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Dorje Phurbu
In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrakilaya (, also ; or Vajrakumara (; ) is a wrathful heruka yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the Buddhas. His practice is known for being the most powerful for removing obstacles and destroying the forces hostile to compassion. Vajrakilaya is one of the eight deities of Kagyé. Vajrakilaya is a wrathful form of the Buddha Vajrasattva. His distinctive iconographic trait is that he holds the dagger called ''phurba'' or '' kīla''. Vajrakilaya is commonly represented with three faces of different colors in a crown of skulls. The central face is blue, the left is red and the right is white. He also has six arms: two hold the ''phurba'', two hold one ''vajra'' each, one holds a flaming snare, and one a trident. He crushes under his feet demons representing the obstacles to spiritual realization. As deity Vajrakilaya is a significant Vajrayana deity who transmutes and transcends obstacles and obscurations. Padmasambhava achieved realisat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hevajra
Hevajra ( Tibetan: kye'i rdo rje / kye rdo rje; Chinese: 喜金剛 Xǐ jīngāng / 呼金剛 Hū jīngāng;) is one of the main yidams (enlightened beings) in Tantric, or Vajrayana Buddhism. Hevajra's consort is Nairātmyā ( Tibetan: bdag med ma). History India The Hevajra Tantra, a ''yoginītantra'' of the '' anuttarayogatantra'' class, is believed to have originated between the late 8th (Snellgrove), and the late 9th or early 10th (Davidson), centuries in eastern India, possibly Kamarupa. Tāranātha lists Saroruha and Kampala (also known as Lva-va-pā, Kambhalī, and Śrī-prabhada") as its "bringers": . . . the foremost yogi Virupa meditated on the path of Yamāri and attained siddhi under the blessings of Vajravārāhi, . . . His disciple Dombi Heruka..understood the essence of the Hevajra Tantra, and composed many śāstras like the ''Nairātmā-devi-sādhana'' and the ''Sahaja-siddhi''. He also conferred abhiṣeka on his own disciples. After this, two ācār ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nāga
In various Asian religious traditions, the Nāgas () are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. Furthermore, nāgas are also known as Dragon, dragons and Water spirit, water spirits. A female nāga is called a Nagin, or a Naiṇī Devī, Nagini. According to legend, they are the children of the sage Kashyapa and Kadru. Rituals devoted to these supernatural beings have been taking place throughout South Asia for at least 2,000 years. They are principally depicted in three forms: as entirely human with snakes on the heads and necks, as common serpents, or as half-human, half-snake beings in Hinduism and Buddhism. ''Nagaraja'' is the title given to the king of the nāgas. Narratives of these beings hold cultural significance in the mythological traditions of many South Asian and Southeast Asian cultures, and within Hinduism and Buddhism ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bīja
In Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, the Sanskrit term Bīja () (Japanese language, Jp. 種子 ''shuji'') (Chinese language, Chinese 種子 ''zhǒngzǐ''), literally seed, is used as a metaphor for the origin or cause of things and cognate with bindu (symbol), bindu. Buddhist theory of karmic seeds Various schools of Buddhist thought held that karmic effects arose out of seeds that were latent in an individual's mindstream or psycho-physical continuum.Fukuda, Takumi. Bhadanta Rama: A Sautrantika before Vasubandhu, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, 26 (2), 2003. Rupert Gethin describes the theory thus: When I perform an action motivated by greed, it plants a 'seed' in the series of Dharma#Buddhism, dharmas [phenomena] that is my mind. Such a seed is not a thing in itself - a dharma but merely the modification or 'perfuming' of the subsequent flow of dharmas consequent upon the action. In the course of time this modification matures and issues in a particu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akshamala
A japamala, , or simply Japay mala (; , meaning 'garland') is a loop of prayer beads commonly used in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. It is used for counting recitations (''japa'') of mantras, prayers or other sacred phrases. It is also worn to ward off evil, to count repetitions within some other form of '' sadhana'' (spiritual practice) such as prostrations before a holy icon. They are also used as symbols of religious identification. The main body of a mala usually consists of 108 beads of roughly the same size and material as each other, although smaller versions, often factors of 108 such as 54 or 27, exist. A distinctive 109th "guru bead" or mother bead, which is not counted, is very common. Mala beads have traditionally been made of a variety of materials such as wood, stone, gems, seeds, bone and precious metals—with various religions often favouring certain materials—and strung with natural fibres such as cotton, silk, or animal h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mundamala
Mundamala (, ), also called kapalamala or rundamala, is a garland of severed human heads and/or skulls, in Hindu iconography and Buddhist symbolism#Esoteric Buddhist symbols, Tibetan Buddhist iconography. In Hinduism, the mundamala is a characteristic of fearsome aspects of the Devi, Hindu Divine Mother and the god Shiva; while in Buddhism, it is worn by wrathful deities of Tibetan Buddhism. Hindu iconography Fearsome goddesses The mundamala is often found in the iconography of the Mahavidyas, a group of ten fearsome Tantric goddesses. Kali, the foremost Mahavidya, often wears a garland of freshly severed heads. The blood from her bleeding garland bathes her body. The number of heads in the mundamala is generally described as fifty. Other Mahavidyas like Tara (Devi), Tara, Chhinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati and Matangi are depicted or at least described wearing mundamalas; the goddess may also hold a severed head or skull (kapala) in her hand.Kinsley p. 153 In descriptions of Bha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elephant
Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus''). They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea; extinct relatives include mammoths and mastodons. Distinctive features of elephants include a long proboscis called a trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, pillar-like legs, and tough but sensitive grey skin. The trunk is prehensile, bringing food and water to the mouth and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in maintaining a constant body temperature as well as in communication. African elephants have larger ears and concave backs, whereas Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs. Elephants are scatter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trident
A trident (), () is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm. As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will be able to dislodge itself if struck badly. On the other hand, they are not so many as to overly reduce the spear's concentration of force for piercing. The trident is the tool of Poseidon ( Greek) or Neptune ( Roman) used for the protection of the sea realms, the god of the sea in classical mythology. Other sea deities such as Amphitrite or Triton were also often depicted with a trident in classical art. Later, tridents were used in medieval heraldry, sometimes held by a merman or triton. In Hinduism, it is the weapon of Shiva and is known as a ''trishula'' (Sanskrit for "triple-spear"). It is also associated with the superhero Aquaman. The trident is an important military (especially naval) symbol as an element for forces such as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Triratna
In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Its object is typically the Three Jewels (also known as the Triple Gem or Three Refuges, Pali: ''ti-ratana'' or ''ratana-ttaya''; Sanskrit: ''tri-ratna'' or ''ratna-traya''), which are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Taking refuge is a form of aspiration to lead a life with the Triple Gem at its core. In early Buddhist scriptures, taking refuge is an expression of determination to follow the Buddha's path, but not a relinquishing of responsibility. Refuge is common to all major schools of Buddhism. Since the period of Early Buddhism, all Theravada and mainstream Mahayana schools only take refuge in the Triple Gem. However, the Vajrayana school includes an expanded refuge formula known as the Three Jewels and Three Roots. Overview Since the period of Early Buddhism, devotees expressed thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blessing
In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with doctrines of grace, grace, Sacred, holiness, spiritual Redemption (theology), redemption, or Will of God, divine will. Etymology and Germanic paganism The modern English language term ''bless'' likely derives from the 1225 term , which developed from the Old English (preserved in the Northumbrian dialect around 950 AD).Barnhart (1995:73). The term also appears in other forms, such as (before 830), from around 725 and ' from around 1000, all meaning to make sacred or holy by a sacrificial custom in the Anglo-Saxon paganism, Anglo-Saxon pagan period, originating in Germanic paganism; to mark with blood. Due to this, the term is related to the term , meaning 'blood'. References to this indigenous practice, Blót, exist in related Icelandic sources. The modern meaning of the term may have been influenced in translations of the Bible into Old English during the process of Chris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mudra
A mudra (; , , "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; ) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers. As well as being spiritual gestures employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions, mudras have meaning in many forms of Indian dance, and yoga. The range of mudras used in each field (and religion) differs, but with some overlap. In addition, many of the Buddhist mudras are used outside South Asia, and have developed different local forms elsewhere. In hatha yoga, mudras are used in conjunction with pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), generally while in a seated posture, to stimulate different parts of the body involved with breathing and to affect the flow of prana. It is also associated with bindu, bodhicitta, amrita, or consciousness in the body. Unlike older tantric mudras, hatha yogic mudras are generally internal actions, involvin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
