Size: Length 18cm, Height/Width 4cm
Material: Hinoki cypress
Country of Origin: China
The five-pronged vajra is said to have been introduced to Japan by seven of the eight Buddhist monks who went to Tang China, excluding Huiyun. Originally a type of weapon (vajra) in India, in Esoteric Buddhism it represents the samaya form of various deities. There are various types of five-pronged vajra banners, but they represent the meaning of the Bodhisattva mind, the Five Buddhas and Five Wisdoms, and the Ten Paramitas, and are said to break the ten kinds of defilements and attain the ten stages.
Five-pronged vajra made of hinoki cypress. Size: Length 18cm, Maximum width 4cm
The vajra is a ritual implement that likens the way in which the Buddha's teachings extinguish defilements and express the Bodhisattva mind (the mind seeking enlightenment) to a weapon from Indian mythology. It is used in esoteric Buddhist rituals in Shingon and Tendai sects, as well as in the Segaki ceremony in Shingon, Tendai, and Zen sects. Its basic form is rod-shaped with a handle (oni-me section) in the center. The oni-me is visualized as Dainichi Nyorai (Vairocana Buddha), and practitioners grasp this bulge as a ritual of becoming one with Dainichi Nyorai. Spear-like blades are attached to the top and bottom. There are several variations depending on the number and shape of the blades, each with its own unique name. The five-pronged vajra is said to have been introduced to Japan by seven of the eight esoteric Buddhist practitioners who went to Tang China, excluding Huiyun. Originally a type of weapon (vajra) in India, in esoteric Buddhism it represents the samaya form of various deities. While there are various types of banners on the five-pronged vajra, they represent the meaning of the Bodhisattva mind, the five Buddhas and five wisdoms, and the ten paramitas, and are said to break the ten kinds of defilements and attain the ten stages of enlightenment.
It was used for wish fulfillment, improving luck, warding off disaster, and protection against evil. You can carry this with you as a good luck charm, or you can leave it in your room.