Within Vajrayāna practice, the vajra and bell are regarded as fundamental instruments that make the central teachings of the path tangible in ritual form. The vajra, held in the right hand, represents skillful means and compassion, often associated with the dynamic, masculine principle and the indestructible, diamond-like nature of enlightened mind. The bell, held in the left hand, represents wisdom and emptiness, aligned with the receptive, feminine principle and the direct insight that perceives the true nature of reality. The empty interior of the bell and its resonant sound are taken as expressions of the empty yet luminous character of phenomena and the voice of the Dharma. In this way, both implements serve as constant reminders that enlightenment is not an abstract ideal but a lived union of these complementary qualities.

Ritually, the vajra and bell are used together in a coordinated manner during ceremonies such as empowerments, offerings, and invocations. Their simultaneous use in mudrā and mantra recitation aligns body, speech, and mind with enlightened body, speech, and mind, helping to stabilize visualization of deities and mandalas. The gestures made with the vajra focus and direct spiritual energy, while the ringing of the bell marks different phases of the ritual, invokes enlightened beings, purifies the environment, and disperses negative influences. Through this interplay, the implements help create and maintain a sacred space, establish ritual purity, and support the transformation of ordinary perception into pure vision. Above all, their combined use continually embodies the inseparable union of compassion and wisdom, without which the path to awakening is considered incomplete.