Vajra

The Vajra (Sanskrit: वज्र, lit. 'Thunderbolt', IAST: Vajra) is a legendary and ritualistic tool, symbolizing the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). In Hinduism, it has also been associated with weapons.^[1]^[2]

The use of the bell and vajra as symbolic and ritual tools is found in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The vajra is a round, symmetrical metal scepter with two ribbed spherical heads. The ribs may meet in a ball-shaped top, or they may be separate and end in sharp points. The vajra is considered inseparable from the bell, and both are sold in dharma stores only in matching sets. The bell is also metal with a ribbed spherical head. The bell also depicts the face of Dhatvisvari, a female buddha and the consort of Akshobhya.^[3]

The vajra has also been associated as the weapon of Indra, the Vedic king of the devas and heaven. It is used symbolically by the dharmic traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, often to represent firmness of spirit and spiritual power.

According to Hinduism, the vajra is considered one of the most powerful weapons in the universe.^[4]

^ Rysdyk, Evelyn C. (2019-02-19). The Nepalese Shamanic Path: Practices for Negotiating the Spirit World. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-62055-795-2.
^ "Vajra". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
^ Dodrupchen Rinpoche, "On the Symbolism of the Vajra and Bell", 2003. Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2022.
^ Ritual Implements in Tibetan Buddhism: A Symbolic Appraisal

[1] Rysdyk, Evelyn C. (2019-02-19). The Nepalese Shamanic Path: Practices for Negotiating the Spirit World. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-62055-795-2.

[about-2] "Vajra". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-10-21.

[3] Dodrupchen Rinpoche, "On the Symbolism of the Vajra and Bell", 2003. Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2022.

[ritual-4] Ritual Implements in Tibetan Buddhism: A Symbolic Appraisal

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