Rare Buddha: Vajraraksha
Out of their immense kindness and compassion for sentient beings, the enlightened beings or Buddhas manifest various forms. These varying forms help sentient beings in different ways. Though all Buddhas can lead beings to complete enlightenment, each form of a Buddha has a unique benefit and function. A well-known example would be Chenrezig, who is known to help practitioners develop compassion. Manjushri on the other hand helps practitioners develop wisdom. Both are fully enlightened beings and can lead practitioners to enlightenment, but the main benefit of their practice differs. Therefore, Buddhas manifest in countless forms to aid beings on their spiritual path in different ways.
One rare Buddha is the deity Vajraraksha whose name means “Adamantine Protection”. He manifested in a one of a kind form and is distinguishable from other Buddhas due to his unique iconography. Vajraraksha is also a very efficacious Buddha and can definitely aid you on your own spiritual path. You can read more about this fascinating deity below.
Vajraraksha. Click image for high resolution download. Click here for more free downloadable deity pictures.
Vajraraksha is seated in vajrasana [full meditation pose] in a soft pink aureole filled with fine gold lines with the effect of radiating light. The bodhisattva Vajraraksha floats above an idealised landscape of blue and green that draws focus to the many colours adorning the body of this peaceful deity. With blue hair, a white face, red arms and torso, and blue legs, Vajraraksha’s complexion matches the lotus that supports him. Amitayus floats in the sky above, holding a long-life vase, flanked by dakinis making offerings to the bodhisattvas. Lotus flowers holding a perfume-filled conch, a mirror, and a pair of cymbals sit between White Tara and Green Tara who, similarly, sit upon lotuses floating above the landscape.
A retinue figure from the Vajradhatu Mandala, Vajraraksha cannot be mistaken for any other as he is the one and only figure who holds a shirt of armour. The bodhisattva appears here in the appearance described within the pantheon of three hundred deities composed by the principal Tibetan Buddhist teacher of the Qing court, Changkya Rolpai Dorje (1717-1786). Vajraraksha sits next to Amoghasiddhi in the northern portion of the palace of the Vajradhatu Mandala.
Source: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-thangka-of-vajraraksha-china-chengde-xumi-6158323-details.aspx
Vajraraksha according to the Vajradhatu Vairochana Mandala. Click to enlarge.
Vajraraksha is a Buddhist deity that appears in the mandala of other deities including:
- Vajradhatu Vairocana (in which he appears in the form mentioned above)
- Dharmadhatu Vagisvara Manjughosha
- Sarvavid Vairochana (the great Dulzin Drakpa Gyeltsen was a master of this tantric system)
- Various Japanese tantric mandalas
In the Sarvavid Vairochana Mandala, Vajraraksha appears yellow in colour and carries an armour talisman in his hands which are at the level of his heart. Alternatively, he holds armour at his heart. If holding the armour he is in the mudra of “tying the ribbons to secure the armour of great mercy”.
Vajraraksha according to the Sarvavid Vairochana Mandala. Click to enlarge.
“He embodies compassion and the perfection of exertion (Karuna and Virya-Paramita or Joyous Effort) to protect the sadhaka [practitioner] from indolence [laziness]. He protects beings from inaction by covering them with the armour and helmet of compassion. When he protects (raksa, ‘protector’) beings he wears the helmet of compassion and guards them against their enemies, the passions.”
According to the Sarvavid Vairocana practice, his mantra is:
OM VAJRARAKSA RAM
Source: Dictionary of Buddhist Iconography by Lokesh Chandra
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Click to enlarge
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The laziness in our mind is the number one enemy that stops us from putting our more effort to further progress in our spiritual practice as well as our secular activities.This article giving us the remedy to reduce and eradicate our laziness through the learning and the practice of Buddha Vajraraksha.
This rare Buddha is one of the many Buddha who manifest in countless forms to aid beings in different ways. Hope more lazy people get to read about this practice. Very blessed indeed to have this practice for many people.
Thank you, Rinpoche for sharing this special rare Buddha with us. Enlightened beings are very compassionate to have manifested in various forms for various purposes for us to get blessings. This Buddha is manifested specifically for us to curb with our own laziness.
According to Rinpoche, laziness comes in various forms and not just the superficial laziness that we can easily identify. There are some form of laziness is much more ingrained in us and it may manifest into some other behaviours.
I am glad that I’ve got to learn about this rare buddha Vajraraksha. I had never heard of this buddha before.
I have not heard and read of this Rare Buddha: Vajraraksha. Something new to me and reading this interesting article have definitely increase our knowledge. So this rare Buddha is one of the many Buddha who manifest in countless forms to aid beings in different ways. Vajraraksha personify compassion and protect us from laziness .
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thank you very Your Eminence for sharing this wonderful deity. May all practitioners’ laziness be removed and may all yearn for the Dharma.
Humbly yours
Lum Kok Luen
Very interesting and unusual Buddha Vajraraksha and practice to overcome laziness. Hope more lazy people get to read about this practice. Very blessed indeed to have this practice for many people. Thank you Rinpoche and writers to share this article and practice ????
Very interesting and unusual deity and practice to overcome laziness. Hope more lazy people get to read about this practice. Very blessed indeed to have this practice for many people. Thank you Rinpoche and writers to share this article and practice ????
This is the first time reading and hearing about Buddha Vajraraksha. Thank you Rinpoche for introducing this practise and I find it fascinating that the practise help us to curb laziness. All Buddha and Bodhisattvas are so kind to manifest in so many forms to help us with our various delusions.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for this sharing. The rare Buddha Vajraraksha is uncommon, given that He is a retinue figure from the Vajradhatu Mandala, the Diamond Realm. I am completely mesmerized by the appearance of Vajraraksha as described within the pantheon of three hundred deities composed by Changkya Rolpai Dorje, the previous incarnation of Pabongkha Rinpoche.
There’s method to overcome laziness as well ?, never heard of it. We are usually lazy for Dharma but everything else we are so passionate, such as not forgetting to scroll FB everyday or maybe getting ourselves pampered during weekends. That’s a reality even for someone like me. Thank you Rinpoche for introducing Vajraraksha.
Since I came across this article, I’ve been chanting this mantra 21 times. Still trying my best to do little Dharma although laziness and procrastination do creep in from time to time. Thank you Rinpoche.
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Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Very use full mantra for everyone.
Thank you Rinpoche and Kechara Blog team for giving us the remedy to reduce and eradicate our laziness through the learning from this article and the practice of Buddha Vajraraksha. The laziness in our mind is the number one enemy that stops us from putting our more effort to further progress in our spiritual practice as well as our secular activities, as Right Effort is one of The Six Paramitas that every Buddhist should pursue and practise earnestly. Indeed, this is also my first time learning about Buddha Vajraraksha. The mantra ‘Om Vajraraksa Ram’ is short and easily can be remembered for recitations, especially for those students who do not have much motivation to excel in their studies.
Thank you with folded hands,
kin hoe
Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this post. A rare Buddha for all to know about. Definetly have not heard of Buddha Vajraraksha before. Very interesting he holds a shirt of armour and guards practioners against their enemies, the passions.