Vajrabhairava: The Adamantine Frightful One
Vajrabhairava or Yamāntaka Vajrabhairava is a major deity of Vajrayāna Buddhism.
Vajrabhairava is an Anuttarayoga Tantra Yidam and he's considered the terrifying and wrathful Heruka manifestation of the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Buddha of Wisdom. Vajrabhairava can be depicted in a multitude of ways, from a simple one faced deity with two hands all the way up to a nine faced, thirty-four armed with sixteen legs, but there's two constant iconographic characteristics to be found: His Buffalo head and, atop of it, the head of Mañjuśrī.
Yamāntaka Vajrabhairava's full name means "The Indestructible Terrifier Conqueror of Death" and his practice is considered one of the most powerful in all of Esoteric Buddhism. He's usually known as the "Buffalo-headed Yamāntaka", this iconography tied to the Vedic Deva Yamarāja, the King of the Underworld and judge of beings at time of death, who is described riding a water-buffalo.
Bhairava or Mahākāla Bhairava is also the terrifying and wrathful form of Śiva in different Śaiva Traditions. Interestingly enough, the Arya Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa, a Buddhist Kriyā Tantra, states that mantras taught in Śaiva Tantras will be effective if applied by Buddhists since they were all taught originally by Mañjuśrī. At the same time, some Śaiva Traditions consider Bodhisattvas like Mañjuśrī to be emanations of Śiva.
Vajrabhairava or Yamāntaka Vajrabhairava is a major deity of Vajrayāna Buddhism.
Vajrabhairava is an Anuttarayoga Tantra Yidam and he's considered the terrifying and wrathful Heruka manifestation of the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Buddha of Wisdom. Vajrabhairava can be depicted in a multitude of ways, from a simple one faced deity with two hands all the way up to a nine faced, thirty-four armed with sixteen legs, but there's two constant iconographic characteristics to be found: His Buffalo head and, atop of it, the head of Mañjuśrī.
Yamāntaka Vajrabhairava's full name means "The Indestructible Terrifier Conqueror of Death" and his practice is considered one of the most powerful in all of Esoteric Buddhism. He's usually known as the "Buffalo-headed Yamāntaka", this iconography tied to the Vedic Deva Yamarāja, the King of the Underworld and judge of beings at time of death, who is described riding a water-buffalo.
Bhairava or Mahākāla Bhairava is also the terrifying and wrathful form of Śiva in different Śaiva Traditions. Interestingly enough, the Arya Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa, a Buddhist Kriyā Tantra, states that mantras taught in Śaiva Tantras will be effective if applied by Buddhists since they were all taught originally by Mañjuśrī. At the same time, some Śaiva Traditions consider Bodhisattvas like Mañjuśrī to be emanations of Śiva.