In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: The Cakrasamvara Tantra

Dharmodaya (धर्मोदय) as identified by Nāropāda possibly refers to Buddhist recasting of Śaiva śivaliṅgas and yonis—Nāropāda describes many of the twenty-four sites as sites whose center is formed by sacral stones such as stone liṅgas of various shapes and stone dharmodayas. The stone liṅgas conform in shape to the body parts which the Cakrasaṃvara scriptures equate with external holy sites. These stone liṅgas and dharmodayas are very likely to be a Buddhist recasting of Śaiva śivaliṅgas and yonis. But many other authors, including Abhayākaragupta, regard goddesses or living human Ḍākinīs as sacral centers of the holy sites.

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Dharmodayā (धर्मोदया) refers to the “origin of phenomenal existences”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: [while explaining the body circle (kāyacakra)]: “[...] He should push [the obstacle demons by means of the stakes] into the directions starting with the east inside the adamantine cage. The adamantine ground should be underneath. A net of arrows is [placed] above. Moreover, there are an adamantine fence, [an adamantine] canopy, and the dharmodayā (“origin of phenomenal existences”) inside. It is triangle, [the second one is] square, and [the third one is] pentagonal [in shape]. He should also visualize a hexagonal one, [the fourth one]. He should arrange them all in sequence corresponding to the order of the four layers. [...]”.

Source: academia.edu: Elements of Newar Buddhist Art (EB)

Dharmodayā (धर्मोदया) refers to an “inverted triangle symbolizing the female principle” according to several esoteric Buddhist texts including the Vimalaprabhā (commentary to Kālacakra).—Abhayākaragupta, the well-known author of the Niṣpannayogāvalī explains that “in terms of macrocosm (bahya) the triangular dharmodaya is no other than the endless sky, in terms of inward (adhyātman) significance she is Prajñā”. Moreover, Sādhanamālā no. 97 clearly states that “Dharmodaya is akin to sky, and appears like the vowel e [Brāhmī script] because it has a wide upper section and narrow pointed lower section”. Since this vulvate triangle resembles the vowel e in Brāhmī script it was also known as ekāra—“the letter e”. The interlocking double triangles motif was actually known to the Buddhist as evam or evaṃkāra, signifying non-dual unity of the female principle e and the male principle vam, a syllabic letter in ancient Indian scripts which was visualized as an upright triangle.

The word dharmodayā is synonymous with dharmadhātu. For instance, Hevajratantra-Tika explains that “dharmodayā is dharmadhātu because the worldly phenomenon or the noble dharma [directly] rises from here”. The author of the Samvarodaya-Tantra (verse 2.25) clearly states that dharmodayā is both a yoni and a gate (dharmodayā-yoni-dvārānām). This concept goes bac1 to the early Vedic period.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: When the Clouds Part

Dharmodaya (धर्मोदय) refers to “dharma source” according to Vimalaprabhā commentary on the Kālacakratantra.—Mahāmudrā is the one characterized by all dharmas that lack a nature of their own, is the one endowed with all supreme aspects, is Prajñāpāramitā, and the one that gives rise to all Buddhas. It is also expressed by the term “dharma source” (dharmodaya)—it is the dharma source from which all dharmas that lack a nature of their own will arise. The dharmas that lack a nature of their own are the eighty-four thousand collections of dharmas such as the ten powers and the four fearlessnesses.

India history and geography

Source: academia.edu: Elements of Newar Buddhist Art

The Dharmodaya (“inverted triangle”) is identified by the Newar Buddhists (of Kathmandu) with an aboriginal female divinity of a waterhole or waterholes. We know this from several sources including the observation of her unique shrine and its symbolic representations in stone relief. One of this divinity’s shrines is located in Hmasinga, currently known to Nepali speaking people as Phulbari near Balaju (i.e., Pulan Guhyesvari at Phulbari), the other one in Mrigasthali, east of famous Pasupati temple. Both these shrines are actually underground, fresh-water springs covered by a repoussé lotus.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Dharma, Udaya, Tarma.

Full-text (+8): Mrigasthali, Khaganana, Antarastha, Dharmadhatu, Guhyeshvari, Pariṇata, Ekara, Ratnakalasha, Jhatiti, Nanaratna, Yoni, Catutputa, Vitana, Panjara, Vajrabhumi, Vajraprakara, Prakara, Shatkona, Panjaramadhya, Pancakona.

Relevant text

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