Vajradhara — The Primordial Thunderbolt-Bearer

Vajradhara - རྡོ་རྗེ་ཆང་། - 金刚总持

Vajradhara, the supreme and primordial Buddha, beautifully embodies the essence of timelessness, transcending the limitations of beginning and end. He stands as a powerful figure of authority, with subdued and conquered evil spirits promising their allegiance, allowing the Buddhist faith to flourish freely. Revered as the Ādi-Buddha, Vajradhara occupies a vital role in the two main branches of the Mahāyāna tradition: the dKar-hGya-pa, or Red Bonnets, and the dGe-lugs-pa, known as the Yellow Bonnets.  

In artistic portrayals, he is often shown seated in a posture of serene strength, legs elegantly crossed and feet visible. Adorned with the Bodhisattva crown, he wears magnificent royal attire, complemented by intricate ornaments that highlight his princely status. His majestic presence is further accentuated by the ūrṇā, symbolizing spiritual insight, and the uṣṇīṣa, representing enlightenment. 

Vajradhara’s arms are gracefully crossed over his chest in the vajra-hūm-kāra mudrā, cradling the vajra, which symbolizes indestructibility, alongside the ghaṇṭā, a bell that captures the essence of emptiness. These uplifting symbols might also be accompanied by delicate flowering branches held tenderly in his crossed hands, creating a serene moment of mysticism that encapsulates his profound spiritual significance. Celebrate the inspiring wisdom and enduring strength that Vajradhara brings to our understanding of enlightenment! 

Iconography of Vajradhara

    The Guru of Tilopa: A Transmission Beyond Time

    Long ago, in a world stirred by seekers and sages, a yogi named Tilopa journeyed through lifetimes of devotion, traversing the paths of practice and realization. From masters of the distant lineage, ring gyud ,he received four great transmissions, each a stream of sacred power flowing from Buddha Śākyamuni himself. 

    Yet something deeper called to him. And then, when his realization ripened like a moon rising full, it happened: he received the nye gyud, the close transmission, directly from Buddha Vajradhara. 

    The teaching came not through scriptures or sound, but through sheer presence. Vajradhara, vast as the sky and blazing with compassion, appeared before Tilopa. It was said, “Tilopa had both ring gyud and nye gyud,” the distant and the direct, the bridge between history and the unspoken truth. In that moment, Tilopa declared, “I have no guru; my guru is Vajradhara.” 

    From that spark, the lineage flowed: to Naropa, who endured trials of fire and silence; to Marpa, the translator who crossed mountains for wisdom; to Milarepa, the poet-yogi in mountain caves; to Gampopa, the physician who became a saint. Thus the deep, profound Mahamudra path was born — a current of realization, passed hand to hand, mind to mind, from Vajradhara to all those who dare to see things as they truly are. 

    References

    • Getty, A. (1914). The Gods of Northern Buddhism: Their History, Iconography and Progressive Evolution Through the Northern Buddhist Countries. Oxford University Press. 
    •  Nyinche, P. D. (2009). The Dorje Chang Thungma. Palpung Publications. 

    Other forms of Vajradhara

      Commonly associated with

        Vajradhara