Vajrayogini - Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen's Yidam

[pgdharma]

Thank you, TK for sharing this with us. We are so fortunate to have the affinity to read and learn more on Vajrayogini in this degenerate age. Through her practice, may we ascend to her paradise.

[Vajraprotector]

Thank you Big Uncle, TK and everyone for sharing so much information about this great dakini-Buddha.

I've read about this Buddha and although the most popular proponent of this tantra in recent times is HH Pabongkha Rinpoche, the benefits and greatness of this Tantra has been proclaimed much earlier by the Sakyas. I'd like to share with you what I read:


The second important practice (note: first being Hevajra) is a practice cycle whose main home is the famed Sakya collection of the Thirteen Golden Dharmas. This is the very popular cycle of Naropa’s Khechari, or Naro Khachod as she is known in Tibet. If Hevajra is the pillar of the Sakya lineage, Vajrayogini is its heart.

*Lopon Sonam Tsemo told his brother, Jetsun Rinpoche, “Of all the instructions I possess, Vajrayogini is the most profound.” Thus, the unique Vajrayogini teachings of Naropa were preserved only in the Sakya school for hundreds of years and did not truly began to spread to other schools until the fifth Dalai Lama received them from Nesar Je.

The Vajrayogini teachings are Naropa’s unique transmission. He received them in a vision of Vakrayogini and passed them solely to his two main Nepalese disciples, the Phamting brothers, who made their home just below the Asura cave in Pharphing near Kathmandu, Nepal.  After one generation, these teachings, along with the Chakrasamvara-tantra, arrived in Tibet with Mal Lotsawa, a guru of Khon Konchog Gyalpo and Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. The Vajrayogini teachings center around a short sadhana and a set of profound completion-stage instructions, especially the instructions of “the meditation beyond thought.”

In general, the teachings have a common and an uncommon form, which differ primarily in details of the guru yoga and completion-stage practices. It has been said that more masters have realized Buddhahood in the Sakya lineage through the practice of Vajrayogini than through any other practice. Compared with the Hevajra system, Vajrayogini is extremely easy to practice and understand; for this reason, the Sakya tradition of Vajrayogini has become very popular all over Tibet, regardless of tradition.

From: Pg 252 & 253 of Treasures of the Sakya Lineage: Teachings from the Masters (Paths of Liberation Series) by Migmar Tseten with foreward from H.H. Sakya Trizin

*Lopön Sönam Tsemo (1142-1182) and Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216) were among the "Five Exalted Masters of Sakya" and were both instrumental in systematizing the various teachings of the Path and its Fruition cycle. 

[WisdomBeing]

I was listening to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving a Vajrayogini commentary here http://www.dharmasoundarchive.com/2011/01/vajrayoguini-comentary-kyabje-zong-rinpoche/ and I had posted the link on my facebook. Someone told me that if we do not have the initiation yet, we should not read or listen to the commentary. My question is - since it is in Tibetan and I do not understand it, is it okay for me to listen to it and hope that Kyabje Zong Rinpoche's golden voice can bless my mindstream?

If it's not okay, I won't listen to it anymore. Appreciate some advice.

[Helena]

I was listening to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving a Vajrayogini commentary here http://www.dharmasoundarchive.com/2011/01/vajrayoguini-comentary-kyabje-zong-rinpoche/ and I had posted the link on my facebook. Someone told me that if we do not have the initiation yet, we should not read or listen to the commentary. My question is - since it is in Tibetan and I do not understand it, is it okay for me to listen to it and hope that Kyabje Zong Rinpoche's golden voice can bless my mindstream?

If it's not okay, I won't listen to it anymore. Appreciate some advice.
[/quote

Is this really true? Can someone please confirm this? I just downloaded it from Kate's FB and started listening to it as well.

[Roberto]

*bump*

I'm also interested to know if its true. I had a friend who would play a cd of mantras on repeat 24/7 and he reckoned he would get the merits of the recitation playing continuously in his shrine. Not true right?

I would like to know this, so Naro Kacho Vajrayogini came from Pabongka to Trijang RInpoche then the world. So does that mean all the current Vajrayogini practitioners in the world were taught by Trijang Rinpoche?

Is Vajrayogini only specific to Gelugpas?

[Big Uncle]

Dear Roberto,

The Naro-Kacho lineage of Vajrayogini descends down and splits into two lineages. One is the Sakya and the other the Gelug lineage. However, other forms of Vajrayogini/Vajravarahi practices are found in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. So Vajrayogini is not specific to Gelug.

Therefore, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche is not the only lineage holder of Vajrayogini but is the main one within the Gelug tradition. He follows his Guru's tradition to place greater emphasis on Vajrayogini compared to the other Higher Tantras due to our time and karma.

[triesa]

I was listening to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving a Vajrayogini commentary here http://www.dharmasoundarchive.com/2011/01/vajrayoguini-comentary-kyabje-zong-rinpoche/ and I had posted the link on my facebook. Someone told me that if we do not have the initiation yet, we should not read or listen to the commentary. My question is - since it is in Tibetan and I do not understand it, is it okay for me to listen to it and hope that Kyabje Zong Rinpoche's golden voice can bless my mindstream?

If it's not okay, I won't listen to it anymore. Appreciate some advice.

WB, my stupid guess is that it is ok to listen to it. My rationale is that in the past, if one has not received the initiation or teachings of Vajrayogini, you are not even allowed to see her sacred statue. even high lamas would cover the statue with cloth or Khata and not let anyone see her. But nowadays, I have seen her image on the net, her statue in centers.

So my conclusion is that, at this degenerate times, even if we have not received her initiation, just by hearing the commentary(especially in your case, the commentary is in Tibetan which you don't have a clue , or seeing her holy image, is planting seed for us to eventually receive her initiation.

I have received as a gift a vajrayogini statue from one of my best friends, I have not received any initiation but on a daily basis, I offer black tea, incense and offerings  to her and hope one day and in this very life time, I will have the great fortune and merits to finally receive her sacred teachings and accend to her paradise to continue her practise. That is my wish.........

I imagine how lucky we are to be able to see her holy image easily now.  Imagine if we are to receive an initiation of Yamataka tantra with 34 arms and 9 heads, for our monkey minds to visualize that in our meditation would be a great difficulty. Vajrayogini appears as a naked lady, one body, one head  and two arms makes it so easy for her practitioners to practise. That is why, for this degenerate age, her practice is so powerful and swift to bring us out of samsara.

[Zach]

A picture of Vajrayogini was sat in my room since I was 4, and now a statue stands there. I have not received her initation yet but if one has the great fortune to wake daily and be imprinted with the image of a Buddha then this is certainly benifical.
There is no form beyond reproach no practise beyond understanding. I suspect why previously people where not allowed to see such is because they may develop bad minds toward the object of apprehension. There is a danger of developing bad minds toward any Dharma practise we do not understand tantras more so. So always purify !

[WisdomBeing]

A picture of Vajrayogini was sat in my room since I was 4, and now a statue stands there. I have not received her initation yet but if one has the great fortune to wake daily and be imprinted with the image of a Buddha then this is certainly benifical.
There is no form beyond reproach no practise beyond understanding. I suspect why previously people where not allowed to see such is because they may develop bad minds toward the object of apprehension. There is a danger of developing bad minds toward any Dharma practise we do not understand tantras more so. So always purify !

Gosh Zach - how fortunate are you to have been blessed by Vajrayogini since the age of 4! Are your parents Buddhists? Do you still have the same statue? Perhaps you could take a photo and share her holy image with us!

I do know and respect the fact that non-initiates are not allowed to have access to the higher tantras, but yes i do believe that Vajrayogini's image would plant positive imprints which would only be beneficial.

[dsiluvu]

Thank you for this post Big Uncle... it is incredible to know that Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen's yidam was also Vajrayogini... this tells me how incredible her practice must be!

She is amazingly swift in helping you achieve what you need i must admit. I mean before I met the dharma, I thought Vajrayogini was a strange Buddhist deity. My friend had her altar and I never dare commented, but in my mind I did thought she looked pretty scary and evil. But I never said anything negative and my friend asked me one time to help change the offerings because he was not free and like a good friend would, I did it but was very nervouse doing it.

The year after that I met with dharma. Now I believe that it was me making the simple, unintentional offerings to her probably brought me the good merits to meet my lama and the dharma.

So yes if you say we should hide the image to protect people's mind, then yes but on the other hand if you trust the people around us or coming to visit, then I wld say it is ok as it will plant seeds and create the causes for them to meet with dharma, and perhaps connect with her, why not?

Now the only 2 things I care and focus on a lot is Vajrayogini and Dorje Shugden. Hope to one day be able to receive her precious practice. Thanks again for everyone's sharing!

[beggar]

*bump*

I'm also interested to know if its true. I had a friend who would play a cd of mantras on repeat 24/7 and he reckoned he would get the merits of the recitation playing continuously in his shrine. Not true right?

I would like to know this, so Naro Kacho Vajrayogini came from Pabongka to Trijang RInpoche then the world. So does that mean all the current Vajrayogini practitioners in the world were taught by Trijang Rinpoche?

Is Vajrayogini only specific to Gelugpas?

I'm also interested to know if its true. I had a friend who would play a cd of mantras on repeat 24/7 and he reckoned he would get the merits of the recitation playing continuously in his shrine. Not true right?

I know this is not true. If this was the case, then we could just put on a CD and let it play 1 million times, and consider that we done a retreat of 1 million mantras! This isn't possible. Or......... the CD players becomes enlightened!!

For us to gain the merit would require that we put effort into the practice itself. So we would need to be the ones reciting the mantra (recite aloud, audible enough to be heard by ourselves), to receive the benefits.

although I say this, at the same time, there is nothing harmful about playing a CD of mantras 24/7. perhaps if there are smaller beings like animals, insects etc or other people in the area, they may receive some positive karmic imprint from just hearing holy words, that can open up at a later time.

At the same time, if you are offering it in your shrine room or near your altar, you can also visualise this music as a sound offering to the Buddhas. In this case, because it is an offering (also, you make the effort to get the CD, set it up on a player, use your hard-earned money to buy what you need and pay the electricity needed to play the CD 24/7) then you can and will also gain merit this way way.

[dsiluvu]

It is amazing to know and see some people's views can be so twisted, they have such weird views non DS practitioners and I really don't know where they learn from...

They would actually say that Vajra Yogini will not approve of Dorje Shugden practice!!! OH MY BUDDHA... I did not know Buddhas became sectarian, judgmental and follows the verses of "those who sin shall not enter the kingdom of God"!

This must be an amazing high practitioner that incarnated so many lifetimes that has seen Vajra Yogini, had tea with her and came back to tell us all how unhappy Vajra Yogini is with Dorje Shugden and those who practice him... wow the sky is truly the limit!