Yangthang Rinpoche on How to Practice a Yidam

Yangthang Rinpoche, a great accomplished master of the Palyul lineage, discusses in this teaching the inseparable nature of the guru, yidam (deity), dakinis, and dharma protectors with our own essence.

Whether we take Tara as our yidam or bring home a thangka of King Gesar for protection, these practices introduce us to our own mind’s nature through what appears to be an “external” and seemingly more elevated object.

Attaining Buddhahood does not mean achieving something external or higher; instead, every sentient being already possesses Buddha-nature. The purpose of connecting with yidams and protectors is to help us recognize the innate abilities we already have.
If we practice the yidam and offer praises to protectors with faith in our own complete and perfect Buddha-nature, then we are cultivating immense merit!

Let’s take a look at what Yangthang Rinpoche has to say:
King Gesar

Some people say King Gesar is a yidam, others say he is a dharma protector. If you regard him as a protector, then he is a protector. If you regard him as a guardian, then he is a guardian. If you regard him as a yidam, then he is a yidam. If you regard him as a guru, then he is a guru. You can also regard him as a combination of guru, yidam, and protector all in one.

Some people have received this empowerment multiple times. Based on faith in the guru and devotion to the yidam, receiving the empowerment more than once—five or six times, even—is perfectly fine.

Some people attend many empowerments and receive many yidam practices but worry about not being able to practice all of them, and therefore hesitate to attend empowerments. There’s no need to worry. It’s impossible to practice all the yidams one receives empowerments for. Practicing just one method is sufficient, and you can still attend other empowerments.

A Brief Story of King Gesar

Some people are unfamiliar with the origins of King Gesar, so here is a brief explanation:Over 1,300 years ago, when Guru Rinpoche’s time of benefiting sentient beings in the human realm was coming to an end, he prepared to travel to the land of the rakshasas to liberate beings there. His disciples came to see him off, and the son of King Trisong Detsen was so grief-stricken that he fainted, crying that he would not know how to carry on without Guru Rinpoche. Guru Rinpoche comforted him, saying, “Do not grieve. Many years from now, when the world is in need, I will appear in the human realm in flesh and blood.”

Later, during the time of King Langdarma, who was influenced by Bon practices, there was a decline in respect for the Dharma. Many demonic forces manifested as kings in neighboring regions of Tibet, plotting to destroy the Dharma. At that time, Guru Rinpoche manifested as King Gesar, born into the human realm. Leading an army, King Gesar defeated the demonic armies of these neighboring kingdoms, transferred their consciousnesses to pure realms, and restored the Dharma.

From the age of 13 to over 80, King Gesar spent his life in battle. His generals were emanations of Guru Rinpoche’s 25 main disciples and the 84 great mahasiddhas of India. King Gesar himself was an emanation of Manjushri’s body, Avalokiteshvara’s speech, and Vajrapani’s mind. Therefore, King Gesar and his generals are “transcendental deities” (beyond the worldly), not “worldly deities.”

If you practice King Gesar as your guru, you can visualize him as Guru Rinpoche. Practice him as guru yoga, imagining that Guru Rinpoche is King Gesar, and recite Guru Rinpoche’s mantra. Guru Rinpoche embodies the essence of guru, yidam, and protector, so practicing Guru Rinpoche is equivalent to practicing all three.
Alternatively, you can practice King Gesar in this way. Some people like to practice the Three Roots (guru, yidam, dakini) separately. For guru yoga, visualize Guru Rinpoche. For the yidam, you can choose Avalokiteshvara, Vajrakilaya, or Wrathful Guru Rinpoche. For the dakini, you can choose Vajrayogini, Green Tara, or Yeshe Tsogyal.

How to Visualize a Yidam

Visualizing a yidam clearly is very difficult. Many people are aware of the generation stage and the completion stage in tantric practice. When visualizing the yidam’s color, clothing, ornaments, and hand-held implements, we often focus on one detail, such as the face, and forget the others. If we focus on the clothing, we may forget the implements, and if we focus on the implements, we may forget the face. It’s hard to hold all the details at once.
Even Tibetan scholars who have studied texts for years still struggle with yidam visualization when they enter retreat. True visualization is incredibly complex. To reach the level of the generation stage, one must visualize the yidam’s infinite palace, its intricate details, the yidam, and its retinue with the clarity of a reflection in a mirror, while simultaneously perceiving them as illusory appearances. Few can achieve this, so don’t worry if your visualization isn’t perfect.
Simply visualize the yidam in the space in front of you and deeply believe that they are truly present. This is sufficient to achieve the generation stage. Then, recite the yidam’s mantra, conclude by imagining the yidam radiating light to purify you, and finally dissolve the yidam into light, merging it with yourself. This completes the completion stage.

Faith and Trust in the Yidam

Whether you are practicing guru yoga or a yidam, cultivate deep trust that wherever you are—heaven, hell, or anywhere—the yidam knows. Trust that in this life, at the moment of death, and in the next life, you will rely on them. Have unwavering faith.

Offering to Protectors

When offering to protectors, regard them as part of your own nature and an expression of your mind’s essence. If you treat protectors as merely external entities, they can help you, but you won’t be able to realize their qualities as part of yourself.

Rely on transcendental deities. If you rely on worldly deities, such as mountain gods, earth gods, river gods, or local spirits, they may sometimes help you, but they may also harm you. At the time of death, they might even lead you into darkness.

Do not regard worldly deities or demons as part of your mind’s nature. Doing so can lead to confusion, madness, and emotional instability. Many cases of mental instability are related to faith in worldly deities. Avoid relying on them or interacting with them.

Balancing Practice and Daily Life

Everyone is busy with work and earning a living. Wealth depends on karma—those with merit will naturally have wealth without much effort, while those without merit must work hard and still may not have much. Having enough food, clothing, and a vehicle for transportation is sufficient. Beyond this, consider spending more time on practice.

Even if you are busy, you don’t need to recite many mantras while practicing. Recite a manageable amount, live joyfully, and remain free of worries. That is enough.