Ishta-deva

("Yidam" in Tibetan) is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity. The Ishta-deva appears in the 'Inner' refuge formula of the Three Roots and is also the key element of Deity Yoga since the 'deity' in the yoga is the Ishta-deva.

Nomenclature and etymology

The Sanskrit word IAST|işţadevatā or IAST|işţadevaḥ is a compound of "işţa" (desired, liked, reverenced) + "devatā" (a deity or divine being). It is defined by V. S. Apte as "a favorite god, one's tutelary deity." [V. S. Apte, "A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary", p. 250.] The Tibetan version of the term is "yi-dam" [""The function of the Yidam is one of the profound mysteries of the Vajrayana... Especially during the first years of practice the Yidam is of immense importance. Yidam is the Tibetan rendering of the Sanskrit word Istadeva-the indwelling deity; but, where the Hindus take the Istadeva for an actual deity who has been invited to dwell in the devotee's heart, the Yidams of Tantric Buddhism are in fact the emanations of the adepts own mind. "The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet: A Practical Guide to the Theory, Purpose, and Techniques of Tantric Meditation" by John Blofeld. Penguin:1992] is said to be a contraction of Tib. "yid-kyi-dam-tshig", meaning "samaya of mind"- in other words, the state of being indestructibly bonded with the inherently pure and liberated nature of mind.

The Ishta-deva appears as one of the Three Roots in the Tibetan Buddhist [cite book|last=Simmer-Brown|first=Judith|title=Dakini's Warm Breath:The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism|publisher=Shambhala Publications Inc.|date=2002|page=p.327 n.51|isbn=978-1-57062-920-4Simmer-Brown cites evidence that Three Roots is a Tibetan Buddhist formulation from the time of Padmasambhava] 'Inner' refuge formulation. The iconography of the Ishta-deva may be 'peaceful', 'wrathful' (Tibetan "tro wa") or 'neither peaceful or wrathful'(Tibetan:" shi ma tro"), depending on the practitioner's own nature. The Ishta-deva represents awakening and so its appearance reflects whatever is required by the practioner in order to awaken. The guru will guide the student as to which Ishta-deva is appropriate for them and then initiation into the mandala of the Ishta-deva is given by the guru, so that Deity Yoga practices can be undertaken. In essence, the mindstream of the guru and the yidam are indivisible. The yidam is considered to be the root of success in the practice.

The Vajrayana traditions of China, Korea and Japan, while smaller and less prominent than Indo-Tibetan tantric Buddhism, are characterized in part by the utilization of isha-devatas in meditation. One promiment ishta-devata in East Asian vajrayana is Marici (Ch: "Molichitian", Jp: "Marishi-ten"). In the Shingon tradition of Japan, prominent isha-devatas include the "five mysteries of Vajrasattva," which are Vajrasattva (Jp. "Kongosatta"), Surata/Ishta-vajrinī (Jp. "Yuko-kongonyo"), Kelikilā-vajrinī (Jp. "Soku-kongonyo"), Kāmā/Rāga-vajrinī ((Jp. "Ai-kongonyo"), and Kāmesvarā/Mana-vajrinī ((Jp. "Man-kongonyo"). ["Tantric Buddhism in East Asia" by Richard Payne, Wisdom Publications: 2005. ISBN-10: 0861714873]

The principal ishta-devetas in the Newar Vajrayana tradition of Nepal are Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi [Dina Bangdel, "Tantra in Nepal," "The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art" Serindia Publications: 2003. ISBN:1932476016 pg. 32] . In that tradition, three components are essential to a temple complex: a main shrine symbolizing Svayambhu Mahachaitya; an exoteric shrine featuring Buddha Shakyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas; and an esoteric shrine dedicated to the ishta devatas, to which only initiates may be admitted. [Dina Bangdel, "Tantra in Nepal," "The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art" Serindia Publications: 2003. ISBN:1932476016 pg. 32]

According to "The Tonglen and Mind Training Site" Yidam is:

Visualized representative of your enlightened energy, or Buddha-nature. Tricky concept for Westerners; closest concept might be that of a patron saint in Catholicism, except that a yidam is not a historical figure and is not necessarily supposed to 'exist' in the same way human beings do. Other related concepts might be a totem or power animal in the Native American tradition, or even the fairy godmother in children's tales. [Source: Lojong Mind Training: Yidam (accessed: December 6, 2007)] Brennan (2006) draws a comparison between Ishta-devas and "tulpas", Tibetan spirits, (Tibetan) and uses the English rendering "thoughtform". The sacred architecture of their instrumentation, the magic circle, is (Tibetan: "kylkhor"; "kyil khor"). [Brennan, Herbie (2006). "How to Make a Ghost:Magic and Mysticism in Tibet". "New Dawn Magazine". No. 96 (May-June 2006). Source: Magic and Mysticism in Tibet (accessed: December 6, 2007 ]

During the (meditation) practice of the generation stage, a practitioner (sadhaka) establishes a strong familiarity with the Ishta-deva (an enlightened being) by means of visualization and a high level of concentation. During the practice of the completion stage, a practitioner focusses on methods to actualize the transformation of ones' own mindstream and body into the meditation Deity by meditation and yogic techniques of energy-control such as kundalini (tummo in Tibetan). Through these complimentary disciplines of generation and completion one increasingly perceives the pervasive Buddha nature.

... a yidam, a personal meditational deity, a potent ritual symbol simultaneously representing the mind of the guru and lineage of enlightened teachers, and the enlightened mind of the tantric practitioner. Recognizing the inseparability of these two is the ground of tantric practice. [cite book|last=Simmer-Brown|first=Judith|title=Dakini's Warm Breath:The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism|publisher=Shambhala|date=2001|pages=p.149] Berzin (1997: unpaginated) in discussing Buddhist refuge commitment and bodhisattva vows frames a caution to sadhana:

More specifically, this commitment means not taking ultimate refuge in gods or spirits. Buddhism, particularly in its Tibetan form, often contains ritual ceremonies, or pujas, directed toward various Buddha-figures or fierce protectors in order to help dispel obstacles and accomplish constructive purposes. Performing these ceremonies provides conducive circumstances for negative potentials to ripen in trivial rather than major obstacles, and positive potentials to ripen sooner rather than later. If we have built up overwhelmingly negative potentials, however, these ceremonies are ineffective in averting difficulties. Therefore, propitiating gods, spirits, protectors or even Buddhas is never a substitute for attending to our karma – avoiding destructive conduct and acting in a constructive manner. Buddhism is not a spiritual path of protector-worship, or even Buddha-worship. The safe direction of the Buddhist path is working to become a Buddha ourselves. [[[Berzin, Alexander]] (1997). "Taking the Kalachakra Initiation: Part III: Vows and Closely Bonding Practices." Source: Kalachakra Initiation (accessed: January 25, 2008). NB: Originally published asBerzin, Alexander. Taking the Kalachakra Initiation. Ithaca, Snow Lion, 1997 ] In the Vajrayana practices of Tibetan Buddhism, 'safe direction', or 'refuge' is undertaken through the Three Roots, the practitioner relying on an Ishta-deva in Deity Yoga as a means of becoming a Buddha. Common yidams