Vajradhara = Vajrasattva = Akshobya?

[alchemicaltrance]

Dear all,

I have some difficulties understanding the Dhyani-buddhas.
I have found that Vajradhara is also known as Vajrasattva and Vajrasattva is also known as well as Akshobya. I don't understand any more...
Do you know any good books which can help me?
Thank you!

[Vajradhara]

Namaste alchemicaltrance,

thank you for the post.

i would strongly recommend the book "Meeting the Buddhas" by Vessantara. it is quite excellent from an academic point of view and presents the information in such a manner as to be, relatively, easy to understand.

Vajrasattva isn't really Vajradhara rather, Vajrasattva is an emmanation or maniestation of aspects of Buddha Vajradhara.

much of this, however, is specific to the Vajrayana schools of Buddhism especially as they are found in Tibet.

this site may prove of some interest:

http://www.khandro.net/deity_Vajrasattva.htm

metta,

~ v

[samabudhi]

Hi
Different systems use deities differently. For instance, Vairocana is sometimes in the middle of the mandala, and sometimes it is Aksobhya.

All yidams/ishtadevatas are emanations of the enlightened mind, so there is no difference in essence between them. They are all essentially empty. For our benefit, Buddha emanates as one deity or the other with specific functions.
Vajrasattva is best for purification. Vajradhara is the embodiment of the 3 jewels, so he is best for taking refuge. Aksobhya and the other dhyani Buddhas are more specific. Meditation on Aksobhya quells anger, on Amoghasiddhi - envy.

This is very much the tantric side, so you're unlikely to find anything concrete about these deities more than their vital statistics. More likely, you'll learn about them as you progress through the different practices they are inextricably linked to.

Vajrasattva appears in all ngondro. Vajradhara appears in sarma school (sakya, kagyu, gelug) ngondro.

Bang!

[alchemicaltrance]

Thank you again for your replies!