Toh 1442A Praise of the Glorious Vajaraḍaka in Daṇḍaka Metre

Explanation of the Scripture Praising the Vajra Great Being

Context

The scripture Praise of the Vajra Great Being in the Daṇḍaka Poem (Śrīvajraḍākasyastavadaṇḍaka) is a praise (stava) belonging to the Northern Transmission, preserved in the Tengyur, the Treatise collection of Tibetan Buddhism. This is a work within the Mahayana Vajrayāna tradition, in the poetic form of Daṇḍaka, a highly rhythmic metrical style.

The Vajra Great Being (Vajraḍāka) is a bodhisattva or practitioner of special merit in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The image of “Vajra” symbolizes an indestructible, pure, and penetrating wisdom, while “ḍāka,” a male realized being or practitioner, refers to those who practice according to the tantric path. This praise was composed to honor this being’s virtues, while also inspiring practice in those who study it.

Main Content

Although the original scripture has not been fully translated in the available materials, according to the context of praises in the Northern Transmission, this scripture honors the qualities of the Vajra Great Being through symbolic images and transcendent virtues.

In general, stavas in Vajrayāna praise such qualities as realization of the Ultimate Nature, as-it-is, the ability to manifest freely through meditative absorption and wisdom, boundless compassion for all sentient beings, and the completion of the bodhisattva deeds. In tantra, vajra symbolizes wisdom inseparable from skillful means, a tool that transforms disputes and adversities into the path.

The Daṇḍaka poem uses a steady rhythm to create captivating force, helping those who read and uphold it easily remember the virtues and mystery of the one praised. This poetic structure also serves the purpose of recitation, since in the Tibetan tradition the recitation of praises is considered a direct practice for accumulating merit.