Vajrayogini
She is an Anuttarayoga Tantra meditational deity (iṣṭadevatā) and her practice includes methods for preventing ordinary death, intermediate state (bardo) and rebirth (samsara) by transforming them into paths to enlightenment, and for transforming all mundane daily experiences into higher spiritual paths.
[1] She is visualized in the form of a naked 16-year-old female with red skin, a third eye of wisdom, and numerous other symbolic attributes such as a curved knife and either a skull cup or a damaru.
Her numerous temples in the Kathmandu Valley are revered as power places in both Newar and Tibetan Buddhism.
No male Buddha, including her divine consort, Heruka Cakrasaṃvara, approaches her in metaphysical or practical import.
[7][8] Vajrayoginī is visualized as a naked 16-year-old female with deep red skin, the third eye of wisdom set vertically on her forehead, and unbound flowing hair.
Her consort Cakrasaṃvara is often symbolically depicted as a khaṭvāṅga on Vajrayoginī's left shoulder, when she is in "solitary hero" form.
The curved driguk knife in her right hand shows her power to cut the continuum of the delusions and obstacles of her followers and of all living beings.
[11] Her other forms include Vajravārāhī (Wylie: rdo-rje phag-mo "Vajra Sow") and Krodikali (alt.
Krodhakali, Kālikā, Krodheśvarī, Krishna Krodhini, Tibetan Tröma Nakmo; Wylie: khros ma nag mo, "Wrathful Lady", "Fierce Black One").
In one popular system the practitioner worships their guru in the form of Milarepa, whilst visualizing themself as Vajrayoginī.
The female tulku who was the abbess of Samding Monastery, on the shores of the Yamdrok Tso Lake, near Gyantse, Tibet was traditionally a nirmāṇakāya emanation of Vajravārāhī (Tibetan: Dorje Phagmo).
[20] The lineage started in the 15th century with the princess of Gungthang, Chökyi Drönma (Wylie: Chos-kyi sgron-me)(1422–1455).
[21] She became known as Samding Dorje Pagmo (Wylie:bSam-lding rDo-rje phag-mo) and began a line of female tulkus, reincarnate lamas.
Charles Alfred Bell met the tulku in 1920 and took photographs of her, calling her Dorje Pamo in his book.
