Yab-Yum

Yab-Yum – literally 'father-mother' – are pairs of male and female deities depicted in sexual union. These paired figures express a fundamental concept of Buddhism, the essential process of joining insight with compassion, also referred to as the union of wisdom and skilful means of action. The male figure, who embodies compassion, embraces the female, who represents transcendent wisdom. The development and marriage of wisdom and compassion are necessary for transcending the self-concerns that hinder progress towards understanding the ultimate nature of reality. The yab-yum image is linked to fundamental aspects of the unconscious, serving to identify and sublimate conscious and unconscious instincts into a potent visual metaphor.

In this thangka the deity Kalachakra is shown in union with his consort, Vishvamata, the mother of all beings.

Kalachakra has four heads, with three eyes in each head. He is dark blue in color, with his main face blue and his other faces red, yellow and white. His hair is tied up in a double knot. He has twenty-four arms and each hand holds a different symbol. His two main arms are crossed around the waist of his consort, and each of his main hand holds a vajra. Of his twenty-four arms, eight are blue, eight are white, and the other eight are red.

He is wearing a tiger skin skirt and underneath his outstretched right leg is a red Kamadeva (desire-realm god). Under his bent left leg is a white deity, White Rudra, with four arms. Red Gama, the consort of Kamadeva is holding Vishvamata's outstretched heel, and Uma, the consort of White Rudra, is holding Vishvamata's bent heel.

Vishvamata is shown golden-orange in color, with four heads, each having three eyes. She has eight arms with each hand holding a symbol.

This description by Nitin Kumar, Executive Editor, Exotic India.

Each of our thangkas comes framed in silk brocade and veil, ready to be hung in your altar.

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Delivered by to all international destinations within 3 to 5 days, fully insured.

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References:

Beer, Robert. The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

Chakraverty, Anjan. Sacred Buddhist Painting. New Delhi: Roli Books, 1998.

Fisher, Robert E. Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson, 1997.

Getty, Alice. The Gods of Northern Buddhism. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1978.

Lipton, Barbara, and Ragnubs, Nima Dorjee. Treasures of Tibetan Art: Collection of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Tibet. Los Angeles: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1990.

Rhie, Marylin M. & Thurman, Robert A.F. Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson, 1996.

Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Tibet. Los Angeles: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1990.

Rawson, Philip. The Art of Tantra. London: Thames and Hudson, 1995.

Shaw, Miranda. Passionate Enlightenment: women in Tantric Buddhism. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1998.