Dharma Wheel

What is the significance of a garuda as a yidam? Is it a worldy dharma protector?

I can see the value of using a bodhisattva as a yidam, but how is using a garuda as a yidam any different than using any other legendary creature, such as a yeti, as a yidam?

Garuda is one of the 13 Golden Dharmas in Sakya. It has the benefits of subduing Nagas induced diseases and obstacles. It is a wisdom Yidam, not a worldly protector.

There are no teachings or sadhana on Yeti to date so no lama can give such an empowerment and teaching and therefore nobody will practice this.

Are there any canonical texts about garudas practice?

WeiHan wrote:Garuda is one of the 13 Golden Dharmas in Sakya.

Do all garuda practices originate from the Sakya school? Or have garuda practices originated from some of the other 4 schools of Tibetan Buddhism, as well?

WeiHan wrote: It is a wisdom Yidam, not a worldly protector.

Does this mean that the garuda yidam should be considered to be a bodhisattva?

I know garuda is one of the four animals of shambhala in chogyam trungpa's tradition.
I still wonder is there something like a garuda sutra or something like that?

Luke wrote:

WeiHan wrote:Garuda is one of the 13 Golden Dharmas in Sakya.

Do all garuda practices originate from the Sakya school? Or have garuda practices originated from some of the other 4 schools of Tibetan Buddhism, as well?

WeiHan wrote: It is a wisdom Yidam, not a worldly protector.

Does this mean that the garuda yidam should be considered to be a bodhisattva?

I am not very knowledgeable with Tantra since I can't read the original tibetan however I can be quite sure Garuda is a practice mentioned in some sutras and Tantras. If my memory serve me correctly, it is mentioned in Kalachakra Tantra.

Yes. It is a Bodhisattva or Buddha in the 13 golden Dharma pactice.

That is just this much I can help you.

yes. I just made a quick check.

Shabala Garuda originates from Kalachakra Tantra. I don't know about Garuda of other lineages.

http://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=925

Luke wrote:What is the significance of a garuda as a yidam? Is it a worldy dharma protector?

I can see the value of using a bodhisattva as a yidam, but how is using a garuda as a yidam any different than using any other legendary creature, such as a yeti, as a yidam?

The Garuda is very very old and has a long history. Older than the four common schools of Buddhism with Vedic roots (I may be wrong about that though) although I think its older than that.......way older. Also used in the ancient Bon tradition as well. I am not sure if India and Tibetan Bon had it independently or if it traveled from one place to the other.

From the glossary of chNNr's Dream Yoga the Practice of Natural Light

13. Garuda (Sanskrit) or khyung in Tibetan: A mythical bird resembling an eagle. In Tibet the garuda represents the fire element. It is also a manifestation of lightning. The garuda subdues the class of nagas (snake beings). The garuda or khyung is especially invoked to heal disease provoked by the nagas, such as skin diseases and different types of cancer. In the Hindu tradition the garuda is half human and half bird and is also the vehicle of the deity Vishnu. The garuda is related to the Thunder Bird or Fire Bird in other mythologies.


Also from the same author:

The Garuda emerges from its egg fully formed and ready to fly. this is symbolic of our primordial natural state. It exists within us, already fully formed, for us to reveal

It certainly can be a Yidam. Many images of deities have a Garuda within them symbolizing this primordial enlightened state.

Garuda is a wrathful emanation of Manjusri. So no problem being a Yidam. Only as "mythological" as Manjusri is mythological (which is NOT). In any case, do the practice and see what happens.

Reibeam wrote: The Garuda emerges from its egg fully formed and ready to fly. this is symbolic of our primordial natural state. It exists within us, already fully formed, for us to reveal

It certainly can be a Yidam. Many images of deities have a Garuda within them symbolizing this primordial enlightened state.

Ah, so one could essentially think of the Garuda as being a form of Samantabhadra then?

pemachophel wrote:Garuda is a wrathful emanation of Manjusri. So no problem being a Yidam. Only as "mythological" as Manjusri is mythological (which is NOT).

Very cool. May I ask where you got this information? I did a lot of searches on the internet but I couldn't find any reference to the Garuda being an emanation of Manjusri.

pemachophel wrote:In any case, do the practice and see what happens.

Hmm, your challenge is inspiring! Maybe I will try it, after I learn it from a lama.

I'm sure that Sakya masters wouldn't have included it in the 13 Golden Dharmas if it didn't have significant value as a practice...

Luke wrote:

Reibeam wrote: The Garuda emerges from its egg fully formed and ready to fly. this is symbolic of our primordial natural state. It exists within us, already fully formed, for us to reveal

It certainly can be a Yidam. Many images of deities have a Garuda within them symbolizing this primordial enlightened state.

Ah, so one could essentially think of the Garuda as being a form of Samantabhadra then?

Someone else could probably elaborate better than me, but yes.

All enlightened emanations can be said to come from the non dual union of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadri. Enlightened beings are all the same regardless of form. A mirror is a mirror no matter what is reflected in it.

So, after a bit of hesitation, I finally went to a garuda empowerment ceremony. It was a great event and I am glad that I went. Perhaps I will write more about it in the "personal experience" section of the forum.

The lama referred to the garuda yidam as "Garuda Buddha," which dissolved my concerns because I realized that the garuda is simply a buddha in garuda form, and is therefore no different in essence than any other enlightened being which is a yidam.

This garuda empowerment I received is one of the 13 Golden Dharmas of the Sakya tradition and is also in the Kalachakra Tantra. Telling details about it publicly wouldn't be appropriate, but basically, the practice has a complicated visualization and a very short mantra.

Does anyone know if there exists a published sadhana text with English explanation for this garuda practice from the Sakya 13 Golden Dharmas? I took notes during the sadhana instruction, but the lama's English wasn't always so clear and I may have incorrectly understood some details.

Luke wrote:So, after a bit of hesitation, I finally went to a garuda empowerment ceremony. It was a great event and I am glad that I went. Perhaps I will write more about it in the "personal experience" section of the forum.

The lama referred to the garuda yidam as "Garuda Buddha," which dissolved my concerns because I realized that the garuda is simply a buddha in garuda form, and is therefore no different in essence than any other enlightened being which is a yidam.

This garuda empowerment I received is one of the 13 Golden Dharmas of the Sakya tradition and is also in the Kalachakra Tantra. Telling details about it publicly wouldn't be appropriate, but basically, the practice has a complicated visualization and a very short mantra.

Does anyone know if there exists a published sadhana text with English explanation for this garuda practice from the Sakya 13 Golden Dharmas? I took notes during the sadhana instruction, but the lama's English wasn't always so clear and I may have incorrectly understood some details.

Yes. There is an English sadhana for Garuda. Do you live near any sakya centre? It is not very nice to send sadhana through internet email.

WeiHan wrote: Yes. There is an English sadhana for Garuda. Do you live near any sakya centre? It is not very nice to send sadhana through internet email.

No, I don't live very near a Sakya center, but when I have time, I could return to the lama who gave me the empowerment and ask him more questions. My understanding is that their center does not have any published garuda sadhanas because this is not a regular practice of theirs. The lama was just translating directly from a Tibetan text he had in front of him.

Malcolm may have it.