Vajrayoginë (; , Dorjé Naljorma) is an important figure in Buddhism, especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism. In Vajrayana she is considered a female Buddha and a . Vajrayoginë is often described with the epithet sarvabuddhaá¸ÂÃÂkiá¹Âë, meaning "the [who is the Essence] of all Buddhas". She is an Anuttarayoga Tantra meditational deity (iá¹£á¹ÂadevatÃÂ) and her practice includes methods for preventing ordinary death, intermediate state (bardo) and rebirth (samsara) by transforming them into paths to enlightenment, and for transforming all mundane daily experiences into higher spiritual paths.
The origins of Vajrayoginë teachings date from between the 10th and 12th centuries, and draw inspiration from Hindu Shaiva tantras. She appears as the consort of Padma Thotreng Tsal, and of Cakrasaá¹Âvara, while in Vajrayoginë standalone practice, her inseparable consorts are represented by the khatvanga (staff) on her left shoulder. The lineage of Vajrayoginë practice can be traced back to the original teachings of Vajradhara and is divided into three main lineages: Narokhachö, Maitrikhachö, and Indrakhachö.
Vajrayoginë's essence is "great passion" (maharaga), passion that is pure - free of ego's deceptions and illusions. Because of her purity she is able to work for the well-being of others and for the destruction of all ego clinging. She is seen as being ideally suited for people with strong passions, providing the way to transform those passions into enlightened virtues. She is visualized in the form of a naked 16-year-old female with red skin, a third eye of wisdom, and numerous other symbolic attributes such as a curved knife and either a skull cup or a damaru. Her fierce yet blissful demeanor conveys numerous spiritual attributes.
Practices associated with her are Chöd and the Six Yogas of Naropa. Her numerous temples in the Kathmandu Valley are revered as power places in both Newar and Tibetan Buddhism. According to scholar Miranda E. Shaw, Vajrayoginë is "inarguably the supreme deity of the Tantric pantheon. No male Buddha, including her divine consort, Heruka Cakrasaá¹Âvara, approaches her in metaphysical or practical import."
Additionally and in the pantheon of female buddhas, the line of Khenmos (abbesses) of Samding Monastery in Tibet have traditionally been seen as emanations of VajravÃÂrÃÂhë, which continues this specific lineage of female tulkus to the present day.
Vajrayoginë's sÃÂdhanàoriginated between the tenth and twelfth centuries against the backdrop of Hindu Shaiva tantras. The Buddhist Yoginitantras that deal with yoginis and dakinis draw from Shaiva scriptures. The in particular contains numerous passages that were adapted from Shaiva sources. The text and its commentaries have revealed numerous attempts by Buddhists to enlarge and modify it, both to remove references to Shaiva deities and to add more Buddhist technical terminology.
In the , Vajrayoginë appears as his yab-yum consort, to become a stand-alone practice of Anuttarayoga Tantra in its own right. The practice of Vajrayoginë belongs to the Mother Tantra () class of Anuttarayoga Tantras along with other tantras such as the Cakrasaá¹Âvara and Hevajra Tantras.
Vajrayana teaches that the two stages of the practice of Vajrayoginë (generation stage and completion stage) were originally taught by Vajradhara. He manifested in the form of Heruka to expound the Root Tantra of Chakrasaá¹Âvara, and it was in this tantra that he explained the practice of Vajrayoginë. All the many lineages of instructions on Vajrayoginë can be traced back to this original revelation. Of these lineages, there are three that are most commonly practiced: the Narokhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginë to Naropa; the Maitrikhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginë to Maitripa; and the Indrakhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayoginë to Indrabodhi.
Vajrayoginë is visualized as a naked 16-year-old female with deep red skin, the third eye of wisdom set vertically on her forehead, and unbound flowing hair. Vajrayoginë is generally depicted with the traditional accoutrements of a , including a kartika (a vajra-handled flaying knife) in her right hand and a kapala filled with blood in her left hand that she drinks from with upturned mouth. Her consort is often symbolically depicted as a on Vajrayoginë's left shoulder, when she is in "solitary hero" form. Vajrayoginë's khaá¹ÂvÃÂá¹ ga is marked with a vajra and from it hangs a damaru drum, a bell, and a triple banner. Her extended right leg treads on the chest of red KÃÂlarÃÂtri, while her bent left leg treads on the forehead of black Bhairava, bending his head backward and pressing it into his back at the level of his heart. She wears a crown of five human skulls on her head and a necklace of fifty human skulls. She is depicted as standing in the center of a blazing fire of exalted wisdom. Her countenance shows both erotic and fierce features, "in the fullness of bliss, laughing and baring her fangs."
Each aspect of Vajrayoginë's form and mandala is designed to convey a spiritual meaning. For example, her young age of 16 signifies the prime of youth, the potential for new beginnings and the unhindered purity of a fresh mind. Her brilliant red-colored body symbolizes the blazing of her tummo (candali) or "inner fire" of spiritual transformation as well as life force (Shakti), blood of birth and menstrual blood. The lack of clothing on her is not meant to be sexual but rather signifies the shedding of worldly concerns, ego and illusions. Her single face symbolizes that she has realized that all phenomena are of one nature in emptiness. Her two arms symbolize her realization of the two truths. Her three eyes represent her ability to see everything in the past, present and future. She looks upward toward the Pure DÃÂkiá¹Âë Land, demonstrating her attainment of outer and inner Pure DÃÂkiá¹Âë Land, and indicating that she leads her followers to these attainments. The curved driguk knife in her right hand shows her power to cut the continuum of the delusions and obstacles of her followers and of all living beings. Drinking the blood from the kapala in her left hand symbolizes her experience of supreme bliss.
Vajrayoginë is a female deity and although she is sometimes visualized as simply Vajrayoginë, in a collection of her sÃÂdhanÃÂs she is visualized in an alternate form in over two thirds of the practices. Her other forms include VajravÃÂrÃÂhë ( "Vajra Sow") and Krodikali (alt. Krodhakali, KÃÂlikÃÂ, Krodheà Âvarë, Krishna Krodhini, Tibetan Tröma Nakmo; , "Wrathful Lady", "Fierce Black One").
In her form as VajravÃÂrÃÂhë "the Vajra Sow", she is often pictured with a sow's head on the side of her own as an ornament and in one form has the head of a sow herself. Vajrayoginë is often associated with triumph over ignorance, the pig being associated with ignorance in Buddhism. This sow head relates to the origins of VajravÃÂrÃÂhë from the Hindu sow-faced goddess VÃÂrÃÂhë.
The severed-headed form of Vajrayoginë is similar to the Indian goddess Chinnamasta, who is recognized by both Hindus and Buddhists.
Vajrayoginë acts as a meditation deity, or the yab-yum consort of such a deity, in VajrayÃÂna Buddhism. She appears in a that is visualized by the practitioner according to a sÃÂdhanàdescribing the practice of the particular tantra. There are several collections containing sÃÂdhanÃÂs associated with Vajrayoginë including one collection, the GuhyasamayasÃÂdhanamÃÂlÃÂ, containing only Vajrayoginë sÃÂdhanÃÂs and comprising forty-six works by various authors.
The yidam that a meditator identifies with when practicing the is Vajrayoginë and she is an important deity for tantric initiation, especially for new initiates as Vajrayoginë's practice is said to be well-suited to those with strong desirous attachment, and to those living in the current "degenerate age". As VajravÃÂrÃÂhë, her consort is (Tib. Khorlo Demchog), who is often depicted symbolically as a on her left shoulder. In this form she is also the consort of Jinasagara (Tib. Gyalwa Gyatso), the red Avalokiteà Âvara (Tib. Chenrezig).
Vajrayoginë is a key figure in the advanced Tibetan Buddhist practice of Chöd, where she appears in her KÃÂlikà() or VajravÃÂrÃÂhë (Tibetan:rDo rje phag mo) forms.
Vajrayoginë also appears in versions of Guru yoga in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. In one popular system the practitioner worships their guru in the form of Milarepa, whilst visualizing themself as Vajrayoginë.
The purpose of visualizing Vajrayoginë is to gain realizations of generation stage tantra, in which the practitioner mentally visualises themself as their yidam or meditational deity and their surroundings as the Deity's . The purpose of generation stage is to overcome ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, which are said in Vajrayana Buddhism to be the obstructions to liberation (Skt. ) and enlightenment.
In the Kathmandu valley of Nepal there are several important Newar temples dedicated to different forms of Vajrayogini. These temples are important power places of Nepalese Vajrayana Buddhism and are also important pilgrimage places for Tibetan Buddhists. These temples include the Sankhu Vajrayogini temple, Vidhyeshvari Vajrayogini temple, Parping Vajrayogini temple, and the Guhyeshwari temple.
The female tulku who was the abbess of Samding Monastery, on the shores of the Yamdrok Tso Lake, near Gyantse, Tibet was traditionally a emanation of VajravÃÂrÃÂhë (Tibetan: Dorje Phagmo). The lineage started in the 15th century with the princess of Gungthang, Chökyi Drönma (Wylie: Chos-kyi sgron-me)(1422âÂÂ1455). She became known as Samding Dorje Pagmo (Wylie:bSam-lding rDo-rje phag-mo) and began a line of female tulkus, reincarnate lamas. Charles Alfred Bell met the tulku in 1920 and took photographs of her, calling her Dorje Pamo in his book. The current incarnation, the 12th of this line, resides in Lhasa.