Yellow Yamantaka (in Ratna Shugden thangka)

[psylotripitaka]

In the upper right hand corner of Zime Rinpoche's Ratna Shugden thangka stands the living Yellow Yamantaka (so say hello and bow your head when you see him). Yellow Yamantaka is one of several special long life practices transmitted by Manjushri to Lama Tsongkapa as part of the Kadam Emanation Scripture.

Some of you might be interested to know that an excellent translation of the Yellow Yamantaka sadhana is available from http://www.dechenlingpress.org/. A number of years ago, the precious Heruka yogi Gelong Lobsang Choepel, attendant to the late Trijang Dorjechang, bestowed this rare and precious initiation to fortunate disciples. May the practice bring long life to its practitioners so they may complete the path.

[harrynephew]

If I am not mistaken, the wealth or increase Yamantaka is depicted holding jewels on the right and a skull cup on the left with one face and two hands stepping on top of a bull. This representation of Yamantaka is indeed very rare and kept secret. I guess when the high Lamas need to prolong their life in order to make Dharma flourish, both Yamantaka is propitiated in order to prolong their lives through meditation and Gyenze is propitiated in order to dispel obstacles and provide conditions for things to happen.

[WisdomBeing]

Here is a thangka of Ratna Shugden and his entourage which i found online. The graphic is not very clear though and I cannot find the source of this picture. If anyone has another clearer version, do post your copy. Also, I am curious about the significance behind the abundant bull moon (or is it meant to be full moon??? amazing how different meanings can be attributed to a typo!). Again, do share if you know anything about the bull moon!

http://jasbaku.com/2012/11/30/abundant-bull-moon-on-protector-day/ratna-shugden/

[harrynephew]

Hi Kate,

Take a look at this increasing Yamantaka! Isn't he neat?

[psylotripitaka]

The extensive retinue thangka depicted in the above post is the one I was referring to.

[Ensapa]

In the upper right hand corner of Zime Rinpoche's Ratna Shugden thangka stands the living Yellow Yamantaka (so say hello and bow your head when you see him). Yellow Yamantaka is one of several special long life practices transmitted by Manjushri to Lama Tsongkapa as part of the Kadam Emanation Scripture.

Hmm...Kadam Emanation Scripture....is this purportedly the text that is at the left lotus of Manjushri? Some say that the Dharma text that Manjushri is holding is the Prajaparimita text and some says its the Kadam Emanation Scripture which will show the lama what to teach in golden letters when he opens the book, but an ordinary person who opens the book will see it as blank. Another definition I have read about is that a collection of texts that are named as Kadam emanation scriptures. What about that?

[psylotripitaka]

The Kadam Emanation Scripture is definitely regarded as the text being held by Lama Losang Tubwang Dorjechang in the field of merits for Lama Chopa sadhana.

It is the source of the uncommon Vajrayana Mahamudra of the Gelug, and practices such as Lama Chopa, Long-life Yamantaka, and White Heruka.

Not visible to ordinary beings. In fact, there is a story where one of the lineage Gurus had a shelf with stacks of pechas and in one of the stacks there appeared to be a hole between two of them. A student asked "what's that" and the Lama replied "the Kadam Emanation Scripture". It was supporting the pechas stacked above it.

As times degenerate further and further we see that the lineage Lamas start revealing more and more the things that were once secret. Geshe Chekawa's 7 point mind training and Lama Chopa are examples of this. Another example is the wide spread granting of Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments without checking the Guru-disciple relationship or whether or not recipients are qualified, and the publication of tantric texts for easy access to anyone.

A couple reasons for this regarding the tantric stuff are that the lineage would burn out if it was kept secret any longer, they want to prolong the existence of BuddhaDharma even though we're at the end of Buddha Shakyamuni's teachings, and they want to make connections and give virtuous imprints for these instructions to as many people as possible, not to mention provide an opportunity for people's imprints to ripen right now for such realizations.

According to the common description as far as procedure is concerned, most of us don't have the proper internal preparation through the common path to receive the tantric initiations or contain the tantric realizations, yet, we have the karma to receive the initiations and gain the realizations non the less. What does that say about our imprints? This should be an inspiration to seize this opportunity. Because the tantric sadhana is the union of Sutra and Tantra, we can gain both the common and uncommon realizations of these in one practice if we're skillful. This is especially the case with Lama Chopa.

[dsiluvu]

I love Yamantaka... have not seen or heard of a yellow one till now... how interesting and look what I found... so awesome

[Ensapa]

The Kadam Emanation Scripture is definitely regarded as the text being held by Lama Losang Tubwang Dorjechang in the field of merits for Lama Chopa sadhana.

It is the source of the uncommon Vajrayana Mahamudra of the Gelug, and practices such as Lama Chopa, Long-life Yamantaka, and White Heruka.

Not visible to ordinary beings. In fact, there is a story where one of the lineage Gurus had a shelf with stacks of pechas and in one of the stacks there appeared to be a hole between two of them. A student asked "what's that" and the Lama replied "the Kadam Emanation Scripture". It was supporting the pechas stacked above it.

As times degenerate further and further we see that the lineage Lamas start revealing more and more the things that were once secret. Geshe Chekawa's 7 point mind training and Lama Chopa are examples of this. Another example is the wide spread granting of Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments without checking the Guru-disciple relationship or whether or not recipients are qualified, and the publication of tantric texts for easy access to anyone.

A couple reasons for this regarding the tantric stuff are that the lineage would burn out if it was kept secret any longer, they want to prolong the existence of BuddhaDharma even though we're at the end of Buddha Shakyamuni's teachings, and they want to make connections and give virtuous imprints for these instructions to as many people as possible, not to mention provide an opportunity for people's imprints to ripen right now for such realizations.

According to the common description as far as procedure is concerned, most of us don't have the proper internal preparation through the common path to receive the tantric initiations or contain the tantric realizations, yet, we have the karma to receive the initiations and gain the realizations non the less. What does that say about our imprints? This should be an inspiration to seize this opportunity. Because the tantric sadhana is the union of Sutra and Tantra, we can gain both the common and uncommon realizations of these in one practice if we're skillful. This is especially the case with Lama Chopa.

I have heard that in other lineages, the students are encourage to get as many initiations as they can from many different lamas of any tradition. I am assuming that their lamas already  know that they will not get any realizations and therefore ask them to get as many initiations as possible to plant imprints that will ripen at an unknown time in the future. And yes, I do agree with you that many people today have the karma to receive initiations but not the realizations because most people are just too lazy and too distracted to actually sit down and do their Dharma practice.