Vajrakilaya

Vajrakilaya courtesy of Terton Sogyal Trust

Vajrakilaya (Skt. Vajrakīlaya; Tib. རྡོ་རྗེ་ཕུར་པ་, Dorje Phurba, Wyl. rdo rje phur pa) or Vajrakumara (Skt. Vajrakumāra; Tib. རྡོ་རྗེ་གཞོན་ནུ་, Dorje Shönnu, Wyl. rdo rje gzhon nu) — the wrathful heruka Vajrakilaya is the yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the buddhas and whose practice is famous for being the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces hostile to compassion and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age. Vajrakilaya is one of the eight deities of Kagyé.

The Vajrakilaya Practices of the Rigpa Sangha

Vajrakilaya from the thangka of Tendrel Nyesel

• Yang Nying Pudri, The Razor of the Innermost Essence, a terma of Tertön Sogyal. This is the main yidam practice of the Rigpa sangha.

• The Essential Daily Practice of Vajrakilaya by Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche

This was written by Dudjom Rinpoche as a short daily practice related to the terma cycle of Pudri Rekpung, The Razor That Destroys at a Touch.

• The Wisdom Mind Practice of ‘One Phurba’, a terma of Tertön Sogyal

The “Wisdom Mind Practice of ‘One Phurba’” is a terma discovered and deciphered by Tertön Sogyal in the monastery of Kathok Dorjé Den. It was written in the hand of the great Dzogchen master Vairotsana.

• The Ultimate Practice of Vajrakilaya, a terma of Dudjom Lingpa; and

• Short Meditation Practice of Vajrakilaya by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.

This short sadhana was composed by Jamyang Khyentse, at Sogyal Rinpoche’s request, while travelling on horseback from Kham (East Tibet) to Lhasa.

Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha

• Khenpo Jikme Phuntsok, Lerab Ling, 27 August 1993
• Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 20 August 1997
• Sherab Özer Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 17 August 1998

Further Reading

Vajrakilaya a thangka by Gönpo Tseten Rinpoche according to the Longchen Nyingtik

• Guide to Vajrayana Practice for the Rigpa Sangha, section 7. Vajrakilaya (Tertön Sogyal Trust: 2007)
• Boord, Martin, A Bolt of Lightning from the Blue—The Vast Commentary on Vajrakila that Clearly Defines the Essential Points (Berlin: Edition Khordong, 2002), which contains the translation of two short tantras of Vajrakila and a full translation of the most important commentary ever written (Wyl. phur ‘grel ‘bum nag) on the subject of kila rites and their understanding for enlightenment by Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Silamanju.
• Boord, Martin, Roll Of Thunder From The Void: Vajrakila texts of the Northern Treasures Tradition, Volume Two (Berlin: Edition Khordong, 2010)
• Garchen Rinpoche, Vajrakilaya—A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions (Snow Lion, 2022)
• Khenpo Namdrol, Vajrakilaya (Dharmakosha, 1997 or Snow Lion: 1999)
• Khenchen Palden Rinpoche, The Dark Red Amulet: Oral Instructions on the Practice of Vajrakilaya (Snow Lion, 2008)

Internal Links

• Diptachakra

External Links

• Vajrakila Outline Page on Himalayan Art
• Introduction to Vajrakilaya by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche
• Vajrakilaya Mantra Recitation by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche