Vajrayogini: Her Visualization, Rituals, and FormsVajrayogini is a tantric goddess from the highest class of Buddhist tantras who manifests the ultimate development of wisdom and compassion. Her practice is prevalent today among practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. This ground-breaking book delves into the origins of Vajrayogini, charting her evolution in India and examining her roots in the Cakrasamvara tantra and in Indian tradition relating to siva. The focus of this work is the Guhyasamayasadhanamala, a collection of forty-six sadhanas, or practice texts. Written on palm leaves in Sanskrit and preserved since the twelfth century, this diverse collection, composed by various authors, reveals a multitude of forms of the goddess, each of which is described and illustrated here. One of the sadhanas, the Vajravarahi Sadhana by Umapatideva, depicts Vajrayogini at the center of a mandala of thirty-seven different goddesses, and is here presented in full translation alongside a Sanskrit edition. Elizabeth English provides extensive explanation and annotation of this representative text. Sixteen pages of stunning color plates not only enhance the study but bring the goddess to life. |
Contents
| 1 | |
The Cult of Vajrayoginī in India | 35 |
Study of the Vajravārāhī Sādhana | 109 |
Vajravārāhī Sādhana by Umāpatideva | 224 |
Conventions Abbreviations and Symbols | 315 |
Manuscript Sources | 321 |
Textual Notes | 329 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abhisamayamañjarī ADUT ch Advayavajra Aksobhya appears armoring Avalokiteśvara bali bali mantra bliss bodhisattva body mandala Brauen buddhas Buddhist cakras Cakrasamvara chopper circle of protection cited codd colophon color conj consecration consort corr cremation grounds Dākinī deity described dharmodayā emptiness Finot folio form of Vajravārāhī four goddesses GSS2 GSS5 Sed Guhyasamayasādhanamālā Gyatso heart mantra Heruka Hevajra hūm hùm hùm hum hum phat ibid iconographical Indrabhūti Isaacson kṛtvā lotus mahāmudrā Mahāyāna mandala mantra meditation stage Meisezahl mKhas mudrās nāgas nectar nondual offering omits phat phat phat svāhā plate practice prescribes recitation reference rite Śabara Śaiva Sanderson 1994 Sanskrit Sarvabuddhadākinī seed-syllable self-generation siddhi skandhas skull bowl Śmaśānavidhi sources SUT ch svāhā syllables tangka tantric tataḥ tathā tathāgatas Tibet Tibetan Tibetan text tradition Umāpatideva Vairocana vajra vajravairocanīye Vajravārāhī Sādhana Vajrayoginī Vārāhī verse visualization worship yathā yoga yogatantra yogic yogin yoginītantras YSCT