{"id":5305,"date":"2026-04-27T10:36:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T10:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/yama-judge-of-the-dead\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T14:32:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T14:32:34","slug":"yama-judge-of-the-dead","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/yama-judge-of-the-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"Yama (Judge of the Dead)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"5305\" class=\"elementor elementor-5305 elementor-2015 elementor-bc-flex-widget\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10fdade e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"10fdade\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-herohlft0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"herohlft0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c3ceb64 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c3ceb64\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96ae5e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"96ae5e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism, god of the Buddhist tradition<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e45238a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e45238a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Yama Buddhism is a god of the Buddhist <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The passing on of knowledge and narratives across generations.\" tabindex=\"0\">tradition<\/span>.<\/p><p><strong>The Buddhist god of death and judge of souls after death.<\/strong><\/p><p>In Buddhism, Yama acts as a karmic judge and administrator of the hell worlds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-klsbdg01 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"klsbdg01\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-klshtm01 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"klshtm01\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iwg-pill-row\"><span class=\"iwg-klasse-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"God \/ Goddess: Personified supreme power in the pantheon of a culture, with clear areas of responsibility, forces of nature, fate, war, fertility. Worshipped through cults, sacrifices and temple institutions.\">God<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/buddhism\/\" class=\"iwg-kultur-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Buddhist tradition with bodhisattvas, protective deities, hungry spirits and guardians of hell.\">Buddhism<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/death-deities\/\" class=\"iwg-tradition-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Gods of the underworld and of death, rulers of the afterlife, judges of the dead, guides of souls.\">Death deity<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f74855 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3f74855\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c30362 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"1c30362\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;Es wurden keine \\u00dcberschriften auf dieser Seite gefunden.&quot;,&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;fas fa-circle&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;,&quot;rendered_tag&quot;:&quot;&lt;svg class=\\&quot;e-font-icon-svg e-fas-circle\\&quot; viewBox=\\&quot;0 0 512 512\\&quot; xmlns=\\&quot;http:\\\/\\\/www.w3.org\\\/2000\\\/svg\\&quot;&gt;&lt;path d=\\&quot;M256 8C119 8 8 119 8 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S393 8 256 8z\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/path&gt;&lt;\\\/svg&gt;&quot;},&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of contents\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-down\" 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130.525c9.372-9.373 24.568-9.373 33.941-.001z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M500 975V858C696 858 858 696 858 500S696 142 500 142 142 304 142 500H25C25 237 238 25 500 25S975 237 975 500 763 975 500 975Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-herorght0 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"herorght0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-heroimg00 iwg-hero-image elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"heroimg00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_buddhismus_yama-totenrichter-683x1024.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5306\" alt=\"Yama Judge of the Dead - gods from the Buddhist tradition, historical and illustrative\" srcset=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_buddhismus_yama-totenrichter-683x1024.webp 683w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_buddhismus_yama-totenrichter-200x300.webp 200w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_buddhismus_yama-totenrichter-768x1152.webp 768w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_buddhismus_yama-totenrichter.webp 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32917199 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"32917199\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26e916cb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"26e916cb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-253a40d4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"253a40d4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1200c304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1200c304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-159dcf9a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"159dcf9a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48cee66f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"48cee66f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">At a glance: Yama Buddhism<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f50d82c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f50d82c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Major Buddhist <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span> (<span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Great Vehicle; one of the three main traditions of Buddhism, with the bodhisattva ideal.\" tabindex=\"0\">Mahayana<\/span>, <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"'Diamond Vehicle'; tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism, primarily in Tibet, centered on Yidam practice and mantra technique.\" tabindex=\"0\">Vajrayana<\/span>), judge of the dead and keeper of the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In the Indian religions, the teaching and the right order of action.\" tabindex=\"0\">Dharma<\/span><br><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of the gods of a religion or culture.\" tabindex=\"0\">Pantheon<\/span>: Buddhism (all schools), adopted from the Hindu Yama<br>Function: judge of the dead, keeper of the lawfulness of <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, the law of cause and effect of action: every deed acts back upon subsequent existences.\" tabindex=\"0\">karma<\/span>, in the Tibetan tradition a wrathful deity<br>Main attributes: book of the dead, mirror of karma, sword (Khadga), noose (Pasha), black buffalo<br>Main places of <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of religious acts of veneration for a deity or sacred figure.\" tabindex=\"0\">cult<\/span>: Tibetan Gelug monasteries (Cham dance), Japan (Enma-O), Vietnam (Yamaraja)<br>Various forms: Yama-Dharmaraja (Tibet), Enma-O (Japan), Yeomra (Korea), Yanluo (China)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18613602 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"18613602\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-262b8a9f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"262b8a9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Classification<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46dcb7d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"46dcb7d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61d3ab3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"61d3ab3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-117c166 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"117c166\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Period of the texts<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73997a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"73997a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Yama is carried with Buddhism from India into all Buddhist countries (Vedic precursor in the <em>Rigveda<\/em>, from 1200 BC onward). In the Pali tradition (Theravada) he is the chief examiner in the court of the dead.<\/p><p>In Mahayana he has his own <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Hinduism and Buddhism, a teaching text in concise form.\" tabindex=\"0\">Sutra<\/span> corpus (e.g. the <em>Devadhamma-Sutta<\/em>). In Tibet, since the 8th century AD, he has been central as <em>Yama-Dharmaraja<\/em> in the wrathful-deity pantheons of the Vajrayana tradition. Main period of flourishing: in Tibetan Gelug monasteries to this day, with dramatic Cham dance performances.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d47b156 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d47b156\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff38c2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff38c2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Area of distribution<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e49fcc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e49fcc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Main places of cult: Tibetan <strong>Gelug monasteries<\/strong> (Drepung, Sera, Gand\u00e4n, Tashilhunpo, with the Yama-Dharmaraja Cham dances), <strong>Japan<\/strong> as Enma-O (in every <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A structure that serves the worship of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span> of the dead), <strong>Vietnam<\/strong> as Diem V\u01b0\u01a1ng. In Theravada countries (Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka) as a cosmic background presence. In China as <em>Yanluo<\/em> (separate page).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db03c39 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"db03c39\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-229a87b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"229a87b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f471fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1f471fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">State of the sources<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36b1201 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36b1201\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Central sources: <em>Devadhamma-Sutta<\/em> (Pali), <em>Yama <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Hinduism and Buddhism, a teaching text in concise form.\" tabindex=\"0\">Sutra<\/span><\/em> (Chinese), the Tibetan <em><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Tibetan Buddhism, the transitional state between two existences; the Bardo Thodol describes the phase after death.\" tabindex=\"0\">Bardo<\/span> Thodol<\/em> (the &#8220;Tibetan Book of the Dead&#8221;, <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The era of Greek and Roman culture, roughly 800 BCE to 600 CE.\" tabindex=\"0\">classical<\/span> source of the Yama-Dharmaraja <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The scholarly study of God and of the faith of a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">theology<\/span>), tantric texts on the Yama-Dharmaraja <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Spiritual practice of exercise in Hinduism and Buddhism with mantra, visualization and rite.\" tabindex=\"0\">sadhana<\/span>.<\/p><p>Secondary literature: Lopez, <em>The Tibetan Book of the Dead. A Biography<\/em>; Linrothe, <em>Ruthless Compassion. Wrathful Deities in Early Indo-Tibetan <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Collective term for teachings that claim a hidden knowledge accessible only to initiates.\" tabindex=\"0\">Esoteric<\/span> Buddhist Art<\/em>; Williams, <em>Mahayana Buddhism<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ae0637c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3ae0637c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31d07739 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"31d07739\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Name<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b7642947 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b7642947\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a086266 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a086266\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Buddhist Yama is often depicted with a bull head, massive horns, a terrifying face, and black or dark blue skin. Sometimes he has two or four arms. He carries a <em>Damaru<\/em> (staff of the bones of the dead) and a lasso made of a rope of souls.<\/p><p><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A spiritual being to which harmful or ambivalent effect is attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">Demons<\/span> and Yaksha dance around him. Fire surrounds him; blood drips from his mouth. In Tibetan artwork he often sits in a cave or in his palace in Naraka.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-709a44a8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"709a44a8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f585873 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f585873\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Characteristics<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70621c12 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"70621c12\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4296eb49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4296eb49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Yama in Buddhist teaching is not punishment but a mirror. The Yama judge is automatic: every action (<em>Karma<\/em>) will have its consequence. In tantric practices Yama is not implored for mercy but visualized as a teacher of impermanence.<\/p><p>The rites of death in Tibetan Buddhism address Yama directly, with the request to open a favourable <em>Bardo<\/em> path for the soul. Practitioners learn to meet Yama without fear.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44e71476 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"44e71476\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c1fc3f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3c1fc3f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Profile: Yama Buddhism<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84f33b8e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"84f33b8e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-hqkdc67p elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"hqkdc67p\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The most important aspects of Yama (Buddhism) at a glance. The following fields summarize origin, function, appearance, worship, symbols and cultural parallels.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-qh9oavvu iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"qh9oavvu\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-awzx8k2k elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"awzx8k2k\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism's origin<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-x6rowhv0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"x6rowhv0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Yama is adopted in Buddhism from the Hindu Yama (the first man to die in the Vedic tradition), keeps the function of judge of the dead, but is reinterpreted in Buddhist terms: not an arbitrary judge, but a mirroring mediator of karma.<\/p><p>In the Tibetan Bardo-Thodol system he appears to the deceased in the bardo state between death and rebirth; his mirror shows the dead person their own karma, without Yama himself passing judgement. The punishment results from one&#8217;s own karmic reaction. In wrathful form as Yama-Dharmaraja: protector of the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In the Indian religions, the teaching and the right order of action.\" tabindex=\"0\">Dharma<\/span> against all threats.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e3o4kxs iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8e3o4kxs\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-08rkdgov elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"08rkdgov\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism's target group<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-uwjelx8s elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"uwjelx8s\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Judge of the dead in the bardo state. Keeper of the lawfulness of karma. In the tantric Vajrayana tradition a protective <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Tibetan Buddhism, a meditation deity with which a practitioner works through identification in order to embody aspects of enlightenment.\" tabindex=\"0\">yidam<\/span> (meditation <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being worshipped as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span>) against all inner and outer threats, especially against the fear of death.<\/p><p>Patron of the practice of self-examination (the honest seeing of one&#8217;s own deeds). In Tibetan Cham dances a <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An ordered sequence of symbolic actions with religious or cultural meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">ritual<\/span> reminder of mortality.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-jm2n74ec iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"jm2n74ec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8vufse4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8vufse4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism's appearance<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-mwb9u015 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"mwb9u015\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In most Asian traditions anthropomorphic, as a stern official with a book of the dead and a writing stylus. In the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition as <em>Yama-Dharmaraja<\/em>: a dark blue or black wrathful figure with a buffalo head, three eyes, flaming hair and a flaming aureole.<\/p><p>Bone ornaments, a tiger-skin loincloth. In his hands a skull cup (Kapala), a Khatvanga (skull staff), a noose (Pasha), a sword. He rides a black buffalo that tramples a human underfoot. He is accompanied by his sister Yami.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37ss2yr6 iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"37ss2yr6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3v0wp3wx elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3v0wp3wx\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism's effect<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-w3247g2m elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"w3247g2m\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Sphere of effect:<\/strong> In the Tibetan Bardo Thodol, Yama is expected to appear in the bardo state, and the dying are prepared for the encounter with him. In Tibetan Cham dances there is a ritual confrontation with the judge of the dead (with dramatic masks).<\/p><p>In tantric practice he is meditated upon as a protective yidam. In Theravada and Mahayana rites of the dead he serves as a background mediator of karma. In Japan he is central as Enma-O in every Buddhist cemetery.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0qpjal9w iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0qpjal9w\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ndoih0o elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6ndoih0o\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism's means of defence<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6684tyh9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6684tyh9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Book of the dead, mirror of karma (Karma-Darpana), sword (Khadga), noose (Pasha), black buffalo (mount), Khatvanga (skull staff), Kapala (skull cup), buffalo head (in the Tibetan wrathful form), third eye, flaming hair. <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Belonging to the divine and thereby withdrawn from everyday use.\" tabindex=\"0\">Sacred<\/span> plants: none specific. Sacred direction: south (in the Indian tradition).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3lfi7x32 iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3lfi7x32\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0kg99ga1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0kg99ga1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism's parallels<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-n0fum6kp elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"n0fum6kp\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Yama<\/em> (Hinduism, root), <em>Yamaraja<\/em> (Hinduism \/ Buddhism), <em>Yama-Dharmaraja<\/em> (Tibet, wrathful Vajrayana form), <em>Enma-O<\/em> (Japan), <em>Yeomra<\/em> (Korea), <em>Yanluo<\/em> (China, first of the Ten Kings of Hell), <em>Hades<\/em> (Greece), <em>Anubis\/Osiris<\/em> (Egypt, guide and judge), <em>Hel<\/em> (Germanic), <em>Mictlantecuhtli<\/em> (Aztec).<\/p><p>Yama is one of the most widely distributed concepts of a god in the world (from India across all of Asia to Japan).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7533bc7a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7533bc7a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2447d18d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2447d18d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Practical defence<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5d0260c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d5d0260c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-341be2ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"341be2ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Rituals for defence<\/strong><\/p><p>Buddhist Yama defence <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An ordered sequence of symbolic actions with religious or cultural meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">ritual<\/span>: recitation of Dharani texts and <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Mahayana Buddhism, an enlightened being who postpones their liberation for the sake of teaching other beings.\" tabindex=\"0\">bodhisattva<\/span> invocations in times of danger (the dying process, near-death experiences). Goma fire rituals (Tibetan fire <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An offering to a deity to express gratitude, petition, or veneration.\" tabindex=\"0\">offerings<\/span>) are directed against Yama&#8217;s punishment.<\/p><p>The chanting traditions use mantras of the compassionate gods to soften Yama&#8217;s verdicts. Chinese Buddhist folk practice: paper notes at the Jade Emperor <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A structure that serves the worship of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>, to appease the judge Yama.<\/p><p><strong>Conjurations and invocations<\/strong><\/p><p>Jiz\u014d mantras (the bodhisattva of hell) and Avalokiteshvara invocations are regarded as a defence against Yama&#8217;s punishment. The <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Hinduism and Buddhism, a teaching text in concise form.\" tabindex=\"0\">Sutra<\/span> of Great Compassion (Karuna <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Hinduism and Buddhism, a teaching text in concise form.\" tabindex=\"0\">Sutra<\/span>) is recited. Tibetan: the Yamantaka visualization in the Guhyasamaja <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Religious-ritual tradition in Hinduism and Buddhism with a doctrine of energy polarities.\" tabindex=\"0\">Tantra<\/span>, the aggressive defeat of Yama by the &#8220;<span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A spiritual being to which harmful or ambivalent effects are attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">demon<\/span>-subduer Yamantaka&#8221;. Sanskrit original text: &#8220;Om j\u00f1ana-jyoti <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In the Indian religions, the teaching and the right order of action.\" tabindex=\"0\">dharma<\/span> dhara Yamantaka hum phat&#8221;.<\/p><p><strong><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A worn object to which a protective, misfortune-averting effect is attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">Amulets<\/span> and protective symbols<\/strong><\/p><p>Jiz\u014d statues as protective symbols in Chinese and Japanese <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A structure that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temples<\/span>. A Buddhist bracelet (Mala) with 108 beads, <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Belonging to a fixed religious sequence of actions.\" tabindex=\"0\">ritually<\/span> connected with the appeasement of the guardians of hell. Archaeological evidence: Buddhist stone steles from the 7th century in China\/Korea that contrast the judge Yama with bodhisattva rescuers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a584676 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5a584676\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d0757bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d0757bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama Buddhism, parallels in other cultures<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60563f68 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"60563f68\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a93fdd6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a93fdd6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<footer class=\"iwg-literatur\"><p>The Buddhist Yama resembles the Hindu Yama, but is less a &#8220;judge&#8221; and more an &#8220;embodiment of the law&#8221;. With the Christian figure of Death (<em>Thanatos<\/em> or the <em>Grim Reaper<\/em>) he shares the quality of inescapability.<\/p><p>In the Tibetan context Yama is a dharmapala, a &#8220;protector of the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In the Indian religions, the teaching and the right order of action.\" tabindex=\"0\">Dharma<\/span>&#8220;, similar to Kali or Bhairava in Hinduism. The black colour and wild form are universal for gods of death.<\/p><div data-nosnippet=\"true\" class=\"iwg-litliste\"><\/div><\/footer>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpfc795b0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpfc795b0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpcfb77e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cpcfb77e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama between Vedic heritage and Buddhist reinterpretation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp680eb01 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp680eb01\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp4042dbc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp4042dbc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Buddhist figure of Yama did not arise independently, but emerged from an older Indian <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being worshipped as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span>. In Vedic India, in the hymns of the <em>Rigveda<\/em>, Yama is the first human to die, and thus the king of the dead who has found the way into the afterlife.<\/p><p>He rules over a bright realm in which the deceased ancestors gather, and is rather a friendly receiver of the dead than a punishing judge.<\/p><p>Buddhism adopted Yama, but changed his function considerably. In Buddhist <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The idea of the structure and order of the world within a culture.\" tabindex=\"0\">cosmology<\/span>, Yama becomes the lord of the underworld and the judge who decides on the rebirth of the deceased, in particular on who enters the hell realms.<\/p><p>This shift from receiver of the blessed to judge of the guilty is connected with the central Buddhist teaching of <em>karma<\/em>: the fate after death follows from one&#8217;s deeds, and Yama becomes the instance that represents this connection.<\/p><p><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The discipline that studies religions comparatively and without confessional commitment.\" tabindex=\"0\">religious studies<\/span> offers the insight that Yama, in the strict Buddhist understanding, does not judge of his own accord. The texts repeatedly emphasize that <em>karma<\/em> itself determines rebirth and that Yama rather holds the deceased&#8217;s own deeds before their eyes.<\/p><p>A well-known parable from the <em>Devaduta Sutta<\/em> of the Pali <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The collection of sacred scriptures recognised as binding by a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">Canon<\/span> has Yama show the deceased the divine messengers, old age, sickness and death, and ask whether they had not noticed these warnings.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpcdbb663 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpcdbb663\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp67c8373 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp67c8373\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama in Tibetan Buddhism and the Wheel of Life<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpc472e02 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cpc472e02\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpa4c936b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cpa4c936b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In Tibetan Buddhism, Yama attained a particularly pronounced iconographic and ritual significance. Here he usually appears as <em>Shinje<\/em>, in a terrifying form, with a bull head, a wreath of flames and the attributes of a judge of the dead, often standing on a bull.<\/p><p>Especially well known is his depiction on the so-called Wheel of Life, the <em>Bhavachakra<\/em>. In this widely distributed pictorial composition, which adorns the entrance area in many monasteries, a large, teeth-baring being holds the wheel of the six realms of existence in its claws and teeth.<\/p><p>This clutching being is usually interpreted as Yama, as the embodiment of impermanence and of death, to which all conditioned forms of existence are subject. The image expresses the teaching that every realm of rebirth, including the heavens, is subject to death and thus to Yama&#8217;s grip.<\/p><p>Alongside this, the Tibetan tradition knows the meditative figure of Yamantaka, whose name means the subduer of Yama or the ender of death. Yamantaka is regarded as a wrathful manifestation of the bodhisattva Manjushri and embodies the wisdom that overcomes death itself.<\/p><p>In this constellation, Yama&#8217;s ambivalent position becomes clear: he is lord of death and at the same time a power that can be overcome in awakening. Scholarship sees in the rich Tibetan Yama <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The study of pictorial contents and their meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">iconography<\/span> a fusion of Indian models with local Tibetan ideas of mountain and death deities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp43aed0a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cp43aed0a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpdb86525 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cpdb86525\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Yama in East Asia: From the Indian god to the hell judge Enma<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp0b79416 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp0b79416\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpc5df073 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cpc5df073\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>With the spread of Buddhism to China, Korea and Japan, Yama too travelled and was there deeply embedded in local notions of the afterlife.<\/p><p>In China the Indian figure merged with ideas of a bureaucratically organized underworld and became Yanluo Wang, King Yanluo, one of ten Kings of Hell, each of whom leads a court of the underworld.<\/p><p>These Ten Kings of the Underworld examine the deceased in successive instances, and the dead person passes through them one after another before a decision is made about their next existence.<\/p><p>Within this, Yanluo Wang usually takes the position of the fifth king. The whole system mirrors the experience of the earthly hierarchy of officials, with registers, verdicts and measures of punishment.<\/p><p>In Japan this figure was adopted as Enma or Enma-\u014d, in Korea as Yeomra. <a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/enma-o\/\">Enma<\/a> is a well-known figure in Japanese folk <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The academic discipline that studies religions comparatively and without confessional commitment.\" tabindex=\"0\">religion<\/span>, often depicted with a reddened face, a judicial headdress and a writing tablet or mirror in which the deeds of the deceased become visible.<\/p><p><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The scholarly discipline that studies religions comparatively and without confessional commitment.\" tabindex=\"0\">Religious studies<\/span> emphasizes that the East Asian formations go far beyond the Indian model and that Yama there became a fixed component of popular notions of the afterlife, which combine Buddhist, Daoist and folk-religious elements.<\/p><p>The transformation from the Vedic figure of light through the Indian Buddhist judge to the East Asian hell bureaucrat is a textbook example of religious cultural transfer.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36dd7469 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"36dd7469\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13760ab4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"13760ab4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Further links<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28c87796 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"28c87796\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d6538df elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5d6538df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/yama\/\">Yama (Hinduism), root<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/yamaraja\/\">Yamaraja, related form<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/enma-o\/\">Enma-O, Japanese form<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/yeomra\/\">Yeomra, Korean form<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/yanluo\/\">Yanluo, Chinese form<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/buddhism\/\">Buddhism, pantheon overview<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/death-deities\/\">Death deities, sub-category<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-grl4kl40 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"grl4kl40\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bzsbfrmh elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bzsbfrmh\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Literature (selection)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c13224a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2c13224a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0eymh9ub elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0eymh9ub\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<footer class=\"iwg-literatur\" data-nosnippet=\"true\"><ul><li><span data-nosnippet>Lopez, Donald S.: <em>The Tibetan Book of the Dead. A Biography<\/em>. Princeton 2011.<\/span><\/li><li><span data-nosnippet>Williams, Paul: <em>Mahayana Buddhism. The Doctrinal Foundations<\/em>. London 1989.<\/span><\/li><li>Bardo Thodol (numerous translations, e.g. Coleman\/Jinpa\/Dorje 2005).<\/li><li>Walde, Christine (ed.): <em>Der Neue Pauly<\/em> (entry &#8220;Yama&#8221;).<\/li><\/ul><\/footer>\n<p class=\"iwg-bib-more\"><span data-nosnippet>Further standard works in the <a href=\"\/en\/literature\/\">literature index<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yama Buddhism, god of the Buddhist tradition Yama Buddhism is a god of the Buddhist tradition. The Buddhist god of death and judge of souls after death. In Buddhism, Yama acts as a karmic judge and administrator of the hell worlds. GodBuddhismDeath deity Table of contents Yama Buddhism At a glance: Yama Buddhism Type: Major [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5306,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Yama Buddhism","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Yama: The Buddhist God of Death and Karmic Judge","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Yama in Buddhism: bull head, bardo judge and enforcement of karma. His role in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the Bardo Thodol.","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_angie_page":false,"gefaehrdungsstufe":"","wesen_kultur":"","wesen_klasse":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111,79,86],"class_list":["post-5305","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buddhism","category-cultures","category-gods"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Yama: The Buddhist God of Death and Karmic Judge<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Yama in Buddhism: bull head, bardo judge and enforcement of karma. 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