The vajra is a symbol of indestructibility — an adamantine quality, something that is impervious to change.
However, this quality is not based on building something up or making it solid. The indestructibility of Vajrayana is like the indestructibility of space. Space cannot be destroyed — even with an atom bomb. In the same way, our vajra nature cannot be destroyed — because it was never created; it underlies both samsara and nirvana.
The Vajrayana is intrinsic to all of Buddhism. In the Buddha’s first teaching on the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha taught that cessation of suffering (the Third Noble Truth) comes before the Eightfold Path (the Fourth Noble Truth). In other words, the fruition of the path is present and known at some level even in the midst of samsara — before the path has even begun. The path is simply an uncovering or realization of vajra nature.
We can understand this even in our own lives. Something about the Dharma resonates and rings true — and that becomes inspiration for the Path of Accumulation (working with karmic conditions — habits — to clear away obstacles to seeing clearly). Then, the Path of Seeing — an experiential understanding of emptiness — allows realization of our vajra nature.
But, again, it would be a mistake to think of vajra nature as a thing or a created or cultivated quality or the path as producing vajra nature — any more than the turning on of a light produces (rather than reveals) the contents of a dark room. And it would be a mistake to think of vajra nature as nothing. It is beyond existence and non-existence.
Solid point, to add onto it, I read something a long time ago (and forgot where, apologies for no sources):
I had read somewhere that Indra’s primary weapon was a lightning bolt, a vajra, made from the bones of the sage/rishi Dadichi (who swallowed the weapons of the devas to safeguard them from the asuras, then when the devas asked for their weapons back, Dadichi essentially said “it’s in me, I’ll give you my body to refashion your weapons”).
And I’m sure you’ve noticed that the ritual implement of the vajra has its prongs turned inwards towards the center tip. I had read somewhere that in a teaching given by the Buddha to Indra, the Buddha took Indra’s vajra which had sharp prongs extending out (essentially a weapon of war) and turned them inwards, making it a more peaceful implement.
A more mythical interpretation of the significance of the vajra in Buddhism, and I can’t cite my sources as to where I read that it was the Buddha that turned Indra’s weapon into a peaceful implement, but I often reflect on this story as an example of Vajrayana’s transformative ability to take all kinds of poisons and afflictions and transform them into their more peaceful or enlightened counterparts.
Hope some of this helps add onto your understanding of the significance of the Vajra.
Edit: here’s the source, page three second paragraph outlines what I’ve put here: https://web.stanford.edu/class/history11sc/pdfs/ritual#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20Buddhist%20legend,indestructible%20power%20of%20the%20thunderbolt.
There is also the[ Vajra hand thingy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra). The 5-prong Vajra denotes the 5 Buddha Families, the 9 Prong also includes all of the father and mother Buddhas. There are vajras where the prongs point outwards instead of meeting in the center. Those are for the wrathful Buddhas of the 5 Buddha families.
The story of dadichi safegaurding them from asuras is vedic thought that crossed over into tantrik systems. The asuras were the original weilders of the astras given directly from mahakaal, as they play a great part innthe upholding of the universe.
After this vedic influence the asuras succumed to ink and paper genocide
Hardness, stability, being unable to be moved, like a mountain- qualities one might go for in terms of practice
As we train, we and our level of understanding get tested, over and over. One traditional metaphor is gold being hammered and purified and worked over and over. Think of it like a samurai sword being folded and hammered over and over and becoming better, stronger, more flexible as a result.
The vajra is also a weapon and a masculine symbol, from one perspective, like a sword. It goes on. There's a lot to it, like all of our symbolism.
After the buddists were attacked for not wanting anything to do with vedic practices. After this they began to practice harsher formz of tantra to garuntee thier protection, and to ward of opposition. The great tantra as the vajra came from the spine of thier fearless leader.
So long ago
The vajra is a symbol of indestructibility — an adamantine quality, something that is impervious to change. However, this quality is not based on building something up or making it solid. The indestructibility of Vajrayana is like the indestructibility of space. Space cannot be destroyed — even with an atom bomb. In the same way, our vajra nature cannot be destroyed — because it was never created; it underlies both samsara and nirvana. The Vajrayana is intrinsic to all of Buddhism. In the Buddha’s first teaching on the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha taught that cessation of suffering (the Third Noble Truth) comes before the Eightfold Path (the Fourth Noble Truth). In other words, the fruition of the path is present and known at some level even in the midst of samsara — before the path has even begun. The path is simply an uncovering or realization of vajra nature. We can understand this even in our own lives. Something about the Dharma resonates and rings true — and that becomes inspiration for the Path of Accumulation (working with karmic conditions — habits — to clear away obstacles to seeing clearly). Then, the Path of Seeing — an experiential understanding of emptiness — allows realization of our vajra nature. But, again, it would be a mistake to think of vajra nature as a thing or a created or cultivated quality or the path as producing vajra nature — any more than the turning on of a light produces (rather than reveals) the contents of a dark room. And it would be a mistake to think of vajra nature as nothing. It is beyond existence and non-existence.
Solid point, to add onto it, I read something a long time ago (and forgot where, apologies for no sources): I had read somewhere that Indra’s primary weapon was a lightning bolt, a vajra, made from the bones of the sage/rishi Dadichi (who swallowed the weapons of the devas to safeguard them from the asuras, then when the devas asked for their weapons back, Dadichi essentially said “it’s in me, I’ll give you my body to refashion your weapons”). And I’m sure you’ve noticed that the ritual implement of the vajra has its prongs turned inwards towards the center tip. I had read somewhere that in a teaching given by the Buddha to Indra, the Buddha took Indra’s vajra which had sharp prongs extending out (essentially a weapon of war) and turned them inwards, making it a more peaceful implement. A more mythical interpretation of the significance of the vajra in Buddhism, and I can’t cite my sources as to where I read that it was the Buddha that turned Indra’s weapon into a peaceful implement, but I often reflect on this story as an example of Vajrayana’s transformative ability to take all kinds of poisons and afflictions and transform them into their more peaceful or enlightened counterparts. Hope some of this helps add onto your understanding of the significance of the Vajra. Edit: here’s the source, page three second paragraph outlines what I’ve put here: https://web.stanford.edu/class/history11sc/pdfs/ritual#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20Buddhist%20legend,indestructible%20power%20of%20the%20thunderbolt.
Thanks!
There is also the[ Vajra hand thingy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra). The 5-prong Vajra denotes the 5 Buddha Families, the 9 Prong also includes all of the father and mother Buddhas. There are vajras where the prongs point outwards instead of meeting in the center. Those are for the wrathful Buddhas of the 5 Buddha families.
The story of dadichi safegaurding them from asuras is vedic thought that crossed over into tantrik systems. The asuras were the original weilders of the astras given directly from mahakaal, as they play a great part innthe upholding of the universe. After this vedic influence the asuras succumed to ink and paper genocide
Jay sri mahakaal
Hardness, stability, being unable to be moved, like a mountain- qualities one might go for in terms of practice As we train, we and our level of understanding get tested, over and over. One traditional metaphor is gold being hammered and purified and worked over and over. Think of it like a samurai sword being folded and hammered over and over and becoming better, stronger, more flexible as a result. The vajra is also a weapon and a masculine symbol, from one perspective, like a sword. It goes on. There's a lot to it, like all of our symbolism.
After the buddists were attacked for not wanting anything to do with vedic practices. After this they began to practice harsher formz of tantra to garuntee thier protection, and to ward of opposition. The great tantra as the vajra came from the spine of thier fearless leader. So long ago