About Vajrayogini

A representation of complete Buddhahood in female form, Vajrayogini embodies the qualities of the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times. Her tantra is the most supreme among all the Highest Yoga Tantras. As our lives today are ruled by extreme lust, greed, anger and hatred, she uses these very forces to attract us and then transforms them into liberating energies.

Vajrayogini is particularly suitable for the people of our time because her practice helps to purify and transform desire, which is the current and most pervasive energy within samsara. In fact, she manifested specifically to pacify our self-created inner obstacles that are provoked by the outer environment we live in. Therefore, her blessings are very potent and powerful for this day and age.

Vajrayogini’s form represents the Three Principal Aspects of the Path (Renunciation, Bodhicitta and Emptiness) which are crucial for success in Buddhist practice, especially Tantric practice.

Her face looks in our direction out of great concern for us, and her three eyes indicate her ability to see the past, present and future. Her blissful yet wrathful expression indicates that she is free from suffering, but is unhappy to witness our sufferings and the results of our negative karma.

Her body is at the prime of youth and beauty. The red colour of her skin represents the energy of control, and her form is naked to subdue and transform minds that are filled with lust and desire. She wears a crown of five skulls representing the Five Dhyani Buddhas and is adorned with a garland of 50 dried skulls and other bone ornaments.

She raises a skullcup filled with blood in her left hand, representing great bliss, impermanence and emptiness. Her right hand holds a curved knife with wrathful mudra, showing that her practice can destroy the direct causes of our samsara — ignorance, hatred and desire. The khatvanga (tantric ritual staff) on her left shoulder represents her consort Heruka.

Her left leg is bent, stepping on the head and heart of the worldly deity Bhairava, representing the elimination of hatred and ignorance, while her right leg is straight, stepping on the breasts of Kalarati, representing the destruction of desire and its associated negative karmas.

Further Reading

• Getting closer to Vajrayogini
• How Lama Tsongkhapa transforms to Vajrayogini
• Bodhgaya & Vajrayogini
• Starting on Vajra Yogini NOW! by Tsem Rinpoche

• Material: Copper, silver plated
• Height: 230 mm (9-in)
• Width: 175 mm (6.9-in)
• Depth: 70 mm (2.8-in)
• Weight: 1.5 kg (3.2 lb)