yidam

Y4I1D2A1M3

noun

A type of deity associated with tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind.

OriginTibetan ཡི་དམ →
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Meanings

nounyidam (plural yidams)

plural yidams

  1. TibetanBuddhismA type of deity associated with tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind.

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

    2004, Chogyam Trungpa, The Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa, volume 7

Origin

  1. Tibetanཡི་དམ
  2. Englishyidam

From Tibetan ཡི་དམ (yi dam), (Sanskrit: समादान (samādān) or སམཱདཱནི (samādāni)).

More words from Tibetan

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Cite this entry
APA

yidam. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yidam

MLA

“yidam.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yidam. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “yidam,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/yidam.

Source: yidam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.