Amritakundalin - 甘露谭金刚 / 軍荼利明王

A Wisdom King (Sanskrit: Vidyaraja, Chinese: 明王) is a type of wrathful deity. Whereas the Sanskrit name is translated literally as "wisdom / knowledge king(s)," the term vidyā in Vajrayana Buddhism is also specifically used to denote mantras and the term may thus also be rendered "mantra king(s).

A similar category of fierce deities known as Herukas are found in Tibetan Buddhism.The female counterparts of Wisdom Kings are known as Wisdom Queens (Sanskrit : Vidyarajni)

Vidyarajas, as their name suggests, are originally conceived of as the guardians and personifications of esoteric wisdom (vidyā), namely mantras and dharanis. They were seen as embodying the mystic power contained in these sacred utterances.

During the early stages of esoteric (Vajrayana) Buddhism, many of the deities that would become known as vidyarajas (a term that only came into use around the late 7th-early 8th century) were mainly seen as attendants of Bodhisattvas who were invoked for specific ends such as the removal of misfortune and obstacles to enlightenment.

*Amritakundalin - 甘露谭金刚 / 軍荼利明王

In Buddhist thought, Amritakundalin is seen as the dispenser of Amrita, the celestial nectar of immortality. When classified among the Five Wisdom Kings (vidyaraja), fierce incarnations or emissaries of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, he is considered to be the manifestation of Ratnasambhava, one of the five Buddhas who is associated with the southern direction.

Amṛtakuṇḍalin refers to one of the male Vidyā-beings mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Manjusrimulakalpa: one of the largest Kriya Tantras devoted to Manjusri (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Manjusri and were taught to and by Buddha Sakyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Amṛtakuṇḍalin).

Amṛtakuṇḍalin or Amṛtakuṇḍalī is the name of a deity as defined in the ‘śrī-amṛtakuṇḍalin-utpatti’ chapter of the 9th-century Vajrāmṛtatantra or Vajrāmṛtamahātantra: one of the main and earliest Buddhist Yoginītantras. Chapter 9 begins with the visualisation of Amṛtakuṇḍalin: he has three faces and six arms, is fierce and appears black like the newly split antimony; he is surrounded by a garland of flames, he is cruel, and he is endowed with reddish-brown eyes. 

He is crushing the Great Obstacle(s) under his feet; his fist is raised, holding a hatchet; with his left hands he holds a club, a Vajra and a noose. His forefinger is threatening all evil beings. The practitioner should visualize a sword in his hand; afterwards, he should visualize the eight Wisdoms along with the door-guardians; eventually he should project the eight Wisdoms into the petals.

Amritakundali and Ghantama guard the north gate. He holds up a double-Dorje symbolizing victory over the deadening power of fixed ideas. Ghanta also called 'Wolf Face' or 'the Bell', sounds the bell of impartiality, resonant with the equality of all living beings.

* Footnote 

For those who had received the empowerment of this Tantric practice, you are reminded not intentionally or unintentionally to disclose the mantra to the public or anyone who may not have the empowerment or permission to practice, and by disclosing the mantra intentionally or unintentionally is a form of breaking your Tantric Samaya vows to the lineage masters and Dharma protectors. 

Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Vajrayana practice! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Vajrayana practice, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that Bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Vajrayana practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and self-interests.

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Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

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