Himalayan Art Resources

Buddhist Deity: Vajrasattva Iconography

Vajrasattva Main Page

Subjects, Topics & Types:
- Description (below)
- Common Depictions
--- Solitary Hero in bodhisattva posture, from the Yoga Tantras
--- Solitary Hero in vajra posture
--- With Consort, Anuttarayoga Tantra
--- Heruka, hands crossed at the heart
--- Yellow (Atisha Tradition)
--- Minling Dorsem (Mindrolling Tradition)
- Masterworks
- Others...

Videos:
- Vajrasattva Introduction
- Vajrapani & Vajrasattva Confusions

Study Topics in Iconography:
- Basic Iconography
- Confusions
- Complex Mandala Iconography

Confusions: Vajrapani (Peaceful) Bodhisattva, Vajradhara, Vajravidarana, Vairochana Buddha, Vairochana Heruka, Akshobhya. (See Subject: Confused Iconography (Akshobhya, Vajrasattva, Vajrapani).

Anuttarayoga Tantra:
- Shri Paramadya Samkshipta Kula Mandala (Yoga Tantra) [Toh 487]
--- Example: Vajrasattva Mandala (319 Deities)
--- Example: Vajrasattva Mandala (77 Deities)
- Buddhasamayoga Vajrasattva Multiple Deity Mandala [Toh 60]
- Vajrasattva Krodha Chakrasamvara 51 Deity Mandala [Toh 64].
- Vajrasattva 37 Deity Mandala (Samputa Tantra) [Toh 382]
- Others...

Vajravali, The Fourteen Mandalas of the Non-dual Tantra:
18. Vajrasattva Samvara, 17 Deity: Lama Dampa set #77204

The Twenty-one Yoga Tantra Mandalas:
- 45.Vajrasattva 17 Deity Mandala

Zurkha Gyatsa:
63. rdo rje sems dpa’ yab rkyang gi rjes gnang (solitary)
64. rdor sems yab yum gyi sgrub thabs dang rjes gnang (with consort)

Mandalas by Number of Deities:
- 17 Deity Vajrasattva Samvara, 17 Deity (Vajravali. Anuttarayoga)
- 17 Deity Vajrasattva (Mitra. Yoga Tantra)
- 37 Deitry Vajrasattva (Samputa Tantra)
- 51 Deity Vajrasattva Krodha Chakrasamvara (Abhidhana Tantra)
- 77 Deity Vajrasattva (Paramadya Tantra)
- 319 Deity Vajrasattva (Paramadya Tantra)
- Multiple Deity Buddhasamayoga Vajrasattva [Toh 64].
- Others...

Depictions of Vajrasattva in sculpture and painting are commonly confused with the similar deities Vairochana Buddha, Vajradhara, Vajrapani, Vajravidarana, the Five Symbolic Buddhas in Sambhogakaya form, White Chakrasamvara and others. In a number of Yoga Tantra examples the form of Vajrapani, in the Sarvadurgati Parishodhana Tantra system, appears exactly the same as the typical 'Solitary Hero' Vajrasattva. A sculpture of the primordial Buddha Vajradhara has the exact same physical iconographic appearance as Heruka Vajrasattva - also depicted with the two hands holding a vajra and bell crossed in embrace holding the consort. In paintings the Heruka Vajrasattva would be painted white while the Vajradhara form always appears blue in colour. In physical appearance Vajrasattva and Vajravidarana are only different because Vajrasattva holds a single vajra scepter while Vajravidarana holds a double vajra scepter. Vajravidarana can also appear in either a white, green or blue form.

Five Symbolic Buddhas: Vairochana Vajrasattva, Amitabha Vajrasattva, Akshobhya Vajrasattva, Ratnasambhava Vajrasattva, Amoghasiddhi Vajrasattva.

Database Search: All Images | Painting | Sculpture | Mandalas

Jeff Watt 4-2005 [updated 7-2011, 4-2017, 12-2019, 6-2022]

(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).