Vajrapani mantra
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Om Vajrapani Hum
Vajrapani doesn’t, to many newcomers to Buddhism, look very Buddhist at all. He is a Bodhisattva who represents the energy of the enlightened mind, and his mantra also symbolizes that quality.
Vajrapani is pictured dancing wildly within a halo of flames, which represent transformation.
He holds a vajra (thunderbolt) in his right hand, which emphasizes the power to cut through the darkness of delusion. Vajrapani looks wrathful, but as a representation of the enlightened mind, he’s completely free from hatred.
Vajrapani’s mantra is simply his name, which means "wielder of the thunderbolt", framed between the mystical syllables Om and Hūm. This mantra helps us to gain access to the irrepressible energy that Vajrapani symbolizes. A familiarity with Vajrapani does, of course, help here, although the sound of the mantra is itself rather energetic.
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Pronunciation notes:
- a is pronounced as u in cut
- ā is like a in father
- j is hard, like j in judge
- uu is long, like oo in book
- m in hum is pronounced ng, as in long
The Bodhisattva Vajrapāni (alternative spelling: Vajrapani)
Vajrapani is a member, along with Avalokiteshvara and Manjushri, of the trinity of Bodhisattvas known as the Three Family Protectors. The Buddha family of which Vajrapani is the protector is the Vajra (thunderbolt) family, which includes Akshobya (the lord of the Vajra family) and Yamantaka.
Vajrapani (Holder of the Thunderbolt) represents the energy of the enlightened mind, and energy that breaks through delusion. He dances wildly within a halo of flames, which represent the transformative power of Awakening. He holds a vajra (thunderbolt) in his right hand, which emphasizes the power to cut through the darkness of delusion.
Non-Buddhists (and Theravadin Buddhists) seeing Vajrapani for the first time may wonder how such a wrathful-looking figure could possibly fit with the peaceful associations they have with the Buddhist tradition, although such figures are actually very common in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
Of course it’s not really possible adequately to represent the qualities of Enlightenment in any image, and so even the peaceful forms of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are to some extent misleading.
Enlightened beings do not, in reality, sit around all day on lotuses smiling serenely. The Buddha himself was fearlessly active in engaging with the other religious figures and philosophers of his day. His fearless approach to life is perhaps characterized mostly clearly by his encounter with Angulimala, who was an infamous bandit who killed his victims and added a finger from each to the garland he wore around his neck (his name means "Garland of Fingers"). Although warned to stay away from this dangerous figure, the Buddha insisted on going into the forest to confront Angulimala, who converted to Buddhism, became a monk, and eventually became Enlightened.
Therefore, it’s just as appropriate to represent an Enlightened being as dancing wildly, naked and fearless.
Another way of looking at the apparent fierceness of Vajrapani and other "wrathful" figures is to consider what a Buddha looks like from the point of view of that part of ourselves that doesn’t want to change. We may, at some level, want to meditate, to live ethically, and so on, but other parts of us are profoundly threatened by the possibility of change.
Our habits can form a kind of "sub-personality" that can try to hijack our lives. After all, habits of denial, craving, and aversion face extinction if we continue to practice the path of mindfulness and compassion, so it’s not surprising that they sometimes put up a protest. From the point of view of those powerful and yet primitive parts of ourselves, Enlightenment, rather than looking attractive, seems to be threatening and demonic.
Because of this dual nature, Vajrapani has his peaceful forms as well, and early depictions of him, while muscular and athletic, are nothing like the wild figure depicted above.
Vajrapani’s origins
Vajrapani has his origins in the Pali canon, as a Yaksha, or nature spirit. In this story, in the Digha Nikaya, a Brahmin (priestly) youth named Ambattha, is first of all rude to the Buddha, believing him to be of a lower social caste, and then refuses to answer a question the Buddha — who is unfailingly polite in the encounter — puts to him about his ancestry.
After Ambattha refuses to answer the question twice, the Buddha reminds him that there is a traditional belief that if you refuse to answer the question of an enlightened one three times, your head will split in seven pieces. Of course this never happens, but "Vajirapani" (the Pali form of his name) appears, ready to make good on the ancient prophecy. Ambattha is of course terrified and promptly answers the Buddha’s question.
Vajrapani also has his mythic roots in Indra, the Indian thunder god. He’s thus connected to Zeus and Jupiter, who, along with Indra, are all variants of the same thunderbolt-wielding sky-deity. ("Dyaus" is Sanskrit for "sky," and Indra is also known as "Indra Dyaus." "Zeus" is the Greek form of Dyaus. Jupiter is "Dyaus-piter" or "sky father.")
The earliest depictions of Vajrapani, as we noted above, are not particularly wrathful. In this image, from the second century, both the Buddha (seated) and Vajrapani (standing) are sculpted in classic Greek style. Vajrapani here is shown as a powerful muscular figure protecting the Buddha, and his iconography is essentially that of Herakles (Hercules). The characteristics he shares with the later form are the vajra (thunderbolt), his powerful frame, and his semi-nakedness, which is typical of a Greek athlete.
In later forms, as Vajrapani becomes more other-worldly, he is shown as being dark blue in color. He perhaps borrows this color from Akshobhya, the head of the Vajra Family. But this is also the color of a thunder cloud.
He represents the power, energy, and fearlessness of the Buddhas. He stands in (or rather is caught in) the warrior pose that will be familiar to those who practice Hatha Yoga. In his outstretched right hand he wields a vajra, and his left hand holds a lasso with which to bind demons.
Vajrapani wears a loin-cloth around his hips. The cloth is made from the skin of a tiger. He is adorned with the five-pointed Bodhisattva crown, but the crown bears five skulls. He has necklace hanging to his belly, but he also has a snake around his neck. Snakes and dragons are associated with clouds and rain, fitting in with Vajrapani’s origins as a god of thunder.
Vajrapani has a bulging third eye in the center of his forehead. Just as Ambattha’s hairs stood on end when he encountered Vajirapani, so the bodhisattva’s hair flies wildly in the air.
Although Vajrapani and other similar figures are often described as "wrathful" it’s important to realize that they do not represent ordinary anger, but simply the power and fearlessness of the awakened mind. There is no place in Buddhist practice for "righteous anger," and despite his appearance Vajrapani is a profoundly compassionate figure.
Comments
Comment from caroze
Time: September 1, 2007, 6:04 am
Tashi Delek, I got a Divination-prayer for bettering my health, the Chagdor Nyenpa Vajrapani mantra “om badzar tsantra maha rokana hung phat”, can you tell me the exact meaning of that please? Thanks.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 1, 2007, 7:55 am
Hi Caroze. I’m afraid that one defeats me. It’s in Tibetanized (i.e. mangled) Sanskrit and I haven’t been able to figure out what it might have originally been. Om and Hung (Hum) are obvious, as is “Phat”, which means literally “crack!” (i.e. the sound of something cracking) but which I’ve seen translated as “away with evil.” “Maha” means great. The rest is beyond me. A true Sanskrit scholar or Tibetan teacher would have a better shot at figuring this out.
Comment from Jayarava
Time: September 28, 2007, 11:01 am
Well, it’s a wrathful mantra…
So Vajrapani in Tibetan is Chana Dorje… holder of the Vajra.
Badzar is, I think, Vajra – it is written benza in Tibetan which could conceivably be mangled as Badzar
tsantra is not a word in Sanskrit or Tibetan (as far as I can tell) so I think it’s a transliteration problem – the word will sound something like that, but be written in different ways. Sometimes Tibetans write ch as tsa (as in a ra pa tsa na). I think this is Chana – ie the other part of Vajrapani’s name.
Maharokana is probably maharoshana – great wrath. Which fits the wrathful form of Vajrapani
Hum as you say…
Phat is used to subdue demons, and is tacked on to wrathful mantras sometimes.
So I could be wrong but I think this is:
Om vajrapani maharosana hum phat
or with diacritics
o.m vajrapa.ni mahaaro.sana huu.m pha.t
Which is a variation on the more standard short vajrapani mantra
om Vajrapani hum.
Comment from K.
Time: February 19, 2008, 12:42 am
hello,
The meaning of a mantra is not important. A mantra is a protection for the mind. What is important is the faith in the mantra.
So it mean that the mantra will bettering your health!
Vajrapani help to dispel inner and external obstacles : sickness, delusions, negativities…
have a good practice !
k.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: February 19, 2008, 9:15 am
Hi K.
That’s certainly what people say, that the meaning of mantras (and also the pronunciation) isn’t as important as the faith we have in it. And in fact I think to some extent even faith in the mantra isn’t necessary because the mere act of repeating something “neutral” (i.e. a thought that doesn’t stir up ill will, craving, or delusion) gives the mind a break from negativity.
At the same time, people are often curious about what mantras mean, and I think that can be very healthy. Taking too much on faith can be problematic, and the intellect needs to be engaged in spiritual practice as well.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from joshua
Time: April 2, 2008, 8:58 am
Both faith in the mantra and it’s pronunciation are important. If you do not chant the mantra correctly, you will never get any results. Bijaskara is a sanskrit word which means seed syllable. The mantra is made up of these sounds which when recited have an effect upon our mind. Our speech is imbued with the vibration of the syllables which in turn reverberates through our body and also our heart. Mantra recitation is not a tantric practice nesscessarily in Buddhism, it is a mahayana practice as well. The only difference is that in tantra one has detailed explanations about it’s functionality. Because this is a wrathful form of Vajrapani, it is a tantric deity. There are no wrathful forms spoken of, directly atleast in mahayana.
So the pronunciation is auhm vahj rah pah knee
hum. OM VAJRAPANI HUM. Vajrapani is the embodiement of the Buddhas power, energy, ability or force if you will.
Namo Mahabodhisattva Vajrapani!
Joshua
Comment from Mbeleck
Time: April 28, 2008, 9:50 am
Hello!
Does the Blue Buddha has a name which can be invoked? I would like to practice this invokation.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: April 28, 2008, 12:14 pm
Hello again Mbeleck,
Do you mean the blue Buddha Akshobya? He does have a mantra, and in fact I plan to add a page about him and that mantra. The mantra is OM VAJRA AKSHOBYA HUM. Please let me know if that wasn’t what you meant.
Comment from Nic
Time: September 20, 2008, 7:44 am
Hi,
I was wondering if you had any links to picture’s of vajrapani’s mantra in sanskrit or tibetan calligraphy?
Thanks so much.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 21, 2008, 1:41 pm
Nic: Visible Mantra is the place to go for written mantras. Google is also a good place to start: http://images.google.com/images?q=vajrapani%20mantra
Comment from Steve
Time: November 7, 2008, 12:52 pm
Hi there
Love this site; enjoying exploring it.
Talking of energy- I would like to have more energy and need less sleep so I can do more in my busy life. If I was to use the Vajrapani Mantra as a means to increase my energy (a long with other measures such as practice in general and diet etc.) would this be an appropriate ‘use’ of the mantra and the figure? Is this a good approach to buddhist figures and the qualities they represent in general?
With Metta
Stephen
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: November 7, 2008, 11:26 pm
Hi Steve,
I used to use the Vajrapani mantra to get me out of bed to meditate in the morning, so my answer would be “go ahead”! It’s a good thing to channel more “virya” (energy) into our lives, as long as we’re doing relatively skillful things with that energy.
Comment from Brian
Time: November 28, 2008, 12:40 pm
Hi everyone, the website is great. I am an intitate in both the Nyingma (Khenpos Pladen Sherab and Tsewang Dongyal) and
Kagyu (Trungpa Rinpoche) Lineages. I’d like to add to the comments from Bodhipaksa to Steve; by all means chant the
Vajrapani mantra, however Bodhipaksa’s comment “As long as we are doing skillful things with that energy” is deeply important. It would
be advisable to practice Zhang Zhuang (standing Chi Gung) or practice the internal martial arts of Tai Chi, Ba Gua Chang, Hsing-I
Chuan, or Kum Nye or Hatha Yoga to open, cleanse, and stretch the meridians and channels in the body. For the mantric energy of
wrathful Buddhas/Bodhisattvas, the “inner wiring” of the body has to be prepared. We don’t want to open to 800 watts of power when
our wiring is only prepared to handle one hundred. Drink lots of water, the flames around Vajrapani, though cool to the
touch can still fry. Vajrapani is one of the dieties revered at the at the Shaolin Temple. The mantra is Great for weightlifting too.
Good Luck to all!
Tashi Delek!, May All Beings be Happy and free of suffering.
Brian
Comment from Steve
Time: November 29, 2008, 11:48 am
Thanks for those replies. I’ve done a bit of tai-Chi in the past so that’s useful advice.
Another question on mantras- is there something inherent in the sound of a mantra that summons up the qualities of that particular figure or does it depend on ones intention and associations in ones mind, having studied that particular figure, when chanting the mantra.
I imagine it is both of these things but would be interetsed to know peoples opinion.
Metta
Steve
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: December 4, 2008, 2:09 pm
Hi Steve,
There are different schools of thought on that question. My personal view is that it’s all to do with intention and associations, with preventing the mind from thinking unhelpful thoughts, and with developing a sense of devotion. I’m sure there are many Buddhists who would say it’s all to do with the sound, but since every single person produces a unique sound then I can’t see how that could be the case. We’ve also no guarantee whatsoever that we pronounce mantras the way they were said 1,000 years ago!
Comment from Jens
Time: February 28, 2009, 3:43 pm
The picture of the blue Vajrapani posted here, shows a Manifestation
of the “Lhalung Sangdag” Terma. According to the Lineageholder
of this practice, one needs to have the transmission of a qualified master, that means an initiation or lung, to produce the effect of the
mantra. Otherwise it doesn`t work, even if one knows how to pronounce it.
If one received the transmission of a mantra of a tantric deity ,like Vajrapani, in a correct way, then it is necessary to keep it secret !
If one shares it, for example here, one also cannot produce its function.
This is said by many serious masters, and it might be worth to consider
for visitors of this webside.
Best wishes, jens
Comment from Steve
Time: February 28, 2009, 4:55 pm
Hmm. Thanks Jens. That last posting brings up some interesting questions for me. I practice in the context of the FWBO, where we are encouarged to explore and do pujas to figures such as Vajrapani and chant their mantras, but are not given a Sadana- a meditation practice where we ‘meet’ this figure- by our teacher until we are ordained and considered ‘ready’ to do the practice; I think thats because Sadana is a insight practice, andso to do with spiritual death, which isn’t a healthy practice to do if not grounded enough in positive emotion and integrated enough. Where exploration of the figure ends and insight practice begins I’m not sure however (that’s my impression anyway; your thoufghts Bodhipaksa?)
From my own experience Jens I’m not sure I agree with your comments about the mantra ‘not working’ if you share it with someone, and like to think the qualities of these enlightened beings do not belong to anybody, and that if the attempt to worship and chant the mantras of the figures will ‘work’ if the practitioner is sincere.
At the same time I acknowledge needing to be respectful of the figures power and lineage, as well as only taking on practces under the guidance of someone more experienced.
If one were to share the transmission of the mantra here (is it possible to transmit these things over the website, what speed would the connection need to be?) how long does that bar one evoking the figures enlightened qualities?
With Metta
Steve
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: February 28, 2009, 9:25 pm
I think the problem here is seeing things from the perspective of one tradition only and not taking a wider historical view. Vajrapani crops up in the Pali canon, and he appears also in some early Mahayana texts which predate the arising of the Tantra and even of Tibetan Buddhism. His visualization and mantra are done in my tradition (FWBO) as a Mahayana, and not a Tantric, practice.
In Buddhism, by the way, it’s axiomatic that it our mental states that determine the effect of our actions, including the practices we do. If you’ve been told that something is a secret and you shouldn’t discuss it with people then I guess it’s generally the ethical thing to do to protect those secrets. But if the thing you’ve been told is a secret isn’t actually a secret then I don’t think it’s wise to blame people who happen to have access to that knowledge.
A skilled introduction to the deity being visualized can certainly take the practitioner deeper into the practice, but if mantras are recited mindfully even without a visualization (which is effectively what I’m passing on here) there will still be benefits.
Comment from Jens
Time: March 1, 2009, 12:30 pm
Hello, yes i should have thought about the fact that there are different
kinds of mantras. I am far from being an expert on this field, but of course there are mantras used more like invocations or prayers. There is
also a big difference of the use of mantras in the sutra vehicle and the
tantric vehicle. I didn`t know the context you are practising.
My idea was not to blame someone, but to share what i heard and read
from many tibetan masters of vajrayana-buddhism (not only one tradition). If one practises tantric buddhism, or plans to do one day, i think one should be aware of that. It doesn´t matter if a mantra is
widely known, like that of vajrapani, or tara, but for someone who is doing a yidam-practice, it is still crucial not to tell this mantra others
who don´t have the same transmission. This principle of tantric buddhism is something you can read or hear easily from someone
who has authority for you.
I am not native english-speaking, but i do my best.
Jens
Comment from mondo
Time: April 26, 2009, 12:20 pm
Great site. Great flow of follow-ups too. Almost feel like this is the place to learn Tibetan. Keep the insights coming. Very helpful. Doing the Manjushri Mantra now along with the White Lotus and Guru Rinpoche mantra and glad to see input about Om Ah Ra Pa Chana D’hii. Was circumambulating the 4 armed Manjushri at WenShu Pavillion in Chengdu and doing the mantra just like that when a ‘Master’ came up to me and said: Om Ahjah, Rahjah Pahjah Chanah DiiHii. Been doing it like that since. Have you ever heard of it said that way? I haven’t seen it that way anywhere else, but hey…it was one of those moments on the path.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: April 26, 2009, 7:55 pm
Hi Mondo,
I’ve never come across that pronunciation, but it’s a big world and there are lots of linguistic quirks bound to show up when Sanskrit syllables meet mouths trained to speak other languages.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Budi Iwantoro
Time: May 19, 2009, 11:50 pm
Yes, Vajrapani is one of compasion deity among Avalokitesvara, Manjusri and Tara, I have a very strong experience after chanting this mantra which teach by my Guru Jamyang Khentze Rinpoche. I have seen a temple of Vajrapani at Taipei so powerful and the energy is so strong, I will go back again one time, the temple is located near Beitou.
Actualy we can find a Vajrapani at Mendut temple, on the way to Borobudur Yogyakarta Indonesia.
I am one of the practiser of Vajrapani, and need more information about Him sharing with all Budhist friend
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