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A yidam or iṣṭadevatā is a meditational deity that serves as a focus for meditation and spiritual practice, said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind. Yidams are an integral part of Vajrayana, including both Tibetan Buddhism and Shingon, which emphasize the use of esoteric practices and rituals to attain enlightenment more swiftly. The yidam is one of the three roots of the inner refuge formula and is also the key element of deity yoga. Yidam is sometimes translated by the term "tutelary deity".
A yidam is considered to be a manifestation of enlightened qualities and a means to connect with specific aspects of the enlightened mind. The yidam is visualized during meditation in intricate detail, with the aim of internalizing its qualities and attributes. This practice is intended to facilitate the practitioner's transformation and realization of their own innate enlightened nature. It is believed to help purify the mind, accumulate positive karma, and ultimately lead to the realization of emptiness and the nature of reality.
During personal meditation practice (sādhana), the yogi identifies their own form, attributes and mind with those of a yidam for the purpose of transformation.[1] Yidam practices can vary greatly depending on the specific deity chosen, the lineage, and the teachings followed. The visualization, recitation of mantras, and engagement with the symbolic attributes of the yidam are common elements of these practices.
Examples of yidams include the meditation deities Chakrasamvara, Kalachakra, Hevajra, Yamantaka, and Vajrayogini, all of whom have a distinctive iconography, mandala, mantra, rites of invocation and practice. Overall, yidam practices are a distinctive feature of Vajrayana, emphasizing the importance of personal connection with and transformation through specific enlightened aspects.
- ^ Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2013). The Princeton dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-15786-3.