The father
mother symbolism ("yab yum") is not an example of erotic
art but is considered by the devout to be a manifestation of the
Buddha's highest spiritual essence. It is concrete evidence
presented in a most striking and graphic manner of the existence
of enlightenment, denoting the highest stage of yoga in which
there is no polarity, no discrimination and the truth is
indivisible. There in meditation in the presence of this artistic
revelation, one can discover infinite bliss and ultimate
self-realization.
The feminine
symbol (mother) represents transcendent wisdom, the direct
awareness of reality as experienced and taught by the Buddha. The
masculine (father) represents compassion for all beings which is
the natural expression of such wisdom. Their sacred union is
believed to generate waves of bliss and harmony, turning the world
into a mandala and showering a rain of nectar that satisfies the
spiritual hunger in the hearts of humankind.
Today, statues
and paintings of "yab yums" are sought by collectors and
boldly displayed in museums, while traditionally in Tibet they
were created and meant to be seen by only the initiated. The
arcane rituals associated with their display were also not for
public consumption. Modern depth psychology has recognized that
this imagery represents the deepest archetypes of the unconscious,
integrating powerful instinctual energies of life into a
consciously sublimated and exalted state. As a result, we are
fascinated by this beautiful art form, wanting to possess it
whether we are Tantric Buddhists or not!
On a final
note, Tantra itself is derived from the verbal root tan, meaning
to weave. Many things are interwoven on the Tantric path,
including the lives of men and women. The Buddha couples of
Tantric iconography celebrate the profound harmony of the sexes
and the creation of partnerships devoted to the realization of the
ultimate truth.
