Five Sets of Five-Deities

This new page is for original research and translations on the five sets of Five-deity practices from the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. The five sets of five-deities are:

1. Noble Tārā (Jetsun Drolma)
2. Hevajra (Kye Dorje)
3. Vajravarāhi (Dorje Phagmo)
4. Cakrasaṁvara (Dem-chog)
5. Hayagriva (Tamdin)

I have received the empowerments and transmissions of the five five-deity empowerments from 12th Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche, when I attended the Knowing One Liberates All transmission event, in Sikkim in 2021.

Here below is a stunning visual aid thangka of the five sets of five of 1st Karmapa, recently posted by the 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche FB page:

The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje has been teaching on the five sets of five-deities of the 1st Karmapa for several years now, and recently published a newly composed historical and instruction commentary and sadhana practice on the five-deity Noble Tārā. For my English translation of the first sections of that text, see here.

I hope this new page is a valuable resource for those interested in this unique and important lineage tradition of the 1st Karmapa, handed down from Indian Mahasiddhas like Nagarjuna and Je Atisha, and that it supports the activities and legacy of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and the Karma Kagyu lineage tradition too.

For research, transcripts and translations on 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (1110-1193), see here: First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (1110-1193).

Five Sets of Five-Deities of 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa

Five-deity Noble Tārā

 

GREEN TĀRĀ OF THE ACACIA FOREST (Sengdeng Nagki) AND THE FIVE-DEITY TĀRĀ MANDALA OF FIRST KARMAPA: Overview of Green Tārā origin and lineage and new translation of Five Deity Green Tārā short daily practice from 1st Karmapa’s “Five sets of Five” (2023)

NEW TRANSLATION: FIVE-DEITY TĀRĀ OF FIRST KARMAPA. An introductory commentary on the origin, general and specific traditions and lineage of five-deity Tārā and a new sādhana composed by 17th Gyalwang Karmapa (2025)

The Five-Deity “Acacia Forest” (Sengdeng Nagki) Tārā practice at nuns gathering in Bodh Gaya and translation of short daily practice by 1st Karmapa, with new visual aid for the five-deity Tārā practice

17th Gyalwang Karmapa on the five-deity Tārā practice of 1st Karmapa, new ritual text and closing speech for the Special Kagyu Monlam 2023(February 2022)

THE CHILDHOOD AND UNIQUE LINEAGES OF FIRST KARMAPA: Dusum Khyenpa’s childhood and key dates, important teacher the “mercurial” Vairochanavajra, and Lineage Holder of Palden Lhamo and five-deity Tara direct from Atisha  (17th Karmapa teaching, December 2023)

 

Five Deity Chakrasamvara

PENETRATING THE BLISS WHEEL OF CHAKRASAMVARA ON THE SUPER FLOWER BLOOD MOON: New translation of short, daily five-deity Chakrasamvara sadhana by 3rd Karmapa and brief instructions on the nature of bliss and union by 8th Garchen Rinpoche

THE INDIAN BELL-HOLDER’S GREAT BLISS CHAKRA (DEMCHOK KHORLO): Indian Mahāsiddha, Ghantapa’s Five-Deity Cakrasaṁvara as held by First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, and empowerment teaching by 12th Goshri Gyeltsab Rinpoche

Five-Deity Vajravarahi

UNIVERSE-BLAZING GODDESS, HRIH-ARISEN VAJRAYOGINI BY JE GAMPOPA: New translations of “Praises to Vajravarahi” and short Five-deity Vajrayogini practice from Je Gampopa’s Collected Works

Five-Deity Hayagriva

CLEAR REALISATION OF THE FIVE-DEITY HAYAGRĪVA (TAMDRIN) from the “Five Sets of Five” of the First Karmapa: An Introduction and translation of short, daily practice text

Five deity Hevajra

HEVAJRA, MARPA LOTSAWA AND THE ‘GOLDEN TEACHINGS’ OF KAGYU TANTRA: Marpa the Translator and student Ngog, the Seven Ngog Mandalas, the Hevajra mandala, and Jamgon Kongtrul’s preservation of them in ‘Treasury of Kagyu Mantras’ and teaching by 17th Karmapa

Five Deity Red Avalokiteshvara/Gyalwa Gyamtso

I was informed that Gyalwa Gyatso is not one of the five sets of five deities of the 1st Karmapa, although there is debate as to whether or not the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa actually practiced and realised Gyalwa Gyamtso and there is a short sadhana by Rangjung Dorje, 3rd Karmapa called the five deity of Gyalwa Gyatso sadhana. So I have kept this information here for reference only.

The five-deity Red Avalokiteshvara/Jinasagara (Gyalwa Gyamtso), from the female siddha, Machig Drupe Gyalmo lineage to Rechungpa (12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche empowerment Kagyu Monlam 2025)

Five-Deity Mandala of Red Avalokiteshvara and Karma Pakshi’s Guru Yoga mandala; female siddha lineage of Machig Drupe Gyalmo to Rechungpa; PLUS NEW TRANSLATION of Supplication and Short Daily Practice of five-deity Red Avalokiteshvara by Third Karmapa