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Even after referring to several books I simply cannot understand what this picture is depicting. I am not a Buddhist and am hence finding it difficult to decipher.

enter image description here

I found it on this page, whose title is, "The Buddha of Purification with consort". The description on that page says it depicts a manifestation of

"unity of the fully developed masculine and feminine energy: the complete purity and highest state of enlightenment".

If that's an accurate description, could you provide the explanation of that phrase?

The Buddha himself didn't want to get entangled in samsara, let alone unite with the other sex; so isn't this contradictory?

Tenzin Dorje
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  • It's best to mention where (on which web site page) you found that image? – ChrisW Jan 20 '17 at 14:50
  • http://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/heruka-vajrasattva-by-carmen-mensink/ –  Jan 20 '17 at 14:55
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    The page says, "The Buddha of Purification with consort" and says it depicts a manifestation of "unity of the fully developed masculine and feminine energy: the complete purity and highest state of enlightenment". I guess that doesn't answer your question though. So can you say what further question you have about that? Or do you want to ask for explanation of that description/phrase? Or are you asking for explanation of the various details depicted/symbolized in the art? – ChrisW Jan 20 '17 at 15:02
  • no..no..you have quite aptly answered the question.thank you!! –  Jan 20 '17 at 15:08
  • but it would be nice if you could provide the explanation of the phrase?buddha himself didn't want to get entageld in samsar,let alone unite with the other sex.so isn't this contradictory –  Jan 20 '17 at 15:10
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    I added the [tag:tibetan-buddhism] tag: I assume you're asking for answers from within the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism (since you're asking for an explanation of what's depicted by Tibetan art). – ChrisW Jan 20 '17 at 15:26
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    A related topic: Can somebody explain me this Kalachakra print? – ChrisW Jan 20 '17 at 19:19
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    I mean you no offense, but If you don't have a highest yoga tantric initiation, there is no need for you to "decipher it". – Tenzin Dorje Jan 20 '17 at 19:20
  • It's very dangerous to read a layman's writing who trying to use his own words and understanding to "tell" the reader an "occult" practice - for it is occult obviously the secret is concealed from the outsider, except for the teacher and his chosen student. – Mishu 米殊 Jan 21 '17 at 16:51
  • @Bhumishu米殊 Are you saying that the OP should have known that this topic is "obviously occult"? – ChrisW Jan 22 '17 at 01:09
  • @ChrisW what is OP? i'm just 'exclamation-mark'ing the flood of the internet making any type of "know-ledge" easy, cheap and handy. – Mishu 米殊 Jan 22 '17 at 15:24
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    @Bhumishu米殊 The OP is "littlemonk", the original poster. It sounded like maybe you were saying this question shouldn't have been asked; but I don't think there's an way for the general public (or "outsiders" as you call them) to know what is and isn't secret, is there? Or even to know that anything is secret. – ChrisW Jan 22 '17 at 18:18
  • fellow buddhists,i've learnt my lesson and henceforth refrain from asking such open ended questions. –  Jan 23 '17 at 05:32
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    @ChrisW OP = Original Poster, learnt, thank you. No, littlemonk has all the credits and rights to ask such question. An "outsider" is anyone who doesn't get "initiated"/ acquired the true knowledge, the post writer is she (I read the webpage) an "initiated"/ acquired? Thus everyone is writing something about anything. But this knowledge is not cooking recipe, if someone writing it on the public arena, not one's own dairy locked in one's own drawer, there should at least be a hint that the writer's words are "hearsay". However not everyone regards such sense of ethic. – Mishu 米殊 Jan 23 '17 at 05:51

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That would be yab-yum. I think the wikipedia entry will more than answer your question. You can find that here. The one thing the entry only hints at, however, is that this is an actual practice in Tibetan Tantra. In fact, it's generally what comes to mind, for a popular audience anyway, when the word "tantra" is used. I think it's an exercise in futility to try and justify this practice according to Theravada or Mahayana ethics. Within a tantric context, it just is what it is.