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Wrathful Deities
In Buddhism, wrathful deities or fierce deities are the fierce, wrathful or forceful (Tibetan: ''trowo'', Sanskrit: ''krodha'') forms (or "aspects", "manifestations") of enlightened Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas (divine beings); normally the same figure has other, peaceful, aspects as well. Because of their power to destroy the obstacles to enlightenment, they are also termed ''krodha-vighnantaka'', "Wrathful onlookers on destroying obstacles". Wrathful deities are a notable feature of the iconography of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, especially in Tibetan art. These types of deities first appeared in India during the late 6th century, with its main source being the Yaksha imagery, and became a central feature of Indian Tantric Buddhism by the late 10th or early 11th century. Overview In non-Tantric traditions of Mahayana Buddhism, these beings are protector deities who destroy obstacles to the Buddhas and the Dharma, act as guardians against demons and gather together ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dakini
A ḍākinī (; ; ; ; alternatively 荼枳尼, ; 荼吉尼, ; or 吒枳尼, ; Japanese: 荼枳尼 / 吒枳尼 / 荼吉尼, ''dakini'') is a type of goddess in Hinduism and Buddhism. The concept of the ḍākinī somewhat differs depending on the context and the tradition. For example, in earlier Hindu texts and East Asian esoteric Buddhism, the term denotes a race of demonesses who ate the flesh and/or vital essence of humans. In Hindu Tantric literature, Ḍākinī is the name of a goddess often associated with one of the six chakras or the seven fundamental elements ('' dhātu'') of the human body. In Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhism, meanwhile, 'ḍākinī' (also wisdom ḍākinī) can refer to both what can be best described as fierce-looking female embodiments of enlightened energy, and to human women with a certain amount of spiritual development, both of whom can help Tantric initiates in attaining enlightenment. In Japan, the ḍākinīs – held in the East Asian Bud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kīla (Buddhism)
The phurba (; alternate transliterations: ''phurpa'', ''phurbu'', ''purbha'', or ''phurpu'') or ''kīla'' (Sanskrit Devanagari: कील; IAST: kīla) is a three-sided peg, stake, knife, or nail-like ritual implement deeply rooted in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön traditions. Its primary association is with the meditational deity Vajrakīlaya (Dorje Phurba), embodying the essence of transformative power. The etymology and historical context of the term reveal some debate. Both the Sanskrit word ''kīla'' and the Tibetan ''phurba'' are used interchangeably in sources. The construction of the phurba is diverse, featuring a pommel, handle, and a blade with three triangular facets. The composition often revolves around the numerological significance of three and nine, with materials ranging from wood and metal to bone and crystal. Phurba blades can be made from meteoric iron, which holds symbolic importance. The pommel typically displays faces of Vajrakīlaya or other sacred m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hayagriva (Buddhism)
Hayagriva ("having the neck of a horse", ) is an important deity in Chinese Buddhism, Chinese, Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan and Buddhism in Japan, Japanese Buddhism. He originated as a yaksha attendant of Avalokiteśvara (Guanyin) in India, and was assimilated into the ritual practices of Pre-sectarian Buddhism, early Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, Hayagriva is the manifestation of wrathful Avalokiteshvara, and is considered an extremely wrathful male deity in the pantheon of Herukas in Vajrayana, Vajrayana Buddhism. Hayagriva together with his female consort Vajravarahi (Dorje Pakmo) remove hindrances and are renowned for their epic conquering of the demon Rudra. Hayagriva's iconography encapsulates his embodiment of a wrathful deity, wrathful manifestation of compassion, symbolizing an unwavering determination to surmount internal obstacles and external challenges. Displaying attributes such as a scowling countenance with Third eye, three penetrating eyes, green horse heads, a rais ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahākāla
Mahākāla (, ) is a deity common to Hinduism and Buddhism. In Buddhism, Mahākāla is regarded as a '' Dharmapāla'' ("Protector of the Dharma") and a wrathful manifestation of a Buddha, while in Hinduism, Mahākāla is a fierce manifestation of the Hindu god Shiva and the consort of the goddess Mahākālī; he most prominently appears in the ''Kalikula'' sect of Shaktism. Mahākāla appears as a protector deity in the various traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism, like Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, Shingon, and Tibetan Buddhism. He is known as ''Dàhēitiān'' and '' Daaih'hāktīn'' ( 大黑天) in Mandarin and Cantonese, ''Daeheukcheon'' (대흑천) in Korean, ''Đại Hắc Thiên'' in Vietnamese, and '' Daikokuten'' ( 大黒天) in Japanese. Etymology is a Sanskrit bahuvrihi of ' "great" and ' "time/death", which means "beyond time" or death. means "Great Black One". "Protector" is also used to refer specifically to Mahākāla. Description Indian Buddhist Mahakala, 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cakrasaṃvara Tantra
The ''Cakrasaṃvara Tantra'' (, ''khorlo demchok,'' The "Binding of the Wheels" Tantra, ) is an influential Buddhist Tantra. It is roughly dated to the late 8th or early 9th century by David B. Gray (with a '' terminus ante quem'' in the late tenth century). The full title in the Sanskrit manuscript used by Gray's translation is: ''Great King of Yoginī Tantras called the Śrī Cakrasaṃvara'' (''Śrīcakrasaṃvara-nāma-mahayoginī-tantra-rāja''). The text is also called the ''Discourse of Śrī Heruka'' (''Śrīherukābhidhāna'') and the ''Samvara Light'' (''Laghusaṃvara''). "Cakrasaṃvara" may also refer to the main deity in this tantra as well as to a collection of texts or "cycle" associated with the root Cakrasaṃvara tantra. Tsunehiko Sugiki writes that this "Cakrasaṃvara cycle", "is one of the largest collections of Buddhist Yoginītantra literature from the early medieval South Asian world."Sugiki, Tsunehiko. Review of ''David B. Gray, The Cakrasamvara Tantra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamantaka
Yamāntaka () or Vajrabhairava (; ; ''Daewideok-myeongwang''; ''Daiitoku-myōō''; ''Erlig-jin Jargagchi'') is the "destroyer of death" deity of Vajrayana Buddhism. Sometimes he is conceptualized as "conqueror of the lord of death". Of the several deities in the Buddhist pantheon named Yamāntaka, the most well known belongs to the Anuttarayoga class of tantra of deities popular within the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Etymology ''Yamāntaka'' is a Sanskrit name that can be broken down into two primary elements: '' Yama (यम)'', –the god of death; and ''antaka'' (अन्तक) –destroyer. Thus, Yamāntaka means “Destroyer of Death” or "Conqueror of Death". While Yamāntaka is therefore Yama's nemesis, his representation mirrors Yama in many ways: he too often rides a buffalo and is often depicted with a buffalo's head. Because of this mirroring of appearance and similarity in name, it is not hard to find texts and books (which would appear to be reliable sou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Standard Tibetan
Lhasa Tibetan or Standard Tibetan is a standardized dialect of Tibetan spoken by the people of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. It is an official language of the Tibet Autonomous Region. In the traditional "three-branched" classification of the Tibetic languages, the Lhasa dialect belongs to the Central Tibetan branch (the other two being Khams Tibetan and Amdo Tibetan). In terms of mutual intelligibility, speakers of Khams Tibetan are able to communicate at a basic level with Lhasa Tibetan, while Amdo speakers cannot. Both Lhasa Tibetan and Khams Tibetan evolved to become tonal and do not preserve the word-initial consonant clusters, which makes them very far from Classical Tibetan, especially when compared to the more conservative Amdo Tibetan. Registers Like many languages, Lhasa Tibetan has a variety of language registers: * ( Wylie: , literally " demotic language"): the vernacular speech. * ( Wylie: , "honorifics or deference, courtesy"): the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heruka
:''Heruka is also a name for the deity of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra.'' ''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 East Asia, these are called Wisdom Kings. ''Herukas'' represent the embodiment of indivisible bliss and emptiness. They appear as '' Iṣṭha-devatā'' (Tibetan: ཡི་དམ་ ) or meditational deities for tantric sādhanā, usually placed in a ''mandala'' and often appearing in '' Yab-Yum''. Derivation and meaning of the term Heruka represents wrathful imagery with indivisible emptiness (śūnyatā), bliss, peace, wisdom, compassion (bodhicitta), and love. Herukas represent unified consciousness, with emptiness being a reflection of "non-phenomena" or emptiness which is "all love," or removal of imagery to reach universal love, mercy, and compassion-mind. :Heruka means hetu-rūpa-kâya, krodha-form vajradhara's:: Interpretation of Heru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Generation Stage
The fundamental practice of Vajrayana and Tibetan tantra is deity yoga (''devatayoga''), a form of Buddhist meditation centered on a chosen deity or "cherished divinity" (Skt. ''Iṣṭa-devatā,'' Tib. '' yidam''). This involves the recitation of mantras and prayers alongside the detailed visualization of the deity and their mandala—a sacred configuration that includes their Buddha field, consorts, and attendant figures. The 14th-century scholar Tsongkhapa stated that deity yoga is the distinctive feature that sets Tantra apart from the Sutra-based path. In the highest class of Tantras, the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantras, deity yoga is typically practiced in two stages: the generation stage (''utpatti-krama'') and the completion stage (''nispanna-krama''). In the generation stage, practitioners dissolve ordinary perception into emptiness and then re-imagine reality through the form of a fully enlightened deity, understood as an expression of ultimate truth. The deity is visuali ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as in Nepal. Smaller groups of practitioners can be found in Central Asia, some regions of China such as Northeast China, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and some regions of Russia, such as Tuva, Buryatia, and Kalmykia. Tibetan Buddhism evolved as a form of Mahayana, Mahāyāna Buddhism stemming from the latest stages of Indian Buddhism (which included many Vajrayana, Vajrayāna elements). It thus preserves many Indian Buddhist Tantra, tantric practices of the Gupta Empire, post-Gupta Medieval India, early medieval period (500–1200 CE), along with numerous native Tibetan developments. In the pre-modern era, Tibetan Buddhism spread outside of Tibet primarily due to the influence of the Mongol Emp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
