yidam

English

A painting depicting the yidam Chakrasamvara

Etymology

from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Tibetan ཡི་དམ (yi dam), (Sanskrit: समादान (samādān) or སམཱདཱནི (samādāni))

The word is said to be a contraction of ཡིད་ཀྱི་དམ་ཚིག (yid kyi dam tshig), which means to bind one’s mind ཡིད (yid)་ by promise་དམ་ཚིག (dam tshig).་

Noun

yidam (plural yidams)

1. (Tibetan Buddhism) A type of deity associated with tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind.
   • 2004, Chogyam Trungpa, The Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa‎^[1], volume 7:

     Yidams are not to be equated with the patron saints or guardian angels found in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions.

Anagrams

• yadim