Yab Yum - The Enlightened Union

[DSFriend]

It is common that people I meet who knows of my interest in Tibetan Buddhism asks about the "buddhas in sexual post"

Some are intrigued, curious, fascinated and some have very negative view of it and are not able to accept. While some have yab yum statues in their homes as exotic art pieces.

What was your first impression of yab yum?
What is your favorite buddha with consort?

It is said that in Buddhist iconography, female buddhas are symbolic of wisdom energy while male buddhas are of compassion. However, We know that the fact is all Buddhas have both wisdom and compassion and can emanate in any forms example of Yamantaka, Manjushri in male form as Buddha of Wisdom. In today's modern life, we tend to view mothers as to be more nurturing or compassionate while the fathers are full of  wisdom and can provide advice and guidance. How would you best explain to someone about the male and female form of tantric deities.

[Poonlarp]

My first impression of seeing Yab Yum, I can't accept it, I thought how could people in these days being disrespect by making a Buddha statue that having sex? But after the explanation from my friend, I understand it's not made up by the modern people, it's originally from Tibetan Buddhism. Like you said, it represents compassion and wisdom.

I do not know much about Tantra, what I know is that, desire is one of the element to overcome when you are practicing Tantra.

I read some articles online about Tantra practice (I am not sure is it real), it talks about when the practitioners practices, they need consorts. So they will need ladies to help them to complete the practice. They need to stay in the state before orgasm, and hold it.

Well, I believe there must be a reason of doing so. There are so much thing which beyond my knowledge, I hope one day I can understand more.

For my favorite Buddha with consort, I like Chakrasamvara. I do not know how the reason why, but I love it since I first saw it. Chakrasamvara represent the embodiment of indivisible bliss and emptiness.

[Tammy]

As a person who has merely elementary level of Buddhism, I am not comfortable on explaining the meaning of ya yum states to othere person (who has even lesser knowledge of dharma).

This doesn't mean I am selfish in sharing, but with my limited knowledge, I wold not be able to give proper explanation of the meaning these statues n sexual position for fear that, if the explanation is not clear or satisfactory. I would badly represent the meaning of these statues giving te visitor a bad impression.

I would not show these type of statue to anyone to avoid them asking questions.

[ilikeshugden]

My first impression of Yab Yum was when I was young and I asked my mummy, "Why are those two Buddhas "doing"each other?" She then explained to me that it was Yab Yum

My favorite Buddha that has a consort is Heruka. Why? There is Vajrayogini. Vajrayogini is the most beautiful all the Buddhas and her heaven, is one of the best out there. Everything there is a blessing and it is said that she can give you enlightenment in 14 lifetimes.

[sonamdhargey]

When I first saw these type of statues a few years ago, I was taken aback to see statues in those type of form and I thought it was some kind of a unholy and deviated kind of practice. The statues has wraftful face expressions on it too and at that time all I knew was Buddha Syakhamuni and he looks very pleasant unlike the Tantric form of Buddha statues.

I knew little about Buddhism and nothing about Tantric Buddism. I asked the person who owns the statue and she clearly explains to me:

She said that the Tantric statues are the representations of compassion through wrathful means and this tantric practice is using our desire to achieve enlightenment and it is the quickess path to enlightenment.

[Tenzin Malgyur]

DSfriend, thank you for the simple and yet useful explanation of Yab Yum. Certainly it will create a lot of uneasiness in people who does not know the true meaning of Buddhas in sexual union. My favorite Buddha with consort would be Kalarupa and his consort, Tsamundi. Kalarupa is an emanation of Manjushri Buddha while Tsamundi is an emanation of Sarasvati.