Many Buddhists are attracted (magnetized) to the charismatic emanations of Enlightenment of the Padma family: Amitabha, Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara), Hayagriva, Vajrayogini or Vajravarahi, Kurukulla, Vajradharma and others. It seems natural and instinctive — the nature of the magnetic personas of these great beings.
All of these can be thought of, as emanations of the compassion of the Padma family of Amitabha, and representative of “Discriminating Wisdom.” His family is also the “Speech” family, the emanations of Dharma or Buddha’s Speech, and, it is through speech and teachings that Buddha “attracted” the Sangha to the Enlightening Path. Compassion is another aspect of the tantalizing power of the enchanting Padma (Lotus) Buddhas:
A Wangdu Prayer Thangka with the nine Magnetizing Yidams: Amitabha (top centre), the Heruka emanation of Amitabha Hayagriva (left of Amitabha, right of the viewer), Red Chenrezig Padmapani (right of Amitabha, left of viewer), Vajradharma (immediately below Amitabha), Pema Gyalpo (central deity, one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava), Vajravarahi Vajrayogini Dakini (left of Pema Gyalpo, under Hayagriva), Guhyajnana Dakini (left of Pema Gyalpo), Kurukulla (bottom right of Pema Gyalpo), Dope Gyalpo (bottom left.)
Mirror-like Awareness of Amitabha
Ultimately, all Buddhas are of one essence, but the various emanations of Enlightenment represent a skillful means. In Vajrayana, the Five Wisdom Tathagatas “are emanations and representations of the five qualities of the Buddha.” [4] Amitabha Buddha’s Family represents the wisdom of Ādarśa-jñāna, the wisdom of “Mirror-like Awareness” or discernment, or “Discriminating Wisdom.” This wisdom helps us overcome selfishness, through various methods including compassion, meditation, and speech, or Dharma. [5]
The Magnetizing deities of Amitabha’s Padma Family are usually visualized with the colour red. They are alluring, attractive, seductive, enchanting — it is the nature of their charisma. Their speech is Enlightening Nectar. Even the Heruka wrathful emanation of Amitabha — great Hayagriva — is irresistible and mesmeric, despite an awe-inspiring wrathful appearance.
A magnificent 1800-1899 Tangkha (Sakya lineage) of Hayagriva Sangdrup in the Rubin Museum of Art. Most of the deities on this priceless masterpiece are Magnetizing deities, as indicated by the red colour. On Hayagriva’s crown is Amitayus, the long-life aspect of Amitabha. To his top left is Maharaklta Ganapti (Enlightened Wrathful Gasesha), dancing atop a rat. On the right is the power goddess Kurukulla, red (see below), with one face and four hands holding a bow and arrow, hook and lasso. At the bottom center is Begtse Chen (Red Mahakala: see below), red in colour. On the left is Legden Mahakala (left, see below), blue in colour and right is Shri Devi Magzor Gyalmo (Palden Lhamo, the protector of the Dalai Lama). For a full story on HAYAGRIVA, see>>
Teaching on the benefits and practice of the “Great Cloud of Blessings” Saye Institute Kyabgön Phakchok Rinpoche with Transmission of the Prayer for the purpose of accumulating a million recitations:
Why are we attracted to the Magnetizing Buddhas?
Amaitayus is a form of Amitabha. He is visualized in princely atire and crown (instead of a monk) and his practice is for “long life.” Amitayus translates as “Infinite Life.”
The Buddhas are the Padma family are probably the most popular in Mahayana Buddhism, especially Amitabha (Amita, Amitayus) and Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Guanyin). Many Mahayana Buddhists aspire to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of the Padma Family, known as Sukhavati. But, since all Buddha’s are ultimately of one nature, and we all have Buddha Nature, why then, are the Padma family Buddhas so appealing and widely practiced?
Khenpo explains (see video):
“For people who are new to dharma practice, the practice of magnetizing would definitely be of benefit. In this degenerate age, people have difficulty truly absorbing the Dharma because they lack inner strength; their path in learning the Dharma is filled with obstacles. If you are one of these people, by practicing magnetizing you will develop inner strength, and be able to bring the Dharma into your mind more easily. Then, no matter what kind of obstacle you encounter, you will be capable of handling it.”
Red and sometimes naked: true nature of mind
Red, the color Magnetizing Padma family, is associated with both love and compassion. Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) is literally the very face of compassion. Amitabha’s vast love for all sentient beings is all-embracing, and one of the reasons millions chant his name mantra daily. Kurukulle, a Magnetizing aspect of Tara, is often directly associated with love.
Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche [3], in his commentary on Wangdu, explains:
Robert Beer’s beautiful Vajrayogini mandala. (Low resolution: please visit https://www.tibetanart.com for information on high resolution images)
“Among the nine principal magnetizing deities, apart from Amitabha, a few of the dakinis appear naked as well. From this perspective, Vajrayana is indeed the practice of those with sharp natural capacities. If a person still holds on to the notion of shame, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas merely assume graceful and majestic forms. But if a person has realized the bare naked nature of the mind, where all conceptual thoughts and attachments have ceased to exist, then Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appear in another form.”
Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara (Guan-yin, Chenrezig) — arguably the most popular Buddhas, if we take into account the huge population of Mahayana Buddhists — are attractive. Their smiling faces attract us. Their peaceful gestures and meditative equipoise are the very pictures of Buddhist Metta and Karuna (love and compassion). Their speech, the Dharma, attracts us and teaches us, and their mantras are pleasing. The entire family is charismatic, even enthralling.
Wangdu — the Nine Yidams of the Great Cloud of Blessings
Another Wang Du Thangka.
People familiar with the teachings of Mipham Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche will recall and, perhaps, practice the Wangdu prayer, composed by Mipham Rinpoche in 1879. At one point, at Lerab Ling, Khenpo Sodargye asked the Sangha to “accumulate 10 million recitations of the Wangdu prayer — which praises the Nine Great Yidams of the Magnetizing Family. [1] [Prayer, in full, below. See the tangkha inset.]
According to Khenpo Namdro [2]:
“This prayer is called “that which brings within one’s power all that appears and all that exists’. It goes by such a name because if you make this prayer fervently, you will be able to magnetize or bring within your power the phenomena of the entire universe. This comprises both the inanimate environment and its animated inhabitants, sentient beings.”
Other traditions may not have the formal framing of Wangdu, but there is no doubt that these emanations, these precious Nine Yidams, are a major focus in all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and Mahayana (the position from the point-of-view of the Deity, not the viewer):
Amitabha (top centre on Thangka)
Vajradharma (immediately below Amitabha on Thangka)
Hayagriva, Heruka aspect of Amitabha (left of Amitabha)
Red Chenrezig Padmapani (right of Amitabha)
Pema Gyalpo (central deity — one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava )
Vajravarahi (Vajrayogini) Dakini (left of Pema Gyalpo, under Hayagriva)
Guhyajnana Dakini left of Pema Gyalpo
Kurukulla (bottom right of Pema Gyalpo)
Dope Gyalpo (bottom left).
Full Wangdu Prayer
As indicated by Khenpo Sodargye (above video) the Wangdu Prayer is so widely practiced it can be recited without empowerment:
“When you chant and practice Wang Dü, you can follow the instructions of the common or advanced tantric practices. Of course, uninitiated practitioners, or practitioners who are foreign to tantric practice can practice Wang Dü using the Sutrayana method. Mipham Rinpoche did not require people to strictly practice this prayer in the way of the generation or perfection stages. As long as we pray to the magnetizing deities with devotion, all animate and inanimate worlds will resonate. This will allow the essence of samsara and nirvana to be gathered into oneself.”
NOTE: This was composed on the first day of the seventh month of the Earth Hare year (1879) by one named Dhīḥ. Anyone who prays in this way will, without any doubt, accomplish all magnetizing activities exactly according to their wishes. This prayer may be written on red flags and flown in the air, or used in prayer wheels powered by heat or wind. Mangalaṃ!
NOTES
[1] Wangdu: the Prayer Which Magnetizes all the Appears and all that Exists>>
https://all-otr.org/vajrayana/42-wangdu-the-prayer-which-magnetizes-all-that-appears-and-all-that-exists
[2] Khenpo Namdrol, Commentary on the Wang Dü prayer, 1998, Rigpa.
[3] Khenpo Sodargye “The Magnetizing Deities”
https://khenposodargye.org/teachings/khenpos-teachings/wang-du-great-cloud-blessings/
[4] Williams, Wynne, Tribe; Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, page 210.
[5] The Five Tathagatas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tathagatas
