Vidyadhara: Difference between revisions

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'''Vidyadhara''' or ‘’’Rigdzin’’’ (Skt. ''vidyādhara''; Tib. [[རིག་འཛིན་]], ''rigdzin''; [[Wyl.]] ''rig 'dzin'') — while it is frequently translated as ‘awareness holder,’ caution is necessary. While the Tibetan term rigdzin can indeed mean ‘awareness holder,’ the equivalent Sanskrit term vidyadhara cannot. The reason is that the Sanskrit word vidya (Skt. ''vidyā'') has a different range of meanings from its Tibetan counterpart rigpa (Tib. ''rig pa''). The Sanskrit term vidyadhara can refer to either of two things:
'''Vidyadhara''' or '''Rigdzin''' (Skt. ''vidyādhara''; Tib. [[རིག་འཛིན་]], ''rigdzin''; [[Wyl.]] ''rig 'dzin'') — while it is frequently translated as ‘awareness holder,’ caution is necessary. The Tibetan term rigdzin can indeed mean ‘awareness holder,’ however the equivalent Sanskrit term vidyadhara cannot. The reason is that the Sanskrit word [[vidya]] (Skt. ''vidyā'') has a different range of meanings from its Tibetan counterpart rigpa (Tib. ''rig pa''). The Sanskrit term vidyadhara can refer to either of two things:
# In Indian mythology and the sutric literature it mostly refers to a winged spirit with magical powers.<ref>For a story involving such a spirit being, see for example: Robert Decaroli, ‘’Haunting the Buddha: Indian Popular Religions and the Formation of Buddhism,’’ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004): 41.</ref>
# In Indian mythology and the sutric literature it mostly refers to a winged spirit with magical powers.<ref>For a story involving such a spirit being, see for example: Robert Decaroli, ‘’Haunting the Buddha: Indian Popular Religions and the Formation of Buddhism,’’ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004): 41.</ref>
# In the tantric literatures it refers to a practitioner who has gained magical abilities through his or her accomplishment in tantric practices.
# In the tantric literatures it refers to a practitioner who has gained magical abilities through his or her accomplishment in tantric practices.
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*[[Four vidyadhara levels]]
*[[Four vidyadhara levels]]
*[[Eight vidyadharas]]
*[[Eight vidyadharas]]
==References==
* Decaroli, Robert. ''Haunting the Buddha: Indian Popular Religions and the Formation of Buddhism.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.


==Notes==
==Notes==

Latest revision as of 13:26, 14 August 2017

Vidyadhara or Rigdzin (Skt. vidyādhara; Tib. རིག་འཛིན་, rigdzin; Wyl. rig 'dzin) — while it is frequently translated as ‘awareness holder,’ caution is necessary. The Tibetan term rigdzin can indeed mean ‘awareness holder,’ however the equivalent Sanskrit term vidyadhara cannot. The reason is that the Sanskrit word vidya (Skt. vidyā) has a different range of meanings from its Tibetan counterpart rigpa (Tib. rig pa). The Sanskrit term vidyadhara can refer to either of two things:

  1. In Indian mythology and the sutric literature it mostly refers to a winged spirit with magical powers.[1]
  2. In the tantric literatures it refers to a practitioner who has gained magical abilities through his or her accomplishment in tantric practices.

Within the Dzogchen tradition, since approximately the 14th century, the Tibetan term rigdzin was used to describe someone who, according to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, constantly abides in the state of pure awareness of 'rigpa’. Thus, depending on the context, there are three possible meanings for the Tibetan term:

  1. A winged spirit (especially within early Tibetan literature)
  2. An accomplished tantric practitioner with magical abilities
  3. An accomplished Dzogchen yogi (especially with later Tibetan literature)

Current usage, back translating the Tibetan term rigdzin, when intending to refer to an accomplished Dzogchen yogi, as vidyadhara is mistaken.

Internal Links

References

  • Decaroli, Robert. Haunting the Buddha: Indian Popular Religions and the Formation of Buddhism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Notes

  1. For a story involving such a spirit being, see for example: Robert Decaroli, ‘’Haunting the Buddha: Indian Popular Religions and the Formation of Buddhism,’’ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004): 41.