This groundbreaking book delves into the origins of Vajrayogini, charting her evolution in India and examining her roots in the Cakrasamvara tantra and in the Indian tradition relating to Siva. The focus of this work is the Guhyasamayasadhanamala, a collection of forty six sadhanas, or practice texts. Written on palm leaves in Sanskrit and preserved since the twelfth century, this diverse collection, composed by numerous authors, reveals a multitude of forms of the goddess, each of which is described and illustrated here. One of the texts, The Vajravarahi Sadhana by Umapatideva, depicts Vajrayogini at the center of a mandala of thirty-seven different goddesses, and is here presented in full translation alongside a Sanskrit edition. Sixteen pages of stunning color plates not only enhance the study but bring the goddess Vajrayogini to life.

Vajrayogini: Her Visualizations, Rituals, and Forms; Elizabeth English; Wisdom Publications; Paperback; 563 pages; $49.95

Elizabeth English received her M.Phil and D.Phil in Classical Indian Religion from Oxford University, and is a member of the Western Buddhist Order. She is the founder and director of Life at Work, a right-livelihood business that provides consultancy and training for supporting people, teams, and organizations through communication skills and conflict resolution.

	List of Illustrations
	Color Plates	ix
	Line Drawings	xv
	Abbreviations	xvii
	Preface	xix
	Chapter 1: Vajrayogini and the Buddhist Tantras	1
	The Buddhist Tantric System	1
	The Guhyasamayasashanamala and Its Authors	9
	Sadhana Collection	18
	Tantric Sadhana	24
	Chapter 2: The Cult of Vajrayogini in India	35
	The Influence of Nondual Saivism	37
	Transgressive Discipline (vamacarah)	41
	The Emergence of Vajrayogini	43
	The mergence of Vajravarahi	47
	Dancing Pose (ardhaparyanka) Vajravarahi	50
	Twelve-Armed Vajravarahi in Dancing Pose	54
	Six-Armed Vajravarahi with Consort	60
	Six-Armed Vajradakini Vajravarahi in Warrior Stance	62
	Red Vajraghona Vajravarah	66
	White Vajraghona Vajravarahi	68
	Two-Armed Vajrayogini in Warrior Stance	71
	Four-Armed Vajrayogini in Warior Stance	73
	Red Vajravarahi with Foot Raised	74
	White Vajrayogini with Foot Raised	75
	Vajrayogini in the Falling-Turtle Pose	77
	Vidyadhari Vajrayogini	79
	Flying Vidyadhari Vajrayogini	82
	Vajravilasini Vajravarahi	84
	Guhyavajravilasini	86
	Trikayavajrayogini (Chinnamasta)	94
	Conclusions	102
	Chapter 3: Study of the Vajravarahi Sadhana	109
	Outline of the Sadhana	109
	Meditation Stage1	113
	Benediction	113
	Preliminaries	114
	Bodhisattva Preparations	119
	Worship	120
	Brahmavihara Meditations	123
	Development of Wisdom	125
	Creating the Circle of Protection	131
	The Cremation Grounds	136
	The Cosmos and Temple Palace	144
	Self-Generation through the Awakenings	149
	Self-Visualization As Vajravarahi	154
	Armoring	163
	Pledge and Knowledge Beings	166
	Consecration	169
	Inner Yogic Practices	171
	The Mantra	178
	Dwelling As Vajravarahi	181
	Meditation Stage 2	182
	Fivefold Mandala	182
	Meditation Stage 3	186
	Thirteenfold Mandala	186
	Terms for Aspects of the Mandala	187
	Meditation Stage 4	188
	Thirty-seven-fold Mandala	188
	Cicles of Mind, Speech, and Body	188
	The Mandala As Wisdom	190
	The Mandala As Doctrine	192
	The Mandala As Cosmos	194
	The Sacred Sites (pithas)	195
	The Ten Places (desas)	196
	Body Mandala	197
	Mantras for the Complete Deity Mandalal	203
	Ritual Practices	205
	Tantric Ritual	205
	The Bali Ritual	206
	Tasting Nectar (amrtasvadanam)	208
	Bali Offering with Mantras	211
	Rite of Completion	215
	External Worship	216
	Worship on the Hand (hastapuja)	218
	Alternative External Worship	220
	Internal Oblation	221
	Concluding Verses	223
	Vajravarahi Sadhana by Umapatideva	225
	Meditation Stage 1	227
	Meditation Stage 2	249
	Meditation Stage 3	255
	Meditation Stage 4	257
	Ritual Practices	287
	Cremation Grounds	311
	Conventions, Abbreviations, and Symbols	315
	Conventions in the Translation	315
	Abbreviations and Symbols in the Sanskrit Text	316
	Abbreviations and Symbols in the Apparatus	317
	Other Editors	319
	Silent Editorial Standardizations	319
	Manuscript Sources	321
	The Manuscript of the Guhyasamayasadhanamala	321
	Textual transmission	326
	Editorial Policy	328
	Textual Notes	329
	Insignificant Variants	349
	Appendix: Summary of Sadhanas in the Guhyasamayasadhanamala	355
	Notes	383