Advice to a YAMANTAKA Initiate
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Advice_to_Yamantaka_Initiation.mp4
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear everyone, these are just some thoughts I had. I hope they help you.
Much care,
Tsem Rinpoche
More videos on Yamantaka (this section will be updated as more relevant videos are added onto YouTube):
“Tsem Rinpoche explains YAMANTAKA”
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Tsem-Tulku-Rinpoche-explains-YAMANTAKA.mp4
Transcript for “Advice to a Yamantaka Initiate”
Transcribed by Tenzin Losang
Proofread by Sarah Yap
Buddha has given many sets of teachings, and they compose of sutra and they compose of tantra. And the reason that Buddha gave the different types of teachings of sutra and tantra is to suit the different types of mental, karmic, environmental and time dispositions. So environmental, meaning place, time meaning how far away it is from the Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma to the end of the Dharma, which is 5,000 years.
And also individual, meaning the aptitude of the person, and karmic dispositions, means their previous life connections and their ability and their need to practice. So therefore, Buddha gave two sets of teachings according to these four types of principals. Hence, within this, the Sutra path is much longer. The Sutra path is longer not because the Sutra is slow, the Sutra path is longer is because the Sutric method is less challenging, less pushy and less demanding.
Hence, the person finds it much easier. But the long term disbenefit is that it will take you much longer to become an Enlightened being. Whereas in tantra, it’s much more challenging, it’s more difficult and it’s much more, it pushes you more, and it challenges you more, but the benefit is that you are able to become Enlightened faster. Hence within the tantric system, you have four sets of tantras: Charya, Yoga, Kriya and Maha Anuttara tantra.
Within, within the four, the highest is the Maha Anuttara tantra. Within the Maha Anuttara tantra, you have two divisions again, ma rgyud and pha rgyud, ma rgyud is mother tantra, pha rgyud is father tantra. So, mother tantra and father tantra, both can bring you to Enlightenment, but they focus on different types of afflictions to be converted. So, within the mother tantra you focus on “clear light”, within the father tantra you focus on “illusory body”.
So, for example, the higher father tantras are like, higher mother tantras are like Kalachakra, Heruka, the higher father tantras are, for example, like, Guhyasamaja. They’re all very qualified paths, it’s just depending on the method. So hence, within the father and the mother you have these divisions, but, what is most superior, and what is most powerful, and what is most extremely beneficial is a combination of mother and father tantra.
So, the only higher tantric system that focuses on both mother and father combined simultaneously is the Yamantaka set of tantras. So Yamantaka sets of tantras are very, very powerful because they focus on both clear light and illusory body, simultaneously. Then within that, Yamantaka’s tantra was not very popular although existent, prior to the King of Dharma, the Second Buddha, Gyalwa Nyipa, Tsongkhapa. So the Second Buddha is called Gyalwa Nyipa. Second Buddha means the one that’s equal to Sakyamuni after Sakyamuni. Alright?
It was existent but not popular till Lama Tsongkhapa himself found various types of Yamantaka tantras, example, from the Kagyu and the Sakya. He practiced it, and he achieved visions, and he achieved results. So, therefore out of the various sets of Yamantaka tantras, he took out two sets of Yamantaka tantras. One is Pawo Chigpa, is Solitary Hero, Solitary Hero, Solitary Vajra Terrifier, and then the other one is [Tibetan name] or Thirteen Deity Yamantaka. Either one is very good.
Now, within the Yamantaka tantras, it is, Lama Tsongkhapa kept that as his personal yidam, along with other higher yidams, and he practiced it and he gained results. He himself wrote commentaries, his students also wrote commentaries on the practice of Yamantaka, and hence today the Yamantaka practice is very prevalent, very powerful and extremely widespread because of these great writings and Lama Tsongkhapa’s own personal practice.
So Lama Tsongkhapa himself practiced and gained results, and hence he recommended his students to do it. So I hear that you have Yamantaka’s teachings. I’m very, very happy, and I’m very pleased to hear that. Yamantaka’s tantra, [Tibetan words], means it has seven special attributes, seven special attributes. I will name a few for you now.
One of the attributes of Yamantaka is, no matter how much negative karma we have collected, no matter how much negative deeds we have done, no matter how much suffering we have created for others, if we sincerely regret, and we do Yamantaka’s tantra, within one single short lifetime, we can purify that negative karma. So, no other tantra, no other tantric system, no other sutra system, can promise us to purify, example, even if we have created the most heinous crimes. Heinous. Such as killing one’s father and mother, drawing blood from a Buddha, or creating schism in the Sangha, those are heinous crimes, where when you die, there is no Bardo, you immediately die, you close your eyes, when you open it, you are born in Hell.
So even the most heinous crimes, if we do Yamantaka’s tantra very well, we can purify in one life. That is symbolized by Yamantaka’s set of hands, on the left side set of hands, you will see one row, one row, one hand is holding one man impaled on a stick. That man impaled on a stick represents the result of negative karma and the incredible sufferings that we have to endure. So, that type of suffering that we have to endure, by Yamantaka holding that man on a stick, represents that even some karma that means you have to really go to the Three Lower Realms, to Hell to suffer, you can purify through Yamantaka tantra.
So he is that powerful. So therefore if we have created something very negative, very powerfully negative, imagine what Yamantaka can help us in. So if we didn’t do that, imagine how powerful Yamantaka is, even still. Secondly, Yamantaka is the most ferocious out of all the deities existent within the Tibetan pantheon of Buddhas. The most ferocious, the most wrathful is Yamantaka. No other deity is more wrathful than Yamantaka.
The benefit of that is, that if we do Yamantaka’s practice, we can overcome our inner, real, self-grasping anger. Anger that arises from self-grasping, can be reduced and can be destroyed, can be purified. So hence, that’s very, very important. And also, no other deities, spirits, gods, of the sky, male, female, earth, whatever, or even other protectors can overcome a practitioner of Yamantaka or one who has achieved Yamantaka.
One who has achieved Yamantaka, they simply say, “I am Yamantaka”. Interferences that are supernatural in nature, magic, ghosts, spirits, cannot disturb that person, cannot disturb that person that he has blessed, or she has blessed. So, Yamantaka’s practice is very powerful for protecting oneself against negative, destructive energy.
Number three. The binding factors that keeps us in Samsara is, ignorance. That ignorance is, is manifested as grasping of the “self” that does not exist. So for us to realize that, for us to understand that intellectually is easy. But if it’s, if things change because we understand, then things would have changed because many people understand that point once they have studied Buddhism.
But just understanding it doesn’t make you change but realizing it and it becomes second nature will provoke change. So, hence, many things we do come from second nature that are embedded within our mindstream for many lifetimes. Hence, that’s called habituation. So Yamantaka’s practice is very, very powerful, extremely, extremely powerful for removing the self-grasping “I” that doesn’t exist.
So to achieve emptiness, Yamantaka is the most profound and the most quickest. By virtue he is purely 100% Manjushri and no other. So hence, it has those kind of benefits. Another benefit is within Yamantaka’s tantra, within Yamantaka’s tantra, if you practice, it is said that you do not need to practice any other tantras whatsoever, no other tantra is necessary to become Enlightened. With Yamantaka’s tantra alone one can become fully Enlightened.
Along with practising Yamantaka’s tantra, one can perfect memory, clairvoyance, penetrative insight, one can have great debate, one can have great speech, one could have perfect understanding of the Dharma. And one collects great amount of merit while one is perpetuating Yamantaka. One collects a great amount of merit. So hence, while we’re practicing Yamantaka we’re not also practicing only tantra, we’re practicing sutra because Yamantaka’s path combines both sutra and tantra.
Hence, if you do Yamantaka’s practice and you combine it with the four preliminary practices such as offerings, mandala, prostrations, Vajrasattva, etc. everything is 100% complete. So like that there are many, many, many, many benefits to doing Yamantaka’s tantra. There are many, many powers to doing Yamantaka’s tantra. If one has time, one should do the long Yamantaka tantra, one should do the long Yamantaka sadhana, every single day that one can.
If one doesn’t have time, one should do the short Yamantaka sadhana which is about eight or, seven or eight small pages, written by the great Kyabje Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo Rinpoche. So, this one you can do either the short one, you can do the long one, it’s up to you. And every single day one should make biscuits and cookies, offer one main biscuit, one main cookie to Yamantaka and two smaller ones, one to the entourage and one to the Directional Protectors at the end of the sadhana.
So one can do a Yamantaka torma, an entourage of Yamantaka torma, and a ten wrathful deity which you will see in a sadhana torma. And along with that, it would be very, very good for us, to also have an inner offering, meaning for Yamantaka’s practice it’s very important to have an inner offering, you can either use a small bit of alcohol or black tea, either way with a qualified Rilbu. Rilbu means qualified inner nectar pill put inside.
Then one should do, use a inner offering every single day, as part of the practice and make torma offerings, also two sets of sensory offerings and the sets of sensory offerings is very important. It’s OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM, PADYAM, GHENDE, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, NAIWITYE, SHABTA PRATICCHA HUNG SOHA.
Whereas in other tantras it’s OM, whatever deity, ARGHAM, PADYAM, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, GHENDE, NAIWITYE, SHABTA PRATICCHA HUNG SOHA. So in the sensory offerings Yamantaka, the GHENDE, or the perfume is after the flower. Okay? Before the fire. So that’s a little bit different. You should offer two sets, of the offering every single day and recite the Yamantaka mantra, the first one, the second one, 21 times or more but you should focus on the third mantra. The root mantra, the third one you should do as much as possible even while you’re watching TV and you’re free, you can do that mantra.
Then the last mantra, you can do 21 times again. So every single day, the bare minimum for the first, second and fourth mantra, is 21 times. The third mantra is 21 but if you can do more it’s much, much, much, much better. Then do a very powerful dedication, to Yamantaka at the end and that will be very good.
So I have received your wonderful offering, and I thank you. I’ve made offerings to Manjushri for you, for the success of your practice. So because you’ve made this offering it inspires me to give you a little bit of information, a little bit of talk and explanation of Yamantaka, which should be translated to you, and you can listen to it very carefully. If you like, this, this also can be burned. My speech, although it’s in English can be burned into a CD and sent to you by email so you can keep it for future reference if you like also.
Otherwise, I wish you the best. I encourage you to have good Guru Devotion. Please read, please read and it’s in Chinese also, if you need, we have it here, The Wheel of Sharp Weapons. It’s very, very important to read that and contemplate. It’s very important to read the Lamrim, The Wheel of Sharp Weapons, and also to focus on Guru Devotion, having powerful Guru Devotion is very important and focusing on your yidam, Yamantaka.
So have a good image of Yamantaka, can be a picture, can be a thangka, can be a good statue, and a picture or image of your root lama whom you received the Yamantaka initiation from, very fortunate. And you should do that. And one should also learn the Lama Chopa Tsog, one should learn the Lama Chopa Tsog, to be done to Yamantaka every two weeks. If you find tsog difficult, never mind. Pastor Loh Seng Piow here can give you the tsog dates, which is twice a month for the next year, and the year after that, if he has. And on tsog day you do Yamantaka’s mantra three times more than your normal. So that means the third mantra, if you do 21 times a day, you’ll do that three times extra on the tsog day to cover your tsog commitments for now, okay?
On top of that, please read [Tibetan name] is the Six Sessions Guru Yoga, which is to be recited six times a day, written by Kyabje Pabongka Dorje Chang. They have a short version. Alright, you should read the Six Session Guru Yoga every day, three in the morning, three at night or you can do six times in one shot, it doesn’t take very long. These are part of the commitments.
Last but not least, read up on your Bodhisattva Vows, read up on your Tantric Vows. Memorize your Bodhisattva and Tantric Vows and practice your Bodhisattva and Tantric Vows, because holding the vows will be a very important point for you to achieve Yamantaka’s attainments.
So, do the sadhana, torma, sensory offerings, then every two weeks do tsog or extra three times mantra and read up on your Bodhisattva Vows and your Tantric Vows, very important, they should have it in Chinese, I’m sure. Then on top of that, Guru Devotion, very strongly, and Wheel of Sharp Weapons, and Lamrim, and take complete refuge in Yamantaka. Once you have that yidam, it is the yidam of Tsongkhapa, it is the vehicle in which Tsongkhapa became Enlightened. So therefore, I rejoice and I’m very happy for you and I feel very fortunate and do that initiation well. You don’t need to get many, many other initiations. That will be more than enough for you. I wish you the best.
[Dedication Prayer]
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The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is in Dharamsala, which is broken into two parts. Upper Dharamsala is where the Dalai Lama’s palace is located with his audience room and main prayer hall. It is also the location of the Dialectics School, Gaden Shartse’s guesthouse, restaurants, tourist hotels and main tourist areas.
A short ride down takes you to the lower part of Dharamsala where the Tibetan government is located. It is the location of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Nechung monastery, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, the Tibetan arts centre…it’s all in one area. And the reason why it’s split into upper and lower Dharamsala is because the area is mountainous.
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives was established by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government to preserve all the ancient texts – both secular and spiritual – of Tibet and in the process, translate them into various languages like English. This book, Overview of Buddhist Tantra, by Panchen Sonam Drakpa was one of the books translated into English. What’s very interesting is that the book very clearly says that Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s previous life is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, one of the five main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa. It also says that after that, he was Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen.
So the book is basically saying that Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, Panchen Sonam Drakpa and Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen – the three Drakpas – are of the same mindstream.
Now that’s very peculiar because if Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen’s previous life is Panchen Sonam Drakpa, the renowned composer of 45 volumes of Dharma texts, the abbot of three monasteries AND the 15th Gaden Tripa, the holder of Lama Tsongkhapa’s throne…if that’s the case, how can Panchen Sonam Drakpa take rebirth as Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and become an evil spirit and have a negative mind?
Prior to Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, he was Panchen Sonam Drakpa and before that, he was Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, a heart disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa. How can a heart disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa reincarnate as the erudite master Panchen Sonam Drakpa, and then die and reincarnate as Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen…and then Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, due to a bad and negative prayer, become the evil spirit Dorje Shugden? How is that possible? Logically, it’s not.
What’s incredible is that all of this was printed by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives under the Dalai Lama’s guidance. They contradict themselves because on one hand, the Tibetan leaders say Dorje Shugden is an evil spirit. On the other hand they’re printing a book saying that Panchen Sonam Drakpa, whose later incarnation became Dorje Shugden, is of this illustrious mindstream.
So how can the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which is under the auspices of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government, print the translation of a book composed by the previous incarnation of a so-called evil spirit? How can they then say in the book that Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s previous life is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, and his next life was Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen?
Prior to the Dorje Shugden ban and controversy, everyone in Tibet knew that Dorje Shugden is Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, that Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen is Panchen Sonam Drakpa, and that Panchen Sonam Drakpa is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen. The three Drakpas, they are one mindstream emanating again and again to benefit other beings.
And as we all know, Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen became Dorje Shugden so it totally doesn’t make sense to call him an evil spirit, then highlight all of his previous lives as erudite masters, and publish all of this information under their own library. So you can see the contradictions. You can read all of this for yourself in Overview of Buddhist Tantra, which was printed by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.
—–
OVERVIEW OF BUDDHIST TANTRA
GENERAL PRESENTATION OF THE CLASSES OF TANTRA,
CAPTIVATING THE MINDS OF THE FORTUNATE ONES
rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par bzhag pa
skal bzang gi yid ‘phrog ces bya ba bzhugs so
BY
PANCHEN SONAM DRAGPA
(Pan-chen bSod-nams grags-pa, 1478-1554)
O Choje Sonam Dragpa Pel! (Chos-rje bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal!)
In the vast expanse of Your bodhi-mind,
The mind that the Buddhas have lauded for as many as
one hundred times,
You have developed “merit” shining like the sun.
Through Your skill in learning, debate and writing,
As illuminating as one hundred thousand sun rays,
You have developed in You a complete knowledge of
the entire sutras and tantras,
Resembling a garden of flowers in full bloom.
The power of Your speech is like the sun;
The fame of your name has reached the three realms of
this world.
O Sonam Dragpa, the teacher of teachers!
I bow down at your feet.
In the vast garden of Your great teachings,
The intelligent young people gather for
The ‘six ultimates’ and the ‘four modes of transmission,’
Just as they are attracted to
The one hundred thousand types of nectar
Dripping from a flower of one hundred petals.
May I be able to experience
The taste of the secret tantra!
Panchen Choje Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen Chos-rje bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal), the holder of sutra and Vajrayana teachings, was a master whose outstanding learning and spiritual accomplishments are well known by all the learned ones in Tibet. His first incarnation came in the form of one of the five prestigious disciples of Lord Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa) and became known as Vinaya Holder (Dulzin) Dragpa Gyaltsen (Gragspa rgyal-mtshan). Then came Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal), the author of the present text. The next was Nagri Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen (mNga’-ris sPrul-sku Grags-pa rgyal-mtshan). In this way, a line of his incarnations, each with the Dragpa (gragspa) surname, followed successively.
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) was born in the 14th century in Tsetang (rTsed-thang) in the Lhoka (Lho-kha) region of Central Tibet. He entered the great seat of learning, Sera Thekchenling (Se-ra theg-chen-gling) monastic university, where he became the personal disciple of spiritual master Donyo Dangden (Dhon-yod dang-ldan) and His Holiness the Second Dalai Lama Gedun Gyatso (dGe-‘dun rgya-mtsho). Under them, he studied the entire teachings of sutra, tantra and their commentaries, and became known for his outstanding learning. He also received from them the empowerments, reading transmissions, guides and instructions of the entire body of spiritual training. On becoming the fully blessed one, the Dalai Lama appointed him the abbot of the Loseling (Blo-gsalgling) college, one of the four colleges of Drepung (‘Bras-dpung)- the most prestigious monastic university in Tibet before 1959, with over 10,000 monks on its register. He continued to be the abbot of this college for the next six years; and after him the tenure for each of his successors in this position was fixed for a period of six years, a rule that is followed even today.
He was then appointed the head of the Gelugpa (dGe-lugs-pa) order, the throne holder of Gaden (dGa’-ldan), thus becoming the 15th regent of Lord Tsongkhapa (Tsong-khapa), the second Buddha. In his eulogy to him, Khedrub Gelek Pelsang (mKhas-grub dGe-legs dpal- bzang) says:
O Lama, the second successor of the Unsubduable One,
The regent of the Lord of Dharma,
You are the one who made the virtuous qualities thrive;
You are the one who ascended to the golden throne uplifted
by the fearless lions.
May Your success thrive forever!
He continued to be the throne holder for the next seven years, during which time he promoted the spread of Lord Tsongkhapa’s (Tsong-kha-pa) precious teachings, the Gelug (dGe-lugs) tradition, across the land in all directions. He also paid special attention to the practice of monastic rules and the learning and meditation of Buddhism in the monasteries such as Sera (Se-ra), Drepung (‘Bras-spungs), Kyomolung (sKyo-mo-lung), Phagmo Chode (Phag-mo chos-sde), Nyeding (Nye-sdings), Ödna (’Od-sna) and Chöde Rinchen (Chos-sde rin-chen) etc. and improved them to a great extent. He taught the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso (bSod-nams rGya-mtsho) as the latter’s spiritual master. It was from him that the Dalai Lama received the name Sonam (bSod-nams).
His contributions in the literary field are enormous; and, indeed, they are the most valuable of all his contributions. Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa) has rightly said:
Of all one’s deeds,
The ‘deeds of speech’ are the most valuable.
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) was a person with an extraordinary talent for teaching, debate and writing. In his colophon to Bu mey chi don zab don sel wey dron mey (dBu ma’i spyi don zab don gsal ba’i sgron me), he wrote:
In the field of teaching, I am [next to none!] Knowing that
I would outdo them in this field, Arya Asanga and his
brother transmigrated into another realm.
In the field of debate, I am [next to none!] Knowing that
I would find out the areas they had contradicted and
that I would examine them and put forth my arguments,
the logician Dignaga (Digh-naga) and Dharmakirti tactfully
bypassed me.
In the field of writing, I am [next to none!] [In my eyes,]
Arya-sura was just good at spreading the works, which
are like ‘disputes~ between an insect and a field.’
I am the learned man. Peerless in the field of teaching,
debate and writing!
For some this passage might sound utterly nonsensical, but the most learned master of our age, the talented teacher, logician and writer, the late tutor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yongdzin Trijang Dorjechang (Yongs-‘dzin Khri-byang rDorje-‘Chang), said: “Now, some people of our time, who consider themselves learned scholars, think that this is utter nonsense; but they are wrong.”
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) wrote over 45 volumes of books dealing with many different subjects, such as the commentaries on the sutras and tantras, the saddhana manuals of the tutelary deities, history, religious history and so forth. Among these, one that is very important for all who wish to learn and meditate on the path-of the practical aspect of Buddhism in general and that of Vajrayana in particular is the Leg shey gyu de chi nam par shagpa kelsang gi yi trod (Legs bshad rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par bzhag pa skal bzang gi yid ‘phrod). In this book, he has explained precisely how the four tantras differ from one another. He has also fully described the stages of the two spontaneous path practices of the Vajrayana tradition, dealing with the ‘six ultimates’ and the ‘four modes of transmission’, thus interpreting without mistake the intention of Adhi-Buddha Vajradhara.
May the reprint of this text, which the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is publishing herewith, bring peace and happiness in this world!
Prof Nawang Jinpa
St. Joseph’s College
Darjeeling
January 24, 1996
Deeply embedded anger, and sensory addictions can be highly damaging to any practitioner. Anger more so, I guess – as the all types of anger burns the meritorious karma [probably why mars [planet of anger/aggression] is regarded one of the ‘touchiest’ planets in the Indian astrological system] Even the righteous type of anger is seen as karmically ‘problematic’; and the negative type? Highly so. It’s interesting to note that those drawn to Yamantaka [consciously] choose to recognize their own ‘demonic’ natures and and lack of control. And the ones who don’t recognize it – it probably reflects their lack of awareness.
The mind’s ‘Cry for help’ couldn’t be a more apt line.
Yamantaka is the most ferocious and wrathful deity in Tibetan. However, Yamantaka practice is very powerful because no matter how much negative karma we have collected, negative deeds we have done, or created and caused suffering of others, if we sincerely regret and we do Yamantaka’s tantra, we can purify that negative karma within one single short lifetime. Furthermore, Lama Tsongkhapa himself found various types of Yamantaka tantras, he practiced it, and he achie results and later he recommended his students to do it.
In order to for us receive this practice from guru, it is very important for us to read the Lamrim, The Wheel of Sharp Weapons, and most importantly is to focus on Guru Devotion.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this powerful practice of Yamantaka.
We’re can I find his mantras yamatanka, I feel very connected to yamatanka , I’ve been saying om yamatanka om phat.
Thank you Rinpoche for this illuminating teaching on Yamantaka and its tantra practice. May the person who has received the initiation be diligent in his/her practice. May he/she reach enlightenment in this life! Rejoice!!!!
Thank you Rinpoche for your most sacred sharing on Yamantaka practice and its potentials to transform the practitioner mind.We are certainly glad that so many highly attained masters including Tsongkhapa use this vessel to attain the ultimate.
We rejoice for all those who are truly committed to the practice of Yamantaka in our time.
May they over come at the obstacles in order to achieve the elusive mind transformation to benefit all sentient beings…
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for the concise and detailed teachings on Yamantaka. It always amazes me how the precise iconography of the Buddha images have specific meaning and benefits! Everything in Dharma has purpose and the purpose is one that protects and benefit sentient beings.
It is awesome that Buddhas are so kind and generous to constantly find methods to impart the Dharma with all beings so that we each have the opportunity to curb negative habituations that result in further accumulation of negative karma, which keeps us bound to the vicious cycle of uncontrolled rebirth.
Another teaching Rinpoche gave on Buddha images and iconography is in this link. I love how all the Buddhas are ultimately the same. Like Rinpoche said, they manifests in different forms so as to “match” our karma, making it as easy as possible for us to practice Dharma. https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/transcript-how-lama-tsongkhapa-transforms-to-vajrayogini.html
Thank you Rinpoche for the Yamankata practice explanation. Really rejoice for those who have the merits to learn the Yamantata practices.
Rinpoche has given us so many teaching, we should learn and transform so that one day we will be ready for higher teachings.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the wonderful short teaching to the Yamantaka initiate. I fully understand and know the commitment needed to follow through. Yamantaka practice is really so profound yet simple as it combines both the clear light and illusory body simultaneously.
I have always like Yamantaka… The video on the short teaching on Yamantaka shocked me though. I always know I lack wisdom, especially on comprehending situations and Dharma, I didn’t know I was THAT bad… Psychologically. I will need to learn up more and do more Manjushri… (Hehe)…
The second part on the desires… Even though I am shocked… I find it true. Maybe that is why I always like Yamantaka. I will have to work on my desires…
I wonder does the psychological meaning behind every other deities are the same? I tend to like complicated outlook and many arms and very wrathful deities… I hope I don’t look so grotesque to others.
Thank you for the great teaching. I have learned more about Lord Yamantaka. Thank you Rinpoche 🙂
這是一頁非常棒的教學和有意義的讯息。那我们可以了解，關於修持大威德金剛無上密續更多細節及所應有的加行凖備。尤其心識的平稳及我執的淡化。感谢仁波切此分享及難得的教導。
Hello Rinpoche. In last, you were chanted some tantra in Tibetan language. Could you spell this tantra in English alphabet, please? Thank you teaching us.
Hello Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. Thank you for your explanation of Yamantaka. Could you share for me mantras you chanted in this video in Tibetan with English spelling please? Thank you so much
This is a very nice teaching and meaningful, that I can knows more about Yamantaka in more details.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this teachings.
“The root mantra, the third one you should do as much as possible even while you’re watching TV and you’re free, you can do that mantra.”
I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand which you mean? Do you mean the 10 syllable mantra or the 7 syllable one?
Thank you!
Thanks for the Yamantaka videos.
Thank you Rinpoche, I am going to the initiation on May 1, but thought that I needed to understand more about the full meaning of the deity and the practice. Your explanation and advice are very helpful. I feel so fortunate to have found you and this teaching. Thanks again.
In everything we do, there is positive and negative effects due to the nature of our existence. It is 100% correct you don’t eat meat. HH the Dalai Lama, the highest authority within Tibetan Buddhism recommends we do not eat meat, so that is all we need to remember. Buddha said, we should not lie, or get attached to drinking, singing, dancing, intimacies,entertainments and that we should spend our energies to become enlightened. Are we doing all die and not just the meat part?? People tend to pick what is convenient from the Buddha’s teachings to suit themselves. If we are going to follow Buddha’s teachings or quote, we may ask are you following everything Buddha says? If you are not, then rejoice when others follow the best they can and as much as they can. Since it is the right path for 21st century Buddhists to follow the no meat path, let’s do it. We have so much variety of food. Let’s eat the no meat diet and get on with our practice and basically compassionately go passed the criticisms. It is very simple, do not kill. So hence animals will not die in front of you to eat them…There is no good karma in eating meat..full stop, but definitely there is good karma refraining from eat. Many of the tantras when engaged in the practice prohibit meat as taught by Vajradhara. Many rituals we do in the great Monasteries prohibit meat so the rituals are more effective…..Many who are not monks or not living in the monasteries would never understand that. Reading from books, net or from dharma centres would never be the same as in the monastery. Again, eating meat does not gather good merits for our spiritual practice, avoiding does. Listen to some of wonderful Tenzin Palmo’s views on not eating meat. She is the great yogini who meditated for the longest time in the mountains.TR
Many of the great Tibetan monastic teachers eat meat, including HH the Dalai Lama himself. He tried being vegetarian and got sick, so he then ate meat again. Venerable Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche ate meat. It was such a principal part of the Tibetan diet in earlier days, that is just how it was. What I have heard HH the Dalai Lama say about meat is that it is good to be a vegetarian if possible, but if it is harmful to your health then it is all right to eat meat.
Why teach the dharma when no one wishes to transform. You only offend them, make them angry, and because they can’t face themselves, become enemies with you. Or they avoid you, or just run away….These days, one of the best ways to make enemies, is to teach others dharma. So teaching less dharma is better during these times…it’s sad, but true…transformation creates the causes for more dharma. Making excuses creates the causes for dharma teachings to fade and end….Buddha mentioned the Dharma will be destroyed by those on the inside (Buddhists), not from the outside….Nothing on the outside can destroy the Dharma. If you examine inside, how many teachings have you received yet not put into practice or ignored..isn’t that destroying the Dharma. You can reverse that of course….up to you…Tsem Rinpoche
Why teach the dharma when no one wishes to transform. You only offend them, make them angry, and because they can’t face themselves, become enemies with you. These days, one of the best ways to make enemies, is to teach others dharma. So teaching less dharma is better during these times…transformation creates the causes for more dharma. Making excuses creates the causes for dharma teachings to stop….
Dearest Rinpoche,
If I remember well, a story says that even Avalokitesvara lost hope at a given moment. But there are many that really want to transform and truly make a sustained effort to do so. They might not come out and boast in the open about that but they are surely out there and – among other things – learning from you as well. For the benefit of all sentient beings I supplicate you to please keep teaching even when there is no evident result. There are also many other types of beings aside from humans that benefit when the Holy Dharma is expounded. I remember you saying: “The guru comes back from the bardo to teach you and you don’t show up?” Well, we are here; it is just that we take the back seats in the Dharma hall so is hard to see us so far from you. But we see and hear you. May you have a long life and your dharma activities spread far and wide. May all beings benefit.
Let me share a story: When I was Los Angeles, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was going to give a Yamantaka initiation. I did not want to go. I did not want another practice or sadhana. I had many already. So while I was cleaning the kitchen in the centre (30 mins before the initiation) Geshe-La came down and said to me see you inside the gompa. I was like, I am not going please. Geshe-la said to me yes you are.I was like no I am not. I already had around 3 hours of sadhanas per day to do. I said to him I didn’t get a chance to check out Yamantaka and if it suits me, he said to me,YOUR TEACHER CHECKED IT OUT (meaning Geshe-la himself) so I dont have to check it…30 mins later I was in the gompa getting the initiation and dreading it…I though OH NO, more commitment/sadhanas as I was working two jobs and was around 18 years old at the time…as I listened to the explanantion of Yamantaka by Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, deep faith developed in me for the Yamantaka practice.
My teacher really was necessary in so many of my dharma practices, moves and advancements in the last 30 years.. Without my teacher it would be much much much slower I realized. At the advice of His Holiness Dalai Lama when I met Him personally, I did a long Yamantaka retreat with fire puja. It made a huge difference in my memory, analysis, and speed of thougth. I really noticed it among other things. Tsem Rinpoche
As a Vajrayana practitioner, do you not partake of meat at vajra feasts? I am a great admirer of the late Kalu Rinpoche. Now in Sukumvati. He was very clear on this subject. On page 124-125 in his book, “Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism”,… he goes through the root Vajrayana downfalls. Let me please share downfall #13: “The thirteen root downfall concerns our attitude and approach to tantric practice and tantric ritual. If we are participating in a ganachakra or vajra feast, where ritual use of meat and alcohol is made, and we abstain from one of the other of these on the grounds that it is impure or that it is contrary to our convictions and principles, then we have failed to appreciate the view of tantra which attempts to transcend purity and impurity, attempts to transcend dualistic thinking, and we have failed to appreciate and take part in the spirit of that tantric transformation process. To indulge in this kind of superficial, dualistic clinging to appearances during the course of a tantric ritual is to commit the 13th root downfall and to go against the spirit of our tantric practice.”–(from a facebook comments post)
During tantric rituals, a tiny bit of meat, must be had for the greater view and greater good..which is to overcome clinging…but what I am talking about is daily consumption of meat…steaks, fried chicken, pork chops, leg of lamb, turtle soup, sharksfin, duck, rabbit stew, frog legs, clams, seafood chowder, sushi, and all the other animals slaughtered daily for our taste buds…. If we give up all meat eating and meat consumption then let’s talk about tsok meat. HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche mentioned in Los Angeles, we can take some tsampa and put a few drops of alcohol on it in place of meat when we cannot get it for tsok…..that can be used for meat. In Tibet Kyabje Zong Rinpoche would do that. Tsem Rinpoche
Yamantaka, Heruka, Vajra Yogini, Guhyasamaja, Kalacakra, Gyelwa Gyatso, Hevajra, Cittamani, etc are like rocket ships…you can go bust very fast and easy if you don’t know how to pilot one. How can one who only knows how to drive a car, wi…th no training pilot a rocket ship? You don’t learn to pilot while your in the rocket ship flying and heading to where? Do all preliminary practices, studies, and ground your mind first. Master the Lam Rim by practice and stable mind not dry scholarly knowledge. Then when you enter tantra, the rocket ship takes you beyond what you can never have imagined.
If you are really committed to tantric practice and to gain attainments in this day and age, you must stop eating meat immediately. Can you do that everyone? If you cannot, check if you have attained anything from your practice so far.Do no…t talk of higher practices, see if you have mastered the ‘lower’ practices. If you find the lower practices, challenging your mind, transforming your attitudes, and generating the mind to work for others difficult, then tantra should wait….this is my general thinking from 20 years of teaching and answering questions. Tantra will add to your heap of guilt, commitments that you are not ready for and list of things you find difficult to do, but stuck with it…
PS. it’s not the vows that come back to give you delusions, it is that you broke your promise and everyday your promise is broken generates negative karma. You break them due to delusions. So results resemble causes. Why would you break you…r vows? Laziness, no training, justifications, attachments. Hence preparing before tantra is more crucial than the actual tantric practice. People have the mistaken idea tantra is the quick path if your full of delusions and the quick solution out of samsara. It is if you are ready. It isn’t if you are not.
Dear Melvin, I am happy to hear your response. I do not know you but assume you are ready… I wish you so much luck and good results. If you have practiced the basic/foundations and are ready for Yamantaka, that is rejoice time. Truly. Afe…r you take Yamantaka, go all the way…you don’t need other initiations..Just go all the way, be humble and quiet and don’t reveal you practice Yamantaka..do it continuously…study up on the bodhisattva/tantric vows before hand. Master them and after initiation, hold them without any excuses, but treasure them. Better to give up everything, except your vows. After taking the vows, YOU CANNOT GIVE THEM BACK..REMEMBER THAT. They are not like vinaya vows, you can give back. The vows are the roots of attainments. If you break and do not repair, they will generate karma that will come back to you to practice wrongly, have wrong views, even generate more delusions. Must hold the vows well.
Again I wish you great fortune. May we come under Yamantaka’s sway of emptiness, Tsem Rinpoche
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for answering this question if you have a free moment and for posting the teaching you shared.
In regards to “contemplating receiving the Yamantaka initiation” (or others initiations)—what guidelines would you highlight in determining if one is READY for the next step of initiation? Are there certain practices that must have been completed, integrated already such as the preliminaries as posted earlier?
Many many many thanks for being accessible like this, through your postings and active presence online.
My gratitude,
Jnaseh
San Diego, California
Dear Rinpoche,
Much appreciate your word of advice for Yamantaka practice. I’m practicing Vajra Yogini, and will receive the Yamantaka Initiation from HHDL on May 1,2011. Since I do practice on Vajra Yogini every night, my question is that when should I practice Yamantaka?, before or after doing my daily for Vajra Yogini.
Thank you,
Wangmo
Dear Wangmo,
When you do Yamantaka does not matter. You can do before or after Vajra Yogini…It is all ok. TR
I have not yet done the preliminary practices. Would it be better to wait, or to go now, while we have the opportunity to receive this intiation from HHDL?
His Holiness is very sacred no doubt, but if you are not ready, rushing it does not gain benefits. Being prepared and receiving the initiation when you are ready both creates merits to increase the lama’s life and you gain insight/attainments.
Thank you, Rinpoche. I understand, and will do as you suggest. May you both have long lives!