page_title: Hevajra
section_title: Tibet
hierarchical_section_title: Hevajra / History / Tibet
caption_attribution_description: English: Tibet, 18th century Mineral Pigments on Cloth 16 3/4 X 28 Inches Owned and freely licensed by Walter Arader. The figures at top are centered by Vajradhara flanked by Saroruhavajra (left) and Virupa (right). At the top left is Khon Konchog Gyalpo, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo and Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen. At the top right side are Gayadhara, Drogmi Lotsawa and Kedrub Geleg Pal Zangpo. At the bottom center is Panjarnata Mahakala, the principle protector for the Hevajra system of Tantric practice. http://www.walteraraderart.com/himalayan-art/paintings/hevajra-thanka
context_page_description: Hevajra is one of the main yidams in Tantric, or Vajrayana Buddhism. Hevajra's consort is Nairātmyā.
context_section_description: Some time in the early 11th century, Drogmi Lotsawa Shākya Yeshe ('brog mi lo ts'a ba sh'akya ye shes) (993-1077 AD) journeyed from Drompa-gyang in Lhatsé to Nepal and India, including Vikramashila, where he received instruction in the Hevajratantra from Śānti-pa (Ratnākaraśānti) and later to Bengal, where he encountered Prajñedraruci (Vīravajra)  who instructed him in the "rootless Margapala" (Tib. Lamdré) that is particularly concerned with the Hevajra tantra and its commentaries. Drakpa Gyeltsen writes in his Chronicle of the Indic Masters:
  Now Lachen [Drokmi] first went to Nepal and entered into the door of mantra through [the teacher] Bhāro Ham-thung. Then he went to India itself and, realizing that the Āchārya Ratnākaraśānti was both greatly renowned and learned, he heard extensively the Vinaya, Prajñapāramitā, and mantra. Then having gone to the eastern part of India, he encountered Bhikṣu Vīravajra, who was the greatest direct disciple of Durjayachandra, who himself had held the lineage of Āchārya Virūpa's own disciple, Ḍombiheruka. From Bhikṣu Vīravajra he heard extensively the mantra material of the three tantras of Hevajra, complete in all their branches. He also requested the many instruction manuals of Acintyakrama and so forth, so that he heard the "Lamdré without the fundamental text" (rtsa med lam 'bras) as well. In this way, Drokmi lived in India for twelve years and became a great translator.
  After twelve years he returned to central Tibet, probably by 1030, translated the Hevajratantra into Tibetan, and taught, among others, Dkon mchog ryal po (1034-1102 AD), the founder of the Sa-skya Monastery in 1073 AD. This was the beginning of the close relationship between the Sakya Order and the Hevajratantra.
  In the Blue Annals, Gos lotsawa suggests that both the Hevajra as well as the Kalachakra Tantras are commentaries on, or introductions to, the Guhyasamāja.
caption: Hevajra Nairatmyai. Tibet, 18th Century
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