Rites of the Year - Vajrayogini

? The Vajra Dance, also known as the Vajra Dharma Dance, is a profound tantric practice that Tibetan practitioners believe has the virtue of "seeing is liberating". Tibetan Buddhists use the dance to express the divine transformations of the Buddha during large-scale pujas and special festivals.

The Vajra Dance originally originated in the ancient Tibetan scripture Elephant and Castle, which states:

Long, long ago, the world saw the birth of the King of Rakshasas, the King of Rakshasas, the King of Demons, the King of Rakshasas, and the King of Lepers, the King of Demons, the King of Rakshasas, and the King of Lepers, who became evil demons who harmed all beings. They became evil demons who harmed all living beings and traveled around the world, causing disputes and destroying unity. As a result, there were many wars in the world, bringing much misfortune to the world, and people's lives were very miserable, with no happiness or peace. After hundreds of years, the Buddhas shed tears of compassion for the sake of all living beings, and with the power, compassion and wisdom of the Buddhas, they empowered Zorchon Kagyong to go to the world to resolve the disputes and relieve the suffering of all living beings, and to bring back peace to the world.

? Zorchon Kagyong came to the world with four Kagyong assistants (Zhongshe Kagyong, Dongshe Kagyong, Vashe Kagyong, and Anshe Kagyong). First, he subdued the king of the Rakshasas, Madon Riza, and the king of the devas, Dasha Zhiwa, with the Buddha's power, and then, with the method of transmutation (known as the breaking of tile in Tibetan), he subdued the king of the Rakshasas, Madon Riza, and Dasha Zhiwa. By using the method of transmigration (known in Tibetan as breaking vasanas), the divine consciousness of the Rakshasa king was transferred to the Western world of bliss, and the bones of the Rakshasa king and the demon king were used as the magic weapon to subdue the demons and devils. Thousands of rakshasas, demons and ghosts were frightened at the sight of the magic weapon made of the bones of the demon king and accepted the teachings of Zorchon Kagyo.

Later, the eight steps, postures, and gestures used by Satyongkhagin to subdue the Rakshasa king were organized into vajra dance postures, some of which were performed in the same way that Satyongkhagin had performed when he worshipped the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas before subduing the Rakshasa king. Since then, there have been forms of vajra dance postures. After Satyagaraja subdued the demons, the whole world became very peaceful.

? The purpose of Vajra Dance is to control the ghosts of the earth and the demons that harm the living beings in order to pray for peace in the world, and to drive away the demons that harm the people during the year, so that they can be happy in the new year; the purpose of making offerings to the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas, and the Vajra Dance is to protect all the living beings to be able to escape from sufferings and meet with happiness, and to eliminate the troubles, and to realize all the things that are expected of them.

In addition to this, the Buddha's congregation will save all beings from the hell, so that all beings can be freed from the sea of suffering and realize the fruit of Buddha. In some places, the Vajra Dance is performed on the 15th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, because that is the day of the birth of Dhondupa Singrao Mewo, the creator of Benpo Buddhism, which is a very auspicious day of the year, the day of the Buddha. The Vajra Dance on that day is also to honor the Buddha, and for the Dharma to spread all over the world, to relieve the suffering of sentient beings, to bring peace to the world, and for the people to live in peace and happiness, and to become Buddhas completely.

The Vajra Dance can be divided into the Guru Dance, the Venerable Dance, the Empty Dance, and the Dharma Protector Dance:

First, the Guru Dance: such as those held on the tenth day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar, the day of the Lotus Master's attainment of enlightenment. Temple monks or practitioners wearing the eight changes of the Lotus Master and other masks and costumes, holding different magic weapons, in honor of the Lotus Sang Da Shi to different figures of different containers of sentient beings.

? Second, the original dance: Dharma masters or practitioners, play the image of the Buddha's silence and wrath, and so on, followed by praying for the Buddha's descent on them, with the large-scale puja practice rituals, with the courage to dance to destroy, subdue the demons and ghosts. The Buddha also uses his infinite compassion to transform the demons and all sentient beings in the six paths of life who are suffering from the obstacles of knowledge, worries and karma.

? Third, the Empty Dance: In front of the altar, young, stately, loud and clear-voiced lamas play the role of the Empty Mother. With songs, dances and hand seals and dharma medicines, they praise the causes and merits of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the ten directions, and pray that all the courageous fathers in the Pure Land and the Empty Lineage grant all practitioners all **** and non-*** accomplishments.

? Fourth, the Dharma Protector Dance: lamas play the role of King Yama or the Eight Dragons and so on, through the different changes in the vajra dance, to express the reality of karma, as well as mountains, rivers and rivers have deities, for karma and nature should be revered; at the same time, but also to pray for the true protection of the Dharma God's blessings, and pray for the country's prosperity and the peace of the people, and the spread of the Buddha's teachings.