vajra (in Cantonese Kam Kong)

Vajra (Devanagari: वज्र, Chinese: 金剛 jīngāng; Tibetan: རྡོ་རྗེ; Wylie: rdo-rje; ZWPY: dojê, Japanese: Kongou 金剛) is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond. As a material device, the vajra is a short metal weapon that has the symbolic nature of a diamond (it can cut any substance but not be cut itself) and that of the thunderbolt (irresistible force). The vajra is believed to represent firmness of spirit and spiritual power. It is a ritual tool or spiritual implement which is symbolically used by Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, all of which are traditions of Dharma. Because of its symbolic importance, the vajra spread along with Indian religion and culture to other parts of Asia. It was used as both a weapon and a symbol in Nepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan, Siam, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Korea and Japan.[citation needed]




金剛，佛教用語，梵文वज्र（vájra）的意譯。漢語近似音，譯為「嚩日羅」或「伐折羅」。金剛是古印度的一種礦石，堅硬無比。佛教運用Vajra來形容教法的堅固和能夠破斥天魔與外道，而不被其所破壞。後金剛指衛護佛門的一種護法神。初刻拍案驚奇：「壇中有一重菩薩，外有一重金甲神人，又外有一重金剛圍著，聖賢比肩，環繞甚嚴。」

「金剛」一詞被佛教廣泛地運用。譬如：「金剛乘」，就是「密宗」，是形容無堅不摧的「密乘」；「金剛禪」，就是指「密宗禪法」，是形容戰勝外道禪法的「密