The Mandala of Vajrayogini: Tantric Goddess of Enlightened Wisdom

Join artist Dasho Karma Ura, Director of the Centre for Bhutan Studies, for the premiere of a short film made to mark the end of the recent exhibition 'Tantra: enlightenment to revolution'.
The film charts the creation of a Buddhist sand mandala commissioned by the Museum in response to the exhibition, made almost 5000 miles away in the mountains of Bhutan.
Depicting the Tantric deity Vajrayogini, the 'queen of enlightened wisdom', the mandala was intricately constructed by nuns and monks from across Bhutan, before being ritually destroyed as a metaphorical expression of the impermanence and transformation of all phenomena.
A large-scale thangka (painting on fabric) of Vajrayogini was also created during this time, which will eventually be available to view at the British Museum.
Created in partnership with the Centre for Bhutan Studies, Bhutan.
Supported by the Bagri Foundation.
Part of the public programme accompanying the special exhibition Tantra: enlightenment to revolution (24 September 2020 - 24 January 2021).
More information about the past exhibition can be found here: www.britishmuseum.org/exhibit...
Sign up to our newsletters for the latest news on our work, stories about the collection and upcoming events: emails.britishmuseum.org/k/Br...
We’re bringing inspiring stories of humanity’s shared histories and cultural achievements to millions of people online. Your support ensures that we can continue to make the collection and videos like this one available to as many people as possible. If you can, please donate today: ow.ly/1e1Y30qHebG or you can text BMLEARN to 70085. Texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message.

[@ugyendema2775]

OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG. GURU RINPOCHE KHENNO. 🙏🙏🙏🙇‍♀️

[@anilgb]

What a profound narration by my dear friend Dasho Karma Ura, first novelist of Bhutan, a great painter, writer, specialist in democratic governance and a chronicler of our times, thoughts, philosophy

[@sybillenova1465]

Disappearing into INFATHOMABLE SPACE is a good idea for beings who are not wanted...like JESUS OF NAZARETH as well... .

[@28105wsking]

@@sybillenova1465 Sybille, just a reminder, our whole world, our historical era, our times and issues and even we ourselves are all going to dissolve into space. At some level, we are already there and this appearance of everything is only a temporary delusion of permanence.

[@28105wsking]

Thank you so much. Altho I have had these initiations and some teachings, I was in my twenties then and just from the West, straight out of college in Boulder. There is so much I didn't understand, could not have understood just then. So I am so grateful that teachings continue to be given. Many thanks to all of you. Im 75 now! Time flies! Make it good!

[@anilgb]

Naman to vajrayogini

[@jaiwantidimri8921]

Wonderful presentation of the Mandala

[@theresamiley8917]

Reminds me of mother Kali. 💀 🙏 Om!

[@janeaugustine6988]

Profoundly beautiful and inspiring

[@stuartbrown7873]

Thanks to all involved in creating 'Tantra: enlightenment to revolution.' Despite the pandemic, the KZbin videos, book and supporting materials have made it a wonderful event.

[@CoolGirl007]

This video has healing my soul, thanks a lot British Museum

[@_ananda_]

Gracias por su extraordinario y precioso video, que ha completado mi escasa información sobre Vajra Yoguini la cual se encuentra en mi casa cual tesoro. 🕉 🌿💜 🌹✨🙏

[@johnholborn563]

Breathtaking! Utterly Beautiful! Thank You.

[@kesangwangdi9103]

Thanking Dasho Karma Ura for the fantastic peep into the Dorji Nyaljorma space and The British Museum for facilitating it.

[@bozolito108]

Westerners doing these sorts of docs usually make it too dramatic and corny, and I’ve seen many. This is just right. As a Former monk and practitioner of Vajrayogini over 25 years I say WELL DONE!

[@cosmicsprings8690]

Jock strap ..your only concern is your self glorification. Obviously you learnt very little in your self consciousness except how to play with your saucy sausage. You are about as much a monk as my budgie ✨🌼🌿🌞🌿🌼✨💜💜✨✨🕉⚛️☯️✨✨🆔✨

[@alexdavidson7785]

homage

[@hellboundtruck123]

What are the karmic results of leaving monkhood and breaking vows?

[@bozolito108]

@@hellboundtruck123 the karma is said to be very negative. There is a provision, however, to give vows back and return to lay life without fault. Doing it this way won’t break them

[@thuriyamthuriyam4402]

Thanks For VAJRA YOGINI Tantra is pure science

[@robertbaldwin2281]

Thanks what a privilege to have shared this practice such devotion of the artists

[@mariamoore8349]

Truely amazing, thank you

[@lucy-annpope5650]

Fascinating. An invitation to view a beautiful, sacred ritual unknown to me. A privilege - thank you. And what amazing artists created the sand mandala!

[@myhouseimports]

Wow> Beautiful documentary.

[@michaelmallal9101]

I love Vajrayogini and Red Tara. I live in a Jewish neighbourhood so get looks when wearing my 6 pointed star ring.

[@konstantinkolev4204]

Magical Experience .. Thank you , British Museum for this presentation!😍🔥

[@user-lh9cd8nq4j]

Thiefs Bazar...

[@johndavies3082]

Thank you for such a wonderful offering. I didn't know that the Dudjom Tersar tradition of Chod was popular in Bhutan.

[@sophieg218]

What an amazing ceremony and profound message. Thank you for bringing this to our view. 🙏

[@user-qy4um6zi1s]

Beautiful... thank you!❤

[@nerilensmith4240]

Om ah HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI hung...keep chanting Aum.mmmm

[@alexdavidson7785]

x 100,000,000

[@alexdavidson7785]

🌈

[@bseiryu]

Thank you so much for the presence of women - at work and side by side - with our brothers.

[@gabrielacosta7956]

Soo beautiful!!!! I wish I could see a painting like these

[@mandalameadow]

Thank you! Absolutely fascinating and something I'll share with my students.

[@NL-ws5fv]

Amazing. Ever since first seeing some of your exhibit online, I've been fascinated by this culture

[@yehudahhachassid6191]

Vajra Buddhist Culture is ancient and mysterious.Tuchi Che !

[@fuckbankers]

Mesmerising

[@sybillenova1465]

EARTH WIND AND FIRE also is the name of an American band.

[@lfeist3279]

thank for sharing about the vajra yogini

[@nerilensmith4240]

THE DOG IS SAYING WATCH OUT SHES COMING SOONER THEN U THINK..RIGHT NOW SHES DANCING AROUND THE WORLD..HEALING THE PEOPLE..ARE YOU READY FOR ENLIGHTENMENT???

[@Erkynar]

Thank you.

[@seed_of_the_woman]

She dwells everywhere in everything and everyone. you said: she dwells nowhere. if you think this is the same, you must meet her someday. SHE doesn’t allow HER people to say such foolish things about HER. stay true. Love, david ✨ 👑

[@avatarkorra2318]

beautiful.. Artistic... Culturally uplifting...... Being a woman I always contemplate as to why not one female was a recognized establisher of a major world religion... I think we are too busy dancing too appease evokedness of everything🌹🙏🙏

[@silberlinie]

What an impressive mummery. This surpasses any African voodoo ceremony.

[@BillSikes.]

Om Mani Padme Hum 🙏🙏🙏

[@yashdixit3645]

Firstly ,big thanks to Bhutan for preserving this precious culture ! Respected sir , thankyou for giving such a mesmerizing lecture on Mother Vajrayogini .

[@crystalcitykid]

The Vajrayogini in the mandala looks like Naropa's dakini as practiced, for example, in the Sakya tradition. As far as I'm aware the main traditions practiced in Bhutan are Nyingma and Drukpa Kagyu. What is the lineage and history of the deity and mandala represented here? If anyone knows anything about this, please share. Thanks.

[@1ACL]

This is great!!!

[@staciwashington3212]

Wow! Thank you. I am inspired.🌷🌹🌼🥀🌱

[@sangeetaahuja8616]

Thank you so much for bringing such amazing events Dr. Imma Ramos and to The British Museum

[@dhantamang867]

Very Good

[@hotmeish]

❤❤❤

[@davidjohnzenocollins]

Believe it or not, the world is running out of sand. Peak sand, you might call it. I wonder where they get their colored sand and if they will be able to get it in the future. Also, what intense patience it would take to sprinkle a few grains at a time onto the mandala!

[@ArpanX.]

In Hinduism vajra yogani is one of the 64 yoganis.

[@muttlee9195]

🙏🕉🙏

[@HebaruSan]

How do the individual contributors know what it should look like? Do they work from a reference image?

[@scotttran7601]

🌈🔥😇💐💐💐🙏❤️

[@longlichuan]

頂禮金刚瑜伽母!

[@sugarfree1894]

arises, stays for a while, departs

[@allieallieoxen3]

Is there a link to video of the whole chö ceremony?

[@brianfernandez3138]

Is it possible for me to get one

[@sybillenova1465]

The hexagram interestingly enough is also the sign of KING DAVID and KING SOLOMON and the symbol of ISRAEL. There is hardly any resesearch sofar on the subjectmatter of that connection..neither historical nor other...not even in regards to the other (vilified) Tibetan symbol of the SWASTIKA and Germany under Hitler using this symbol turning l e f t while at the same time vilifying Jews with the VAJRAYOGINI symbol...a lot of research needed.

[@Rapture_Ready_Rabbit]

??????? TIME HAS RUN OUT !! John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Don't ignore this message... REPENT NOW !! TRUST that God raised Him from the dead !! By FAITH accept JESUS's blood alone as payment for your sins unto Salvation, to escape what's about to happen !!

[@Jasmine_breeze]

Great, does the museum also intend to return works of religious art taken from former colonies? Artefacts in this museum does not belong to Britain, because it was taken by force from "weaker" nations. Personally, it turns me off when I see a smiling, nice lady who doesn't care at all about how her study materials were obtained. Where did all this come from,? Why does Great Britain have so many foreign monuments and why are these things not available in the countries you took them from? Where do the exhibits in your residences and museums come from? You couldn't create it Why then do you own the fruits of other people's labor, other people's religious artifacts?

[@krishnaghimire390]

made by British museums lol already out… Stealer turned into teachers😂😂

[@silberlinie]

How can you take people for a ride like that? And steal their lives.