Yidam question for long-time practitioners

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BareBones
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Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by BareBones »

Out of curiosity, for those of you who have been around a while - in the course of time, have you ended up practicing primarily (or exclusively) a single Yidam? And for those of you who do, was this more of an affinity/suitedness kind of thing, or a byproduct of the Yidam's centrality in your lineage?
Knotty Veneer
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by Knotty Veneer »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:57 am Out of curiosity, for those of you who have been around a while - in the course of time, have you ended up practicing primarily (or exclusively) a single Yidam? And for those of you who do, was this more of an affinity/suitedness kind of thing, or a byproduct of the Yidam's centrality in your lineage?
For me it was "more of an affinity/suitedness kind of thing". I originally practiced a yidam practice in retreat that was more central to the lineage but I found it too complicated to do in day-to-day life. The shrine set-up and even doing a tsok involved a lot of complicated preparations. I had an affiinity with another practice which luckily is much easier to do as a daily practice. I found that easier to progress with but that was my experience. You should maybe discuss this more with your teacher.
This is not the wrong life.
jet.urgyen
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by jet.urgyen »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:57 am Out of curiosity, for those of you who have been around a while - in the course of time, have you ended up practicing primarily (or exclusively) a single Yidam? And for those of you who do, was this more of an affinity/suitedness kind of thing, or a byproduct of the Yidam's centrality in your lineage?
Primarily, not exclusively. This was more because of many signs pointing to a few methods, but the circumstances weights more for one. This is the same way i understood my teacher's general advice, so it might not be applicable to your path.

It is excellent to go deeper into a practice. It is something i encourage to do.

Edit: in 19 years i have had i would say 3 primary for example. Primary i apply for years.
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
merilingpa
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by merilingpa »

I think it depends very much what your teacher says.
My teacher told me to do a special kind of practice for the rest of my life. But this practice is a whole cycle beginning with preliminaries and goes on with 3 roots, activities and then also trekchö and tögal. So its a lot to do and takes a while. And I am happy with that.
Then some other practices were encountered and practiced from time to time, still is.
But the main focus would be to do what your teacher tells you to do and not try everything that you might get transmission for during the years.
zerwe
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by zerwe »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:57 am Out of curiosity, for those of you who have been around a while - in the course of time, have you ended up practicing primarily (or exclusively) a single Yidam? And for those of you who do, was this more of an affinity/suitedness kind of thing, or a byproduct of the Yidam's centrality in your lineage?
Not sure how long-time I could consider myself, but maybe I can help. I would say both of the factors you mention come into play, but the biggest factor is devotion to your Lama for this to come about.

For myself, the most important factor is that, before I ever had the opportunity to receive initiation, my Lama did a divination and gave me
very specific practice instructions for life. This included identifying three potential Yidams for which he believed I would potentially have
a connection to.

At that time I don't think that I could have believed that I would have the karma to receive initiations for all three, many others, ongoing instructions, etc...It did take a tremendous amount of energy from my side for this to happen, but most importantly I feel like it took some devotion and faith in my Lama's instructions for this to become reality.

Needless to say, the first deity was the one that I had invested the most time, had the largest commitments and received the most instruction, support, etc...So, that became an organic progression.

Also, whatever you hope to gain from asking your question, It is important to keep in mind that the Guru and all Yidam are one.

In our system there are three that would seem obligatory to practice. However, In my case two of the three my Lama recommended were not necessarily commonplace and were kind of esoteric within our lineage.

Shaun :namaste:
Kai lord
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by Kai lord »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:57 am Out of curiosity, for those of you who have been around a while - in the course of time, have you ended up practicing primarily (or exclusively) a single Yidam? And for those of you who do, was this more of an affinity/suitedness kind of thing, or a byproduct of the Yidam's centrality in your lineage?
Having affinity with something could be as simple as meeting your first root guru who confers the first HYT Wangchen on you along with the practice commitment that comes with it, introduced you to the nature of mind, etc. It might not even have anything to do with our personal suitability and preferences, things just happened and you never even planned for it but regardless just went along with the whole thing.

Since yidam practice is inseparable from guru yoga, its also rather common to see some people after feeling a certain strong affinity with a certain guru, decide to take an empowerment from him and subsequently practice daily based on what latter teaches,.....
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BareBones
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by BareBones »

Thanks for the replies. As a relatively new practitioner, I’ve observed that it is easy to obtain a wide variety of empowerments, but each school has a more or less linear track - e.g, if you’re practicing in a Kagyu context, you’re probably going to end up doing at least some Cakrasamvara. What particularly interests me is whether people end up forming relationships with less common deities (or alternate forms of common deities) in the long run.
zerwe
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by zerwe »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:30 pm Thanks for the replies. As a relatively new practitioner, I’ve observed that it is easy to obtain a wide variety of empowerments, but each school has a more or less linear track - e.g, if you’re practicing in a Kagyu context, you’re probably going to end up doing at least some Cakrasamvara. What particularly interests me is whether people end up forming relationships with less common deities (or alternate forms of common deities) in the long run.
I don't think that anyone is going to comment on what deities they are practicing.

Shaun :namaste:
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

Kai lord wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:59 pm yidam practice is inseparable from guru yoga...
Not always.
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:30 pm Thanks for the replies. As a relatively new practitioner, I’ve observed that it is easy to obtain a wide variety of empowerments, but each school has a more or less linear track - e.g, if you’re practicing in a Kagyu context, you’re probably going to end up doing at least some Cakrasamvara. What particularly interests me is whether people end up forming relationships with less common deities (or alternate forms of common deities) in the long run.
My (Kagyu) lama suggested that I had a particular connection to one particular yidam and to just stick with that. He also said at a few group teachings that if one is really focused and doing it properly, a person doesn’t need to go a lot of different yidam practices. A person could just do one their whole life and it could be enough. They are all aspects of the same dharmakaya.

A few months ago, I suddenly felt a need to at least look into a practice more common to the Nyingma tradition. I have been reading teachings about this particular yidam and while not yet doing the practice (no transmission yet), I feel it “clicks” with where my head needs to go these days.
EMPTIFUL.
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BareBones
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by BareBones »

zerwe wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 11:35 pm
BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:30 pm Thanks for the replies. As a relatively new practitioner, I’ve observed that it is easy to obtain a wide variety of empowerments, but each school has a more or less linear track - e.g, if you’re practicing in a Kagyu context, you’re probably going to end up doing at least some Cakrasamvara. What particularly interests me is whether people end up forming relationships with less common deities (or alternate forms of common deities) in the long run.
I don't think that anyone is going to comment on what deities they are practicing.

Shaun :namaste:
Of course - I wasn't asking for specifics. I am aware that casually revealing such things damages the practice.
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Konchog1
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by Konchog1 »



According to Khenpo Tenzin, there are four ways to choose our yidam.
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

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merilingpa
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Re: Yidam question for long-time practitioners

Post by merilingpa »

BareBones wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2023 7:30 pm Thanks for the replies. As a relatively new practitioner, I’ve observed that it is easy to obtain a wide variety of empowerments, but each school has a more or less linear track - e.g, if you’re practicing in a Kagyu context, you’re probably going to end up doing at least some Cakrasamvara. What particularly interests me is whether people end up forming relationships with less common deities (or alternate forms of common deities) in the long run.
I can tell you a lot of things could happen along the way and the path. It is not so fixed as it might seem to be. Especially when you been around for a while, strange things might happen and you can suddenly find yourself wanting to go in a new direction :tongue: . And that might not be a bad thing, but you are always need to know, be grateful and respect where you are coming from..........
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