True Buddha Dharma-character Treasury – Cakrasamvara
【Cakrasamvara Mudra :】(Embracing Mudra)
Cakrasamvara Mudra (Embracing Mudra)
Cross the arms with the outward right hand on top of the inward left hand while each hand is making a fist facing inward. Make a circle by touching the tip of the index fingers with the thumb tip of each hand.
Guru Performs Cakrasamvara Mudra
【Cakrasamvara Seed Syllable :】Hum
Seed Syllable Hum
【Cakrasamvara Mantra :】
「Om。 seh。 ha-ha。 hum-hum。 pei。」
【Cakrasamvara Dharmalakṣaṇa Introduction】
Blue Cakrasamvara with one head and two arms stands on a sun disc within a lotus with the left leg bent while the right leg is extended. Each foot tramples upon a celestial being.
His topknot is adorned with mani jewels, new moon, and crossed vajra scepters. His body is adorned with six bone ornaments. He wears a necklace of human heads and a tiger skin skirt. He looks wrathful. Each hand holds a vajra scepter while he embraces Vajravarahi.
Vajravarahi is red. Her hands hold a kartika and a skull-cup respectively. Her hair is loose and spread out. Her right leg is bent while the left leg is extended. She is in unification with a joyful expression. Her body is adorned with five kinds of bone ornaments. The Buddha Father and Buddha Mother are surrounded by the fire of wisdom light.
The buddha of his crown ornament can be Akshobhya Buddha, Vairocana Buddha, or Amitabha Buddha.
(Above is an excerpt from “Cakrasamvara Practice” in Dreamy Prose and Poems, Sheng-yen Lu Book 251)
Cakrasamvara is sky blue in color with one head and two arms. His arms are crossed with the left hand holding a vajra bell and the right hand, a vajra scepter. Cakrasamvara’s hair is in a topknot. A vajra sceptre cross is inserted into his topknot. There is a crescent moon on the left side of the cross while the top of the cross is adorned with mani jewels. Cakrasamvara wears a crown of five skulls. On his chest hang fifty bloody human heads. He wears earrings, bracelets, and necklaces all made of human skulls, and a tiger skin skirt. His right leg is extended in a kicking posture while the left leg tramples upon Mahesvara. He looks wrathful.
Next, visualize the Buddha Mother. She has one head and two arms. Her hair is styled half in a bun and half draping down. She also wears a crown of five skulls and fifty-one bloody human heads around her neck. Her right hand holds a dagger while she leans on Cakrasamvara’s left shoulder. Her left hand holds a skull cup filled with blood which she holds to Cakrasamvara’s mouth for his consumption. Her left leg also forms a kicking posture while her right leg is wrapped around Cakrasamvara’s waist. They are standing in the midst of flames of luminous wisdom. The bodies of Cakrasamvara and the Buddha Mother are dignified with the adornment of human bones everywhere. The three eyes of both Cakrasamvara and the Buddha Mother demonstrate magnificent radiance and they look wrathful.
(The fifty bloody skulls hanging in front of Cakrasamvara’s chest represent the fifty Sanskrit syllables, necklaces made of human bones represent the Six Paramitas, the five-skull crown represents the essential nature of the Five Buddhas, the fresh blood represents nectar, and the skull cup represents a treasure vase.)
(Above is an except from “Cakrasamvara Practice” in Secret of True Buddha Secrets, Sheng-yen Lu Book 63)
Cakrasamvara
Note: The thangka image is provided for reference only.
【Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma Talk – Cakrasamvara Background and Magnificence】
Cakrasamvara Practice (also called Supreme Bliss Practice) is one of the Five Great Heruka Practices and is one of the highly treasured practices of the True Buddha School.
The Five Herukas are Hevajra, Guhyasamaja, Cakrasamvara, Yamantaka, and Mahottara Heruka.
This practice was originally the most significant and valuable practice of the Kagyu Sect of Vajrayana. This practice is complicated. One may only cultivate this practice after receiving the detailed key cultivation formulas from a vajra master.
The meaning of Cakrasamvara is ”surpassing all happiness.” Cakrasamvara is therefore also called ”Supreme Bliss.”
Cakrasamvara Practice is one of the esoteric practices of H.H. the 16th Karmapa. It was transmitted to me by his disciple. This practice can be performed to benefit heavens and humanity. For example, in the calamity eradication practice, one can visualize circular white light radiating everywhere to remove the karmic hindrances of sentient beings or to eradicate one’s own personal calamity. If one seeks wealth enhancement one can visualize circular yellow light radiating everywhere to fulfill the needs of sentient beings. For magnetization one can visualize red light radiating in every direction everywhere. One’s wishes for magnetization will be accomplished naturally. As for subjugation, one may visualize blue light radiating everywhere subjugating everything.
Cakrasamvara Mudra:
His mudra is the same as Vajrasattva’s. Form a fist with each hand while crossing the arms in front of the chest. One may also visualize the right hand holding a vajra scepter and the left hand, a vajra bell.
Cakrasamvara Visualization:
”One first visualizes oneself transforming into void, completely empty.”
”One then visualizes a lotus flower appearing from the void. There is a sun disc within the lotus and a 
within the sun disc. The transforms to a vajra scepter.”
”Subsequently, the vajra scepter transforms into a standing Cakrasamvara.”
”At this moment, Cakrasamvara is oneself. Oneself is Cakrasamvara. Visualize oneself being blue, one head and two arms, standing on a sun disc within a lotus with the left leg bent while the right leg is extended. Each foot tramples upon a celestial being.”
”His topknot is adorned with mani jewels, new moon, and crossed vajra scepters. His body is adorned with six bone ornaments. He wears a necklace of human heads and a tiger skin skirt. He looks wrathful. Each hand holds a vajra scepter while he embraces Vajravarahi.”
”Vajravarahi is red. Her hands hold a kartika and a skull-cup respectively. Her hair is loose and spread out. Her right leg is bent while the left leg is extended. She is in unification with a joyful expression. Her body is adorned with five kinds of bone ornaments.”
”The Buddha Father and Buddha Mother are surrounded by the fire of wisdom light.”
The buddha of the crown ornament:
”Some use Akshobhya Buddha or Vairocana Buddha. Some may use Amitabha Buddha.”
The significant benefits one will attain upon accomplishing the practice are:
- Unhindered in the three realms.
- Able to summon all heavenly deities and the eight classes of devas and nagas.
- All dakinis will be the servants of the practitioner.
- Know the karmic causes and effects of seven lifetimes.
- Unable to be harmed by the heavens, not to mention by ghosts or humans.
- Able to cause someone to live or die.
- Able to be invisible.
- Possess a vajra body.
- Cannot be harmed by thieves, robbers, and fierce beasts. Cannot be harmed by the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.
- Able to eradicate plagues.
- Able to travel through sky, water, and fire. Able to reach Heavens of End of Form and even higher.
- Capable of divine transformation.
- Longevity.
- Attainment of buddhahood.
If one is unable to reach attainment or merge oneself into emptiness, one will never become a buddha. Basically speaking, one could never possibly become a buddha. Only when one has reached enlightenment, attained the dharma body and merged oneself into emptiness, is one truly unhindered.
This then is the samadhi of the play of supernatural power! This is Cakrasamvara! This is the supreme state.
Cakrasamvara Practice in Dreamy Prose and Poems, Sheng-yen Lu Book 251