 In the Vajrayana path of Tibetan Buddhism, the lama is often the tantric spiritual guide, the guru to the aspiring Buddhist "yogi" or "yogini".As such, the lama will then appear as one of the Three Roots (a variant of the Three Jewels), alongside the "yidam" and protector (who may be a "dakini", "dharmapala" or other Buddhist deity figure).The mind of the lama is considered Buddha – one's highest potential, the lama’s speech is dharma, and the lama’s body is one's guide and companion on the way to enlightenment, meaning the lama is the perfect embodiment of the sangha.