spiritual traditions. It is also spoken of as the gate that leads within to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness...
of wisdom set vertically on her forehead. Vajrayoginī is generally depicted with the traditional accoutrements of a including a cleaver (Tib. drigug, Skt. ) marked with a vajra
Vajra
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
in her right hand and a kapala
Kapala
A kapala or skullcup is a cup made from a human skull used as a ritual implement in both Hindu Tantra and Buddhist Tantra...
(skull cup
Skull cup
A skull cup is a drinking vessel or eating bowl made from an inverted human calvaria that has been cut away from the rest of the skull. The use of a human skull as a drinking cup in ritual use or as a trophy is reported in numerous sources throughout history and among various peoples, and among...
) in her left hand which is filled with blood that she partakes of with her upturned mouth. Her consort is often symbolically depicted as a on Vajrayoginī's left shoulder, when she is in 'solitary hero' form. Vajrayoginī's khatvanga is marked with a vajra
Vajra
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
and from it hang a damaru
Damaru
A damaru or damru is a small two-headed drum shaped like an hourglass. The drum is typically made of wood, with leather drum heads at both ends; the damaru might also be made entirely out of human skulls...
drum, a bell, and a triple banner. Her extended right leg treads on the chest of red Kālarātri, while her bent left leg treads on the forehead of black Bhairava
Bhairava
Bhairava , sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji , Kaala Bhairavar or Vairavar , is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation...
, bending his head backward and pressing it into his back at the level of his heart. Her head is adorned with a crown of five human skulls and she wears a necklace of fifty human skulls. She is depicted as standing in the center of a blazing fire of exalted wisdom.
Each aspect of Vajrayoginī's form and mandala is designed to convey a spiritual meaning. For example, her brilliant red-colored body symbolizes the blazing of her inner fire (Tib. tummo
Tummo
Tummo is one of the methods of the Kagyu Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism used to recognize the ultimate nature of reality...
). Her single face symbolizes that she has realized that all phenomena are of one nature in emptiness. Her two arms symbolize her realization of the two truths. Her three eyes symbolize her ability to see everything in the past, present and future. She looks upward toward the Pure Dākiṇī Land (Skt. Kechara), demonstrating her attainment of outer and inner Pure Dākiṇī Land, and indicating that she leads her followers to these attainments. The curved drigug knife in her right hand shows her power to cut the continuum of the delusions and obstacles of her followers and of all living beings. Drinking the nectar of blood from the kapala
Kapala
A kapala or skullcup is a cup made from a human skull used as a ritual implement in both Hindu Tantra and Buddhist Tantra...
in her left hand symbolizes her experience of the clear light of bliss.
In her form as Vajravārāhī, when she is known as 'the Vajra Sow' she is often pictured with a sow's head on the side of her own as an ornament and in one form has the head of a sow herself. Vajrayoginī is often associated with triumph over ignorance, the pig being associated with ignorance in Buddhism. This sow head relates to the origins of Vajravārāhī from the Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
sow-faced goddess Vārāhī
Varahi
Varahi is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven or eight mother goddesses in the Hindu religion. With the head of a sow, Varahi is the shakti of Varaha, the boar Avatar of the god Vishnu...
.
The severed-headed form of Vajrayoginī is similar to the Indian goddess Chinnamasta who is recognized by both Hindus and Buddhists.
Practices
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
, or the yab-yum
Yab-Yum
Yab-yum is a common symbol in the Buddhist art of India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet representing the male deity in sexual union with his female consort...
consort of such a deity, in Vajrayāna
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
Buddhism. She appears in a that is visualized by the practitioner according to a sādhana
Sadhana
Sādhanā literally "a means of accomplishing something" is ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Sikh , Buddhist and Muslim traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives.The historian N...
describing the practice of the particular tantra. There are several collections containing sādhanas associated with Vajrayoginī including one collection, the Guhyasamayasādhanamālā, containing only Vajrayoginī sādhanas and comprising forty-six works by various authors.
The yidam
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
that a meditator identifies with when practicing the is Vajrayoginī and she is an important deity for tantric initiation, especially for new initiates as Vajrayoginī's practice is said to be well-suited to those with strong desirous attachment, and to those living in the current "degenerate age". As Vajravārāhī, her consort is (Tib. Khorlo Demchog), who is often depicted symbolically as a on her left shoulder. In this form she is also the consort of Jinasagara (Tib. Gyalwa Gyatso), the red Avalokiteśvara
Avalokitesvara
Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism....
(Tib. Chenrezig).
Vajrayoginī is a key figure in the advanced Tibetan Buddhist practice of Chöd
Chöd
Chöd , is a spiritual practice found primarily in Tibetan Buddhism. Also known as "Cutting Through the Ego," the practice is based on the Prajñāpāramitā sutra...
, where she appears in her Kālikā or Vajravārāhī (Tibetan:rDo rje phag mo) forms.
Vajrayoginī also appears in versions of Guru yoga in the Kagyu
Kagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
school of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
. In one popular system the practitioner worships their guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
in the form of Milarepa
Milarepa
Jetsun Milarepa , is generally considered one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.- Life :...
, whilst visualizing themself as Vajrayoginī.
The purpose of visualizing Vajrayoginī is to gain realizations of generation stage tantra
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
, in which the practitioner mentally visualises themself as their yidam
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
or meditational deity and their surroundings as the Deity's . The purpose of generation stage is to overcome so-called ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, which are said in Vajrayana
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
Buddhism to be the obstructions to liberation (Skt. ) and enlightenment
Enlightenment in Buddhism
The English term enlightenment has commonly been used in the western world to translate several Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese and Japanese terms and concepts, especially bodhi, prajna, kensho, satori and buddhahood.-Insight:...
.
According to most commentaries associated with the deity, the practices of Vajrayoginī are relatively easy compared to those of other Highest Yoga Tantra
Highest Yoga Tantra
Anuttarayoga Tantra , often translated as Unexcelled Yoga Tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra, is a term used in Tibetan Buddhism in the categorization of esoteric tantric Indian Buddhist texts that constitute part of the Kangyur, or the 'translated words of the Buddha' in the Tibetan Buddhist canon...
yidam
Yidam
In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity...
s and particularly suited to practitioners in modern times:
The instructions on the practice of Vajrayoginī contain concise and clearly presented meditations that are relatively easy to practice. The mantraMantraA mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
is short and easy to recite, and the visualizations of the , the Deity, and the body maṇḍala are simple compared with those of other Highest Yoga TantraHighest Yoga TantraAnuttarayoga Tantra , often translated as Unexcelled Yoga Tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra, is a term used in Tibetan Buddhism in the categorization of esoteric tantric Indian Buddhist texts that constitute part of the Kangyur, or the 'translated words of the Buddha' in the Tibetan Buddhist canon...
Deities. Even practitioners with limited abilities and little wisdom can engage in these practices without great difficulty. The practice of Vajrayoginī quickly brings blessings, especially during this spiritually degenerate age. It is said that as the general level of spirituality decreases, it becomes increasingly difficult for practitioners to receive the blessings of other Deities; but the opposite is the case with Heruka and Vajrayoginī – the more times degenerate, the more easily practitioners can receive their blessings.
Emanations
The female tulkuTulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
who was the abbess of Samding monastery, on the shores of the Yamdrok Tso Lake
Yamdrok Lake
Yamdrok Lake is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet . It is over long. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. The lake does have an outlet stream at its far western end....
, near Gyantse
Gyantse
Gyantse is a town located in Gyangzê County, Shigatse Prefecture. It was historically considered the third largest and most prominent town in the Tibet region , but there are now at least ten larger Tibetan cities.-Location:The town is strategically located in the Nyang River Valley on the ancient...
, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
was traditionally a emanation of Vajravārāhī (Tibetan: Dorje Phagmo). The lineage
Lineage (Buddhism)
An authentic lineage in Buddhism is the uninterrupted transmission of the Buddha's Dharma from teacher to disciple.The transmission itself can be for example oral, scriptural, through signs, or directly from one mind to another....
started in 15th century with the princess of Gungthang, Chokyi Dronma (Wylie
Wylie
Wylie may refer to:* Wylie * Wylie , mononymous Aboriginal companion of Edward John Eyre during his crossing of the Nullarbor Plain in Australia* Wylie, Wylie Qua, Access Diving, Gabriola Island, B.C...
: Chos-kyi sgron-me)(1422–1455). She became known as Samding Dorje Pagmo (Wylie
Wylie
Wylie may refer to:* Wylie * Wylie , mononymous Aboriginal companion of Edward John Eyre during his crossing of the Nullarbor Plain in Australia* Wylie, Wylie Qua, Access Diving, Gabriola Island, B.C...
:bSam-lding rDo-rje phag-mo) and began a line of female tulku
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
s, reincarnate lamas
Lamas
Lamas may refer to the following places:*Lamas Province, Peru*Lamas, Peru, capital of the province*Lamas , Portugal*Lamas , Portugal*Lamas , Portugal*Lamas , Portugal*Santa Maria de Lamas, Portugal...
. Charles Alfred Bell
Charles Alfred Bell
Sir Charles Alfred Bell K.C.I.E. , born in Calcutta, was a British-Indian tibetologist. He was educated at Winchester College. After joining the Indian Civil Service, he was appointed Political Officer in Sikkim in 1908...
met the tulku in 1920 and took photographs of her, calling her Dorje Pamo in his book. The current incarnation, the 12th of this line, resides in Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
. where she is known as Female Living Buddha Dorje Palma by the Chinese.
See also
- Dorje Pakmo
- Machig LabdrönMachig LabdrönMachig Labdrön was a renowned 11th century Tibetan Tantric Buddhist practitioner and teacher....
- MandaravaMandaravaMandarava is, along with Yeshe Tsogyal, one of the two principal consorts of Padmasambhava and is considered a female guru-deity. Mandarava, born a princess in Mandi, Himachel Pradesh, India in the 8th Century CE, renounced her royal birthright in order to practice the Dharma, and became a fully...
- NarodakiniNarodakiniNãrodãkinĩ is a Tibetan deity similar to Vajrayogini , which no longer appears in the active Tantric pantheon, despite its importance in late Indian Buddhism. In the Sadhanamala, a sacred text, she is said to be a transformation/emanation of Vajrayogini...
- PrajnaparamitaPrajnaparamitaPrajñāpāramitā in Buddhism, means "the Perfection of Wisdom." The word Prajñāpāramitā combines the Sanskrit words prajñā with pāramitā . Prajñāpāramitā is a central concept in Mahāyāna Buddhism and its practice and understanding are taken to be indispensable elements of the Bodhisattva Path...
- Yeshe TsogyalYeshe TsogyalYeshe Tsogyal , was the consort of the great Indian tantric teacher Padmasambhava, the founder-figure of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Nyingma tradition considers her equal in realization to Padmasambhava himself. The meditational practices related to her, stress her enlightened...
Further reading
- English, Elizabeth (2002). Vajrayogini: Her Visualizations, Rituals, & Forms. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-329-X
- Tharchin, Sermey Khensur Lobsang (1997). Sublime Path to Kechara Paradise. Mahayana Sutra and Tantra Press. ISBN 0-918753-13-9
- Gyatso, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (1991). Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. Tharpa PublicationsTharpa PublicationsTharpa Publications is "a major international and multilingual publisher of Buddhist books" by world renowned Buddhist author and scholar Geshe Kelsang Gyatso...
. ISBN 0-948006-18-8 - Gyatso, Geshe Kelsang (1997). Essence of Vajrayana: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Heruka Body Mandala. Tharpa PublicationsTharpa PublicationsTharpa Publications is "a major international and multilingual publisher of Buddhist books" by world renowned Buddhist author and scholar Geshe Kelsang Gyatso...
. ISBN 978-0-948006-48-7 - Diemberger, Hildegard (2007): When a Woman Becomes a Religious Dynasty - The Samding Dorje Phagmo of Tibet, Columbia University Press, 2007, ISBN 0231143206, EAN 9780231143202
- : Vajrayogini The Trauma Goddess
- http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg41.htm Name and Form - from Sacred Texts Buddhism
External links
- Vajrayogini: Buddhist Tantric Practice Support
- New Kadampa TraditionNew Kadampa TraditionThe New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union is a global Buddhist organisation founded by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in England in 1991. In 2003 the words "International Kadampa Buddhist Union" were added to the original name "New Kadampa Tradition"...
Practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini - Vajravarahi entry on Yoniversum.nl
- Red Vajravarahi on himalayanart.org
- Vajravarahi Mandala on asianart.com
- Desire and Devotion: Exhibit on Asian Art - Vajravarahi with Retinue
- Extract: When a Woman Becomes a Religious Dynasty - The Samding Dorje Phagmo of Tibet