Vidyadhara

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Vidyadhara (s) (Sanskrit Vidyādhara, 'wisdom holder') are a group of supernatural beings with magical powers in Hinduism. They are classified as Upadevas or demigods. Vidyadharas also appear in Buddhist sources.

Vidyadhara with wife

Hindu epics

In the Indian epics, the Vidyadharas belong to the spirits of the air endowed with magical abilities.

They also appear in Kubera's court, led by their leader Chakradharman.

In the Mahabharata , the Vidyadharas, along with other demigods, belong to Indra's retinue during the serpent sacrifice of Janamejaya, led by Vipracitti.

In Ramayana , Vidyadharis are the women of the Vidyadharas. They are described as of great beauty and therefore are kidnapped by demons like Ravana . Verses 1.22 through 1.26 of the Sundarkanda chapter describe the plight of the Vidyadharas and their wives after Hanuman put pressure on Mount Mahendra as he assumed his position in an attempt to leap across the ocean. Rama sees the women playing on the Krauncha mountain, as well as on the hills of Malabar and in the Khandava forest.

Puranas and Upanishads

The Vidyadharas also belong to the retinue of Shiva .

In Agni Purana they are described as wearing garlands in the sky and mentioned with other semi-divine beings such as yakshas and Gandharvas.

In the Bhagavatapurana , Citraketu is described as the king of Vidyadharas. It also tells of a cursed Vidyadhara named Sudarshana.

The Nada Bindu Upanishad says in verse 7: "the next (third) Matra shines like the sphere of the sun" and in verse 11 "if he dies during the third Matra he becomes a Vidyadhara."

Vajrayana

The eight Indian Vajrayana - Vidyadharas are eight Indian masters who are considered to be the first recipients of the Kagyu teachings. After mastering the teachings, they reached the Vidyadhara plane.

  1. Vimalamitra - Chemchok - gold
  2. Humkara - Yangdak - silver
  3. Mañjushrimitra - Yamantaka - iron
  4. Nagarjuna - Hayagriva - copper
  5. Prabhahasti - Vajrakilaya - turquoise
  6. Dhanasamskrita - Mamo Bötong - rhinoceros horn
  7. Rambuguhya-Devachandra - Jikten Chötö - agate
  8. Shantigarbha - Möpa Drakngak - Zi Stein

Sometimes Padmasambhava is added as the ninth Vidyadhara, or instead of Prabahasti.

The eight Vidyadharas also appear in the Mandala of Rigdzin Düpa along with deities of Kagyu.

The eight Tibetan Vidyadharas (Tib. བོད་ ཀྱི་ རིག་ འཛིན་ བརྒྱད་, pö kyi rigdzin gyé; Wyl. Bod kyi rig 'dzin brgyad) are eight Tibetan disciples of Guru Rinpoche who are said to have received the Kagyu teachings from him and after their realization became vidyadharas

  1. King Trisong Detsen - recipient of Chemchok Heruka
  2. Namkhé Nyingpo - recipient of Yangdak Heruka
  3. Nupchen Sangyé Yeshé - recipient of Yamantaka
  4. Gyalwa Chokyang - recipient of Hayagriva
  5. Yeshe Tsogyal - recipient of Vajrakilaya
  6. Palgyi Yeshé - recipient of Mamo Bötong
  7. Langchen Palgyi Sengé - recipient of Jikten Chötö
  8. Vairotsana - recipient of Möpa Drakngak

In some editions of the Tibetan Book of the Dead , Padmanarteshvara has its seat in the throat chakra as the central Vidyadhara .

After Yoga Tantra one becomes a heavenly Vidyadhara as a worldly realization and attains enlightenment in the Ghanavyuha of the Amogasiddhi Buddha family, a pure Sambhogakaya area.

4 levels

In Dzogchen and Nyingma 4 levels (Tib. Rigdzin nampa shyi; Wyl. Rig 'dzin rnam pa bzhi) of vidyadhara were enumerated:

  1. Matured Vidyadhara (Tib.namin rigdzin; Wyl.rnam smin rig 'dzin)
  2. Vidyadhara with power over life (Tib. Tsewang rigdzin; Wyl. Tshe dbang rig 'dzin)
  3. Mahamudra Vidyadhara (Tib.chakchen rigdzin; Wyl.phyag chen rig 'dzin)
  4. Spontaneous Vidyadhara (Tib.lhundrup rigdzin; Wyl.lhun grub rig 'dzin)

literature

credentials

  1. ^ Boswell, Robert E. (2004). Encyclopaedia of Buddhism. Macmillan Reference. P. 376. ISBN 0-02-865719-5 .
  2. ^ Hopkins, Edward Washburn (1915). Epic mythology. Strasbourg KJ Trübner. Pp. 175-6.
  3. ↑ http://www.valmikiramayan.net/utf8/sundara/sarga1/sundara_1_frame.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/monier/serveimg.pl?file=/scans/MWScan/MWScanjpg/mw0964-vidyAkara.jpg
  5. ↑ Rigpawiki: (Vidyadharas of India)
  6. ↑ Rigpawiki: Four levels Vidyadhara

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