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Even after referring to several books I simply cannot understand what this picture is depicting. I am not a Buddhist and am hence finding it difficult to decipher.

enter image description here

I found it on this page, whose title is, "The Buddha of Purification with consort". The description on that page says it depicts a manifestation of

"unity of the fully developed masculine and feminine energy: the complete purity and highest state of enlightenment".

If that's an accurate description, could you provide the explanation of that phrase?

The Buddha himself didn't want to get entangled in samsara, let alone unite with the other sex; so isn't this contradictory?

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    The page says, "The Buddha of Purification with consort" and says it depicts a manifestation of "unity of the fully developed masculine and feminine energy: the complete purity and highest state of enlightenment". I guess that doesn't answer your question though. So can you say what further question you have about that? Or do you want to ask for explanation of that description/phrase? Or are you asking for explanation of the various details depicted/symbolized in the art?
    – ChrisW ♦
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 15:02
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    I added the tibetan-buddhism tag: I assume you're asking for answers from within the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism (since you're asking for an explanation of what's depicted by Tibetan art).
    – ChrisW ♦
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 15:26
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    A related topic: Can somebody explain me this Kalachakra print?
    – ChrisW ♦
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 19:19
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    I mean you no offense, but If you don't have a highest yoga tantric initiation, there is no need for you to "decipher it".
    – Tenzin Dorje
    Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 19:20
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    @Bhumishu米殊 The OP is "littlemonk", the original poster. It sounded like maybe you were saying this question shouldn't have been asked; but I don't think there's an way for the general public (or "outsiders" as you call them) to know what is and isn't secret, is there? Or even to know that anything is secret.
    – ChrisW ♦
    Commented Jan 22, 2017 at 18:18

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That would be yab-yum. I think the wikipedia entry will more than answer your question. You can find that here. The one thing the entry only hints at, however, is that this is an actual practice in Tibetan Tantra. In fact, it's generally what comes to mind, for a popular audience anyway, when the word "tantra" is used. I think it's an exercise in futility to try and justify this practice according to Theravada or Mahayana ethics. Within a tantric context, it just is what it is.

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