Vajrayogini: The Divine Feminine Essence of Buddha in Countless Forms

Introduction: The Supreme Wisdom Goddess

In Vajrayāna Buddhism, Vajrayoginī represents the highest attainment of enlightenment together with tremendous power and personal transformation. As the ultimate representation of spiritual development, she teaches pupils to acquire total liberation. Practicing meditation with her Yidamic form leads practitioners directly to the goal of Buddhahood as a tantric deity.

Vajrayoginī originates from Khecara, the enlightened dākinīs' domain, where she presents different manifestations to support beings who follow their spiritual journeys. In Buddhist tantric history, three exclusive manifestations of Khecarī Vajrayoginī have had remarkable impacts on tantric traditions.

1. Khecarī of Indrabhuti (the oldest and most esoteric form)

2. The Khecarī of Nāropā manifests as a popular and semi-peaceful tradition of Vajrayoginī.

3. Khecarī of Maitrīpā (the sky-dancing wisdom bearer)

Three different manifestations of Vajrayoginī feature unique signs and systems of teaching along with individual practice traditions. We will study the deep historical value along with sacred symbolism and spiritual aspects that characterize these manifestations of Vajrayoginī.

The Sacred Origin of Vajrayoginī

Vajrayoginī represents both a religious divinity and the supreme wisdom that embraces emptiness. The religious concept presents Vajrayoginī as a dancing goddess with red skin who transforms passionate ardor into the flames that extinguish ignorance. Due to her both beautiful and terrifying form, she demonstrates the essential connection of bliss with emptiness, which represents the core realization of Tantra.

Her complete lack of garments in depictions represents her devoid wisdom state, which transcends worldly barriers. Vajrayoginī’s heads denote ego detachment, while her skull filled with blood symbolizes how desires transform into spiritual enlightenment.

Through her Khecarī forms, Vajrayoginī demonstrates how a person can transcend bodily boundaries to demonstrate the supreme mental liberation. Through the Khecarī concept, one can understand the power of sky movement, which lets individuals free themselves from earthly inequities so they can experience divine conscious awareness (Cidākāśa).

Khecarī of Indrabhuti: The Ancient Form of Vajrayoginī

Kalu Rinpoche venerated Indrabhuti Mahāsiddha because he brought Vajrayoginī practice to human beings and established a transformative tradition that continues to guide practitioners today. Under his rule as the leader of Śambhala in Oddiyāna, he combined his position as a political authority with his mastery of spirituality. His deep mystical encounters with divine forces are supposed to have guided him through his path to enlightenment.

Legend tells that the radiant Vajrayoginī Goddess herself appeared before Indrabhuti in a dazzling vision to grant him her mystical mantra and spiritual Sādhanā. Through his contact with the divine being, he developed a profound tantric association, which inspired him to teach these doctrines to help other living beings.

As the royal figure of his magnificent kingdom, Indrabhuti experienced an inner impulse that surpassed his regal position and regal splendor. He gives up the throne to commit himself completely to meditating and reaching spiritual enlightenment. His absolute commitment to practice and his continuous devotion led him to realize profound wisdom, which manifested as the core teachings of Vajrayoginī.

His transmission techniques were passed down through disciple succession, which created the prestigious Indrakhacho school based on Khecarī's heavenly nature as an endless soul of bhaienlightenment. The spiritual lineage, based on direct experiences with God, helps many people. This lineage also protects Vajrayoginī wisdom for future generations by passing it down from generation to generation.

Iconography of Khecarī in the Tradition of Indrabhuti

Khecarī, the celestial "sky-dancer," holds a significant place in the esoteric teachings of Mahāsiddha Indrabhuti, particularly within the Vajrayoginī tradition. Through the Indrakhacho lineage, she embodies both the highest yogic realization and unlimited movement together with the blissful dynamic aspect of wisdom. The visual representation of Khecarī shows both her spiritual meanings and her part as a guide to liberation.

The Khecarī Vajrayoginī of Indrabhuti’s lineage is depicted as a two-faced goddess:

• The central face of Khecarī: is depicted as human, signifying the embodiment of wisdom (Vidyā), which is the key to transcending ignorance and realizing the true nature of reality.The human figure teaches us enlightenment is possible in our human bodies through self-awareness along with discernment that leads to experiencing ultimate truth.

• The right face of Khecarī: shows a black hog as a strong emblem of ignorance (Avidyā) which stands as one of the fundamental kleshas that anchor beings to saṃsāra (the rebirth and death and birth sequence). 

Her right leg is raised, with her foot pressing upon a corpse's navel—representing the transcendence of death and the cycle of samsara. She holds:

• A Kaṛtrī (ritual knife) in her right hand (cutting through illusion)

• A skull cup filled with blood in her left hand (transformation of ignorance into wisdom)

She wears a garland of severed human heads and a crown of five skulls, symbolizing victory over the five poisons—desire, anger, ignorance, pride, and jealousy.

Mantra and Spiritual Power

The powerful mantra associated with her practice is

Oṃ Sarvabuddhadākinīye Oṃ Vajravarṇinīye Oṃ Vajravairocanīye Hūṃ Hūṃ Hūṃ Faṭ Faṭ Faṭ Svāhā

This prayer carries a crucial position in followers' spiritual activities as they believe it enables complete spiritual advancement. The practice of meditation enables people to gradually remove spiritual veils of illusion and ignorance to acquire higher states of consciousness. People who meditate regularly with the mantra allow it to purify their body, mind and soul which eventually reveals absolute truth.

Transmission Lineage

The Indrakhacho tradition follows this sacred lineage:

1. Vajradhara 

2. Vajrayoginī

3. Mahāsiddha Lva-va-pā

4. King Indrabhuti

5. Lakshmīṇkara

6. Brahmin Virupā

7. Mahāsiddha Śavarīpā

8. Lord Maitrīpā

 To the Śakya school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Khecarī of Nāropā: The Semi-Peaceful Vajrayoginī

Practitioners worldwide follow Vajrayoginī according to the Nāropā tradition since this form of Vajrayoginī holds semi-peaceful status. semi-peaceful. Nālandā University became the site where he pursued studies when she appeared to him as a Dākinī. Vajrayoginī manifested as a Dākinī to Nāropā while he studied at Nālandā University by showing him the way to discover his guru Tilopā. Tilopā. Tilopā transmitted to Nāropā the hidden practices of Mahāmudrā, which ultimately led him to his achieving siddhi. siddhi Within this tradition followers unite with the Yidam identity of Vajrayoginī. Nāropā’s tradition visualizes her like 

The visual appearance of this deity shows her with a red hibiscus skin tone while she wears white skull garlands along with a five-skull crown. (Paṇca-mudrā) is on her head. She maintains her right leg behind the body while resting across her breasts near red Kālarātrī. breasts of red Kālarātrī. Her left leg stretches forward and rests upon the black enemy Kālabhairava's head position. 

Kālabhairava. Nāropā shows her in a red body posture holding a Kaṛtrī with her right hand. The left hand of the deity raises upward to hold a blood-filled skull cup. skull cup full of blood. The depiction shows her drinking from the skull cup. The left arm supports the Khatvanga while it rests there. 

The mantra she recites consists of the following phrases: "Oṃ Vajravairocanīye huṃ huṃ faṭ svāhā". An additional set of mantras exists together with this one. 

This mantra has become the most commonly utilized among others. The Sādhana-mālā text describes her as Vajravārāhī (Sādhanā ). Devī achieves the highest prominence through her role as Vajrayoginī. Tradition says that the devotional practice of Vajrayogīnī goes back to Vajradharma and then to Mahasiddha Ghaⲇtāpā and on to other masters in the lineage. 

Ghaṇtāpā, Teṇgipā, Aṇtarāpa, Tilopā, then Nāropā and then to Mārpā, etc.

Iconography of Khecarī in the Tradition of Nāropā

Nāropā’s Vajrayoginī is depicted as:

• Red as hibiscus: Representing passionate wisdom, Khecarī embodies the dynamic fusion of intense energy and profound insight that leads to spiritual awakening. This concept signifies the transformation of worldly desires, emotions, and attachments into a higher, enlightened understanding.

• garland of white skulls: Khecarī wears an important symbol of white skulls within Nāropā's school because these skulls symbolize the knowledge acquired across numerous lifetimes. The skull adornments on the garland symbolize progressive stages of transformation for practitioners who discard ignorance alongside ego and world attachments before gaining acceptance of enlightened knowledge.(symbolizing wisdom from past lives)

A five-skull crown crowns her head as an essential feature of her tantric symbolism. Her crown shows how she has surpassed five essential sins that drive human suffering throughout existence (kleshas). (overcoming the five mental afflictions)

1. Ignorance: Dharmadhātu Wisdom (Realization of the vast, formless nature of reality)

2. Discriminating: Wisdom allows us to recognize voidness in distinctions while avoiding fixation on them.

3. Aversion:  Mirror-Like Wisdom (Reflecting reality without distortion)

4. Equality Wisdom:  functions as the fourth element because it shows understanding of the absolute equality that exists between all beings and their interconnected state.

5. Jealousy:  All-Accomplishing Wisdom (Acting spontaneously with enlightened skillfulness)

• Standing on Kālarātrī: a red figure: Kālarātrī, whose name translates to "Night of Death" or "Dark Night," is a fierce manifestation of the divine feminine. Her red color signifies passion, desire, and the transformative power of fire—elements that Khecarī has mastered and transcended. In some interpretations, Kālarātrī represents the consuming energy of time (Kāla), which ultimately dissolves all things. and Kālabhairava (a black deity)

• Drinking blood from a skull cup: Drinking blood from a skull cup, Khecarī powerfully symbolizes the transformation of ignorance and worldly attachment into supreme wisdom and spiritual realization. Her kapāla skull container contains fresh blood essence that symbolizes how dying reality transforms into enlightened nectar. Through ingesting this holy nectar she confirms her ability to control opposing forces of existence such as living and dying and holding onto physical attachments alongside releasing them and recognizing illusions versus truths. ( displaying her transformative power)

Mantra and Transmission Lineage

Her mantra is: Oṃ Vajravairocanīye huṃ huṃ faṭ svāhā

The lineage follows:

1. Vajradharma

 2. Vajrayoginī 

 3. Mahāsiddha Ghaṇtāpā 

 4. Teṇgipā 

5. Aṇtarāpa

6. Tilopā  

7. Nāropā 

8. Mārpā 

to the Kagyu tradition.

Khecarī of Maitrīpā: The Sky-Dancing Vidyādharī

Within the Maitrīpādā tradition, one finds Urdapādā Vajravārāhī, known as Vidyādharī, who remains wise. The image shows her with a reddish skin tone and complete nakedness and five-skull crown along with a skull garland. The standing Vajravārāhī either raises one leg murmur or both feet are positioned directly up.

Kālarātrī rests her right leg while her breasts lift her left leg in the air. She holds a Vajra in her right hand along with a skull cup in her left hand so she can consume blood from the vessel. The third right arm of her body bears a Khatvanga. The flying pose illustrates that she has departed from worldly constraints. The name Khecarī Vidyā refers to her while she moves through the upper sky.

The mantra dedicated to this deity consists of "Oṃ Sarvabuddhadākinīye Vajravarṇinīye huṃ huṃ faṭ faṭ Svāhā."

The Sādhana-mālā literature names her as the main goddess who resides at Oddiyāna Pītha.The Sadhana technique has been transmitted to Vajradhara, Vajrayogini, Mahasiddha Lva-va-pā, King Indrabhuti, Lakshmīṇkara, Brahmin Virupā, Mahasiddha Śavarīpā and Lord Maitrīpā and other enlightened ones. Influential Mahāsiddha Maitrīpā utilized Urdhapādā Vajravārāhī in her practice which is otherwise known as Vidyādharī (Wisdom-Holder).

Iconography of Khecarī in the Tradition of Maitrīpā

She is visualized as:

• Blood-red in complexion: Her blood-red complexion radiates an intense and fiery energy, symbolizing the transformative power of wisdom and the burning away of ignorance. This deep crimson hue represents both the passionate force of enlightenment and the dynamic energy of the Ḍākinī, embodying the very essence of Vajrayāna’s esoteric path naked, with a garland of skulls.

• Flying in the sky: Khecarī symbolizes complete liberation from all earthly bondage, transcending the limitations of physical existence and the constraints of mundane perception. Her ability to move freely through space represents the ultimate state of spiritual awakening—where the practitioner is no longer bound by attachments, suffering, or dualistic illusions and free from earthly bondage

• Holding a skull cup filled with blood: Holding a skull cup (kapāla) filled with blood, she drinks the divine nectar of wisdom and immortality, symbolizing the complete transformation of worldly delusions into enlightened awareness. The skull cup, often depicted brimming with the essence of life, represents the dissolution of the ego and the cycle of birth and death. 

• Holding a Vajra or Kaṛtrī:  Holding a Vajra or Kaṛtrī (curved knife) is a significant aspect of Khecarī’s iconography, symbolizing her immense power in cutting through the layers of illusion, ignorance, and dualistic perception that bind beings to the cycle of suffering (samsāra). 

Mantra and Transmission Lineage

Her mantra is: Oṃ Sarvabuddhadākinīye Vajravarṇinīye huṃ huṃ faṭ faṭ Svāhā

The lineage follows:

1. Vajradhara  

2. Vajrayoginī 

3. Lva-va-pā 

4. King Indrabhuti 

5. Lakshmīṇkara 

6. Brahmin Virupā 

7. Mahāsiddha Śavarīpā 

8. Lord Maitrīpā.

In the context of Nāropā’s teachings, Khecarī represents the state of Mahāmudrā, or the realization of the nature of mind beyond conceptual limitations. She embodies the transformation of passion into wisdom, leading practitioners to the direct experience of non-duality. Through her iconographic symbolism, Khecarī serves as both a meditational deity and a guiding force on the path to ultimate enlightenment.

Conclusion: The Path to Enlightenment

The path to enlightenment is a profound spiritual journey that requires unwavering dedication, wisdom, and compassion. It is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about direct experience and inner transformation. By following the guidance of realized masters and practicing with sincerity, one gradually dissolves the illusions of the ego and awakens to the true nature of reality.

Through meditation, ethical discipline, and devotion, practitioners purify their minds, allowing the radiant light of wisdom to shine forth. The journey often involves challenges and obstacles, but these are opportunities for growth, leading to deeper understanding and self-liberation. The presence of enlightened beings, such as Khecarī and Vajrayoginī, serves as a source of inspiration, helping aspirants navigate the complexities of the spiritual path.

Ultimately, enlightenment is the realization of one’s boundless nature, free from suffering and limitations. It is the merging of wisdom and compassion, leading to ultimate liberation for oneself and all beings.