Jambhala

God of Wealth in Buddhism
Jambhala (also known as Dzambhala, Dzambala, Zambala or Jambala) is the God of Fortune and Wealth and appropriately a member of the Jewel Family (see Ratnasambhava). He is sometimes equated with the Hindu deity Kubera. Jambhala is also believed to be an emanation of Avalokitesvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. There are five different wealth Jambhalas; each has his own practice and mantra to help eliminate poverty and create financial stability. Gyalten Sogdzin Rinpoche said that Jambhala is the protector of all Lineages and of all sentient beings from all sickness and difficulties. Jambhala is a Bodhisattva of material and spiritual wealth as well as many other things, especially of granting financial stability.

Dzam means "deity or gathering." Bhah means "gold or wealth." La means "to honor". Dzambhala means “Precious golden deity who gathers or brings the wealth of spirituality or Dharma and material security or accomplishment to our lives."

Green Jambhala is the chief of the five Jambhalas and is the manifestation of Buddha Amoghasiddhi, depicted standing upon a corpse and holding a mongoose in his left hand and a Kapala in his right hand. Green Jambhala has bluish green colored body. He sits in the vajra position with Dakini in front of him. His right leg is panhandle with right foot is above a snail and lotus flower, while his left leg is kinked. On his left hand is an animal called Nehulay (mongoose) which spue out jewels from its mouth, his right hand holding Norbu. The Dakini holding lotus flower in her hand. The Mantra of Green Jambhala is:

As the manifestation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, White Jambhala was born from his right eye. He sits on a snow lion, although some artists depict him sitting on a dragon, and a mongoose in his left hand spits out precious diamonds and ornaments. An ordinary image of Lord Vaisravana is one that holds a precious pagoda in the left, which pours out various treasures. In Tibetan Tantric images, the precious pagoda is replaced by the treasure emitting mongoose. The basis of five Jambhalas practices is Bodhicitta. Practitioners should generate the altruistic intention of compassion (Bodhicitta), and practice generosity. The practice can remove poverty within the six realms and increase one's merits, wisdom and lifespan. All their material and spiritual needs will be met. The puja of five Jambhalas summons immense positive wealth energies upon the participants. The Buddhists believe that wealth results from one's past actions, but this puja itself also plays a significant role in changing the course of one's financial situation. Gaden Shartse said:

Some people claim that cultivating the Jambhala practice will increase one's greed. Although the spiritual practitioner has the desire to gain great fortune, his body, mind and speech are nonetheless gradually purified in the process of practicing the Tantric method.

Chanting the mantra of every Jambhala is believed to be more beneficial if the chanter has received oral transmissions from a teacher who holds the teaching Lineage.

The legend said that while Gautama Buddha was teaching the Maha Prajna Paramita Sutra, the jealous Devadatta threw rocks at the Buddha. But instead, the rocks hit White and Yellow Jambhalas on their heads and hit Black Jambhala on the stomach. Buddha then came over to Jambhala and blessed him; from his hand came a white, nectar like substance of wisdom and compassion and love, and touched Jambhala's head. Jambhala felt very blissful, happy, calm, and cleaned his impurities and obstructions, and his wounds. Jambhala immediately bowed down to Buddha and thanked him. Sakyamuni Buddha said to him, “As I have healed you and I poured this holy nectar onto you, in the future any one of my students or student’s students who invokes your power and pours water onto your head bestow on them wealth, give them the two types of wealth, material wealth and spiritual wealth, more importantly spiritual wealth.” After that, Jambhala folded his hands and said, “I will do as you have said and I promise that I will do that.”

That story has become the basis for the practitioners of Jambhala Puja to pour water over their statues or to place their statues under the falling water of six step waterfalls.