Item: Mandala of Vajrayogini (Buddhist Deity) - Vajravarahi

Vajravarahi Five Deity Mandala, (Tibetan: dor je pag mo lha nga kyil khor). This painting is dated to the early 16th century because of the presence of seven images of Karmapa wearing the characteristic black hat. The 7th Karmapa Chodrag Gyatso lived between 1454-1506. The composition can be dated to circa 1500 or even a little earlier. The iconographic program of the painting is a depiction of the Five Mandalas of Five Deities - a special daily practice of the 1st Karmapa.

Videos:
- Vajravarahi HAR 94 (Part 1)
- Vajravarahi HAR 94 (Part 2)

Five Mandalas of Five Deities:
- Five Deity Vajravarahi Mandala
- Five Deity Chakrasamvara Mandala
- Five Deity Hevajra Mandala
- Five Deity Shvana Hayagriva Mandala
- Five Deity Green Tara Mandala

Sanskrit: Vajravarahi Tibetan: Dor je pag mo

In the center of two crossed triangles bordered with a white edge stands Vajravarahi, red in colour, with one face and two hands. The right hand holds aloft a curved knife and the left a skullcup to the heart. In the bend of the left elbow a katvanga staff is held against the left shoulder. Adorned with bone ornaments and a necklace of heads she stands in a dancing posture on a corpse seat. On the four lotus petals stand the four yoginis; above is red Khandaroha, to the right green Lama, below dark blue Dakini, and to the left is yellow Rupini. All have the same hand objects, ornaments and posture as the central figure. Situated on a black background, the central figures are surrounded by three successive rings of skulls, gold vajras and the five coloured flames of the fires of pristine awareness.

Directly above are four seated buddhas beneath rainbow arches. Above those are two rows of various mahasiddhas and lamas of the Karma Kagyu tradition interspersed with black hat Karmapas and red hat Shamarpas. The circle at the upper left is the Chakrasamvara 5 Deity Mandala. To the right Hevajra 5 Deity Mandala. Again to the lower right, Green Tara 5 Deity and on the left, Shvana Hayagriva 5 Deity Mandala.

Along the left side and below the mandala are two sets of six goddesses of various colours and along the right side are a further six goddesses with animal faces. At the bottom, from the right is Mahakala wearing a long tunic, Panjarnata Mahakala, Shri Devi, For-handed Chaturbhuja Mahakala, Black Robed Mahakala (Tib.: ber nag chen), Mahakali Remati, yellow Jambhala, Vaishravana, Black Jambhala and Dam Chen Garwa'i Nagpo riding a goat.

This form of Vajravarahi is one of the most special practices of the Kagyu Tradition and arises from the Chakrasamvara cycle of tantras belonging to the wisdom class of Anuttarayoga Tantra.

Lineage: Vajradhara, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa (1012-1097), Milarepa (1040-1123), Dwagpo Sonam Rinchen, Lord Dusum Khyenpa (1110-1193), Rechen, Pom Dragpa, Karma Pakshi (1206-1283), etc.

Jeff Watt 7-1998 [updated 6-2022]

In the center of the composition are two crossed triangles, red in color, appearing as a six-pointed star. In fact, what is depicted here are two tetrahedrons, four-sided pyramids, merged together with the two points facing down. Mandalas are architectural plans and all architectural forms need a foundation. The foundation for all mandalas is a tetrahedron and for most of those it is a single tetrahedron. The Yoginis are most often depicted above a double tetrahedron (Sanskrit: dharmodayo, dharmakara) but not in all cases.

At the center of the tetrahedron on a four-petalled lotus is Vajravarahi, red in color, with one face and two hands. Her right hand holds aloft a curved knife and the left a skull-cup to the heart. In the bend of the left elbow a katvanga staff is held against her left shoulder. Adorned with bone ornaments and a necklace of heads she stands in a dancing posture on a corpse seat. Surrounding her, on the four lotus petals, stand four figures. Above is red Padma Dakini, to the right is green Karma Dakini, below is dark blue Vajra Dakini, and to the left is yellow Ratna Dakini. All have the same hand objects, ornaments, and posture as the central figure. Situated on a black background, the central figures are surrounded by three successive rings of skulls, gold vajras, and the five colored flames of the fires of pristine awareness.

Directly above are four seated buddhas beneath rainbow arches. Above them are two rows of various mahasiddhas and teachers of the Karma Kagyu tradition interspersed with black hat Karmapas and red hat Shamarpas.

The circle at the upper left is the Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini Five Deity Mandala, with the two central figures blue and red in colour. The circle at the upper right is the Hevajra and Nairatmya Five Deity mandala, with the two central figures blue in colour.

The circle to the lower right is a Green Tara Five Deity Mandala with the accompanying retinue figures of Marichi, Maha Mayuri, Janguli, and Ekajati. This configuration of deities is found in the Ocean of Methods of Accomplishment (Sadhansagara, folio 34). Another form of the Five Deity Green Tara with the figures of Pratisara, Marichi, Varahi and Ekajati is found in the Rinjung Gyatsa of Taranata.

The circle to the lower left is the Shvana Hayagriva with four attendants. He has three faces and four arms drawing a bow with the first pair of hands. The second pair hold a vajra scepter and lotus blossom. Shvana Hayagriva originates with the Jowo Atisha tradition.

Counting the central Vajravarahi mandala there are in total five sets of five deity mandalas believed to be included in the daily practices of Dusum Khyenpa Chokyi Dragpa, the 1st Karmapa (1110-1193).

Along the left side and below the mandala are two sets of six goddesses of various colors and along the right side are a further six goddesses with animal faces. At the bottom, from the right is Black Hayagriva, wearing a long tunic, Panjarnata Mahakala, Shri Devi, Four-handed Chaturbhuja Mahakala, Black-robed Mahakala, Shri Devi Remati, Yellow Jambhala, Vaishravana, Black Jambhala, and Damchen Garwa Nagpo, riding a goat.

Blue Section 'A':
A. Vajrayogini Mandala
A1. Six Dakini
A2. Six Animal-headed Dakini
A3. Six Dakini

Red Section, Four Mandalas:
B. Chakrasamvara Heruka Mandala
C. Hevajra Heruka Mandala
D. Hayagriva Mandala
E. Green Tara Mandala

Green Section, Lineage Teachers:
- Vajradhara
- Tilopa
- Naropa
- Marpa
- Milarepa
- Gampopa
- Dusum Kyenpa, 1st Karmapa
- Drogon Sanggye Rechen
- Pomdragpa Sonam Dorje
- Karma Pakshi, 2nd Karmapa
- Teacher
- Teacher
- Rangjung Dorje, 3rd Karmapa
- Teacher
- Rolpa'i Dorje, 4th Karmapa
- Teacher
- Deshin Shegpa, 5th Karmapa
- Tongwa Donden, 6th Karmapa
- Teacher
- Chodag Gyatso, 7th Karmapa
- Teacher
- Teacher

Purple Section 'G' Eight Mahasiddhas:
- Indrabhuti
- Dombi Heruka
- Nagarjuna
- Ghantapa
- Virupa
- Luipa (?)
- Kukkuripa
- Saraha

Yellow Section 'H':
- Dipamkara Buddha (?)
- Shakyamuni Buddha
- Maitreya Buddha (?)
- Amitabha Buddha

Brown Section 'I':
- Black Hayagriva
- Panjarnata Mahakala
- Shri Devi, Dudsolma
- Chaturbhuja Mahakala
- Bernagchen Mahakala
- Shri Devi Remati (Naropa Tradition)
- Yellow Jambhala
- Vaishravana Riding a Lion
- Black Jambhala
- Damchen Garwa Nagpo

Jeff Watt 10-2008 [updated 6-2022]

Thematic Sets
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini Mandalas
Collection of Rubin Museum (Interesting Mandalas)
Mandalas: Kagyu
Buddhist Deity: Vajravarahi Mandalas
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Mandala
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini (Miscellaneous Masterworks)
Subject: Svastika - Bliss Whorl Confusion
Subject: Protector Deities, Tibetan (Prior to 17th Century)
Subject: Tetrahedron (dharmakara/dharmadayo) Main Page
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini, Varahi (Sow Head on the Right Side of the Face)
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini, Varahi (Mandala Masterworks)
Bibliography: Mandala
Mandala: Masterworks Page
Mandala: Shape, Form & Composition
Subject: Shapes Page
Mandala: Mandala Main Page
Tradition: Kagyu Deity Paintings
Subject: Reading A Painting Main Page
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini, Vajravarahi Religious Context
Kagyu: Mandala Masterworks
Subject: Five Mandalas of Five Deities (Dusum Khyenpa)
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Painting Gallery 2
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini, Vajravarahi Main Page
Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini Main Page
Painting Style: Tibet (Balri)
Buddhist Deity: Deities (Female)
Mandalas: Female Deities