33 Facts About Vajrapani

Vajrapani is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power.

Vajrapani is called Chana Dorji and Chador and extensively represented in Buddhist iconography as one of the earliest three protective deities or bodhisattvas surrounding the Buddha.

Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha's virtues: Manjushri manifests all the Buddhas' wisdom, Avalokitesvara manifests all the Buddhas' immense compassion, and Vajrapani protects Buddha and manifests all the Buddhas' power as well as the power of all five tathagatas .

Vajrapani is one of the earliest Dharmapalas of Mahayana Buddhism and appears as a deity in the Pali Canon of the Theravada school.

Vajrapani is worshiped in the Shaolin Monastery, in Tibetan Buddhism and in Pure Land Buddhism .

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Manifestations of Vajrapani can be found in many Buddhist temples in China, Taiwan and Japan as Dharma protectors guarding monastery and temple gates.

Vajrapani is associated with Acala, where he is serenaded as the holder of the vajra.

Vajrapani is a compound word in Sanskrit in which 'Vajra' means "Diamond or Thunderbolt " and 'pani' means "in hand".

Vajrapani is sometimes referred to as a Dhyani-Bodhisattva, equivalent to Akshobhya, the second Dhyani Buddha.

Acharya-Vajrapani is Vajrapani's manifestation as Dharmapala, often seen sporting a third eye, ghanta and pasa .

Vajrapani is sometimes represented as a yidam with one head and four hands in a form known as Nilambara-Vajrapani, carrying a vajra, and treading on personage lying on snakes.

Acala-Vajrapani is depicted with four heads, four arms and four legs carrying a sword, a lasso and vajra, treading on demons.

In early Buddhist legends, Vajrapani is a minor deity who accompanied Gautama Buddha during his career as a wandering mendicant.

At the parinirvana of the Buddha, Vajrapani dropped his vajra in despair and rolled himself in the dust.

Vajrapani is seen as a manifestation of Vajradhara and the "spiritual reflex", the Dhyani Bodhisattva of Akshobhya.

Vajrapani is called the Master of Unfathomable Mysteries who upholds truth even in adversities of darkness and ignorance.

Such votive carved panels with Vajrapani are seen in the interior of the parikrama passage of cave 2, in which he is paired with other bodhisattvas like Avalokitesvara.

Vajrapani carries the *vajra*, a luminous weapon in his left hand, which rests on a scarf tied across his hip.

In Japan, Vajrapani is called Shukongoshin, the on'yomi reading of his Chinese name.

Vajrapani is associated with Acala; the mantra for Fudo-myoo references him as the powerful wielder of the vajra.

In Indonesia, Vajrapani is depicted as a part of triad with Vairocana and Padmapani.

Also, in niches are standing images of Vajrapani carved with four or two arms on each of the four faces of monoliths found in Western Cambodia.

In Nepal, Vajrapani is depicted holding a vajra supported on a lotus with its stem held in the right hand while the left hand is shown in a posture of "charity and argument".

Vajrapani's neck is adorned with a necklace of snakes, and with waist band made of tiger skin covered with skulls.

Vajrapani is followed by two bodhisattvas - "Sarvanivarana-Vishkambhin, Effacer of Stains, and Samantabhadra, the Entirely Virtuous One".

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Vajrapani's adornments consist of a tall crown and snakes coiling his arms and ankles.

In literature and art Vajrapani has a prominent place with his identification as a yaksha leading becoming a full scale bodhisattva.

Vajrapani quickly confirmed the truth and a lesson on caste ensues.

Vairocana then requests Vajrapani to generate his adamantine family in order to establish a mandala.

Vajrapani refuses because Mahesvara "is deluding beings with his deceitful religious doctrines and engaging in all kinds of violent criminal conduct".

Vajrapani was historically worshiped as the progenitor of their famous staff method by the monks themselves.

Vajrapani's name was thus changed from Narayana to "Kinnara King".

Vajrapani compares the worker's transformation in the stove with Sun's time in Laozi's crucible, their use of the staff, and the fact that Sun and his weapon can both grow to gigantic proportions.