3
Apr
2020
Interpreting Yama Dharmaraja Thangka
Yama Dharmaraja is known as the protector of the Vajrabhairava cycle of tantra. Yama Dharmaraja is also known as Kalarupa. Yama Dharmaraja is a wisdom deity protector of the father class of Anuttarayoga Tantra.
Table of Contents
- 1 - The Viability of Yama Dharmaraja
- 2 - Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja
- 3 - Depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja Thangka
- 4 - The lineage of the Yama Dharmaraja
- 5 - Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa Thangka
- 6 - Yama Dharmaraja with Vajrabhairava Thangka
- 7 - Yama Dharmaraja with Arapachana Manjushri Thangka
The Viability of Yama Dharmaraja
In this section, we are going to learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja. After that, we will learn about the short etymological description of the word Yama Dharmaraja itself.
Etymology of Yama Dharmaraja
Yama Dharmaraja is also called the Lord of Death or King of the Law in English. And Yama Dharmaraj is known as shin Je Cho Gyal in Tibet.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja. Now we’re going to learn about the Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja.
Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja
In the iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja, we will learn about is body posture, hand and led gesture and different representations of Yama Dharmaraja in thangka and statue.
Posture of Yama Dharmaraja
Yama Dharmaraja has one face and two hands. His face and hands are dark blues in color. Yama Dharmaraja has the head is that of a buffalo.
Yama Dharmaraja has three round eyes. Yama Dharmaraja has sharp horns entwined with flame, fierce and angry. Yama Dharmaraja has held upraised in the right hand is a bone stick composed of a fused spine and skull.
In the left hand of the Yama Dharmaraja, there is a coiled lasso. Yama Dharmaraja is adorned with a crown of skulls and bone ornaments. Yama Dharmaraja has wears a necklace of fifty freshly severed heads.
Yama Dharmaraja is Appearing extremely animate. Yama Dharmaraja is standing with his right leg bent. And the left of the Yama Dharmaraja there extended on the back of a buffalo above a human body and lotus seat.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja and Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja. Now we are going to learn about depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja.
Depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja Thangka
The thangka of the Yama Dharmaraja is from Mongolia. It is made in between 1800 – 1899 AD. Yama Dharmaraja is from Gelug Lineage. Ground Mineral Pigment, Black Background on Cotton is used to color this thangka. Presently, this painting is in the Rubin Museum of Art.
By depicting this thangka, we will learn about the presentation of Yama Dharmaraja with Chamundi.
Chamundi
Chamundi is to the right of the Yama Dharmaraja in the thangka. Chamundi is blue in color. Chamundi has one face and two hands. A trident is held aloft in the right hand and a skullcup in the left.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja, Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja, and depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja. Now we are going to learn about the lineages of Yama Dharmaraja.
The lineage of the Yama Dharmaraja
In the lineage of the Yama Dharmaraja, we will learn about the Yama Dharmaraja lineages description.
The following are the lineage of the Yama Dharmaraja which has been presented below:
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- Vajradhara
- Shri Vajrabhairava
- Jnana Dakini
- Lalitavajra
- Vajrasana
- Amoghavajra
- Jnana Sambhava Bepa
- Padmavajra
- Dipamkara Shrijnana
- Bharo Chag Dum
- Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drag
Vajradhara
Vajradhara is the primordial Buddha who is also known as the dharmakaya buddha. Vajradhara is depicted as dark blue in color. Vajradhara is expressing the quintessence of Buddhahood itself. Vajradhara represents the essence of the historical Buddha’s realization of enlightenment. Historically, Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya over 2500 years ago and then manifested as the Buddha. According to Buddhist cosmology, Vajradhara was the Fourth Historic Buddha of this fortunate eon.
Prince Siddhartha’s achievement of enlightenment, the realization, or wisdom of enlightenment itself, is called the dharmakaya, the body of truth. When he expresses that realization through subtle symbols, his realization is called the sambhogakaya, the body of enjoyment. When such realization manifested in more accessible or physical form for all sentient beings as the historical Shakyamuni Buddha, it is called the nirmanakaya, the body of manifestation.
Jnana Dakini
Jnana Dakini is a female Tantric deity belonging to the Anuttarayoga classification of Tantra. Jnana Dakini is blue in color. sometimes Jnana Dakini used to be red or maroon.
Jnana Dakini has three faces and six arms. Slightly Jnana Dakini is peaceful and slightly wrathful in appearance. In the three right hands, she holds a vajra scepter, axe, and katvanga staff.
In the left hands, she holds bell skullcup and sword. In a relaxed posture, she sits atop a lion. Jnana Dakini is seated above a lion and variously colored lotus and moon. Each face has three eyes.
Amoghavajra
Amoghavajra was a prolific translator who became one of the most politically powerful Buddhist monks in Chinese history. Amogjavajra is acknowledged as one of the Eight Patriarchs of the Doctrine in Shingon Buddhism. Amoghavajra was born in Samarkand of an Indian merchant or a brahmin father and a mother of Sogdian origin.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja, Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja, depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja, and the lineages of Yama Dharmaraja. Now we are going to learn about the presentation of Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa.
Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa Thangka
The thangka of the Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa is from Central Tibet. It is made in between 1700 – 1799 AD. Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa is from Gelug Lineage. Ground Mineral Pigment, Black Background on Cotton is used to color this thangka.
By depicting this thangka, we will learn about Yama Dharmaraja.
Dharmaraja is the special protector for the Vajrabhairava cycle of Tantric practices. Yama Dharmaraja is especially associated with the Rwa Lotsawa Tradition. Yama Dharmaraja is blue in color who with one face and two hands.
The two hands hold a curved knife out to the right side and with the left-hand holds a blood-filled skullcup to heart. Yama Dharmaraja is fearsome and wrathful. Yama Dharmaraja has the appearance of a Raksha daemon. His dark yellow hair flows upward flame-like rising above a black half vajra.
And his the golden crown marked with five dry skulls. Yama Dharmaraja is Wearing a green scarf and jewels gold and bone ornaments. Yama Dharmaraja is adorned with a necklace of severed heads and wears a tiger skin around the waist tied with a green sash.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja, Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja, depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja, the lineages of Yama Dharmaraja, and representation of Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa. Now, we are going to learn about the presentation of Yama Dharmaraja with Vajrabhairava.
Yama Dharmaraja with Vajrabhairava Thangka
The thangka of the Yama Dharmaraja with Vajrabhairava is from Tibet. It is made in between 1800 – 1899 AD. Yama Dharmaraja with Vairabhairava is from Sakya, Gelug and Uncertain Lineage. Ground Mineral Pigment, Black Background on Cotton is used to color this thangka. The size of the thangka is 84.46×60.33cm. Presently, this painting is in the Rubin Museum of Art.
By depicting this thangka, we will learn about Yama Dharmaraja.
Yama Dharmaraja is the protector of the Vajrabhairava cycle of tantras. Yama Dharmaraja has one face and two hands which is dark blue in color. The head of the Yama Dharmaraja is that of a buffalo.
He has three round eyes and sharp horns entwined with flame, fierce and angry. Yama Dharmaraja is held upraised in the right hand is a bone stick composed of a fused spine and skull. In the left hand is a coiled lasso.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja, Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja, depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja, the lineages of Yama Dharmaraja, representation of Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa, and representation of Yama Dharmaraja with Vajrabhairava. Now we are going to learn about Yama Dharmaraja with Arapachana Manjushri.
Yama Dharmaraja with Arapachana Manjushri Thangka
The thangka of Yama Dharmaraja with Manjushri is from Tibet. It is made in between 1700 – 1799 AD. Yama Darmaraja with Manjushri is from Gelug and Buddhist lineages. The base if the painting is Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton, This thangka is from a private collection.
By depicting this thangka, we will learn about the presentation of Yama Dharmaraja with Four Tibetan Teachers.
At the top center of the Yama Dharmaraja, there is the composition is Arapachana Manjushri who orange in color. He is holding a sword upraised.
Four Tibetan Teachers
Four Tibetan Teachers are on the left and right sides of the Yama Dharmaraja in the thangka. Four Tibetan teachers wearing monastic robes and Pandita hats.
Previously, we learn about the Viability of the Yama Dharmaraja, Iconography of the Yama Dharmaraja, depicting Buddhist protector Yama Dharmaraja, the lineages of Yama Dharmaraja, representation of Yama Dharmaraja with Rwa Lotsawa, and representation of Yama Dharmaraja with Vajrabhairava. And finally, we learn about the representation of Yama Dharmaraja with Arapachana Manjushri.
Yamantaka Thangka
Yamantaka is a wrathful worrier, in the center of a thangka surrounded by Manjushri, Guru, Shakyamuni Buddha, Mahakalas and jambhala.
