1. The Vajra The word vajra can be translated both as “thunder bolt” or “diamond.” It’s a word that encompasses the weapon’s two abilities: indestructibility, like a diamond, and overwhelming force, like lightning. The vajra is basically a handheld club, with a lotus on each end. The lotus curves out into a bell shape made of three, five, or nine prongs; however, the prongs can also be extended into points. This latter form is the form the vajra takes as a weapon. However, the vajra is often used as a ritualistic item in Vajrayana Buddhism, where it will be paired with a bell, called a ghanta. Depending on the number of prongs and whether or not they are extended or curved is symbolic, though five prongs are most common because they symbolize the five wisdoms. As a religious item, the vajra is a male symbol of action, whereas the ghanta is its female counterpart, symbolizing wisdom. As a weapon of antiquity, the vajra was wielded by Indra, a deity of both Hinduism and Buddh...
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