Main Deity–Golden Mother of the Jade Lake (Yaochi Jinmu)

 

Main Deity–Golden Mother of the Jade Lake (Yaochi Jinmu)

Golden Mother of the Jade Lake (Yaochi Yinmu), also called Golden Mother (Jinmu), is the ruler of western paradise and the goddess of immortality. She is known by various names in Chinese religion and mythology, including Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu, abbreviated to Queen Mother (Wangmu)), Heavenly Queen Mother (Wangmu Niangniang), etc., among which “Queen Mother” (Muniang) is generally used by common people. Her complete names are Golden Mother Primordial Sovereign (Baiyu Guitai Jiuling Taizhen Jinmu Yuanjun), Nine-Phoenix Supreme Perfect Queen Mother of the West of the Jade Tortoise Plafform (Baiiyu Guitai Giufeng Taizhen Xiwangmu) or Primordial Sovereign of the Jade Tortoise Platform (Tailing Juiguang Guitai Jinmu Yuanjun).

According to the Daoist classics, Golden Mother represents the ultimate Yin energy while King Father of the East (Dongwanggong) is the embodiment of Yang energy. Yin and Yang produce heaven and earth, from which all livings were originated. She is also believed to be one of the Six Ultimates and the name “Golden Mother Primordial Sovereign” indicates she holds a very high position and is highly respected and worshiped. Some legends claim that she is the mother of Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi), but no reference can be found in relevant classics to prove this.

Golden Mother is originally portrayed as a humanoid with tiger’s teeth and the tail of a leopard. She has disheveled hair, wearing ornaments on her head. She is said to be fond of roaring and presides over “the calamities of heaven and the five punishments,” suggesting that she has destructive power to cause epidemics, but she also has the power to avert diseases and cures them. But the Daoists believe that this is a description of an emissary of Golden Mother, rather than Golden Mother herself. Later in the Daoist text, her image becomes a stately, elegant lady, wearing yellow clothing made of multi-colored tabby-weave silk. On her waist, she has a double-bladed sword; on her head, she wears the crown of the Grand Realized Ones. Her shoes are ornamented with squared, phoenix-patterned soles of rose-gem. She looks like in her early twenties. With her celestial appearance, she is depicted as a realized numinous being. In most folklores, legends, fairy stories and novels, her image resembles that of a queen or empress in her twenties or thirties

Golden Mother was granted to be in charge of all the female immortals in Heaven and on Earth, in the Three Realms and Ten Directions. She is the supreme matriarch deity who symbolizes the highest Yin energy and contributes to the creation of the cosmos and the cosmic harmony. Legend has it that she dwells in the cave of the Kunlun Mountains in the far west at the margin of heaven and earth. There is a garden hidden by high clouds where she cultivates the divine peaches that ripen every three thousand years. When the peaches ripens, she would hold a grand party and all deities would be invited to the banquet.

In Daoism, she is a symbol of longevity and the main deity in Golden Register Ritual for Prolonging life. On her birthday, which is celebrated on the third day of the third month in the lunar calendar (but some people hold that it should be on the eighteenth day of the seventh day), Daoists, especially females, gather in temples where celebration rituals are held to pray for health and longevity.

Since the holy spirit of Golden Mother appeared in Ji An Village of Hua Lien County in Taiwan, believers have been found all over the island and the number of followers has grown rapidly. Disciples of Golden Mother are self-disciplined, well coordinated and closely connected as brothers and sisters. The cohesion among them is established and sustained through a common belief in the divinity of Golden Mother and dedication to charity works. In Taiwan, nearly one thousand temples are dedicated to Golden Mother of the Jade Lake, the names of which mostly derive from Tsu Huei Temple, Sheng An Temple, Yao Chi Temple and Wang Mu Temple.


True Buddha Dharma-character Treasury - Golden Mother of the Jade Pond


【Golden Mother of the Jade Pond Mantra:】
「 Om。jin-mu-sid-dhi。hum。」
【Golden Mother of the Jade Pond Dharmalakṣaṇa Introduction:】
Golden Mother of the Jade Pond wears a phoenix crown. In her left hand, she holds a celestial peach (or Ruyi). In her right hand, she holds a celestial dust-whisk. In appearance, she is as beautiful as a celestial being and is an exquisite young girl. She rides on a nine-phoenix carriage in a dignified manner with a smile on her face. She looks upon all sentient beings with compassion.

【Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma Discourse - Golden Mother of the Jade Pond Background and Key Cultivation Formula:】
''The Great Primordial Golden Queen Mother of the Jade Pond of the West (Golden Mother of the Jade Pond)'' is one of the three principal deities of Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu, the root lineage guru of the True Buddha School. She was also the first principal deity with whom he attained spiritual union. In earlier days, she opened his ''deva-eye'' and has been the eminent divine spirit supporting him behind the scenes.

In the caves of Dunhuang, Shakyamuni Buddha, Queen Mother of the West (Golden Mother of the Jade Pond) and Padmakumara appear side by side, symbolizing that the three are of equal importance. It proves that the predestined relationship between Living Buddha Lian-sheng (Padmakumara) and Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is so intimate that it is inseparable.

Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is also called Queen Mother of West because she lives in the Celestial Palace of the Jade Pond above the wind in the Kunlun Mountains. This is in the west and west belongs to metal (gold), so she is called Golden Mother. Queen Mother of West and Golden Mother are one entity, just with different names. Some address her as Queen Mother, others as Golden Mother.
Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, King of East (Emperor of Donghua), and Xiangguang Youth (Padmakumara) were found engraved in Eastern Han Dynasty cultural relics excavated at Yinan, Shandong. The Eastern Han Dynasty cultural relics are considered the earliest uncovered antiquities.

Therefore, Grand Master Lu most venerates the ''Great Celestial Golden Mother of the Jade Pond,'' and states that ''Golden Mother of the Jade Pond'' is the Queen of Immortals, Immortal Queen.

Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is the Queen of Immortals whereas Amitabha is the King of Buddhas and Ksitigarbha, the King of Earth. These are the three principal deities of Living Buddha Lian-sheng.

Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is one of the Five Elders within the Taoist School. She guards the west like a mother taking care of all living souls.
The ''Five Elders'' of the Taoist School are Huang Lao reigning over center, the earth of the five elements; Mu Gong Shang Sheng, east, wood; Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, west, metal; Huo De, south, fire; and Shui Jiun or Shui De, north, water.
The ''Five Elders'' are equal to the ''Five Directions Buddhas.'' Therefore, the level of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is very high, equivalent to that of a Buddha.

In Chinese religion, from the beginning, the most ancient Daluo Golden Immortal is Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. She is the greatest celestial venerable deity and the only one who transcends all heavenly deities, surpasses all limits, and possesses the greatest dharma power with infinite might.
Jade Pond Golden Mother is the ultimate, supreme immortal. In the Legends of the Immortals, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is ranked first among the Immortal Celestial Beings. ''Gou Hui'' is her emanation body, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is the enjoyment body, and Daluo Golden Immortal ''Xian Tian Yi Qi (The Primordial Qi)'' is the Dharma body.
It is recorded in Taoist books that Saint Xuanxuan Shangren transmitted the dharma to the ''Heavenly Deity of East Mu Gong Shang Sheng.'' Later ''Mu Gong'' transmitted the dharma to Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. ''Mu Gong'' is also known as ''King of East.'' Golden Mother of the Jade Pond is known as ''Queen Mother of West.''
In Taoism, ''Queen Mother of West'' is considered to be the mother of sentient beings. All spirits originally emanated from her.
Taoist immortal cultivation can be compared to the Three Realms of Buddhism as follows:
Realm of Desire - Realm of Earth Immortals;
Realm of Form - Realm of Celestial Immortals;
Realm of Formlessness - Realm of Golden Immortals.

Chinese Buddhism was formed from the mutual interaction between Buddhism transmitted into China and native Taoism. In Vajrayana Buddhism for example, the ''Highest Yoga Tantra'' and ''Inner Cultivation'' of Tibetan Vajrayana are very similar to the ''qi'' practice of ''Dan Ding'' within the Taoist school. Although Buddhism and Taoism differ in approach, they reach the same results.

There are several extremely significant passages contained in Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's Sutra of Universal Deliverance, Retrieval of Perfection, Liberation Through Stillness and Wisdom. Regarding cultivation of jing, qi and shen the sutra states: ''How is the fundamental basis strengthened? Mankind regards filial piety and fraternal love as the fundamental basis. In Taoism, spiritual vitality and energy are regarded as the fundamental basis.'' In Confucianism, ''mankind takes filial piety and brotherly love as the fundamental basis.'' In Taoism, ''Taoists take spiritual energy as the root; jing, qi, and shen as the fundamental basis.'' Vajrayana takes ''qi, channels, and drops as the fundamental basis,'' which is the same thing as jing, qi and shen in Taoism.

According to the sutra, ''One must first eliminate the six thieves. One's ears should not be influenced by sound. One's eyes should not be distracted by form. One's body should not be defiled by touch. One's mind should not attach to form.'' This is the meaning of ''no-mind.'' ''One's nose should not smell anything improper'' means that one no longer haphazardly smells various smells. ''One's mouth should not have greed for taste'' means that one no longer eats just for the sake of eating and one is not greedy for delicious food. One must first eliminate the six thieves. As long as one is obsessed with something or is addicted to anything whatsoever, the thieves are residing in one's body and it will be impossible for one to meditate. ''Form, feeling, conception, habitual action, and consciousness, the five aggregates, becoming pure in themselves'' is Buddhism. Eliminating the ''six thieves'' is Buddhism. Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touch, and mental consciousness are the six thieves. The five aggregates are form, feeling, conception, habitual action, and consciousness. When one attains a clear understanding of the five aggregates ''The three essences, jing, qi, and shen are joined and vibrant from prolonged nourishment, ascending and descending freely. What difficulty is there in liberation?'' This is qi. As long as the qi and channels are open and the drops radiate light, one attains the Tao naturally. Attaining Buddhahood via qi, channels, and light drops in Vajrayana is the same as attaining Tao via jing, qi, and shen in Taoism.

Because of the guidance of Jade Pond Golden Mother, I, Grand Master Lu, was elevated from ordinary life to save sentient beings. The first deity with whom I attained spiritual union was Jade Pond Golden Mother. From the time I was twenty-six up until the present day, all that I, Grand Master Lu, have was bestowed upon me by Jade Pond Golden Mother. It is because of this that I, Grand Master Lu, am so utterly grateful and thankful to Jade Pond Golden Mother.

If not for Golden Mother of the Jade Pond there would be no True Buddha School. Everything about us originates from Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. She is also the ultimate all-inclusive dharma source of the True Buddha School.

Today's True Buddha School with its multitude of disciples, Grandmaster, Shimu, masters, senior reverends, dharma instructors, dharma assistants, chapter chairpersons and disciples, originated in its entirety from Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. I have therefore stated that, if not for Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, there would be no True Buddha School and without Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, my fate could not have changed.

True Buddha School Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu has personally transmitted many practices of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond such as Principal Deity Practice of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, Eight Great Practices of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, Nine Turn Profound Skill, Godly Soldiers Dispatch Practice, Invite and Seize Wealth Practice, Top Scorer God of Fate, Water Offering, Instant Wealth, Body Substitution, Tiger Head Vajra Practice, Black-faced Golden Mother Practice, etc.