Information AboutVajrapani |
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(from (the manifestation of all the Buddhas' wisdom), Avalokitesvara (the manifestation of all the Buddhas' compassion) and Vajrapani (the manifestation of all the Buddhas' power). NAMES In Sanskrit, Vajrapani is known as '''' and, in : ''Kim cương thủ bồ tát'') 和夷羅洹閱叉 (Mandarin Chinese: ''Héyíluóhuányuèchā''; Japanese: ''Wairaoneisa''; Korean: 화이라원열차 ''Hwairawonyeolcha''; Vietnamese: ''Hoà di la hoàn duyệt xoa''), or 跋闍羅波膩 (Mandarin Chinese: ''Báshéluóbōnì''; Japanese: ''Bajarahaji''; Korean: 발사라파니 ''Balsarapani''; Vietnamese: ''Bạt xà la ba nị'').From the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism DOCTRINE .]] On the popular level, Vajrapani, Holder of the Thunderbolt Scepter (symbolizing the power of compassion), is the Bodhisattva who represents the power of all the Buddhas, just as Avalokitesvara represents their great compassion, Manjusri their wisdom, and Tara their miraculous deeds. For the yogi, Vajrapani is a means of accomplishing fierce determination and symbolizes unrelenting effectiveness in the conquest of negativity. His taut posture is the active warrior pose (pratayalidha), based on an archer's stance but resembling the ''en garde'' position in Western fencing. His outstretched right hand brandishes a Vajra and his left hand deftly holds a lasso - with which he binds demons. He wears a skull crown with his hair standing on end. His expression is wrathful and he has a third eye. Around his neck is a serpent necklace and his loin cloth is made up of the skin of a tiger, whose head can be seen on his right knee. ICONOGRAPHY depiction of Vajrapani (right) as the protector of the Buddha , 2nd Century CE Gandhara , British Museum .]] The first representations of Vajrapani in India associated him with the Hindu God Indra . As Buddhism expanded in Central Asia, and fused with Hellenistic influences into Greco-Buddhism , the Greek hero Hercules was adopted to represent Vajrapani. He was then typically depicted as a hairy, muscular athlete, wielding a short "diamond" club."''The origin of the image of Vajrapani should be explained. This deity is the protector and guide of the Buddha Sakyamuni. His image was modelled after that of Hercules. (...) The Gandharan Vajrapani was transformed in Central Asia and China and afterwards transmitted to Japan, where it exerted stylistic influences on the wrestler-like statues of the Guardian Deities (Nio).''" (Katsumi Tanabe, "Alexander the Great, East-West cultural contacts from Greece to Japan", p23) Mahayana Buddhism then further spread to China , Korea and Japan from the 6th Century . In Japan, Vajrapani is known as '' Shukongōshin '' (執金剛神, "Diamond rod-wielding God"), and has been the inspiration for the '' Niō '' (仁王, lit. Benevolent kings), the wrath-filled and muscular guardian god of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples under the appearance of frightening wrestler-like statues. SEE ALSO NOTES REFERENCES
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