Material: Bronze. Gilded face consecration. Cast.

Size: 20 cm

Description:

Vajrayogini (Tibetan: གཙུག་གཏོར་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་མ།, Wylie transliteration: gtsug tor rnam rgyal ma, Sanskrit: Uṣṇīṣa-vijayā), also known as Vajrayogini, Tathagata-topkone Vajrayogini, or Purifying Buddha-topkone, is an important tantric deity in Tibetan Buddhism and one of the three deities of longevity (the other two being White Tara and Amitayus). Her influence and status in Tibetan Buddhism, as well as her uses, are primarily related to eliminating karmic obstacles, prolonging life, bringing blessings, and purifying sentient beings from the lower realms. The following details her influence, status, uses, and origins in Tibetan Buddhism.

Influence and Status

1. **One of the Three Deities of Longevity**

In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayogini is considered one of the Three Deities of Longevity, along with White Tara and Amitayus. She is specifically responsible for extending life, eliminating karmic obstacles, and helping sentient beings escape the sufferings of the lower realms. She is considered the manifestation of the crown of Vairocana or Shakyamuni Buddha, symbolizing the union of wisdom and compassion. She possesses powerful blessings that can dispel all afflictions, evil, and the sufferings of the lower realms.

2. **Extensive Geographical and Cultural Influence**

Vajrayogini is widely revered in Tibet, Mongolia, Nepal, and other regions, particularly within the Gelug and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Her practice is not only widespread in Tibet but has also influenced Mongolian and Han Tantric Buddhism, where she is considered a key protector and deity. Her image and mantra are ubiquitous in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, scripture halls, and daily practices.

3. **Central Role in Religion and Practice** As the principal deity of the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī mantra, Vaiśravaṇī's mantra is believed to possess powerful spiritual powers, capable of destroying delusion, preventing rebirth in the lower realms, promoting longevity, and assisting practitioners in attaining pure lands such as the Pure Land. In Tibetan Buddhism, her practice is widely used in rituals for warding off disasters, prolonging life, and praying for rain, demonstrating her versatility in religious practice.

Usage

1. **Practice Method**

- **Reciting the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra**: The core practice of Vaiśravaṇī is reciting the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra. This mantra is considered a "divine mantra" in Tantric Buddhism, used to purify karmic obstacles, prolong life, and protect practitioners from the sufferings of the lower realms. Devotees typically recite this mantra during morning and evening recitations or during specific rituals.

- **Offerings and Visualization**: When practicing the practice of Vajrayogini, practitioners visualize her image (white body, three faces, eight arms, crowned with a five-petaled crown) and offer mandala plates, incense, flowers, and lamps to strengthen their connection with the deity. In this visualization, the white front represents dispelling disasters and relieving difficulties, the yellow right side represents increasing blessings and longevity, and the blue left side, with its wrathful aspect, represents subduing the evil realms.

- **Ritual Instruments and Rituals**: In Tibetan Buddhist rituals, the practice of Vajrayogini may involve the use of ritual instruments such as Buddha statues, thangkas, mandala plates, or phurba scepters, which are believed to enhance the practice. In particular, during rain-praying or disaster-relief rituals, Vajrayogini is offered in conjunction with specific rituals.

2. **Practical Application**

- **Disaster Relief and Longevity Extension**: The practice of Vajrayogini is widely used to ward off disasters, remove obstacles, and prolong life. For example, when facing illness, danger, or lifespan challenges, Tibetan Buddhists practice the Dharma of Vajrayogini, seeking her blessings to resolve the crisis.

- **Rain Prayer**: In Tibetan areas, Vajrayogini is closely associated with rain-praying rituals. Her mantra and image are believed to influence the weather and harmonize the natural environment, and are particularly used to pray for rain during droughts.

- **Purification and Transcendentalization**: The practice of Vajrayogini is also used to liberate the souls of the deceased, helping them avoid rebirth in the lower realms and promoting rebirth in the Pure Land. This is particularly common in Tibetan Buddhist funeral ceremonies.

Origin

1. **Scripture and Tradition**

The devotion to Vajrayogini stems from the Tantric tradition of Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly the Vajrayogini Dharani Sutra, a significant Tantric text that contains Vajrayogini's mantra and practice methods. This text was introduced to Tibet in the 7th century and integrated into the Tantric tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, becoming one of the key deities of Tibetan Buddhism.

Vajrayogini is considered a manifestation of the crown of Vairocana Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha. Her image and teachings gradually took shape during late Indian Buddhism (c. 500-1200 AD) and were introduced to Tibet through centers of learning such as Nalanda Monastery. The inclusion of relevant texts in the Kangyur and Tengyur, the Tibetan Buddhist classics, further solidified her status.

2. **Integration with Tibetan Buddhism**

The worship of Vajrayogini within Tibetan Buddhism has integrated with local culture, absorbing elements of Bon and Tibetan folk beliefs. For example, her function in praying for rain may be related to the local Tibetan worship of nature spirits. Her practice has also been influenced by the Tantric traditions introduced by Guru Padmasambhava, forming a unique Tibetan Tantric practice system.

During the later period of Tibetan Buddhism (after the 10th century), with the rise of the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug schools, the practice of Vajrayogini was widely inherited across all traditions. Within the Gelug school, her teachings were particularly closely associated with the practice of longevity.

3. **Evolution of Image**

The typical image of Vajrayogini in Tibetan Buddhism gradually standardized to a white body, three faces, eight arms, and a five-petaled crown, symbolizing her multifaceted blessing power. This image is related to the Indian Tantric tradition of the Buddha's crown. Later, in Tibet, it acquired further symbolic meanings, such as the three faces representing compassion, wisdom, and subjugation; the three eyes symbolizing insight into the three realms; and the eight arms representing the various abilities to save sentient beings.

Summary

Vajrayogini is an important Tantric deity in Tibetan Buddhism. As one of the three deities of longevity, she holds a prominent position, with influence extending throughout Tibet, Mongolia, Nepal, and other regions. Her practice primarily involves chanting the Vajra Mantra, visualizing her image, and performing ritual offerings. These are used to ward off disasters, prolong life, pray for rain, and purify the lower realms. Her origins can be traced back to Indian Mahayana Tantric Buddhism. Through its transmission and localization within Tibetan Buddhism, she has developed unique religious significance and practices. Vajra is not only a spiritual support for practitioners but also plays a crucial role in Tibetan Buddhist rituals and culture.