October 3, 2015
Description
Vajra
A very basic customizable vajra.
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond. Additionally, it is a weapon which is used as a ritual object to symbolize both the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force).
The vajra is essentially a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shaped top, or they may be separate and end in sharp points with which to stab. The vajra is used symbolically by the dharma traditions of Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, often to represent firmness of spirit and spiritual power. The use of the vajra as a symbolic and ritual tool spread from India along with Indian religion and culture to other parts of Asia.
The five-pronged vajra (with four makara, plus a central prong) is the most commonly seen vajra. There is an elaborate system of correspondences between the five elements of the noumenal side of the vajra, and the phenomenal side. One important correspondence is between the five "poisons" with the five wisdoms. The five poisons are the mental states that obscure the original purity of a being's mind, while the five wisdoms are the five most important aspects of the enlightened mind. Each of the five wisdoms is also associated with a Buddha figure. (see also Five Wisdom Buddhas)
It is also known as Bajra/बज्र (Nepali), vajram (Tamil), bojro (Bengali), bajra (Malay), dorje (Tibetan), dorji (Dzongkha), wajra (Indonesian), jīngāng, 金刚 (Chinese), geumgangjeo (Korean), kongōsho (Japanese) and Очир ochir / Базар Bazar (Mongolian).
License:
Creative Commons - Attribution
Sifu
