Vajra Ink

I think I’m fully decompressed from the Palyul retreat now, and I was saving a post for a little bit of down time. Since we’re on the eve of a holiday weekend here in the States, why not now?

 

You all know that I like Dharma-themed tattoos. I’ve written about the three that I’ve gotten in Mongolia here, here, and here. So one of the first things I noticed at in New York was that there was some really cool ink being sported by some of the Palyul retreatants. I asked each to pose for photographs; they all obliged and the following are the results.

 

The first piece of art that caught my eye adorned the shoulder of Sandra from Florida.

 

 

It’s a beautifully rendered bell and dorje, which in Vajrayana Buddhist symbolism represent the union of wisdom and compassion. Along the bottom of the bell is written Padmasambhava’s mantra, Om Ah Hung Benzar Guru Padma Siddhi Hung. Sandra says it’s meant to signify her own teacher.

 

Shoulders were popular ink locations. Here’s one of our nuns, Alyce Louise, who got a crossed vajra, symbolizing the indestructibility of true wisdom, with the sacred syllable “AH” in the center, which indicates the emptiness aspect of wisdom and recalls our teacher, Ahkon Lhamo. Underneath is an outline version of the same tattoo I have on my right forearm, Terton Migyur Dorje’s “Liberation Upon Seeing” diagram.

 

 

 

Our monk Palzang opted for full color for his shoulder tat. It's the mandala of Sengdongma, the Lion-headed Dakini and secret aspect of Padmsambhava. In the center is a flaying knife called a drigug, symbolizing the dakini’s activity in slicing through ego-clinging, our main obstacle to liberation.

 

 

 

 

The drigug also features in Ani Atara’s wrist tattoos. On her outer wrists one she chose the crossed vajra for one, and the mantra of her lama, Om Ahkon Lhamo Hung, for the other.

 

 

 

On the secret side of her left wrist is the drigug. Modesty prevented me from photographing her final tattoo, that of Padmasambhava’s Indian consort, Lhacham Mandarava, which she wears in the middle of her chest, above her heart.

 

 

Finally, Richard from Colorado is clearly quite into one of the main wrathful deities of the Nyingmapa, Vajrakilaya. He’s had two phurbas (Tibetan for “kilaya”) inked on his forearms. These daggers represent the weapon of wisdom which destroys delusions.

 

 

 

 

Higher on his arm, he’s had his artist replicate his lamas own handwriting of two sacred mantras associated with Vajrakilaya.

 

 

I know such things aren’t to everyone’s taste (what is?) but I found that the motivations of all these folks were deeply personal and meaningful, as well as taking into consideration the potential benefit that seeing such images might bring to others.

 

Now, writing about tattoos has also made me think of much younger days, when I was quite the little metalhead. And I’m reminded of that also because of how much I enjoyed Barack Obama’s speech to the Democratic National Convention last night.

 

{Um, Konchog, what on earth do heavy metal and Barack Obama have in common?}

 

So glad you asked. Some clever soul over at another blog has discovered that Obama seems to have sewn up the Motörhead vote early on.

Comments

[David Santos]

Great!!!
Really great wok. Beautiful.
Congratulations.

[Leamur]

Yeah, I can't wait to fry up some dharma tatts. Whaddya think, rice or noodles with those? ;)

Those are awesome... thanks for the pics.

[Konchog]

Are "tatts"...some kinda Alabama thing? You lost me. And why haven't you asked me to coffee yet? I've been in the States two months!

[Robert]

Hi Konchog, As a result of your posting about your own most recent tattoo I contacted Tashi and met with him when I was in London in July. He designed a tattoo for me, and I may have the design framed, but I am still too timid to commit it to ink and skin. I do like the dorje designs. Hope all is good for you back in UB.

[njpnts]

Wow, very cool

[Tattoo Websites]

Some great tattoo designs here. This is great post, I love meaningfull tats. I'm going to put a link to this on the tattoo social network.