Yab Yum
Tibetan literally, "father-mother"
It is a common symbol in the Buddhist art of India, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet, representing the male deity in sexual union with his female consort. Often the male deity is sitting in the lotus position while his consort is sitting in his lap.
The symbolism of union and sexual polarity is a central teaching in Tantric Buddhism, especially in Tibet. The union is realised by the practitioner as a mystical experience within one's own body.
Yab-Yum is generally understood to represent the primordial (or mystical) union of wisdom and compassion. In Buddhism the masculine form is active, representing the compassion and skillful means that have to be developed in order to reach enlightenment. The feminine form is passive and represents wisdom, which is also necessary to enlightenment. United, the figures symbolize the union necessary to overcome the veils of Maya, the false duality of object and subject and symbolize the dualism that must be exceeded. It is believed that during the primordial time, the Yab-Yum Buddha saw that the mind was often fooled into believing there was a distinction between "I" and "you". Thus He sought to liberate his mind from this false distinction. Similar to the Yin Yang symbol in China, it shows that two seeming distinctions actually exist as one, dependent on one another.
The sacred Tantric practice leads to rapid development of mind by using the experience of bliss, non-duality, and ecstasy while in communion with one's consort..
In Hinduism the Yab-Yum has a slightly different meaning. There, the embraced posture represents the divine strength of creation. The Hindu concept is the one of a passive masculine deity embracing his spouse called shakti, which represents his activity or power.
The symbolism of union and sexual polarity is a central teaching in Tantric Buddhism, especially in Tibet. The union is realised by the practitioner as a mystical experience within one's own body.
Yab-Yum is generally understood to represent the primordial (or mystical) union of wisdom and compassion. In Buddhism the masculine form is active, representing the compassion and skillful means that have to be developed in order to reach enlightenment. The feminine form is passive and represents wisdom, which is also necessary to enlightenment. United, the figures symbolize the union necessary to overcome the veils of Maya, the false duality of object and subject and symbolize the dualism that must be exceeded. It is believed that during the primordial time, the Yab-Yum Buddha saw that the mind was often fooled into believing there was a distinction between "I" and "you". Thus He sought to liberate his mind from this false distinction. Similar to the Yin Yang symbol in China, it shows that two seeming distinctions actually exist as one, dependent on one another.
The sacred Tantric practice leads to rapid development of mind by using the experience of bliss, non-duality, and ecstasy while in communion with one's consort..
In Hinduism the Yab-Yum has a slightly different meaning. There, the embraced posture represents the divine strength of creation. The Hindu concept is the one of a passive masculine deity embracing his spouse called shakti, which represents his activity or power.