Kalachakra (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Buddha Shakyamuni, King Suchandra, King Raudra Chakrin, Vajravega and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Kalachakra (Sanskrit) Alternative name: Dukyi Khorlo (Tibetan) Kalachakra means Wheel of Time or ‘time-cycles’ and is also a Tantric deity or yidam of Vajrayana Buddhism. The name also represents complex meditation practices contained within the Kalachakra...
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Six Ornaments and Two Crowns (Main figures) (Top to bottom): Dignaga, Vasubandhu, Aryadeva, Dharmakirti, Gunaprabha, Sakyaprabha, Dorje Shugden, Nagarjuna and Asanga. Deity: Nagarjuna (Sanskrit) Alternative name: Ludrub (Tibetan) Nagarjuna along with Asanga were two great pioneers of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Hence, they are known as the Two Crowns of the Buddhist sages and...
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Dukkar Se Sum (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Sengdongma, Dukkar, Prajnaparamita and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Dukkar (Tibetan) Alternative names: Sitatapatra (Sanskrit); White Parasol (English) The awe-inspiring Dukkar is an extremely efficacious female deity. According to scriptural sources, her all-powerful form emerged from the ushnisha or sacred crown protuberance of Buddha Shakyamuni, while he was...
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Dorje Dragden (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Guru Rinpoche, Lama Tsongkhapa, Dorje Dragden and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Dorje Dragden (Tibetan) Dorje Dragden is the main emanation and minister of Nechung Pehar Gyalpo, a worldly deity (unenlightened spirit) sworn to protect Buddhism. According to legend, Nechung was originally from Persia and was subjugated by Guru...
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Flying Vajrayogini (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Flying Vajrayogini, Cittipati and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Vidyadhari Vajra Yogini (Sanskrit) Alternative name: Flying Vajra Yogini (English) Vajra Yogini in mid-flight is known as Vidyadhari, which literally means ‘Knowledge Holder’. This name in the Nepali language is ‘Bidjeswori’. Hence, her main shrine in Nepal which is located...
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Maitreya and Manjushri (Main figures) (Top to bottom): Maitreya, Manjushri and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Maitreya (Sanskrit) Alternative names: Jampa (Tibetan); Ajita (Sanskrit) Maitreya’s name literally means ‘Great Love’ in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit. He is said to currently be a crowned bodhisattva residing in Tushita pure realm, awaiting his time to take...
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Seated Machig Labdron (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Buddha Shakyamuni, Padampa Sangye, Vajravarahi, Green Tara, Prajnaparamita, Machig Labdron, Chang Shon, Troma Nagmo and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Machig Labdron (Tibetan) Machig Labdron’s name means ‘Sole Mother from Lab’ and she is widely considered to be a dakini and an emanation of the Buddha Prajnaparamita or...
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Hayagriva Extremely Secret (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Hayagriva Extremely Secret and Dorje Shugden Deity: Hayagriva Extremely Secret (English) Alternative name: Tamdrin Yangsang (Tibetan) Tamdrin Yangsang, or Extremely Secret Hayagriva, is a tantric practice that originates from the Nyingma tradition. This special practice is both yidam and protector, and is famously said to be...
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Shantarakshita (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Shantarakshita and Dorje Shugden Deity: Shantarakshita (Sanskrit) Alternative name: Shiwa Tsho (Tibetan) Shantarakshita was a great Indian pandit from Nalanda Monastery. The King of Tibet at that time, Trisong Detsen, invited him to Tibet in order to establish the country’s first monastic community at Samye Monastery. However, local...
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Green Tara (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Green Tara and Dorje Shugden Deity: Arya Tara (Sanskrit) Alternative names: Green Tara (English); Shyama Tara (Sanskrit); Drolma (Tibetan); Droljang (Tibetan) Tara is known as Jetsun Drolma in Tibetan and she is a very important figure in Tibetan Buddhism. She is known as the ‘saviouress’ and is...
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His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama (Main figure) (Top to bottom): His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama and Dorje Shugden Deity: His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama Choekyi Gyaltsen (Tibetan) The Panchen Lama line of incarnations are believed to be emanations of Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light. In 1938, the 10th Panchen Lama...
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His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche (Main figure) (Top to bottom): His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche and Dorje Shugden Deity: His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche (English) His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche is most famously remembered for having served as the Junior Tutor to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, a testament to the scholarliness and high spiritual attainments of...
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Cittamani Tara (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Cittamani Tara and Dorje Shugden Deity: Cittamani Tara (Sanskrit) The Cittamani Tara practice was taught by Tara herself to Takpu Gargyi Chokyi Wangchuk, who was famed for having pure visions of Tara and regularly communicating with her. While the practice of most forms of Tara belong to...
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Three Dharma Kings (Main figures) (Top to bottom): Songtsen Gampo, Trisong Detsen, Tri Ralpachen and Dorje Shugden. Deity: King Songtsen Gampo (Tibetan) King Songtsen Gampo is considered to be the first of the Three Dharma Kings of Tibet. He founded the Tibetan Empire and was the first king to introduce Buddhism to the country....
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Zanabazar (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Zanabazar and Dorje Shugden Deity: Zanabazar (Mongolian) Alternative name: Losang Tenpei Gyeltsen (Tibetan) Zanabazar was born in 1635 and passed away in 1723. In 1939, at just four years old, he was unanimously elected as the spiritual leader of the Khalkha Mongols by a convocation of nobles. Later,...
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Yellow Dzambala (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Yellow Dzambala and Dorje Shugden Deity: Yellow Dzambala (English) Alternative name: Dzambala Serpo (Tibetan) According to tradition, Dzambala was Buddha Shakyamuni’s disciple and was a yaksha being. He protected the Buddha and on one occasion, he was badly injured. The Buddha healed him with nectar that issued...
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Vajrapani (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Vajrapani and Dorje Shugden Deity: Vajrapani (Sanskrit) Alternative name: Chagna Dorje (Tibetan) Known as Chagna Dorje in Tibetan, Vajrapani’s name literally means “Holder of the Vajra”. He is wrathful, appearing in the form of a yaksha being. With his right leg bent and left outstretched, he stands in...
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Four-Armed Chenrezig (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Four-Armed Chenrezig and Dorje Shugden Deity: Four-Armed Chenrezig (English) Alternative names: Chaturbhuja Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit); Chenrezig Chag Shipa (Tibetan) Chenrezig is a popular archetypal Bodhisattva in the Sutras, in which he strives towards complete enlightenment. Within the teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism, Chenrezig is said to be a Buddha...
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Ghantapa (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Mahasiddha Darikapa, Mahasiddha Ghantapa, Chenrezig and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Mahasiddha Darikapa (Sanskrit) Darikapa was once the King of Pataliputra and was known as Indrapala. One afternoon, the king chanced upon the Mahasiddha Luipa and had instant faith in the master. He offered all his riches to his newfound...
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Naropa (Main figure) (Top to bottom): Vajra Yogini, Naropa and Dorje Shugden. Deity: Mahasiddha Naropa (Sanskrit) Alternative name: Panchen Naropa (Tibetan) The Mahasiddha Naropa was, in his time, one of the highest Buddhist scholars in the land of India and was made one of the Gatekeepers of Nalanda Monastery, a prestigious position granted only...
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