The Ferocious Yamantaka
Yamantaka (Main figure)
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(Top to bottom): Six-Armed Mahakala, Palden Lhamo, Yamantaka, Kalarupa and Dorje Shugden.
Yamantaka or Vajrabhairava is one of the three Kingly Tantras (Tib: Sang De Jig Sum) of the Gelug order as proliferated by Lama Tsongkhapa. The other two tantras are Guhyasamaja and Heruka Cakrasamvara. Yamantaka is the manifestation of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Stainless Wisdom. From amongst the many lineages of practices to enter Tibet, two translators, Ra Lotsawa and Mal Lotsawa were known to have disseminated the main transmissions of Yamantaka. This tantra utilises anger as a means to purify all delusions and it is the only tantra that has the potential to purify extreme negative karma of the most heinous crimes.
It was the Indian master by the name of Lalitavajra who was the first to reveal the Yamantaka Tantra. Lalitavajra was a 10th century scholar-master from Nalanda Monstary in Bihar, India. His main yidam (meditational deity) was Manjushri. One day, he had a pure vision of Manjushri exhorting him to travel to the land of Oddiyana in order to retrieve the Yamantaka Tantra. This master made the long journey there and encountered a special dakini, Vajra Vetali, who is better known as Yamantaka’s consort along with other dakinis who eventually revealed the entire Yamantaka Tantra to him. Unfortunately, they refused to allow him to take the texts with him. Therefore, he was only allowed to memorise as much of the texts as he could in the short time he was in their presence. Upon their departure, this master quickly put down in words whatever he had memorised and the practice lineage had descended down in this manner.
The Dharma Protector Kalarupa or Chogyal in Tibetan is another manifestation of Manjushri. He is the principle protector of the Yamantaka Tantras and also one of the main protectors of the Gelug order. He was one of the main protectors of Lama Tsongkhapa himself and he is propitiated as the protector of the lower scope of the Lam Rim. That means that Kalarupa is relied upon during the study and contemplation of the Lam Rim in order to clear inner obstacles and gain insight into the Lam Rim teachings.
Palden Lhamo is the principle protectress of Tibet and the Dalai Lama incarnations. She is the emanation of the wisdom goddess, Saraswati and she is therefore widely worshipped. On the other hand, Six-Armed Mahakala is an emanation of Avalokiteshvara and propitiated as the protector of the highest scope of the Lam Rim. He is propitiated in a similar manner as Kalarupa but mainly towards the study, contemplation and realisation of the highest scope of the teachings.
During the time of the 5th Dalai Lama and just after the passing of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, there were many calamities and problems that arose during this period. The 5th Dalai Lama initially thought that the problems were due to a powerful spirit. Therefore, he commissioned powerful Nyingma lamas including the famous Mindroling Lama to perform powerful fire rituals to destroy the spirit. On one occasion, the lama while performing a fire ritual, had successfully attracted Dorje Shugden onto the ladle by the power of his meditations. Then, he dropped the ladle into the fire, which was supposed to destroy Dorje Shugden. But when he brought out the ladle, Yamantaka appeared on the ladle instead. He did this a few times and realised that Dorje Shugden was not an ordinary spirit but is in fact one with Yamantaka. He is therefore a fully enlightened being, as Yamantaka is an emanation of Manjushri.
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Beautiful art piece of Yamantaka along side with Six-Armed Mahakala, Palden Lham, Kalarupa and Dorje Shugden. Yamantaka is an emanation of Manjushri. We are fortunate able to print it for our altar.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing beautiful art for us.