Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

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 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.

• Ultimately she is Samantabhadri in the vast sphere of dharmakaya
• Internally she is Vajravarahi in the pure land of the sambhogakaya
• Externally she is Yeshe Tsogyal in the world of the nirmanakaya.

Texts of the Cycle

• The Source of Accomplishment, the Fruit of the Two Truths: 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.
• A Glorious Garland of Great Bliss—the Fundamental, Female Practice of Tsogyal, the Queen of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Jikme Lingpa (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 Fundamental, Female Practice of Tsogyal, the Queen of Great Bliss, 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 Practice for the Female Awareness Holder, 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: Yumka 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.
  • 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 (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i thugs dam bskang ba 'bring po). Available from The Nepalese-German Manuscript Cataloguing Project.

• Mountain of the Two Accumulations: A Fulfilment Practice for the Ḍākinī Queen of Great Bliss, by Dharma Senge ( mkha' 'gro bde chen rgyal mo'i thugs dam bskang ba'i rim pa tshogs gnyis lhun po)

• Lute of Lotus Flowers: A Concise Fulfilment for the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Rago Choktrul Tupten Shedrup Gyatso ( klong chen snying gi thig le las/ yum bka' bde chen rgyal mo'i skong bsdus pad+ma'i rgyud mangs)

• Illuminating the Meaning of Empowerment: A Self-initiation for the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī, by Jikme Lingpa (dbang don - yum ka mkha' 'gro'i bdag 'jug dbang don rab gsal)

• Shower of Great Bliss: A Lineage Prayer of the Female 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

• Words of the Vajra Queen: An Essential Daily Practice of the Female Awareness Holder, by Third Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpe Nyima (rig 'dzin yum ka'i rgyun khyer snying por dril ba rdo rje btsun mo'i zhal lung)
  • English translation: Words of the Vajra Queen: An Essential Daily Practice of the Vidyādharas’ Female Practice, translated by Han Kop and edited by Jeremy Tattersall, 2019.
• A Glorious Garland of the Two Accomplishments: An Abridged Feast-Offering for the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī, by Pema Gyepé Dé (Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo) (snying thig yum bka' tshogs mchod - yum bka mkha' 'gro'i tshogs kyi mchod pa nye bar bsdus pa grub gnyis dpal phreng)
  • English translation: A Glorious Garland of the Two Accomplishments: An Abridged Feast-Offering for the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī, translated by Han Kop, 2020, for the Longchen Nyingtik Project.

• The Lotus Necklace: A Short Feast-Offering for the Female Practice of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, by the Fourth Dodrupchen Tubten Trinlé Pal Zangpo (klong chen snying thig gi yum ka'i tshogs bsdus pad+ma'i do shal)

Collection of activities

• The Inner Female Practice of the Ḍākinī, A Treasure Vase Containing the Essence of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Jikme Lingpa (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)

• Longevity Empowerment Connected with the Fourth Point from the Collection of Activities of the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī, by Jikme Lingpa (tshams byor - yum ka mkha' 'gro'i las tshogs bzhi ba dang 'brel bar/ tshe dbang gi mtshams sbyor)
  • Colophon: It was requested by Jetsun Paldingpa.

• A Concise Longevity Empowerment Connected with the Fourth Point from the Collection of Activities of the Female Practice of the 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)

• A Supplementary Text for Consecrating a Treasure Vase, from the Collection of Activities of the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī (བུམ་སྒྲུབ་ - ཡུམ་ཀ་མཁའ་འགྲོའི་ཚོགས་ལས།་གཏེར་བུམ་སྒྲུབ་པའི་ལྷན་ཐབས་, bum sgrub - yum ka mkha' 'gro'i tshogs las/ gter bum sgrub pa'i lhan thabs). (14th Activity).
  • Colophon: It was requested by Palding Jetsunma and a group of Do Khampas.

• The Purifying Treasure Vase: A Ritual Arrangement of a Guiding Practice Which Purifies Obscurations, from the Fifteenth Point of the Collection of Activities of the Ḍākinī, by Jikme Lingpa (gnas lung - mkha' 'gro'i las tshogs bco lnga pa sgrib sbyong gnas lung gi cho ga bsgrigs dag byed gter bum)
  • Colophon: It was requested by Palding Jetsunma.

• A Supplementary Text for Cleansing and Removing Poison based on the Yoginī Tārā, by Jikme Lingpa (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). The 18th point of the collection of activities.

• The Tree of the Life Force Ocean: A Supplementary Text for Ransoming the Life-force Spirit, from the Activities of the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī, by Jikme Lingpa (mkha' 'gro'i bla bslu - yum ka mkha 'gro'i las tshogs las/ bla bslu'i lhan thabs srog 'tsho'i ljon pa). This is the 21st activity which is based on the goddess Mārīcī.

• The Treasury of the Four Activities: A Fire Offering for the Practice of the Female Awareness Holder, by Jikme Lingpa (me mchod - rig 'dzin yum ka'i me mchod las bzhi'i bang mdzod) (341-350)
  • English translation: The Treasury of the Four Activities: A Fire Offering for the Female Awareness-Holder (Rigdzin Yumka) Practice. Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2001. Revised with additional material translated by Han Kop and first published on Lotsawa House, 2019.
  • Colophon: Following persistent prayers and requests made by Jetsün Paldingpa, the signs were decoded the very next year.

• Rejuvenation of the Ambrosia of the Three Kāyas, from the Cycle of the Ḍākinī Queen of Great Bliss, by Jikme Lingpa (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, by Jikme Lingpa (bsun zlog - mkha’ ‘gro’i bsun zlog ngo mtshar snang ba)
• A Ritual for Offering the Ransoming Torma when an Elaborate Turning Back the Summons is Accumulated, by Jikme Lingpa (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 Short Tsok Prayer for Turning Back the Summons of the Ḍākinīs, by Jikme Lingpa (tshogs bsdud - bsun zlog rgyas pa tshogs brgya dang 'brel skabs yum ka'i tshogs kyi skong bshags mang du 'dzad pa lag len) (437/438)
  • English translation: Confession and Fulfilment Insert for Accumulating the Practice of Turning Back the Summons of the Ḍākinīs, Rigpa Translations, edited and adapted for Lotsawa House, 2019.
  • Colophon: This practice is to be inserted in place of the confession and fulfilment in the Yumka tsok when practising a hundred tsok offerings of the elaborate practice of Turning Back the Summons.
• Turning Back the Summons of the Heroes and Heroines, from the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss, by Jikme Lingpa (bsun bzlog - yum ka bde chen rgyal mo las/ dpa’ bo dpa’ mo’i bsun bzlog)
• A Practice to Turn Back the Summons of the Ḍākinīs for the Female Practice of the Heart Essence, by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (bsun bzlog - snying thig yum bka'i mkha' 'gro'i bsun bzlog)

• A Practice of Tārā Sarasvatī, by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (sgrol ma dbyangs can ma'i sgrub thabs), collected works volume 6, pages 58-60. (2nd activity).

Mandala of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, courtesy of Dodrupchen Rinpoche (see www.mahasiddha.org)

Commentaries

• Jikmé Lingpa, The Main Retreat Manual for the Female Practice of 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)
  • English translation: The Main Recitation Manual for the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, translated by Han Kop, 2019, for the Longchen Nyingtik Project.

• 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)
  • English translation: The History of the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss. Translated by Han Kop, 2019, for the Longchen Nyingtik Project.

• Jikmé Lingpa, Elucidating the Body Maṇḍala: Clarifications on the Retreat Manual of the Female Practice of 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)
  • English translation: Elucidating the Body Maṇḍala—Clarifications on the Recitation Manual of the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss, translated by Han Kop for the Longchen Nyingtik Project, 2020.

• 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 That Illuminates the Excellent Path of Great Bliss: A Guide to the Practice Text of the Female Awareness Holder 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 the Female Practice of 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).
  • English translation: The Lamp That Illuminates the Excellent Path of Great Bliss: A Guide to the Practice Text of the Female Awareness-Holder, the Queen of Great Bliss, translated by Han Kop for the Longchen Nyingtik Project, 2022.

• Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima, Contemplations on the Female Practice (yum ka'i dmigs skor)
• Lingtul of Wang­da, Golok (a disciple of Alak Dongak Gyatso), A Concise Commentary on the Ritual of the Fundamental, Female Practice (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).
• Rago Choktrul Tupten Shedrup Gyatso, The Supremely Generous Treasure Vase of Benefit and Happiness: A Concise Commentary on the Tantra of The Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (sgrol ma phyag 'tshal nyer gcig rgyud kyi 'grel chung phan bde'i gter bum mchog sbyin)
  • English translation: The Short Commentary on the Twenty-One Homages to Tara called The Treasure Vase of Benefit and Happiness, translated by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey, 2004.
• Minyak Tsara Khenchen Tubten Chökyi Drakpa, A Garland of White Lotus Flowers: A Word by Word Commentary on the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss, a Ritual of the Inner Practice of the Great Perfection Awareness Holders ( rdzogs pa chen po rig 'dzin nang sgrub kyi cho ga yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i sgrub gzhung gi 'bru 'grel pun+ta ri ka'i do shal). Written in 1958.
• Gönpo Tseten of Amdo, A Beautiful Garland of White Lotus Flowers: A Word by Word Commentary on 'A Glorious Garland of Great Bliss—the Fundamental, Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss' (rdzogs pa chen po rig 'dzin nang sgrub kyi cho ga yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i sgrub gzhung gi 'bru 'grel pun+ta ri ka'i do shal) (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 the Female Practice, 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)
• The Descent of the Vital Essences of Great Bliss: An Arrangement of the Empowerment Ritual for the Female Practice of 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 mtshams sbyor mu tig gi chun po). It was written when Jigme Tenpa Nyima was 23 years old (in 1887) in the Garden of Immortality, the empowerment room of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo at Dzongsar.
• An Excellent Wish Fulfilling Vase, The Deity Empowerment of the Twenty-one Tārās, Connected with the Vase Empowerment of the Female Practice of 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), on the request of his students Muksang Khentrul (rmugs sangs mkhan sprul) and Drakmar Tulku Pema Gyaltsen (brag dmar sprul sku pad+ma rgyal mtshan).

Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha

• Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, France, 2009
• Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche, Lerab Ling
  • 17 May 2024: lung-tri of The Main Recitation Manual for the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss (Nyenyik) by Jigme Lingpa
  • 18 May 2024: lung-tri of Elucidating the Body Maṇḍala—Clarifications on the Recitation Manual of the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss (Lükyil) by Jigme Lingpa
  • 19-23 May 2024: lung-tri of The Lamp That Illuminates the Excellent Path of Great Bliss—A Guide to the Practice Text of the Female Awareness-Holder, the Queen of Great Bliss (Yumka Zindri) by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima
  • 24-25 May & 24 August 2024: lung (mainly) of 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 (Ratik commentary) by Ratön Ngawang Tendzin Dorje

Empowerments Given to the Rigpa Sangha

• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, December 1985
• Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Brunissard, France, 23 August 1989
• Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Prapoutel, France, 19 August 1990
• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, Ireland, December 1998
• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Kirchheim, Germany, December 1998
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Saturday 13 November 1999
• Tulku Pegyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, 16 December 1999
• Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, 8 October 2000
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 29 June 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Kirchheim, 29 December 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 10 December 2005
• Yangthang Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 7 August 2012
• Khenchen Pema Sherab, Lerab Ling, 17 June 2019, short empowerment based on the empowerment manual by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé
• Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 2 May 2023, short empowerment based on the empowerment manual by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé
• Khenchen Pema Sherab, Lerab Ling, 16 May 2024, short empowerment based on the empowerment manual by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé

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).
• Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Guru Arya Tara and her Twenty-One Praises (Shang Shung Publications)