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Vajrayogini - An Introduction |
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Tuesday, 10 April 2007 09:59 |
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 Vajrayogini or Vajravarahi as a tantric Buddhist meditational deity (Tibetan: yidam or Sanskrit: ishtadeva) comes to us in many forms and from various lineages. She embodies principally: (1) the fully enlightened female, wild, fiery, and energetic (shakti/kundalini) aspect of a Buddha; (2) the wisdom (= experiential) aspect leading to Buddhahood; and (3) as a principal dakini (Tibetan: mKha' gro; "sky-goer") the (com)passionate guiding and inspirational aspect leading the practitioner to enlightenment.
Vajradakinis
In Anuttara Yoga Tantra the principal dakini (often called "Vajra-" or "Wisdom-dakini") is mostly shown in union with a male consort, like in the deities Guhyasamaja, Hevajra, Kalachakra, etc. In our case, Vajrayogini/Vajravarahi is the principal female buddha in the Chakrasamvara Tantra and is in union with Heruka Chakrasamvara. Since the Vajradakinis are considered buddhas and yidams in their own right over time several spin-off practices have evolved from those practices simplifying the otherwise complicated main practice and reducing it to a single-deity meditation without dropping the principal aspects/benefits of the main practice (e.g. Vajrayogini/Vajravarahi out of Chakrasamvara and Nairatmya out of Hevajra).
General Characteristics
 Vajrayogini/Vajravarahi ranks first and most important among the dakinis. She is the "Sarva-buddha-dakini" the Dakini Who is the Essence of all Buddhas. Although there are a number of visual representations of Vajrayogini, certain attributes are common to all: She is mostly shown as young, naked, and standing in a desirous or dancing posture. She holds a blood-filled skull cup in one hand and a curved knife (kartr or dri-gug) in the other. Often she wears a garland of human skulls or severed heads; has a khatvanga staff leaning against her shoulder; her usually wild hair flowing down her neck and back; her face in a semi-wrathful expression. Her radiant red body is ablaze with the heat of yogic fire and surrounded by the flames of wisdom.
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Last Updated on Saturday, 07 August 2010 20:49 |
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NEW: Vajrayogini Practice and Commentary by Pabongkha Rinpoche |
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Wednesday, 02 November 2011 00:29 |
 THE EXTREMELY SECRET DAKINI OF NAROPA:
Vajrayogini Practice and Commentary
Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo, Translated by David Gonsalez
408 pp., 8 photos, $65
Available now at www.snowlionpub.com
The Extremely Secret Dakini of Naropa is the commentary to the practice of Vajrayogini in the Naro Kachö lineage composed by Kyabje Pabongkha as revealed to him directly by Vajrayogini herself. This text has become the basis for almost every subsequent Vajrayogini commentary in the Gelug tradition. Kyabje Pabongkha’s commentary is both very thorough in its presentation and deeply inspiring. It provides rich detail about all eleven yogas of the generation stage, the transference of consciousness, tsok offering, left-sided conduct and many other auxiliary practices, making it essential for practitioners of Vajrayogini. There is also a stunning explanation of the completion stage, providing many extraordinarily profound methods unique to the practice of Vajrayogini because of its relationship to the Six Yogas of Naropa.
The second half of the book contains several sadhanas for the practice of Vajrayogini, including the extensive, middling, and concise generation stage, the practice of Vajrayogini combined with six-session guru yoga, as well as two sadhanas on the transference of consciousness.
Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo (1874-1941) was a towering figure in the twentieth-century Gelug tradition; he was the root lama of Trijang Rinpoche as well as most of the Gelug teachers of the following two generations. His writings fill eleven volumes, and his practice texts and commentaries are considered authoritative.
David Gonsalez has been practicing Buddhism for twenty years. He has completed many solitary retreats and has translated numerous sadhanas and texts. He served for many years as the personal translator and attendant for Gen Lobsang Chophel. He is the president of Dechen Ling, a nonprofit organization that works with the Tibetan community in exile to reestablish their monasteries and traditions.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 02 November 2011 01:00 |
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Vajrayogini Practice Support |
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Saturday, 12 June 2004 11:54 |
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Some of the resources are publicly accessible whereas the majority of the Vajrayogini practice material is made available only to qualified practitioners. In order to gain access to these materials you have to register. The registration process is explained at the end of this article.
Access Requirements
In order to read or view the materials offered on this site, and derive any benefit from it, one has to have received a Highest Yoga (Anuttara) Tantra initiation, such as Kalachakra, Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, Hevajra, Yamantaka, Vajrayogini, etc. from a qualified Vajramaster in the Gelug and/or Sakya tradition.
Publicly Available Materials
There are quite a number of excellent books and publications on the subject. They are available either through the book trade or directly from the publisher. Some of the latter only sell or ship to initiates with the proper credentials. You find most of them listed in our Books section.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 June 2010 18:13 |
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