Who is Vajrasattva?

[Vajradhara]

Originally Posted by Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

Another question for my ever-patient "teachers": are there vows beyond either Vajrasattva and Bodhisattva vows? If so, what are they?

Thank you from your ever- student,
Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine (and her :kitty:s)

Namaste phyllis,

thank you for the post.

indeed the most common vows that one sees in the Buddha Dharma are related to the Going for Refuge whereby one vows to put into practice the teachings and the monastic vows whereby one enters the monastic sangha.

there are several schools of practice which also contain vows that a being must make before they are able to progress in the lineage, the Ch'an school has a notable one whereby the student vows to memorize the teachings and to pass on the lineage to a qualified candidate.

within the Tantra schools there are various vows that one undertakes to progress along the path as well. the Vajrasattva empowerment and vow are now given in public since this tantra has previously been published in books which are readily accessible. most of other tantra empowerments are not public though one can find a few parts of some in a text called "Secret of the Vajra World" by Reginald Ray.

given the cultural millieu in which Buddha Dharma arose one is likely to find quite a few vows in the most unlikely of places

metta,

~v