Bell Dorje

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Vajra and bell are the most significant ritual objects in the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism take its name from the vajra, which symbolizes the unchangeable consciousness of the Buddha, the experience of the Absolute. When it is used in rituals, the vajra is paired with the bell. It is said that the vajra represents the compassion of all the Buddhas the masculine principle, and the bell represents wisdom, the female principle. It is believed that for the achievement of enlightenment these two principles must be joined. The use of the bell and vajra differs as per the ritual, sadhana and actions. As one example of their use, during meditation on the deity Vajrasattva, the vajra is placed on the chest of the practitioner, meaning that Vajrasattva is brought to the meditator, and they become one and inseparable. Ringing the bell there represents the sound of the Buddha's teachings and symbolizes the attainment of wisdom and understanding of emptiness.

The belt is here surmounted by five-pronged half vajra. Below the upper prongs is the head of the crowned wisdom deity, representing the Yum or mother, and below the head is a lotus flower. A narrow shaft fits into the bell. Around the top are eight lotus petals with the seed syllables of the darkness of the eight directions. Below the petals is a narrow belt of horizontal vajras. A decorative garland of Kirtimukha masks holding offering jewels in their mouths encircles the wide central portion. Between the masks are different Buddhist symbols. A larger belt of thirty-nine vertical vajras within the two narrow rows of small beads encircles the bell where it widens at the mouth. The band at the bottom is smooth. Inside the bell, an iron clapper is attached with a strong thread to the top by a very small vajra.

The Vajra has five prongs. At the top half, the straight middle prong widens about two-thirds down from the point. Each of the four outside curved prongs come out of the mouth of a makara, symbolizing that all beings are held by the vajra in the grip of compassion. Below the prongs are lotus petals. The centre of the vajra is rounded and is supposed to represent the face of the yab, or the face of compassion. The bottom half duplicates the upper half of the vajra.