Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

Yumka Dechen Gyalmo (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 1774 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

From Volume 1 (om) of the Nyingtik Tsapö (Wyl. snying thig rtsa pod), Shechen 1994:

• yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i lo rgyus/ p.287/288
• yum ka'i byin rlabs dbang gi chog/ pp.289-292
• yum ka mtsho rgyal bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa ba'i sgrub pa bde chen dpal phreng/ pp.293-312
• yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa ba’i bsnyen yig/ pp.313-319/320
• yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i bsnyen yig yang gsal lus dkyil mngon brjod/ pp.321-331/332
• yum ka mkha' 'gro'i bdag 'jug dbang don rab gsal/ pp.333-339/340
• rig 'dzin yum ka'i me mchod las bzhi'i bang mdzod/ pp.341-350
• sku gsum bdud rtsi’i bcud / pp.351-354
• yum ka mkha' 'gro'i nang sgrub bde chen snying po'i gter bum/ pp.355-379/380

Additional texts and prayers from vol. 4 (sva):

• ye shes mkha' 'gro bde chen rgyal mo'i gsol 'debs bden pa gnyis kyi myu gu dgnos grub 'byung gnas/ pp. 817-819
• mkha' 'gro'i gsol 'debs bsdus pa/ p.821/822
• rig 'dzin yum bka'i brgyud 'debs bde chen char 'bebs/ p.823/824
• yum bka mkha' 'gro'i tshogs kyi mchod pa nye bar bsdud pa grub gnyis dpal phreng/ p.825/826
• yum ka'i bskang ba/ pp.827-830
• klong chen snying gi thig le las/ yum bka' bde chen rgyal mo'i dbang gi chog bsgrigs bde chen bcud 'bebs/ pp.831-846
• yum bka' mkha 'gro'i las tshogs bzhi pa dang 'brel ba'i tshe dbang nyer bsdus/ p.847-853/854
• snying thig yum bka'i mkha' 'gro'i bsun bzlog/ pp.855-857/858

Translations

• 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
• The Queen of Great Bliss of Long-Chen Nying-Thig, translated by Karma Sonam Drolma, Kathmandu: Dzogchen Shri Singha University, 1997
• The Longchen Nyingthig Root Sadhana of the Mother Tsogyal, The Queen of Great Bliss, called The Glorious Garland of Great Bliss, translated by Karen Liljenberg, www.zangthal.co.uk, 2006

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

Commentaries on Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

In Tibetan

1. Jikmé Lingpa, yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i rtsa ba’i bsnyen yig, Nyingtik Tsapö vol Om pp.313-319.
2. Jikmé Lingpa, yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i bsnyen yig yang gsal lus dkyil mngon brjod, Nyingtik Tsapö vol Om pp.321-331.
3. Jikmé Lingpa, yum ka bde chen rgyal mo'i lo rgyus, Nyingtik Tsapö Vol Om p.287-288.
4. Ratön Ngawang Tendzin Dorje (a disciple of Jikmé Lingpa), Yum Ka bDe Ch'en rGyal Mo'i sGrub gZhung Gi 'Grel Ba rGyud Don sNang Ba (f. 107), written in 1801.
5. Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima, Yum Ka bDe Ch'en rGyal Mo'i sGrub gZhung Gi Zin Bris bDe Ch'en Lam bZang gSal Ba'i sGron Me (f. 22), Nyingtik Tsapö, vol. ha 5 p. 415-482.
6. Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima, Yum Ka bDe Ch'en rGyal Mo'i rTsa sNgags Kyi 'Grel bShad rNam mKhyen bGrod Pa'i Them sKas (f. 6).
7. Lingtul of Wang­da, Golok (a disciple of Alak Dongak Gyatso), Yum Ka'i rTsa sGrub Kyi Ch'o Ga'i bsDus 'Grel (f. 14).
8. Lushul Khenpo Könmé of Dodrupchen monastery, Yum Ka'i Zin Bris Kha bsKong Rig 'Dzin Zhal Lung (f. 34), Nyingtik Tsapö vol ha (5) pp.483-550)
9. Sangye Özer of Gyarong (a disciple of Khenpo Chechok), Yum Ka bDe Ch'en rGyal Mo'i sGrub gZhung Gi Zin Bris rMong Pa'i Mun Sel (f 19).
10. Gönpo Tseten of Amdo, Yum Ka bDe Chen rGyal Mo'i rTsa Ba'i sGrub Pa bDe Ch'en dPal Phreng Gi Tshig 'Grel (f. 63). Included in sngags mang zhib 'jug vol.8, Ngak Mang Institute, 2003
11. Ngawang Tendzin Dorjé, klong chen snying gi thig le'i mkha' 'gro bde chen rgyal mo'i sgrub gzhung gi 'grel pa rgyud don snang ba.

The Empowerment of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

The empowerment has been given many times to the Rigpa sangha, including:

• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, December 1985
• Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Brunissard, France, 23rd August 1989
• Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Prapoutel, France, 19th August 1990
• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Kirchheim, Germany, December 1998
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Saturday 13th November 1999
• Tulku Pegyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, 16th December, 1999
• Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, 8th October 2000
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Sunday June 29th 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Kirchheim, Monday 29th December 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Saturday 10th December 2005

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