Sacred Vajrayogini Dance from Nepal

[Big Uncle]

I just found this beautiful video of the sacred Vajrayogini dance from Nepal. I love the simple accompanying a bell in staccato and the mystical chanting. Vajrayogini is a Higher Tantric practiced that descended to us from Naropa and was heavily promoted by Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche for her suitability for our time, much in the same ways as he had promoted Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden is to clear our outer obstacles and Vajrayogini to clear our inner obstacles to enlightenment. Isn't that lovely? By the way, Lama Tsongkhapa also practice Vajrayogini and it is believed that Vajrayogini adviced Lama Tsongkhapa to have his Pandit's hat in yellow to signify growth.

Charya Nritya - Dance Mandal, Nepal: Vajrayogini	Small | Large

[jessicajameson]

@Big Uncle Thanks for sharing this video... the dancer is great, she showed the different forms of Vajrayogini, including the Naro Kacho, the form that's most appropriate for our time today.

It was Pabongka Rinpoche, who had direct visions of Vajrayogini, who highly recommended the Vajrayogini practice for beings of this age. In this age, desires are strong and distractions are more. A lot of high lamas comment that Vajrayogini is most suited for today's lazy individuals.

It is even said that HHDL's junior tutor, Trijang Rinpoche, is an emanation of Vajrayogini.

The lineage is still there, Vajrayogini's practice is not yet lost. We should seize all opportunities to receive it!

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso teaches Vajrayogini's practice. Check this video out

Ven' Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Talking about the Sadhana Quick Path to Great Bliss and Je Phabhongkapa.	Small | Large

Video description: "In 2007 When Geshe Kelsang Gyatso gave Heruka and Vajrayogini empowerments in Singapore, he spoke about the great kindness of Je Phabongkhapa in preparing the Quickpath Sadhana for us, and the special qualities of this Sadhana."

[Q]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful video with us. I found this description of Vajrayogini and thought I'd share it with everyone.


I am the diamond maiden, the player of games
The yogini is one of my forms
Showing that I am beyond earthly attachment
I am the shining revelation to the ascetic
The women in silk and roses
I am the harlot in black net and leather,
who gives enjoyable punishment
I am the glass bead master,
creating universes of form
And a spark of me is in each bead,
for I dwell in karma.

I am the Trauma Goddess,
the Lady of Pain
In return for devotion
I pull thorns from the heart
In return for obedience
I untie the knots in the belly and the head
I hold the vajra,
which gives and receives
I reshape family karma.

The Trauma Goddess is called for people in painful situations
Where anger and hatred block the path of the soul
I evaluate the benefits of revenge
And give better suggestions for spiritual growth.

I am not suited to polite society
To social striving, upward mobility, and making good impressions
I am radically honest, sensitive, brilliant, and blunt
I hold up a mirror to the best and worst facets of human life.

The Lady of Trauma is the mirror of pain
I reflect the disastrous ways that human beings interact
Then the reflections are stretched and distorted
With irony, and humor, and sadness
Loosening their grip on the heart
So that the person who seeks freedom
Can get a taste of being free.

My devotees pray:


Lady of Trauma, Lady of Pain
Ascetic and bhairavi and sannyasini and mistress
Pull me from the disaster I have made of my life
Save me from the evil machinations of others.
This is their prayer and I hear it in their hearts
As they chant my mantra.
Savior, Lady, Mother Goddess, bodhisattva,
Love me as I love you
I am desperate and bound
Free me by your grace.
I will give freedom,
but not without realization
Those who have been bound, bind others
Those who have suffered, cause suffering
I let them know how they have been affected
But also how they have affected others.

I do not wear bones because of death
I wear them because they represent what is beneath the surface
The blood that I drink is the evil karma of those that I save
And the karma is then halted and does not pass to others
I appear wrathful as I take on anger, hatred, fury, and the desire to destroy
Which are destroyed within me.

I am a dancer upon the pain of all mankind
I destroy the dark and corrupt
My compassionate side is hidden
But for those whom I love
Who have taken on my dark grace
I open a path of shining light
With pain and sorrow left behind.

[Ganden_follower]

Thanks for sharing this. It's wonderful to see that Vajrayogini is still very popular in Nepal as that is where the lineage from Naropa passed into via the Pamtingpa brothers, if I am not mistaken. It would be really fantastic to see the practice spread more and more! Someday I hope to receive these teachings too   

[beggar]

This is fascinating. Thanks for the share Big Uncle. I'm always intrigued by how well preserved the old and sacred traditions are upheld in countries like Nepal, who maintain a strong reverence for their deities and faith. It's quite sad to think that this has become slowly eroded over the centuries in the west, and religion is viewed more with skepticism than faith now.

Still, there are new faiths emerging and people are developing new ways of worship to relate to their spiritual paths. I think that while there is always a place for the traditions of old (there must be tremendous significance in them, to have endured this long), it is also important to look beyond the outwards manifestation of these practices and consider also the meaning behind them. In the case of dance, I would understand that it is not just the dance itself (although certain ritualistic dances and gestures do have their specific meanings that correlate to the prayers and meditations) but also the act of offering behind them.

There will always be music, dance, the arts, writing and literature - and all these require effort and passion. Instead of directing these efforts to a mere inflation of our own egos, attachments and pleasures, we can choose to direct them instead to our faith, so that we are doing them in relations to something higher instead of our mere egos! So dance can also be read in this way - a devotion to a certain art and an expression of our reverence and faith in the deities. The act of dancing remains the same, but the intention behind it changes so that it doesn't just become an entertaining act of collecting karma but a virtuous one with focus, to collect merit.

And so, the dance itself (or art, or writing etc) can assume other forms and expression that are not necessarily traditional. I've been thrilled to see new expressions of these in recent videos on the website, of a new generation of people expressing a devotion for Dorje Shugden in their own unique and contemporary ways. I daresay, this might have even more of an appeal than the traditional dances (this is not meant with any disrespect whatsoever!) simply because it draws on a modern aesthetic and interest. People who wouldn't ordinarily be looking for a deity-related dance will then still get the blessings of Dorje Shugden by looking at modern artforms like this.

Check it out and perhaps be inspired to get our your own leotard to dance, paintbrush to paint or quill to write.
DANCING FOR DORJE SHUGDEN:
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/dancing-for-dorje-shugden/

[Big Uncle]

Thank you for the replies and establishing the importance of the Vajrayogini Tantra and practice. If we are practitioners of Dorje Shugden, we should be looking towards receiving and practicing Vajrayogini via our lineage of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. Fortunately for all of us including myself, I found a very good explanation on Vajrayogini in YouTube. It is the most comprehensive explanation on Vajrayogini that I have ever seen without divulging too much Tantric secrets. Here's this video:-

Vajrayogini: Bodhisattva of Feminine Wisdom	Small | Large

[Positive Change]

Thank you Big Uncle for sharing this video. The chanting and music is so hauntingly beautiful and the dance is full of life. How meritorious it is if all Dharma centers would be able to learn up this ancient dance and perform it for all to see.

Vajrayogini is a tantric deity of the highest class of tantra, and is a very popular practice within Tibetan Buddhism. I think people who are devotees to this practice or have a karmic affinity to it will appreciate this video. It’s a Vajrayogini sacred dance that was filmed in Nepal.


This is supposedly called the Akash yogini pose

[RedLantern]

 A magnificent dance of Enlightenment as everything on her body to the moves she makes has meaning.Her hair is down to show she has no restraint,her body is red to show control,when she moves her hand to her mouth, she's drinking blood from the skull cap.
I love this dance as it's very graceful and very inspiring with beauty and style too.
Vajrayogini is inarguably the supreme diety of the Tantric Buddhist pantheon,an even her divine consort,Heruka,doesn't  come close to approaching Vajrayogini"s metaphysical and iconograrhic importance.

[Jessie Fong]

Thank you for posting this video on the Vajrayogini dance. I would love to watch this in person. Hope to be able to make a trip to Nepal to witness this.


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From : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayogini

Vajray?na Buddhism teaches that the two stages of the practice of Vajrayogin? (generation stage and completion stage) were originally taught by Buddha Vajradh?ra. He manifested in the form of Heruka to expound the Root Tantra of Chakrasa?vara, and it was in this tantra that he explained the practice of Vajrayogin?. All the many lineages of instructions on Vajrayogin? can be traced back to this original revelation.

Of these lineages, there are three that are most commonly practiced:
the Narokhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayogin? to N?ropa;
the Maitrikhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayogin? to Maitripa;
and the Indrakhachö lineage, which was transmitted from Vajrayogin? to Indrabodhi

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http://vajrayogini.com/imagery/vajrayogini-and-her-forms.html
http://vajrayogini.com/imagery/vajrayogini-and-her-forms.html#Vajrayogini (Tib: rdo rje rnal ’byor ma) is the principal female deity of the Chakrasamvara Cycle of Tantras. There are many forms of Vajrayogini; most come with a different name. Some names are descriptive, others refer to the lineage or principal Indian mahasiddha associated with a particular Yogini practice, like Maitri or Indra Khachod.

The most common forms found are Naropa's dakini (Naro Khachod; Tib: na ro mkha’ spyod), Vajravarahi (with the pig face at the side; lit. "Vajra Sow"; Tib: rdo rje phag mo) who is identical in looks to Indra Khachod, and Maitri Khachod (in mid-air with both legs up). Vajrayogini in Naropa's form is a representation of complete buddhahood in female form.

[bambi]

Thank you for sharing BU! The dance was interesting as it is my first time. I was in Nepal quite some time back and I had the good fortune to visit Phaping, Patan and Sangku's Vajra Yogini chapels. It was surreal! I didnt believe I have the chance to visit and make offerings to such a Holy Being. I have heard that Her practice is not easy to receive yet I believe that by making aspirational prayers (http://www.khandro.net/dakini_queen.htm and http://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=2395) and offerings to Her image will create a cause for it. May not be in this life but in lives to come!