#The Wrath of Vajra

[anchanted-one]

Conclave of Champions 71. Unexpected

[krsnaradhika]

In which I narrate the story of the Syamantaka jewel rather quickly.

Roughly five thousand years ago, in the auspicious land of Aryavarta, when the pseudo emperor wrecked havoc upon the Yadava tribes— there came a savior who uplifted their melancholic spirits. Fighting off Jarasandha seventeen times, during the eighteenth ambush, Krishna: the sole surviving son of Devaki and Vasudeva, took his kinsmen to the safety of the sea.

The thalassic city of Dwarka as it was named, the one with numerous gates was the capital of the Yadavas. There lived a prosperous merchant named Satrajita. He had the gem Syamantaka, and a gem among women for his daughter— Satyabhama. Several springs back, while offering his dawn worship to the solar god, he had found her in a gigantic lotus bloom floating on a pond.

Now, it was when the Syamantaka jewel went missing that the merchant lost his senses, clouded by roaring vexation.

“This! This Vrishni prince, this Krishna of notorious mien has stolen my property which was a blessing from Suryadeva!” Satrajita shrieked, fixing a furious gaze at the dark-complexioned lord who had arrived at once when he heard of the unfortunate incident. Krishna gaped at him incredulously, wordless at the pang of emotions that hit him like the celestial Vajra. With his signature grin robbed away, he shook his head ever so slightly, war-like shoulders sagged in sadness.

The father of Satyabhama continued his lament, “He had come wishing for the Syamantaka to be submitted in the treasury. Surely I turned him down, for it belongs to me. Now he took it away by force when his vanity was injured!”

Behind the slightly parted gates of her residence stood Satyabhama, aghast and devastation written on her golden visage, oddly mirroring the turmoil of the accused. An emptiness swirled in her chest and she staggered a step, never knowing when her knees would give in.

The lotus born was not a stranger to the kingmaker. She knew him like the back of her palm— like the rains know petrichor, like the constellations know the moon and how the sun is wont to the seamless ether. She’d admire him from a distance, barely in touch but so much in his mind, Krishna could never truly shake off her orphic presence.

All her dreams and all his exuberance shattered at the wrath of Satrajita.

“Father, you sent Uncle Prasena to the eastern forests with the gem, didn’t you?” Satyabhama strode into the privacy of her house, turning the heads of her extended family along with the beautiful dusky prince. Her eyes pooled with fury driven tears and she turned her head down, ashamed by the shock in her father’s eyes and found him let down by her gall. But how could she let go of her strong sense of justice?

Prasenajita, the brother of Satrajita and Satyabhama’s uncle was known to be fond of hunting. Since not many days, neither him nor the gem were heard of.

“The jungle is guarded by the king of the bears, the immortal Jambavan. I apologize for the humiliation, Your Highness. I’m terribly sorry for my transgressions against you too, father.” She hastily brushed away her tears and swallowed the guilt gnawing at her throat. Her parents were rendered mum by her demeanor, known to maintain dignified silence unless not spoken to. She was immensely self respecting and knew her strengths— but this was something not envisaged.

“Be victorious in your pursuits. I must take my leave.” And she marched into her chambers and shut the doors in a frenzy, cursing at her stars.

Taking his cue, Krishna set off to find the jewel and clear his reputation. Even the common folks were influenced by the senseless words of Satrajita and eyed him with suspicion, him who had earned a venerable position for his clan in the political dynamics of the subcontinent. But he was known to steal butter back in his boyhood days, and old habits die hard.

Krishna’s ilks who had accompanied him in his quest, returned from the frightening jungle. However, without him by their side.

For twenty-nine days and twenty-nine nights, Satyabhama neither knew rest nor sleep. Her thoughts would often drift to the ignominy of the man she had come to love and the dejection in her father’s eyes. She tossed and turned on her bed all night, haunted by all sorts of morbid possibilities. “Why did you pit me against my own father, Gauri Maa? Will you not protect the marital serendipity of Princess Rukmini who has left everything and all for him?” She wept afore the mother-goddess presiding over the local temple, never knowing how to face the first wife of her beloved. Am I the root of her sorrow? I shouldn't have led him to his doom. The wretched thing isn’t worth the dust of his feet.

On day thirty, His Highness made a grandiose reappearance. Darker and gleaming like winter eventides, brawn and glorious in the same vein as that of rain clouds— Krishna came, like an elixir upon barren earth, with the Syamantaka tied around his nape in a flower festoon and a new wife in his arms. The woman was about as tall as him, if not more, which was surely a lot. She had the complexion of blue water lilies and embodied the goddess of the forests, Aranyani. Like Seeta would follow Rama and like how Rama would be fond of his bride, Krishna and the woman casted coy glances at each other. Satyabhama added two and two to find she was Jambavati, the daughter of Jambavan.

Prasenajita had been mauled to death by a lion and the beast was vanquished by Jambavan, who had then acquired the jewel. Nearly two moons of a brawl later, Krishna had defeated the bear king and revealed to him that he was the Raghava Jambavan had aided in the previous era.

Satyabhama knew neither envy nor dismay. All that mattered was Krishna being safe and sound, and happy.

Dwarka clamored in bliss once again, echoing the chants of the god incarnate’s name. People fell at his feet and he patiently made his way through them, making them rise again and beaming their way. Eventually, he reached the palatial foyer and formally greeted his family and friends.

Satrajita mumbled endless apologies, bowing to the usually gregarious youth who was going beet red in shame at the wallowing of the merchant. Elders weren't supposed to be belittled so, Krishna believed.

“Please- this is the least I can do, son. I have falsely tarnished your image when—”

Krishna shook his head, the opal diadem with a fluttering iridescent feather the only thing adorning him. He was ethereal through and through, the ocean of compassion. “I cannot have your gem, Arya. It should be under your protection. I have never desired it for myself. Besides, this is not the best jewel that you have.” He turned to glimpse at Satyabhama who gaped blankly at the trio— Satrajita, Krishna and Jambavati.

The bear princess winked at her. I know your secret, her mischief seemed to articulate.

“In that case.” Satrajita took his daughter’s crimson painted palm in his own and led her entranced self to the kingmaker with a flute. “You may have the best one, Vaasudeva. You are the only one I deem competent to have my true fortune. She has guided my maligned mind away from the dark and brought me undying glee. My sweet child Satyabhame, do you consent to this marriage?”

Flustered, she nodded in affirmation and her bridegroom gladly looped an arm around her. Rukmini circled the veneration platter around the three of them, a broad grin splitting her gentle face.

Reverence softened his lotus eyes and he whispered to her, slightly leaning to her side, as if praying for Devi Lakshmi to grace him, “Welcome home, Bhame. I could never not have wished for your hand in mine.”

[megyulmi]

➠ Binding vow and invoking Fudō in Pure Land Buddhism:

I have been seeing posts on the nature of binding vows since Chapter 258, so I decided to share my notes on it in hopes they could be of use to a fellow reader.

Considering Akutami Gege’s consistency in incorporating practices and beliefs of different Buddhist schools into the storyline, personally, performing a binding vow reminds me of the process of invoking Fudō, as well as Amitābha’s ‘Primal Vow’. Here, I am specifically addressing the vows made with oneself as I believe they are significantly different from the vows made with others.

Fudō is an esoteric Buddhist deity for rebirth (from Pure Land worship). He was invoked by reciting his incantation as a deathbed practice to attain proper mindfulness at death allowing rebirth into the Pure Land, particularly Miroku’s Heaven, from the late Heian into the Kamakura period. He is a manifestation of the cosmic Buddha Dainichi (大日, Mahāvairocana) sent to assist Buddhist practitioners and to arrest those who would impede the Buddhist path. Fudō was most popular among the nobility for his efficacy in propitious birth, restoration of health and resurrection from death, and the subjugation of adversaries.

He is associated with the ‘Mantra of Compassionate Help’, which helps remove the hindrances at death. The mantra loosely translates as “Homage to the All-Encompassing Vajra, the Manifestation of Great Wrath. Eliminate [all hindrances].”

There are different instances of invoking Fudō. The first one is, invoking him for Miroku’s Heaven. It is related to Sōō, a monk of the Tendai school. According to the legend, while Sōō was performing ascetic practices before a waterfall on the Katsuragawa river, he prayed to Fudō to take him to Miroku’s Heaven. Fudō did indeed carry Sōō to Miroku’s Heaven, but when they arrived at the gate to the inner palace, Sōō was not allowed in because he could not yet recite the Lotus Sutra from memory. But when Sōō later recited the Lotus Sutra before the image of Fudō at his temple, he was able to gain entry.

The second one is invoking Fudō at Death. According to the court diary Chūyūki (中右記) by Fujiwara no Munetada (藤原宗忠), Emperor Horikawa on his death bed, “first chanted the titles of the larger Hannya and Lotus sutras, as well as the august name of the venerable Fudō; then chanted the august names of Śākya[muni] and [A]mida and faced the west.”

There is another story, according to which there was a sculpture of Fudō in Nara that used to appear to a nun at Higashiyama in Kyoto because she recited Fudō’s Mantra of Compassionate Help twenty-one times every day praying for proper mindfulness at death. In the time of death, when she became seriously ill, she put her hands together to form Fudō’s mudra and seated properly, her breath stopped, and without sickness, she came to the end with proper mindfulness. Here it is noteworthy that she was a member of the Ungoji nenbutsu group.

Additionally, it is useful to look into the concept of ‘Primal Vow or Fundamental Vow (本願, hongan)’, which in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism is the 18th vow that is part of a series of 48 vows that Amitābha made in the Infinite Life Sutra that in certain aspects (depending on the school) can be connected with invoking Fudō.

Nenbutsu is the invocation ‘namu amida butsu’ (南無阿弥陀仏, ‘I take my refuge in the Buddha Amitābha’) chanted in the hope of rebirth into Amida's Pure Land. It is important to note that Nenbutsu were not only directed to Amitābha but other Buddhas as well. Myōe, a famous priest of the Kegon school, is known to have invoked Fudō on his deathbed seeking rebirth in Miroku’s Heaven. It is said that at the time of Myōe’s death, “two or three times he intoned the invocation Namu Miroku Bosatsu, raising his hands in prayer and devoutly reciting the nenbutsu.”

The sutra reads: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

In the sutra, we see clearly what Amitābha’s ‘exchange’ is: “If they should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.” The vow is made at the risk of not being able to attain Enlightenment. Personally, it directly relates to the binding vow made with oneself in JJK: give up something, gain something; or, break the binding vow, lose what you have gained. Nanami is the easiest example to understand in this regard. His binding vow limits the amount of cursed energy he can access to about 80-90% while on the clock. Once his normal shift ends and he begins working overtime, Nanami’s cursed energy increases and by invoking Overtime, he is able to utilise 110-120% of his maximum power. He gains something while giving up something in exchange, and if he were to break the vow, he would lose what he has gained.

The practice itself is complex and depending on the accounts (and the schools) can be different, but personally, I can see how it could relate to the concept of binding vows made with oneself in JJK. In exchange for ‘devotion’, one can invoke the help of Fudō, who by landing his strength can help the invoker overcome the hindrance or the adversity they are facing. When summed up in this simple way, it does resonate with the concept of the binding vow made with oneself. Although the conditions naturally have to be completely different (i.e. what ‘devotion’ entails in JJK terms).

It might offer us a bit of perspective on why Sukuna seems the most efficient (well-versed) in performing the binding vow as well. We see from the examples I provided that invoking Fudō requires the knowledge of certain sutras and a long period of practice. Sukuna, coming from the Heian period (assuming that binding vows were more common like the practice of invoking Fudō that declined over time and is almost extinct in the modern day), would have been able to accumulate such knowledge and would be more familiar with the process of invoking it than your average modern-day sorcerer. He may as well have an understanding of ‘incantations’ that might otherwise not have survived the time.

Considering Akutami Gege’s incorporation of Buddhist practices, personally, it might not be too far off that he might have drawn inspiration from combining the two when creating the concept of binding vows.

[talonabraxas]

Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva Talon Abraxas

Kshitigarbha or Kṣitigarbha. One of the Four Inner Offering Bodhisattvas.

Kshitigarbha or red lotus is from the vajra family and embodies the richness and fertility of the land and the the natural purity of visual or eye consciousness. He may exhibit the earth touching (Bhumisparsha) mudra (Hand gesture), Kshitigarbha is often white in color (sometimes yellow), often seen on the right side of Vajrasattva. Holding a seedling or Kalpa tree, and a bell, Kshitigarbha is associated with the south and has a wrathful deity of Aparājita. Lasya is the consort of Kshitigarbha.

Kṣitigarbha is often depicted as a Buddhist monk, the king of the great vow, is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied.

In the Chinese Mahayana tradition, he is known as Di Zang Wang Pu Sa (地藏王菩薩), Earth-Store bodhisattva or Earth Treasure Bodhisattva, in Japan, he is known as Jizo, relied upon by those who have lost their children, born or unborn, his name in Tibetan, Sa yi nying po (ས་ཡི་སྙིང་པོ) which translates as “Essence of Earth.”

Om, pun-lah-moh lin-toh-lin, so-ha. (Sanskrit: Om, prama nidani svaha.) Om, ha ha ha, wei sam-mo-deh, so-ha. (Sanskrit: Om, ha ha ha vismaye svaha.)

[santoschristos]

The Lion-Faced Dakini (Simhamukha).

Post: Lama Thanka Painting School

The mantra of Simhamukha, AH KA SA MA RA TSA SHA DA RA SA MA RA YA PHAT, is known as “the fierce mantra of fourteen letters that averts all magical attacks” (ngag drag log yige chuzhipa). It can be pronounced in a reverse way during extremely wrathful rituals, and it can also be written on the human body to create the so-called “vajra armor” (dorje gotrab) of the subtle body.

. . .

As a supreme dakini, Simhamukha presents the feminine principle as an independent force that is not merely a complement to man. She is also the embodiment of the strength needed to achieve the ultimate goal. Without the merging of the masculine and feminine aspects, consciousness cannot reach the necessary wholeness and attain enlightenment. This is the meaning of the third empowerment** in the system of Anuttara Yoga – to initiate the practitioner in the various aspects of wisdom that appear in the form of dakini.

[mahayanapilgrim]

Vajrapani, the “Hand of Buddha” defeats the poisons : pride, anger, hate and jealousy

 Vajrapani’s name means, literally, “Indestructible Hand” — the Hand of the Buddha.  He is one of the three great Bodhisattvas, together with Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Guanyin) and Manjushri, who respectively represent “power of Buddha,” Compassion of Buddha, and Wisdom of Buddha.

* Vajrapani is the “indestructible power of the Buddha” — helping us overcome the delusions, poisons and attachments that prevent our progress

* Avalokiteshvara is the “compassion of the Buddha” — helping us overcome ego and clinging, understanding our “Oneness” with all beings

* Manjushri is the “wisdom of the Buddha” — helping us discern truth, and overcome the illusions that keep us trapped.

All three are equals; all are needed on the path to Enlightenment. We must balance compassion, wisdom and the power (i.e. discipline, etc.) to overcome the poisons.

According to the Pañcaviṃsatisāhasrikā- and Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitās,  any Bodhisattva on the path can rely on Vajrapani’s protection.

The Three Great Bodhisattvas, from left to right: Manjushri (Wisdom of Buddha), Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Compassion of Buddha), Vajrapani (Power of Buddha.)

Vajrapani manifests in our lives daily (hopefully.) Even that voice in our mind, telling us to get up and meditate — instead of watching television — is Vajrapani at work. (Buddha’s Hand slapping us up the back of the head, metaphorically.)  Or, that feeling of guilt when you walk past a homeless person without helping — that’s Vajrapani sternly reminding us to be compassionate. It is Vajrapani who cracks the metaphorical whip in his “hand” (not to beat a metaphor to death) — to keep us working on the foundation practices, to sit each day, or, to practice metta compassion meditation each day. He’s hovering over our head with the “huge iron club, flaming, ablaze and glowing.”

Wrathful Vajrapani surrounded by wisdom flames. In both wrathful and peaceful forms he is irresistibly powerful.

The mantra of Vajrapani is a very straight-forward one, easy, yet powerful: Om Vajrapani Hum. Omsymbolizes many things, including the Five Buddhas the Five Wisdoms. Vajrapani (Thunderbolt holder, diamond-scepter holder, or Vajra Hand) is homage to the great Vajrapani. HUM is the word that “Destroys all suffering.”

According to the Tantra of the Supreme Origination of Vajrapani.

” If the disciple renders one obeisance to Vajrapani, he attains more merits than he would have secured through rendering numerous obeisances to myriads of Buddhas as many as the total grains of sands in ninety-two million Ganges Rivers… If he relies on Vajrapani as his Yidam Buddha and recites the Mantra, he will surely be protected by Vajrapani from all hindrances. No demons can hurt him, all illness will be cured, his merits will be increased and prosperity augmented. All his wishes will be fulfilled. Thus, the benefits of practicing this ritual are beyond description, nothing can afflict those who practice it. The practitioner of this ritual will also accomplish all the four activities — Pacifying, Enriching, Magnetizing and Wrathful. He will encounter no obstacles. Therefore, one should always rely on Vajrapani, take him as one’s shelter and refuge. Also, those who have chronic diseases will be cured through reciting the Mantra of Vajrapani.”

[avikats66]

Japanese Buddhist Hand Seals

So have y’all seen this post?

I did some rough translations for the hand seals’ corresponding Japanese deities shown on the source website, featuring romanization of the Japanese kanji alongside the Sanskrit romanization for their Buddhist/Hindu counterparts and a brief descriptor based on what I found using the internet.

印 / Shirushi / Mudra

1 釈迦如来 / Shaka Nyorai / Shakyamuni / Historical Buddha and founder of Buddhism

2 薬師如来 / Yakushi Nyorai / Bhaisajyaguru / Medicine Buddha

3 阿弥陀如来 / Amida Nyorai / Amitābha / Buddha of Limitless Light

4 弥勒如来(弥勒菩薩) / Miroku Nyorai (Miroku Bosatsu) / Maitreya / Future Buddha

5 大日如来 / Dainichi Nyorai / Mahāvairocana / Cosmic Buddha

6 仏眼仏母 / Butsu Genbutsu Mo / Buddhalocanā / Buddha Eye Buddha

7 観世音菩薩 / Kanzeon Bosatsu / Avalokiteśvara / Bodhisattva of Compassion

8 十一面観音 / Juuichimen Kannon / Ekādaśamukha / Eleven-Faced Kannon

9 千手観音 / Senju Kannon / Avalokiteshvara / Thousand-Armed Kannon

10 不空羂索観音 / Fukuukenjaku Kannon / Amoghapasa / Unfailing Lasso Kannon

11 如意輪観音 / Nyoirin Kannon / Cintāmaṇi Cakra / Wishing Gem Wheel Kannon

12 馬頭観音 / Batou Kannon / Hayagriva / Horse Head Kannon

13 准胝観音 / Jundei Kannon / Cundī / Female Buddhist Deity

14 文殊菩薩 / Monju Bosatsu / Manjushri / Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom

15 普賢菩薩 / Fugen Bosatsu / Samantabhadra / Bodhisattva of Practice

16 勢至菩薩 / Seishi Bosatsu / Mahāsthāmaprāpta / Bodhisattva of Wisdom

17 日光菩薩 / Nikkou Bosatsu / Sūryaprabha / Bodhisattva of Sunshine and Good Health

18 月光菩薩 / Gakkoi Bosatsu / Candraprabha / Bodhisattva of Moonlight

19 虚空蔵菩薩 / Kokuuzou Bosatsu / Ākāśagarbha / Bodhisattva of Space

20 地蔵菩薩 / Jizou Bosatsu / Kṣitigarbha / Bodhisattva of Children, Travellers, and the Deceased

21 金剛サッタ/ Kongousatta / Vajrasattva / Vajra Bodhisattva

22 般若菩薩 / Hannya Bosatsu / Prajñāpāramitā Devī / Bodhisattva of Inconceivable Wisdom

23 薬王菩薩 / Yakuou Bosatsu / Bhaiṣajyarāja / Bodhisattva of Medicine

24 軍荼利明王 / Gundari Myouou / Kundali / Wisdom King and Dharmapala

25 大威徳明王 / Daiitoku Myouou / Yamāntaka / Wisdom King and Destroyer of Death

26 金剛夜叉明王 / Kongouyasha Myouou / Vajrayaksa / Wrathful Wisdom King and Manifestation of Kannon/Amoghasiddhi

27 烏枢沙摩明王 / Ususama Myouou / Ucchusma / Wrathful Wisdom King and Remover of Impurities

28 愛染明王 / Aizen Myouou / Rāgarāja / Wisdom King who Transforms Lust into Spiritual Awakening

29 不動明王 / Fudou Myouou / Acala / Vanquisher of Evil and Protector of the State

30 降三世明王 / Gouzanze Myouou / Trailokyavijaya / King of Knowledge and Conqueror of the Three Worlds

31 大元帥明王 / Daigensui Myouou / Āṭavaka / Yaksha Wisdom King

32 孔雀明王 / Kujaku Myouou / Mahamayuri / Protective Goddess and Wisdom King

33 六字明王 idk how best to read this one tbh, but the English translation is: Wisdom King of the Six Characters, referencing the Six-Words-Great-Enlightening-Dharani (chant), which is associated with Avalokiteśvara / Oṃ maṇi padme hūm̐ (praise to the jewel in the lotus)

34 毘沙門天 / Bishamonten / Vaiśravaṇa / Heavenly King and God of Warriors

35 吉祥天 / Kisshouten / Śrī Mahādevī (Lakshmi) / Goddess of Beauty, Fertility, and Good Fortune

36 梵天 / Bonten / Brahma / God of Creation

37 帝釈天 / Taishakuten / Śakra / Ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven

38 弁才天 / Benzaiten / Saraswati / Goddess of the Arts

39 大黒天 / Daikokuten / Mahākāla / God of Household Wealth and Fortune

40 深沙大将 / Jinja Taishou / Shensha Shen / Protective Desert Entity originating from Chinese lore and associated with Bishamonten/Vaiśravaṇa

41 歓喜天 / Kangiten / Nandikeshvara / Sacred Bull Mount and Guardian God to Shiva

42 荼吉尼天 / Dakiniten / Dākinī / Dakini (flesh-eating spirit) Goddess associate with Inari

43 伎芸天 / Gigeiten / Celestial Maiden and Patron of the Arts said to be born from Daijizaiten/Mahesvara

44 摩利支天 / Marishiten / Mārīcī / Goddess of Light, Dawn, and Patron of Warriors

45 韋駄天 / Idaten / Skanda / Messenger and Protector of Buddhist Shrines/Teachings

46 鬼子母神 / Kishimojin / Hārītī / Wrathful and Protective Goddess of Children

47 閻魔天 / Enmaten / Yama / God of Death and Justice

48 大日如来法界定 / Dainichi Nyorai Houkai / Mahāvairocana/Vairocana Dharmadhatu / Cosmic Buddha Realm

[artifacts-archive]

Vajracharya Priest’s Crown

Nepal, 13th–early 14th century

Elaborate crowns such as this were worn by Vajracarya priests, the highest rank in the Nepalese Buddhist community. The conical crown is unique to Newari Buddhism and embodies a memory of older and now lost Indian Buddhist practices. The term Vajracarya denotes both a caste and a family name, and the designation entitles its holders to perform reserved priestly functions, analogous to the privileges held by Brahmans in Hinduism. This crown is exceptional in its complexity: It is dominated by a series of diadem plaques depicting emanations of the wisdom bodhisattva Manjushri, benign and wrathful. All is surmounted by a five-pronged thunderbolt scepter, or vajra. This unique iconography points to the crown being designed for enacting rites dedicated to invoking Manjushri.

[acalarakta]

Acala Vidyârâja is one of the Vidyârâjas (Myôôs) class of deities, and a very wrathful deity. He is portrayed holding a sword in his right hand and a coiled rope in his left hand. With this sword of wisdom, Acala cuts through deluded and ignorant minds and with the rope he binds those who are ruled by their violent passions and emotions. He leads them onto the correct path of self control. Acala is also portrayed surrounded by flames, flames which consume the evil and the defilements of this world. He sits on a flat rock which symbolizes the unshakeable peace and bliss which he bestows to the minds and the bodies of his devotees.

Purpose and Vows

Acala transmits the teachings and the injunctions of Mahâvairocana to all living beings and whether they agree to accept or to reject these injunctions is up to them, Acala's blue/black body and fierce face symbolize the force of his will to draw all beings to follow the teachings of the Buddha. Nevertheless, Acala's nature is essentially one of compassion and he has vowed to be of service to all beings for eternity.

Acala also represents his aspect of service by having his hair knotted in the style of a servant: his hair is tied into seven knots and falls down from his head on the left side. Acala has two teeth protruding from out of his mouth, an upper tooth and a lower tooth. The upper tooth is pointed downward and this represents his bestowing unlimited compassion who are suffering in body and spirit. His lower tooth is pointed upward and this represents the strength of his desire to progress upward in his service for the Truth. In his upward search for Bodhi and in his downward concern for suffering beings, he represents the beginning of the religious quest, the awakening of the Bodhicitta and the beginning of his compassionate concern for others. It is for this reason that the figure of Acala is placed first among the thirteen deities.

His vow is to do battle with evil with a powerful mind of compassion and to work for the protection of true happiness. To pray for recovery from illness and for safety while traveling is to rely upon his vow and power to save. Acala is also the guide for the deceased, to help save them and assist them in becoming buddhas for the first seven days after death.

Mantra

Nômaku sanmanda bazaradan senda makaroshada sowataya un tarata kanman. (Jpn.)

Namah samanta-vajrânâm canda mahârosana sphotaya hûm trat hâm mâm (Skt.)

Homage to the all-pervading Vajras! O Violent One of great wrath! Destroy! hûm trat hâm mâm

Shingon.org

[primordialsoundmeditation]

DAILY ANGEL MESSAGE!

Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, say this prayer and then keep reading: “Thank you angels for revealing to me what I need to know!”

MESSAGE

You would never know what it was like to be fearless if you hadn’t encountered fear. This is a time when you are able to look fear in the eye and see it for what it is. Fear is just energy, and energy can be changed. This can be an intense experience, because the human self is conditioned to be scared by the prospect of fear, and so when fear appears, it can send us running, when in fact it’s an invitation to arrive. Your fears are appearing now because you’re on the verge of a miracle—you have a real opportunity to know yourself better than ever.

When you finally face your fears, they will no longer have power over you. When they have left you, though, there’s a good chance you may feel energetically drained or empty. This isn’t because something is missing, but because your fears have been taking up too much space. This is an opportunity for you to call love, miracles, and anything else you need into this space. You are learning to use your power and are being given the courage to embrace who you truly are. Freedom is within sight.

ABOUT

Vajrayogini is a Tantric deity acknowledged in both Buddhism and Hinduism, who represents the path to feminine Buddhahood. Vajra means “thunderbolt” and a yogini is a female achieving the state of yoga, which is the union of mind, body, and soul. Vajrayogini is a dakini, which is Sanskrit for “sky dancer,” a powerful supernatural being who is fearless and also at times wrathful in her mission to bring enlightenment to the Earth. She has actually been described as “semi‑wrathful,” because her presence is sharp and fearless.

From a spiritual perspective, Vajrayogini can help us move into a space of awareness and enlightenment. When she comes to you, she will lead you along the path to knowing yourself better, and since this is a less‑traveled path, there will be many encounters with your fears along the way.

DECK: Divine Masters Oracle

ARTIST: Jennifer Hawkyard

Thank you for sharing this card if it relates to you!

Kyle Gray

[anchanted-one]

Legend of Lightning Chapter 99. Convergence

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43208574/chapters/119542750

Vajra had not prepared himself for how close they were to the Emperor’s Throne Room. It had been years since their encounter, so his memory of that deadly aura had dimmed a little. No, it was more likely the difference in proximity.

He sighed, waiting impatiently for the rest of the teams to arrive. They were to contact him on the shielded frequency when they got here, but waiting for that moment in this environment was the opposite of ideal.

Jomar’s words echoed in his head. “You will Fall, and take others with you. I Saw it! You were standing in the sands of Korriban. Your eyes burned with hatred and power. You led the Empire’s armies to victory over the Republic.”

Also at the edge of his hearing was Scourge’s promise. “We will be allies soon.”

He could feel himself being drawn toward a precipice. He shook it off, focusing instead on thoughts of his loved ones, but the Darkness was always waiting.

It smiled at him. “I am inevitable,” it seemed to say. “I don’t even have to come to you… for you will come to me.”

Vajra gritted his teeth and started to recite the final edict of Rudra. “I will not lose my soul. I will not lose my soul. I will not…”

It was a dangerous battle. Every so often, the void would call him to the edge, but every single time, firm hands guided him back to his safe zone. He was surprised to see how often the hands belonged, not to any Jedi, but to Mercy. Despite having only met her twice, he cared deeply for her, more than he’d believed.

[neg-im]

Of deities and immortals

Vajra as Great Old One of Chaos

I've been thinking about how godhood and immortality works in the SE universe (and how can I use the lack of stablished rules to my evil motives).

Today I want to talk to you about the Great Old Ones an my headcanons about them.

So, based in the manga and the anime, the Eight Shinigami Legions are the same thing as the Great Old Ones. They were chosen as Lord Death companions for a reason, they were incredibly powerful and, somehow, almost everyone ended up being a being closer to a eldritch deity than a human.

Except the ones who Asura ate of course.

So

G. O. O. of Order: Shinigami

Fear: Asura

Power: the octopus

Wrath/Rage: Excalibur

Knowledge: Eibon

Also, there isn't a lot of clarity about Vajra being only Asura's partner or if he was an oficial member of the eight, but I consider him as one since I think that he should have been an already powerful and skilled weapon to be Asura's weapon, plus he probably was from the very first weapons ever so I think he might have ended as a Great Old One too if it wasn't for Asura eating him.

And to me Vajra could have embodied the Chaos. Let me explain.

Since we don't have a lot about Vajra, we're gonna stick with my interpretation of him, which is based in my own HC and all the info I have absorbed from friends and Tumblr users who have their own versions of Vajra.

The Great Old Ones are inherently tied to madness, showing us that madness itself isn't inherently wrong, but the specific kind of madness and the way people choose to use it is what makes it dangerous.

In the case of the madness of fear (Asura), it enhanced the primal responses "fight or fly" (sorry if I'm using that wrong but i hope you'll get the point), making people a risk to themselves and to others.

People have a natural inclination to certain types of madness, but if there's a specific wavelength acting over them, that natural inclination can change or be mixed, like Stein

Even if we don't get a canon answer of what kind of madness he primarily had (putting aside that "madness" can be an allegory for mental illness and/or neurodivergency), I think that his madness at the start of the story was more atune to Madness of knowledge (Eibon), but the influence of Asura and Medusa's snakes made him switch to a combination of that and the madness of fear. We can see how his "disect this, vivisec that" behavior was strongly inclined to a "let's do it for science" attitude, but after Asura's resurrection it was more tinted with the violent impulses of harming someone, which Stein himself reconogized as something unusual and way out of his control.

So, coming back to Vajra.

The behavior that Asura shows himself is of pure fear. He's terrorized of being near another being and never initiated combat. It was always defending himself or his crazy (unwanted) followers trying to provoke Shibusen. Yeah, he's like "I'm gonna destroy your order, Shinigami-sama" and all that but he doesn't really try to attack anyone directly, the boy is a fucking coward (affectionate).

And ok, I've said that madness can cause different reactions, but I don't think that every one of his followers shared the same unicellular brain, with the same response to fear so... How resulted in everyone being so chaotic and violent under Asura's influence?

Well... Because Asura's wavelength isn't entirely his.

Asura has 2 souls inside him. His own soul and the remaining of Vajra's.

When Asura ate him, he was probably still alive.

I have the headcanon that some weapons can live longer if they're in their weapon form, and if they get injured in human form they can turn into weapons until they can get medical care or the injury heals (but this require a lot of practice and a somewhat strong soul).

Vajra probably survived for a long time inside Asura that way, and when Lord Death sealed them in Asura's skin he was slowly losing his humanity and the ability to turn back to his human form and even the ability to communicate to Asura through their soul resonance, but their souls were still connected in some way, so, the Madness that emanated from Asura was both, Fear and Chaos.

[bacchettemagichemb]

Wood magic wand HRB and ovangkol wood, with brass elements (commission) by Marco Bianchini

The Wrath of Indra, inspired from the vajra wand HL pc-mod

BacchettemagicheMB.etsy.com

[talonabraxas]

Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva Talon Abraxas

Kshitigarbha or Kṣitigarbha. One of the Four Inner Offering Bodhisattvas.

Kshitigarbha or red lotus is from the vajra family and embodies the richness and fertility of the land and the the natural purity of visual or eye consciousness. He may exhibit the earth touching (Bhumisparsha) mudra (Hand gesture), Kshitigarbha is often white in color (sometimes yellow), often seen on the right side of Vajrasattva. Holding a seedling or Kalpa tree, and a bell, Kshitigarbha is associated with the south and has a wrathful deity of Aparājita. Lasya is the consort of Kshitigarbha.

Kṣitigarbha is often depicted as a Buddhist monk, the king of the great vow, is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are emptied.

In the Chinese Mahayana tradition, he is known as Di Zang Wang Pu Sa (地藏王菩薩), Earth-Store bodhisattva or Earth Treasure Bodhisattva, in Japan, he is known as Jizo, relied upon by those who have lost their children, born or unborn, his name in Tibetan, Sa yi nying po (ས་ཡི་སྙིང་པོ) which translates as “Essence of Earth.”

Om, pun-lah-moh lin-toh-lin, so-ha. (Sanskrit: Om, prama nidani svaha.) Om, ha ha ha, wei sam-mo-deh, so-ha. (Sanskrit: Om, ha ha ha vismaye svaha.)

[santoschristos]

Lord Indra, God of Rain, Hindu God of a Thousand Eyes. “The thunderbolts of the showerer roared aloud when Indra, friend of man, sought to slay the enemy of mankind. Drinking the Soma, he (Indra) baffled the devices of the guileful Dānava.” “Indra, hero, keep up the strength wherewith thou hast crushed Vritra, the spider-like son of Dānu, and let open the light to the Ārya. The Dasyu has been set aside on thy left hand.” “All the moving tribes of men bow down before the wrath of Indra, as all the rivers bend toward the sea. He strikes off the head of the earthshaking Vritra, with his rain-causing, hundred spiked vajra” (thunderbolt). “Indra is the devourer of Vritra, overthrower of Bāla, the destroyer of cities, and the shedder of water.”

[mahayanapilgrim]

GURU DORJE DROLO - AN EMANATION OF GURU RINPOCHE

On the 10th day of the month of Tiger, Guru Padmasambhava conjured his wrathful form at Paro Taktshang in Bhutan and subdued all the local deities and treasure guardians. He then made them the protectors of the Terma teachings or hidden treasures concealed in both central and remote places on the Himalayas, and entrusted them with secret oral instructions, to be given in the future to Tertons or treasure discoverers at suitable times. He became known as Guru Dorje Drollo or VajraKrodha. The Guru of Adamantine Wrath.

Om Ahh Hung Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hung