Vajrasattva
VAJRASATTVA (Tibetan, Rdo rje sems dpa' [Dorjé Sempa]; Chinese, Jingang sadou; Japanese, Kongōsatta), the "Adamantine Being," is a bodhisattva affiliated primarily with the Buddha Akṣobhya (Unshakeable) but in many contexts is identified conceptually with Vajradhara (Vajra Holder). Vajrasattva is traditionally depicted iconographically as white in color with one face and two hands. In his right hand he holds close to his heart a vajra (thunderbolt), representing the active means toward enlightenment, and in his left hand beside his left hip an upturned bell (ghaṇṭā), a symbol of emptiness (śūnyata) and the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā). Lavishly attired in the colorful garments of a princely bodhisattva, he sits with legs crossed in the vajra posture (vajrāsana) on a moon disk above a white lotus blossom. In some cases he is shown sitting with his right leg outstretched, and in others he is standing. He wears a crown often inscribed with an image of Akṣobhya. From his richly adorned body, rays of light (often dark blue) radiate outward to form a golden halo adorned with wish-fulfilling jewels and an outer rainbow. In this way he represents the embodied essence of all the peaceful buddhas.
Iconic images of Vajrasattava are found in statuary form and more frequently in paintings, especially of the maṇḍala.
This page contains 201 words.
Vajrasattva article
Read the rest of this article.
This article contains 1,622 words
(approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page).
Order our Vajra Article
