Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

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Yumka Dechen Gyalmo (Tib. ཡུམ་ཀ་བདེ་ཆེན་རྒྱལ་མོ་, Wyl. yum ka bde chen rgyal mo) — the peaceful dakini practice from the Longchen Nyingtik, the terma revelation of Jikmé Lingpa.

Tulku Thondup explains[1] that Yumka Dechen Gyalmo is a sadhana practice on Yeshe Tsogyal, the consort of Guru Rinpoche, as a wisdom dakini. It is one of the three roots practice of the Longchen Nyingtik together with Lama Rigdzin Düpa and Yidam Palchen Düpa.

In 1773 the omniscient Jikmé Lingpa visited the Tsogyal Lake. There, amid wondrous signs, he beheld the face of the Wisdom Dakini. He also received the symbolic scripts which he deciphered in order to produce the practice text.

Through this practice one understands the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal to be the embodiment of the three kayas.

Texts of the Cycle

  • Scion of the Two Truths, the Source of Accomplishment: A Prayer to the Wisdom Ḍākinī Queen of Great Bliss, by the First Dodrupchen Jikme Trinle Özer (gter mdzod klong chen snying thig - ye shes mkha' 'gro bde chen rgyal mo'i gsol 'debs bden pa gnyis kyi myu gu dngos grub 'byung gnas)
    • English translation: The Source of Accomplishment, the Fruit of the Two-Fold Truth—A Prayer to the Wisdom Ḍākinī Dechen Gyalmo, translated by Tulku Thondup (1992).
    • English translation: The Source of Accomplishment, the Fruit of the Two-Fold Truth—A Prayer to the Wisdom Ḍākinī Dechen Gyalmo, Rigpa Translations.
    • Colophon: This prayer to the wisdom ḍākinī Yeshe Tsogyal, entitled The Source of Accomplishment, the Fruit of the Two-Fold Truth was discovered from the casket of meditative equipoise and written during the post-meditation phase by the yogi Kunzang Shenpen at the fervent request of the yogi Samantabhadra Dharmadvīpa, who is rich in wealth of learning, samaya and devotion; and of Tsoknyi Wangmo, a niece of mine, who has ripened her virtuous actions of the past. It was transcribed by Gyurmé Yeshe. May it be meritorious! Sarva maṅgalaṃ.
  • The Glorious Garland of Great Bliss: The Root Sādhana of Yumka Yeshe Tsogyal, the Queen of Great Bliss (bde chen dpal phreng - yum ka mtsho rgyal bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa ba'i sgrub pa bde chen dpal phreng)
    • English translation: The Queen of Great Bliss of Long-Chen Nying-Thig, translated by Tulku Thondup, Gangtok, 1983 revised 1992. Can be ordered at http://mahasiddha.org/store/Texts.html
    • English translation: The Queen of Great Bliss of Long-Chen Nying-Thig, translated by Karma Sonam Drolma, Kathmandu: Dzogchen Shri Singha University, 1997.
    • English translation:The Longchen Nyingthik Root Sadhana of the Mother Tsogyal, The Queen of Great Bliss, called 'The Glorious Garland of Great Bliss' , Karen Liljenberg, 2006. Can be downloaded from www.zangthal.co.uk
    • English translation: A Glorious Garland of Great Bliss, the Root Sādhana of the Queen of Great Bliss, Yumka Tsogyal, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, translated by Han Kop and edited by Jeremy Tattersall, 2019. The translator primarily followed the Raṭik commentary and is also indebted to Tulku Thondup’s pioneering translation of the same text. Some sections were adapted from Rigdzin Düpa by Rigpa Translations. With gratitude to Dakpo Tulku Rinpoche for his clarifications and to Stefan Mang for numerous suggestions.
    • Colophon: I, Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, discovered this at Tsogyal Latso lake in Dragda. I received the symbolic scripts from the heart of the ḍākinī Rangjung Gyalmo, without grasping at them or hankering after them, and then deciphered them. Later, I arranged them into a practice text.
  • Rain of Accomplishments, A Concise Fulfilment for the Female Awareness Holder Practice, by Jikme Lingpa (rig 'dzin yum ka'i bskang bsdus dngos grub char 'bebs) (Shechen Nyingtik Döncha).
  • The Fulfilment Practice, by the Third Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpe Nyima (yum ka'i bskang ba)
    • English translation: The Fullfillment Prayer, in The Queen of Great Bliss of Long-Chen Nying-Thig, translated by Tulku Thondup 1992.
    • English translation: The Fulfilment Practice, translated by Han Kop and edited by Jeremy Tattersall, 2019. The supplementary note on the term fulfilment has been translated by Adam Pearcey. We are indebted to Tulku Thondup’s pioneering translation of the text. With gratitude to Dakpo Tulku Rinpoche for his clarifications and to Stefan Mang for his suggestions.
    • Colophon: At the request of the learned monk Jikmé Ösal, this was written by the crazy beggar Tenpe Nyima. Maṅgalaṃ!
  • A Medium-length Fulfilment Practise for the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss, by Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso. Available from The Nepalese-German Manuscript Cataloguing Project.
  • Thoroughly Illuminating the Meaning of the Empowerment: the Self-initiation for the Yumka Ḍākinī (dbang don - yum ka mkha' 'gro'i bdag 'jug dbang don rab gsal)
  • A Short Tsok Prayer for Turning Back the Summons of the Ḍākinīs (tshogs bsdud - bsun zlog rgyas pa tshogs brgya dang 'brel skabs yum ka'i tshogs kyi skong bshags mal (mang?) du 'dzad pa lag len) (437/438)
  • Shower of Great Bliss: A Lineage Prayer of the Yumka Awareness Holder, by Dorjé Tukchok Tsal (Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo) (snying thig yum bka'i brgyud 'debs - rig 'dzin yum bka'i brgyud 'debs bde chen char 'bebs)
  • A Concise Prayer to the Ḍākinī, by the First Dodrupchen Jikme Trinle Özer (gter mdzod klong chen snying thig - mkha' 'gro'i gsol 'debs bsdus pa)
    • English translation: The Brief Ḍākinī Prayer, translated by Adam Pearcey.
    • Colophon: Jigme Trinlé Özer wrote this at the request of the diligent practitioner Norbu Zangpo and Chönyön.


-Brief practices

Collection of activities

  • The Inner Ḍākinī Practice of Yumka, a Treasure Vase Containing the Essence of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (yum ka'i nang sgrub - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ yum ka mkha' 'gro'i nang sgrub bde chen snying po'i gter bum)
  • Longlife Empowerment Explanation Connected with the Fourth Point from the Collection of Activities of Yumka Ḍākinī (tshams byor - yum ka mkha' 'gro'i las tshogs bzhi ba dang 'brel bar/ tshe dbang gi mtshams sbyor)
  • Additional Texts for the Practice of the Treasure Vase, from the Collection of Activities of the Ḍākinī Practice of Yumka (bum sgrub - yum ka mkha' 'gro'i tshogs las/ gter bum sgrub pa'i lhan thabs)
  • The Purifying Treasure Vase: An Arrangement of the Guiding Practice Ritual Which Purifies Obscurations, for the Fifteenth Point of the Collection of Activities of the Ḍākinī (gnas lung - mkha' 'gro'i las tshogs bco lnga pa sgrib sbyong gnas lung gi cho ga bsgrigs dag byed gter bum)
  • Additional Texts for Cleansing and Removing Poison based on the Yoginī Tārā (lhan thabs - yum ka bde chen rgyal mo las/ sgrol ma rnal 'byor ma la brten nas dug dbyung bya ba bkru'i lhan thabs)
  • Additional Texts for Ransoming the Life-force Spirit: The Tree of the Life Force Ocean, from the Activities of the Ḍākinī Practice of Yumka (mkha' 'gro'i bla bslu - yum ka mkha 'gro'i las tshogs las/ bla bslu'i lhan thabs srog 'tsho'i ljon pa)
  • The Treasury of the Four Activities: A Fire Offering for the Female Awareness-Holder (Rigdzin Yumka) Practice (me mchod - rig 'dzin yum ka'i me mchod las bzhi'i bang mdzod) (341-350)
  • 'Taking the Essence' (rasāyana) of the Three Kāyas' Amṛta, from the Queen of Great Bliss Ḍākinī (bcud len - mkha' 'gro bde chen rgyal mo las/ sku gsum bdud rtsi’i bcud len)
  • Turning Back the Summons of the Ḍākinīs: The Marvelous Appearance (bsun zlog - mkha’ ‘gro’i bsun zlog ngo mtshar snang ba)
  • Turning Back the Summons of the Ḍākas and Ḍākinīs, from Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (bsun bzlog - yum ka bde chen rgyal mo las/ dpa’ bo dpa’ mo’i bsun bzlog)
  • A Practice to Turn Back the Summons for the Yumka Ḍākinī of the Heart Essence, by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (bsun bzlog - snying thig yum bka'i mkha' 'gro'i bsun bzlog)
  • A Ritual for Offering the Ransoming Torma when an Elaborate Turning Back the Summons is Accumulated (glud gtor - grangs gsog tshe bsun bzlog rgyas pa'i mtshams su glud gtor ril bu dang cas pa nam mkha' mdzod kyi sngags rgyas brlabs nas phul)
  • A Practice of Tārā Sarasvatī, by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (sgrol ma dbyangs can ma'i sgrub thabs), collected works volume 6, pages 58-60.
Mandala of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, courtesy of Dodrupchen Rinpoche (see www.mahasiddha.org)

Commentaries

  • Jikmé Lingpa, Recitation Manual for the Sādhana of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (bsnyen yig - yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa ba’i bsnyen yig) Nyingtik Tsapö vol Om (313-319/320)
  • Jikmé Lingpa, Elucidating the Body Maṇḍala: Further Clarifications for the Recitation Manual of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (lus dkyil - yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i bsnyen yig yang gsal lus dkyil mngon brjod) Nyingtik Tsapö vol Om (321-331/332)
  • Jikmé Lingpa, The History of the practice of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (lo rgyus - yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i lo rgyus) Nyingtik Tsapö Vol Om (287/288)
  • Ratön Ngawang Tendzin Dorje (a disciple of Jikmé Lingpa), Illuminating the Meaning of Tantra, A Commentary on the Practice Text of the Ḍākinī Queen of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse or in short the Ratik commentary (klong chen snying gi thik le'i mkha' 'gro bde chen rgyal mo'i sgrub gzhung gi 'grel ba rgyud don snang ba) (f. 107), written in 1801.
  • Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima, A Lamp Illuminating the Excellent Path of Great Bliss: A Guide to the Sādhana of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i sgrub gzhung gi zin bris bde chen lam bzang gsal ba'i sgron me) (f. 22), Nyingtik Tsapö, vol. ha 5 (415-48)
  • Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima, Stairways to Omniscience: A Commentary on the Root Mantra of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa sngags kyi 'grel bshad rnam mkhyen bgrod pa'i them skas) (f. 6).
  • Lingtul of Wang­da, Golok[2] (a disciple of Alak Dongak Gyatso), A Concise Commentary on the Yumka Sādhana Ritual, (yum ka'i rtsa sgrub kyi cho ga'i bsdus 'grel) (f. 14).
  • Lushul Khenpo Könchok Drönme, The Oral Transmission of the Awareness Holders: An Addendum to 'A Guide to Yumka' Spoken by the Lord Guru (mkha' 'gro'i 'grel ba - rje bla mas gsungs pa'i yum bka’i zin bris kyi kha skong rig 'dzin zhal lung) Nyingtik Tsapö vol ha (483-550)
  • Sangye Özer of Gyarong (a disciple of Khenpo Chechok), Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance: A Guide to the Sādhana of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i sgrub gzhung gi zin bris rmong pa'i mun sel) (f 19).
  • Gönpo Tseten of Amdo, A Beautiful Garland of White Lotus Flowers: A Word by Word Commentary on 'The Glorious Garland of Great Bliss: The Root Sādhana of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss' (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa ba'i sgrub pa bde chen dpal phreng gi tshig 'grel pad dkar phreng mdzes) (f. 63). Included in sngags mang zhib 'jug vol.8, Ngak Mang Institute, 2003. Also in mgon po tshe brtan gsung rtsom (W1KG6254), mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2010, pages 110-148.
    • Gönpo Tseten Rinpoche writes in the colophon that he composed this commentary on the request of some American students. He further adds that it is concise and easy to understand.
  • Lopön Thekchok Yeshe Dorje, Destroyer of Māra's Forces: A Commentary on the Female Awareness Holder (rig 'dzin yum bka' 'grel bdud dpung 'joms ma)

Empowerment texts

  • A Ritual for the Blessing Empowerment of Yumka, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (dbang chog - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ yum ka'i byin rlabs dbang gi cho ga)
  • An Concise Long-life Empowerment Connected with Fourth Point in the Collection of Activities of the Yumka Ḍākinī, by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (snying thig yum bka'i tshe dbang - yum bka' mkha' 'gro'i las tshogs bzhi pa dang 'brel ba'i tshe dbang nyer bsdus)
  • The Descent of the Vital Essences of Great Bliss: An Arrangement of the Empowerment Ritual for Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (Pema Garwang Lodrö Tayé) (dbang chog - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ yum bka' bde chen rgyal mo'i dbang gi chog bsgrigs bde chen bcud 'bebs)
  • A Heap of Pearls: An Empowerment for the Female Awareness Holder, by the Third Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpe Nyima, (rig 'dzin yum ka'i dbang gi mthams sbyor mu tig gi chun po)
  • An Excellent Wish Fulfilling Vase, The Deity Empowerment of the Twenty-one Tārās, Connected with the Vase Empowerment of Yumka, the Queen of Great Bliss, by Drodul Pawo Dorje (probably Adzom Drukpa) (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i bum dbang gi rjes 'brel sgrol ma nyer gcig gi lha dbang dgos 'dod bum bzang), written in the water hare year (1903).

Empowerments Given to the Rigpa Sangha

Notes

  1. The Queen of Great Bliss of Long-Chen Nying-Thig, translated by Tulku Thondup, Gangtok, 1983 revised 1992, p. 1.
  2. Probably Pema Lungtok Gyatso

Further Reading

  • Anne C. Klein, The Birthless Birthgiver: Reflections on the Liturgy of Yeshe Tsogyel, the Great Bliss Queen in Tibet Journal, Vol.XII, No.4, Winter, 1987.
  • Anne C. Klein, The Great Bliss Queen, in Buddhism in Practice, edited by Donald S. Lopez Jr. (Princeton University Press, 1995).
  • Anne C. Klein, Meeting the Great Bliss Queen: Buddhists, Feminists, and the Art of the Self (Shambhala, 2001).