"Himalayan Art Resources, Inc." must be the ultimate nerd channel on YouTube. Or maybe not, since Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism is presumably still popular among Western spiritual seekers. The short clip above deals with deities depicted with wings and mentions examples from both Vajrayana and Bön (Bon). Note the Garuda bird! Apparently a loan from Hinduism.
In case you´re interested.
A Christian YouTube channel tries to play the role of "voice of reason" vis-à-vis the ongoing UFO hysteria in the United States. But note the Biblicist dogmatism! Still, an interesting contribution.
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| The last laugh? Credit: Laurie Noble |
Why did Nigel Farage accuse the Russians of having hacked his mail? My guess is that he wants to signal that he isn´t pro-Russian. Meanwhile, a number of newly elected Reform Party councillors have been expelled due to...you know...racism. In other words: Reform is just a new version of the Tories. Which we knew already.
So presumably a future Reform government will continue importing guest workers to the UK (including from the EU!), while stripping both native-born and foreign workers of their rights. Like the Tories.
But sure, maybe Nigel can at least convince Woke quangos to stop being Woke. But since the UK was just as Woke under Boris Johnson as under Labour, I wouldn´t count on that either.
Well, at least he won´t conspire with Trump and Vance to sell out Ukraine. I hope.
Nja, det har han förstås inte, men han slår huvudet på spiken i den här krönikan om Lundsberg. Kanske inte helt oväntat...
My Himalayan kingdom for a horse! Or no?
Can you tell me about Hayagriva´s role in Vajrayana?
Hayagriva is one of the most important wrathful deities in Vajrayāna, especially in Tibetan Buddhism. His role is fascinating because he combines two themes that might seem opposite:
the boundless compassion of Avalokiteśvara
and
the fierce power needed to overcome obstacles, demons, disease, and negative forces.
In most Tibetan traditions, Hayagrīva is understood not as an independent god but as a wrathful manifestation of Avalokiteśvara.
The Sanskrit name Hayagrīva means:
"Horse-Necked" or "Horse-Headed."
He is usually depicted with one or more horse heads emerging from his hair.
"Buddhism is a completely nihilistic, world-denying religion". That´s where you´re wrong, kiddo.
Who belong to Ratnasambhava´s family?
The Ratna Family (Ratna-kula, "Jewel Family") is centered on:
Ratnasambhava
Among the Five Buddha Families, it is associated with:
If Amitābha's Lotus Family has a warm, devotional, heart-centered atmosphere, Ratnasambhava's family has a feeling of nobility, generosity, fertility, abundance, and sacred kingship.
His name means:
"Jewel-Born"
or
"Arisen from the Jewel."
His wisdom is called:
the Wisdom of Equality.
This wisdom sees all beings as equally possessing Buddha-nature.
The usual wisdom consort of Ratnasambhava is:
Mamaki
Her name means roughly:
"Mine-maker"
which sounds odd in English, but refers to the enlightened realization that all phenomena participate in the same sacred reality.
She is often depicted:
One of the most famous figures connected with the Ratna Family is:
Jambhala
especially Yellow Jambhala.
He is probably the closest Buddhist equivalent to a deity of prosperity and abundance.
His function is not merely giving money but:
Because wealth and jewels are central Ratna symbols, Jambhala is naturally linked to this family.
Another important Ratna-family figure is:
Vasudhara
particularly popular in:
She is a goddess of:
Many people notice similarities to:
Lakshmi.
Historically they are distinct figures, but the comparison is understandable.
Some mandalas include:
Ratnapani
whose name means:
"Jewel in Hand."
He functions somewhat like the Ratna-family counterpart to Avalokiteśvara in the Lotus Family.
In some East Asian esoteric systems:
Kshitigarbha
is linked with Ratnasambhava or the southern direction.
This is not universal but appears in some mandala traditions.
Some yellow forms of:
Tara
are connected with the Ratna Family.
Examples include:
The Ratna Family transforms:
pride, arrogance, superiority
into:
equality wisdom.
This is a beautiful paradox.
Ordinary pride says:
"I am greater than others."
Ratnasambhava's wisdom realizes:
"All beings possess the same ultimate dignity."
Each Buddha Family has its own "spiritual mood."
| Family | Atmosphere |
|---|---|
| Vairocana | Vastness, transcendence |
| Akṣobhya | Clarity, stability |
| Ratnasambhava | Generosity, abundance, dignity |
| Amitābha | Compassion, beauty, devotion |
| Amoghasiddhi | Activity, accomplishment |
Many practitioners experience the Ratna Family as especially:
Since you often explore Hindu-Buddhist parallels, the Ratna Family is perhaps the easiest to compare symbolically.
People frequently notice similarities to:
Again, these are analogies, not direct historical identities.
So the most commonly encountered members of Ratnasambhava's family are:
Of all the Buddha Families, the Ratna Family is probably the one most concerned with the spiritual transformation of wealth, generosity, fertility, and the recognition of the inherent worth of all beings.
Look who just moved in, to the cosmic neighborhood next door!
Who belongs to the Lotus Family?
The Lotus Family (Padma-kula) is one of the Five Buddha Families of Vajrayāna Buddhism. It is centered on:
Amitabha
and is associated with:
The exact membership varies by tantra and lineage, but several important figures are consistently connected with Amitābha's family.
Amitābha is the head of the Lotus Family.
He embodies:
discriminating wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇa-jñāna)
the ability to perceive the unique beauty and value of every being without grasping at them.
The most important bodhisattva of the Lotus Family is:
Avalokiteshvara
In many traditions he is regarded as emanating from Amitābha.
You can often identify this relationship because Amitābha appears as a small Buddha in Avalokiteśvara's crown.
This is one of the clearest signs of Lotus Family affiliation.
Many forms of:
Tara
are associated with the Lotus Family, particularly:
Green Tara is sometimes placed in the Karma Family (Amoghasiddhi's family), though classifications vary.
The same deity can appear in different family contexts depending on the tantra.
The principal wisdom consort of Amitābha is:
Pandaravasini
She is often regarded as the female embodiment of Lotus Family wisdom.
In some systems she occupies a role somewhat analogous to a Śakti.
In East Asian Pure Land Buddhism, Amitābha is often accompanied by:
forming the famous Pure Land triad.
Mahāsthāmaprāpta is usually considered part of Amitābha's retinue and therefore associated with the Lotus Family.
This is especially interesting.
Padmasambhava
("Lotus-Born Guru") is strongly associated with Amitābha.
Many Nyingma traditions teach:
as an emanational lineage.
Padmasambhava is therefore often viewed as belonging to the Lotus Family.
The wrathful deity:
Hayagriva
is commonly understood as a wrathful form of Avalokiteśvara.
Thus Hayagrīva is usually placed within the Lotus Family.
This is one reason Hayagrīva combines:
One of the most important female deities of the Lotus Family is:
Kurukulla
She is:
In tantric symbolism she transforms desire into enlightened activity.
She is often regarded as one of the quintessential Lotus Family goddesses.
As we discussed earlier:
Amitayus
is not really a separate Buddha Family member but Amitābha himself in a different form.
Therefore he naturally belongs to the Lotus Family.
The Lotus Family is often associated with:
| Theme | Lotus Family |
|---|---|
| Buddha | Amitābha |
| Direction | West |
| Color | Red |
| Symbol | Lotus |
| Element | Fire (in many systems) |
| Poison transformed | Attachment |
| Wisdom | Discriminating Wisdom |
| Emotion transformed | Desire into compassion |
| Principal Bodhisattva | Avalokiteśvara |
| Principal Wisdom Consort | Pandaravasini |
If one were looking for a rough symbolic analogue (not an identity), the Lotus Family often feels somewhat similar to traditions centered on:
because of its emphasis on:
That comparison is not historical doctrine, but many people familiar with both traditions notice a similar spiritual atmosphere.
So if you think of Amitābha's Lotus Family, the figures most commonly encountered are:
Amitābha, Amitāyus, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, Pandaravāsinī, Kurukullā, Hayagrīva, and (in many Nyingma contexts) Padmasambhava. These together form a rich constellation of compassion, beauty, devotion, and transformative love centered on the Western Buddha.
This may be a bit "esoteric" (as in obscure stuff), but it´s my blog, so here we go anyway!
What role do Amitabha and Amitayus play in Vajrayana?
In Vajrayāna Buddhism, Amitabha and Amitayus are usually understood as two aspects of the same enlightened reality, but they serve somewhat different ritual and symbolic functions.
A common formula is:
Amitābha = Infinite Light
Amitāyus = Infinite Life
In Sanskrit, the names are closely related:
In Vajrayāna, Amitābha is one of the:
Five Dhyani Buddhas
He presides over the:
He is the spiritual source of important figures such as:
In meditation, Amitābha represents:
Like Pure Land Buddhism, Vajrayāna places great importance on:
Sukhavati
Many Tibetan Buddhists aspire to rebirth there.
There are:
In Tibet, aspiration for rebirth in Sukhāvatī has often been regarded as entirely compatible with advanced tantric practice.
Amitāyus is usually depicted differently:
His primary functions are:
Amitāyus is one of the most important deities in Tibetan long-life rituals.
Practitioners may perform:
The goal is not merely living longer for worldly reasons.
Rather:
a longer life provides more opportunity for Dharma practice and realization.
Tibetan Buddhism often speaks of a triad of long-life deities:
These are frequently invoked together in longevity ceremonies.
In Vajrayāna theology, Amitābha is often regarded as a:
sambhogakāya Buddha
That means he appears in an archetypal, visionary, celestial form accessible to advanced bodhisattvas and meditators.
His Pure Land is therefore not merely a physical paradise but an enlightened realm of luminous appearance.
When Tibetan texts describe visions of Amitābha, they often mean encounters with this sambhogakāya manifestation.
In deity yoga, Amitābha may be visualized:
The purpose is not worship in the ordinary sense but:
identification with enlightened qualities.
One gradually realizes that the wisdom and compassion represented by Amitābha are not separate from one's own Buddha-nature.
Within Vajrayāna symbolism, Amitābha is associated with:
| Symbol | Correspondence |
|---|---|
| Direction | West |
| Color | Red |
| Element | Fire (in many systems) |
| Family | Lotus Family |
| Wisdom | Discriminating Awareness |
| Transformed Poison | Attachment/Desire |
| Pure Land | Sukhāvatī |
| Seed Syllable | Hrīḥ |
| Consort | Pandaravasini |
The simplest traditional explanation is:
Amitābha and Amitāyus are not two different Buddhas.
Rather:
They are two manifestations of the same Buddha.
Some texts even move between the names with little distinction.
For many Tibetan Buddhists:
Together they represent a beautiful pair of themes:
Infinite Light illuminating consciousness,
and Infinite Life sustaining the path to enlightenment.
Om Aim Hrīm Śrīm Klīm Sauḥ Jagatprasūtyai Namaḥ! Salutations to the Divine Mother who gives birth to the universe!
