Vajrapani

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Vajrapani (right) in a depiction reminiscent of Herakles next to the Buddha , 2nd cent. Z. Gandhara , British Museum .

Vajrapani ( Sanskrit ; Tibetan ཕྱག་ ན་ རྡོ་ རྗེ ་. Chagna Dorje , Wylie phyag na rdo rje ; holder of the Vajra ) is one of the "eight great Bodhisattvas " of Mahayana - Buddhism . He is particularly invoked in Tibetan Buddhism , where he is also known as the "Lord of Secrets" and belongs to the Vajra Buddha family.

According to one theory, Vajrapani is said to be derived from the Indian god of rain and war, Indra , from whose lightning scepter the Vajra developed. In early, Greek-influenced depictions from Gandhara (from the 1st century C.E.) Vajrapani is still shown as a kind of bodyguard of the historical Buddha , who is reminiscent of Heracles . He is then a muscular and bearded man whose vajra is more like a large club. Its current form was developed later through the influence of Vajrayana .

Vajrapani is considered to be the embodiment of the energy of all Buddhas. Therefore, he is usually shown in a standing, wrathful posture, which symbolizes his activity. However, his energy also contains a great aspect of wisdom, which is represented by the third eye, as well as the wisdom flames surrounding him. The snakes that hang around his neck in most depictions represent his anger controlled by wisdom. Buddha Vajrapani, in this form also known as the “Lord of Secrets” (Tibetan: gsang bdag phyag rdor ; Sanskrit: Guhyapati ) is said to have transmitted the tantras to six beings of the six realms on Mount Malaya after the Buddha's death . Its area is called Changlochen .

Image of a Tibetan thangka

He appears in his peaceful form with two arms together with the Bodhisattva Padmapani at the side of Buddha Amitabha in the Pure Land of Dewachen . He is also often depicted in his wrathful form, with a vajra in his right hand and a snare in his left, surrounded by a wreath of fire.

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