Guru Viking Podcast

In this interview I am once again joined by Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, a tantric priest in a centuries old Newari Buddhist family lineage and master of the religious dance tradition of Charya Nritya. Prajwal Vajracharya explores the history of Newar Buddhism, a rich form of Varjayana practiced in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Prajwal Vajracharya recounts the history of the religion, from its periods of suppression and secrecy up to its complex modern day interactions with 1960s hippies and Tibetan Buddhist refugees. Prajwal Vajracharya details the distinctive ritual practices of Newar Buddhism, which contain cultivation practices for ten paramitas, and explains the use of sacred sounds and the alphasyllabry. Prajwal Vajracharya also reveals distinctive mudra and mantra practices, explains the many esoteric uses of the mala prayer beads, and decodes the rich deity artwork for which the region is renowned . … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep256-newar-buddhism-prajwal-ratna-vajracharya