Materials: Copper, Iron Alloy

Size: Approximately 23cm, Pestle (16.5cm)

Description:

The Role, Origin, and Story of the Nine-Pronged Bell Pestle in Buddhist Ritual

 

The nine-pronged bell pestle (also known as the nine-pronged vajra pestle or the vajra bell) is a crucial ritual implement in Tibetan Buddhism (Tantric Buddhism). Often used in pairs, it symbolizes the harmonious integration of skillful means and wisdom, a core tenet of Vajrayana practice. It is not only a ritual prop but also a symbolic tool for the practitioner's inner transformation. Below, I will detail its role in Buddhist rituals, its origin, and the myths and stories surrounding it.

 

Role in Buddhist Ritual

In Tibetan Tantric rituals, the nine-pronged bell pestle plays a key role as a guardian and protector of demons, as well as awakening wisdom. It is primarily used in practices such as visualization of the deity, initiation (teaching of the Dharma), and fire offerings. It holds a particularly central position in the practice of Yamantaka (the wrathful form of the Lord of Death). Its specific functions and symbolism are as follows:

 

- **The Role of the Vajra**:

- The nine-pronged design features nine pointed petals (cobalt) at each end of the vajra, with a central handle resembling a girdle. These symbolize the nine paths of practice (the Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna) and the "perfect integration of the nine consciousnesses" (the first five consciousnesses, the manas, the alaya-vijnana, and the two emptinesses of the true nature).

- In rituals, practitioners hold the vajra in their right hand. Swinging it represents the "power of skillful means" (method and compassion), used to destroy ignorance, afflictions, and external demons. It possesses the blessing of "overcoming death and prolonging life." For example, in the practice of Yamantaka, the nine-pronged vajra is used to visualize the subjugation of the "Lord of Death" (symbolizing death and karmic obstacles in samsara), helping practitioners transcend the cycle of birth and death.

- Vajras with different numbers of prongs have specific uses: a single prong is used for chanting, five prongs are used for accomplishment, and nine prongs are exclusive to the practice of Yamantaka, emphasizing the comprehensive and complete power of the teachings.

 

**The Role of the Ghanta**:

- The bell is wide at the base and narrow at the top, adorned with a small vajra (often nine-pronged) on top, containing a tongue. When shaken, it produces a clear, resonant sound. It symbolizes "prajna wisdom" (emptiness and the feminine principle), representing the Buddha's body (the upper part), the Buddha's speech (the sound), and the Buddha's heart (the vajra within the tongue).

- During rituals, the bell is held in the left hand and shaken to "awaken all deities and instruct all sentient beings," awakening attendees' mindfulness, dispelling distracted thoughts, and drawing the joy and blessings of all Buddhas. It is often paired with the ghanta: holding the ghanta destroys obstacles, while shaking the bell infuses wisdom, jointly achieving the state of "unity of wisdom and compassion."

 

- **Overall Ritual Application**:

- During mandala arrangement, fire offerings, or empowerment rituals, the leader walks around the altar holding the nine-pronged vajra, chanting mantras as he does so. This symbolizes protecting the ceremony and blessing devotees' success. It is not only a prop; it can also be worn by practitioners as a talisman, reminding them to maintain mindfulness and ward off misfortune. In daily practice, the bell is also used to calm the mind during meditation.

 

In short, the nine-pronged bell pestle symbolizes the unity of movement and stillness in ritual: the pestle represents movement (actively subduing demons), and the bell represents stillness (awakening wisdom), helping practitioners shift from external rituals to inner enlightenment.

 

Origin

The nine-pronged bell pestle's origins can be traced back to the evolution of weapons in ancient India's Vedic period, and was later transformed into a spiritual instrument through Tantric Buddhism.

 

- **Weapon Origin**: It originally originated from the "Vajra" (diamond or thunderbolt) in Indian mythology. It was the exclusive weapon of the god Indra, used to crush enemies and symbolized the indestructible power of diamond or lightning. According to ancient Indian legend, after the death of the milk-drinking sage Dadhyan, his marrow turned into "diamond bone," which Indra used to craft a weapon, symbolizing the destruction of his enemies. Later, it evolved into a ritual implement in Tibetan Buddhism, with the blade changing from a sharp point to a rounded tip, emphasizing compassion over killing.

 

**Buddhist Transformation**: After its absorption by Buddhism, it was metaphorically represented as "Vajra Wisdom," used to eliminate afflictions. The nine-pronged design originates from tantric texts such as the Subtle Great Mandala Sutra, representing the "Eight Petals and Nine Deities" (nine deities) of the Namgyal Mandala, symbolizing the perfection of the Buddha's nine teachings. In Tibetan Buddhism, it became widely popular during the late Tantric period of the 8th and 9th centuries AD, becoming a symbol of wrathful deities such as Yamantaka.

 

Related Stories and Myths

While there is no single, independent story surrounding the nine-pronged bell and pestle, its symbolism is deeply rooted in Indian mythology and Buddhist legends. The following are key accounts:

 

**Indra Striketh the Dragon (Core Legend of the Vajra)**:

In the Rigveda, the god Indra, armed with a vajra, fights against the evil dragon Vritra (Jana), who has imprisoned the cosmic rivers, causing drought and hunger. Buddha wields the vajra with the force of thunder and lightning, crushing Vritra's body and unleashing the river, bringing rain and abundance, symbolizing victory over chaos and death. Buddhism uses this transformation: Vritra represents the inner "evil dragon of ignorance," while the vajra represents a weapon of wisdom, wielded to liberate all beings from the suffering of samsara. The nine-pronged design reinforces this meaning, representing the nine teachings' comprehensive subjugation of the "lord of death."

 

- **Legend of the Yogurt-Drinking Sage and the Vajra Bone**:

Another ancient Indian legend relates that the Yogurt-Drinking Sage, versed in Vedic knowledge, was killed by jealous gods, who killed him. His head fell into the water. The sage was later reborn as a horse's head, and Buddha took his "vajra marrow" and forged it into a vajra, which became an immortal weapon. This story emphasizes the vajra's indestructible nature, symbolizing in Buddhism the transformation of mortal bones into a vajra body through the use of a Dharma instrument.

 

**Extensions in Buddhist Tantric Buddhism**: In the legend of Vajrakilaya, Vajrabhairava wields a nine-pronged iron pestle (iron symbolizing wrath) and a golden pestle (gold symbolizing joy) to pin down demons and protect the Dharma. Stories of the nine-pronged pestle are often associated with Dharma protectors, who are said to have wielded it to ward off external demonic invasions and protect believers from disaster.

 

These stories not only explain the physical form of the nine-pronged bell and pestle but also deepen its spiritual meaning: a shift from external warfare to internal awakening, reminding practitioners to smite demons with the wisdom pestle and awaken their true nature with the bell.