vajra

E307062

The vajra is a ritual implement in Indian and Tibetan traditions symbolizing indestructible power and spiritual enlightenment, often associated with thunderbolt and diamond imagery.

All labels observed (5)

Label Occurrences
vajra canonical 2
Buddhist vajra 1
Vajra 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Buddhist ritual object
Hindu ritual object
religious symbol
ritual implement
associatedWithDeity Akshobhya
Indra
Vajrapani
Vajrasattva
centralConceptIn Vajrayana
surface form: Vajrayana Buddhism
contrastedWithObject bell as wisdom aspect
etymologyFromLanguage Sanskrit
hasComponent central sphere
lotus base
prongs
hasForm five-pronged vajra
nine-pronged vajra
single-pronged vajra
three-pronged vajra
hasSanskritMeaning diamond
thunderbolt
hasSymbolism diamond
indestructibility
spiritual enlightenment
thunderbolt
pairedWithObject bell
ghanta
representedInArt Buddhist statues
Buddhist art
surface form: Tibetan thangka paintings

mandalas
symbolizesInBuddhism method aspect of the path
skillful means
symbolizesInHinduism divine power
weapon of Indra
symbolizesInVajrayana emptiness
indestructible mind of enlightenment
ultimate reality
typicalMaterial brass
bronze
copper alloy
gold
silver
usedByPractitioner lama
tantric practitioner
usedInPractice initiation ceremonies
meditation practices
tantric rituals
usedInReligion Bon
Buddhism
Hinduism
usedInTradition Indian religious traditions
Tibetan religious traditions

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Vajrayana usesSymbol vajra
Indra weapon vajra
this entity surface form: Vajra
Swayambhunath hasSymbol vajra
this entity surface form: Buddhist vajra
Tibetan Buddhism hasRitualObject vajra
this entity surface form: vajra (dorje)
Kongōchō-kyō coreConcept vajra
this entity surface form: Vajra (Diamond)