OM OM OM Sarva Buddha Dakiniye Vajra Varnaniye Vajra Vairochaniye Hum Hum Hum Phat Phat Phat Svaha
A web-verified scholarly guide to the root mantra of Naro Khachöma — her lineage, iconography, syllable meanings, and practice context.
At a Glance
The Deity
Vajrayogini in her Naro Khachöma form — "Naropa's Sky-Dancer." A female Anuttarayoga "Mother Tantra" deity of the Chakrasamvara cycle.
The Mantra
Three linked invocations of the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the deity — not a translatable sentence but a sound-formula for identification.
The Lineages
Transmitted especially through the Sakya and Gelug schools, with related forms in Kagyu and Jonang traditions.
Empowerment Required
Formal practice requires the Vajrayogini / Naro Kachö initiation from a qualified lineage lama, plus samaya commitments.
The Standard Liturgical Form
OM OM OM SARVA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA VARNANIYE VAJRA VAIROCHANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT SVAHA
The standard form opens with three OMs. Single-OM or anglicized "-nya" spellings found in popular sources are phonetic simplifications of the same mantra.
Traditional teaching holds this mantra is the heart-essence of all dakinis dwelling in the mandalas of body, speech, and mind.
Three Mantras in One
According to all-otr.org, the long mantra joins three distinct invocations — one for each dimension of the deity's enlightened being.
Body
OM Sarva Buddha Dakini HUM PHAT — "the dakini of all the buddhas." Invokes the enlightened physical form of the deity.
Speech
OM Vajra Varnaniye HUM PHAT SVAHA — invokes the indestructible vajra speech, the voice of enlightened expression.
Mind
OM Vajra Vairochaniye HUM PHAT — the "radiant/illuminating vajra," the shining-forth of enlightened awareness.
Combined for recitation, they become the familiar three-OM mantra.
Decoding the Syllables
OM × 3
The primordial syllable of vajra body, speech, and mind. Triple repetition maps to body/speech/mind (the three kāyas) and purification of the "three doors."
SARVA BUDDHA DAKINIYE
"O dakini of all the buddhas." Vajrayogini as embodiment and mistress of every dakini in every buddha-field.
VAJRA VARNANIYE
An epithet praising her indestructible vajra nature. Derived from varṇana ("praising/describing") or varṇa ("color/syllable").
VAJRA VAIROCHANIYE
The "radiant, illuminating vajra." Name-associated with Vairochana, "the Illuminator," the shining-forth of awakened awareness.
The Seed-Syllables: HUM, PHAT, SVAHA
HUM × 3
The seed-syllable of enlightened mind (bodhicitta) and the vajra family. Fearless, purifying, and subjugating — it invokes the indestructible nature of awakened awareness.
PHAT × 3
A wrathful "cutting" syllable that severs obstacles and dualistic grasping. Described by bstcthanka.com as a shield that dispels negative forces. HUM + PHAT together express inseparable wisdom-and-method.
SVAHA
Seals the mantra. Per bstcthanka.com, it expresses offering, dedication, and complete surrender to the deity — the culminating gesture of the recitation.
A Traditional Summary Reading
"Homage to the Vajra-family dakini, the Vairochana Tathāgata-family dakini, and all the buddha-dakinis — invoking the destruction of Māra and the fulfilment of aims through vajra power."
This rendering, drawn from enlightenmentthangka.com, captures the traditional orientation of the mantra. It is homage, not petition — the practitioner identifies with the deity rather than appealing to an external being.
Naro Khachöma: The Form
Naro Khachöma (Tib. Nā ro mkha' spyod ma, "Naropa's Sky-Goer") is the form of Vajrayogini transmitted from the Indian mahasiddha Naropa.
Himalayan Art Resources classifies her as Wisdom ("Mother") Anuttarayoga Tantra originating in the Chakrasamvara cycle.
She is found in all Tibetan schools but is especially prominent in the Sakya (as a special Naropa transmission) and Gelug traditions.
Related "sky-goer" forms include Maitri Khachöma (from Maitripa) and Indra Khachöma (from Indrabhuti).
Iconography: The Vision of Naropa
Paraphrasing the sadhana used at Kadampa Center and the description at dakinitranslations.com:
Form & Color
Red, brilliant "like the fire of an aeon's end." One face, two arms, three eyes gazing upward toward Dakini-land.
Stance
Stands on a lotus and sun-disc. Right leg outstretched on red Kālarātri; bent left leg on black Bhairava.
Right Hand
Holds a downward-pointing curved knife (kartika/drigug) marked with a vajra — symbolizing the cutting of ego and obstacles.
Left Hand
Holds a skullcup (kapāla) of blood at her heart, with a khatvanga staff resting along her shoulder.
Tilopa, Naropa, and the Two Lineages
Dakinitranslations.com notes a subtle but important distinction in iconographic origin:
Vajravārāhī (Dorje Phagmo)
Derives from a vision of Tilopa. This is the primary form within the Kagyu Chakrasamvara tradition.
Vajrayogini (Dorje Naljorma)
This Naro Khachöma form derives from a vision of Naropa himself — hence its special status as his heart transmission.
Though sharing the same mantra, the two forms carry distinct iconographic and lineage identities across the Tibetan schools.
The Transmission: An Unusually Clear Record
The transmission history of Naro Khachöma is unusually well-documented and consistent across sources — including the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, the Ganachakra/Jarungkhashor blogs, and dakinitranslations.com.
Step 1: Vajrayogini to Naropa
After training under Tilopa, Naropa received a direct vision of Vajrayogini in her flying (khecarī) form — hence the name "Naro Khachöma," Naropa's Sky-Dancer.
This visionary transmission established the lineage as uniquely direct: deity to mahasiddha.
Step 2: Naropa to the Phamtingpa Brothers
Naropa transmitted the initiation only to the two Phamtingpa brothers — the Lama Yeshe Archive stresses he did not give it even to Marpa.
Vāgīśvarakīrti
Elder of the two Nepalese disciples. Practiced with Naropa for years before retreating to Parping.
Bodhibhadra
Younger brother. The two retreated together at Parping, near Kathmandu — still a major Vajrayogini pilgrimage site today.
Step 3: Into the Sakya School
The transmission entered Tibet through the translator Mal (Melgyo) Lotsawa Lodrö Drakpa, who became the teacher of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo — the foundational Sakya patriarch.
This made Naro Khachöma one of the "command-seal, single-disciple" heart teachings of the Sakya school — a practice so precious it was passed to only one disciple at a time.
It is counted among the three red deities of the Thirteen Golden Dharmas of Sakya (gser chos bcu gsum).
Step 4: Into the Gelug School
1671
The Fifth Dalai Lama composes a Naro Kachö text — disproving the claim that Gelug received it only in the 18th century (dakinitranslations.com).
1878–1941
Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo promotes Vajrayogini as a principal Gelug yidam through his sadhana "The Short Path to Great Bliss."
20th Century
Pabongka passes the lineage to Trijang Rinpoche, thence widely — including into FPMT via Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Jonang and Kagyu Transmissions
Jonang Lineage
The tradition is also transmitted within the Jonang school, with significant texts composed by the mahasiddha-scholar Tāranātha.
Kagyu Tradition
The related form Vajravārāhī (Dorje Phagmo) carries the same root mantra within the Kagyu Chakrasamvara tradition — framing the body/speech/mind structure in "benza" pronunciation.
Why Practitioners Rely on This Practice
The attributed benefits of Vajrayogini practice are described across the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, bstcthanka.com, and the NgalSo tradition. They span this life, the bardo, and future lives.
Attributed Benefits
Swift Purification
Rapid clearing of negativity, obscurations, and obstacles accumulated over many lifetimes.
Merit and Wisdom
Simultaneous accumulation of the two collections: merit (puṇya) and primordial wisdom (jñāna).
Bliss-Emptiness Realization
Completion-stage union of great bliss and the recognition of emptiness — the heart of Anuttarayoga practice.
Common and Supreme Siddhis
The granting of both ordinary accomplishments and the supreme siddhi: the enlightened state of Vajrayogini herself.
Access to the Dakini Pure Land
A special route to Khecharī (Kechara). The Lama Yeshe Archive states a fortunate practitioner can reach it "without leaving the body."
The 36-Recitation Practice
Citing the Vajravārāhī tantra, bstcthanka.com describes a practice of reciting the mantra 36 times daily.
The benefits are said to extend across this life, the bardo state, and future lives — making it a practice of unusual temporal scope.
The ultimate aim is not a temporary benefit but the attainment of the enlightened state of Vajrayogini herself.
Daily Recitations
Traditional prescription from the Vajravārāhī tantra
Who Can Practice — and How
Because Vajrayogini is an Anuttarayoga deity, her practice carries specific requirements. Every reputable public source — visiblemantra.org, bstcthanka.com, and the sadhana texts themselves — stresses that this practice is traditionally secret.
Empowerment Prerequisites by School
Sakya Tradition
A prior Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment is required — typically Hevajra or Chakrasamvara — before receiving the Naro Kachö initiation.
Gelug Tradition
Prerequisites include empowerment in Guhyasamāja, Vajrabhairava, or Chakrasamvara from a qualified lineage lama.
Both Traditions
Formal initiation requires acceptance of samaya commitments. The practice should not be taken up casually without qualified instruction and ongoing guidance.
The Short (Heart) Mantra
OM VAJRAYOGINI HUM PHAT SVAHA
oṃ vajrayoginī hūṃ phaṭ svāhā
Several public sources — bstcthanka.com and visiblemantra.org — also give this short heart mantra. It is widely published as reference information.
The Sadhana: A Structured Path
Mantra recitation does not stand alone. It sits within a structured sadhana that integrates generation-stage and completion-stage practices in a precise sequence.
The Practice Sequence
Each stage has its own requirements. Mantra recitation is held within "clear appearance" and "divine pride" — the practitioner's identification with the deity's form and awareness.
The Eleven Yogas of Naropa's Vajrayogini
The Naro Khachöma system is organized as the Eleven Yogas of Naropa's Vajrayogini.
The Classic Commentary
Jamyang Khyentse Wangchuk wrote the definitive Sakya commentary on the Eleven Yogas. It still underlies the traditional seven-day teaching format.
Integrated Context
The system is closely integrated with the Chakrasamvara body-mandala and the Six Yogas of Naropa — including inner heat (tummo) and bliss-emptiness completion-stage work.
Completion-Stage: Inner Heat and Bliss-Emptiness
The completion stage involves working with the subtle body — channels (nāḍī), winds (prāṇa), and drops (bindu).
Inner heat (tummo) practice ignites the central channel, giving rise to the experience of bliss-emptiness — the union of great bliss and direct recognition of emptiness.
Key Academic Reference
Elizabeth English
Vajrayoginī: Her Visualizations, Rituals, and Forms — A Study of the Cult of Vajrayoginī in India
Wisdom Publications (Boston), 2002. Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism series. xxxi + 563 pp., 16 color plates. ISBN 978-0-86171-329-5. A reprint edition appeared c. 2025.
Centers on the Guhyasamayasādhanamālā, a 12th-century Sanskrit palm-leaf collection of ~46 sādhanas. Includes a full translation of Umāpatideva's Vajravārāhī Sādhana.
The standard academic treatment of the deity's Indian origins, iconography, and mantras.
Broader Scholarly Context
David B. Gray
Translation of the Cakrasamvara Tantra — essential context for the cycle in which Vajrayogini's mantra and practice are embedded.
Miranda Shaw
Passionate Enlightenment and Buddhist Goddesses of India — authoritative scholarship on the role of dakinis and female deities in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism.
Himalayan Art Resources
The leading online iconographic database. Their entry "Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini, Khechara (Naropa Tradition)" (set ID 364) is the standard visual reference.
Important Caveats for Readers
Translation Is Interpretive
Word-by-word "meanings" of tantric mantras are glosses, not grammar. Commentaries differ on VARNANIYE and VAIROCHANIYE. The tradition holds the syllables' real force is realized only in empowered practice.
Deity Identifications Vary
Vajrayogini, Naro Khachöma, and Vajravārāhī are treated as one deity in some traditions and as distinct forms in others. The body/speech/mind breakdown is framed in Kagyu Vajravārāhī terms but applies to the same mantra.
Some Sources Are Commercial
Thangka shops and mala sellers publish doctrinal material. Their points are corroborated here by teaching archives (FPMT) and academic references — but treat shop-blog framings loosely.
Restricted Detail Withheld
Completion-stage specifics and full sadhana verses are traditionally secret and are described only in general terms by design.
Sources Consulted
All major claims in this guide are verified against live sources. Where scholarship disagrees — chiefly on dates — both positions are given.
Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
"A Teaching on Vajrayogini" (lineage, benefits, Golden Dharmas); "Vajrayogini Meditation to Heal Cancer" (mantra text). lamayeshe.com
all-otr.org
"The Vajrayogini Mantra" — body/speech/mind structure, "benza" pronunciation, Kagyu framing.
Boudha Stupa Thanka (bstcthanka.com)
"The Vajrayogini Mantra: Benefits, Practice, Empowerment" — syllable meanings, short mantra, 36× recitation, SVAHA.
Himalayan Art Resources
himalayanart.org — "Buddhist Deity: Vajrayogini, Khechara (Naropa Tradition)" set ID 364. Standard iconographic database.
Dakini Translations
dakinitranslations.com — "Nāropa's Vajrayoginī": Tilopa/Naropa iconographic distinction, Gelug/Jonang history, Eleven Yogas.
Elizabeth English
Vajrayoginī: Her Visualizations, Rituals, and Forms. Wisdom Publications, 2002. Standard academic treatment of Indian origins and mantras.
Additional sources: visiblemantra.org, enlightenmentthangka.com, Ganachakra/Jarungkhashor blogs (Glenn Mullin), termatree.com, Dharma Wheel forum, Kadampa Center sadhana texts, NgalSo tradition.
The Vajrayogini Mantra