84 mahassidhas in english

Title page
Vajradhara with 84
Mahasiddhas
~buddhistdharma.net (Nyingma)
In the above image, associated
with the Nyingma "Long
Transmission" lineage, the central
figure, Great Vajradhara, is
flanked by bodhisattvas
Sukhanatha and Ratnamati.
Source of picture:
http://www.khandro.net/84_mahasiddhas.htm

84 Mahasiddhas
The 84 Mahasiddhas represent all those who have, within a single lifetime,
attained direct realization of the Buddha’s teachings. Their life stories
represent what they have accomplished and what they did for others upon
gaining realization from their practice. By reading their stories, we know that
through effort and practice of the Buddha’s teachings, we too can gain
liberation.
The lives of these 84 mahasiddhas have a similar pattern… the siddha-to-be
experiences some sort of preliminary discontent or a life-crisis leading to the
appearance of the guru. Their personal encounter with a spiritual teacher turns
out to be a turning point in their lives. The siddhas-to-be are given an initiation
by their respective gurus, and the guru will skilfully give them instructions. This
is usually something that they can put to immediate use.
The students gradually (or some immediately) acquire great faith and place a
high level of commitment to their teacher. They do not hold back in any
possible aspect. Any instruction from the guru is of great importance to them,
and they practice it diligently as it is the vital link to the highest attainment.
The mahasiddhas are people who come from all walks of life. There are men
and women, kings and beggars, young and old, monks and laymen. It proves
to us that no matter what our initial state is, it is possible to reach the highest
human condition within one lifetime.
Below is a list of the 84 mahasiddas and of Vajradhara. There is a photo and a
short description on the side.
I have always love to read the stories of these Mahasiddhas. They brought
tears, joy, amazement, faith, wonder, awe, and laughter when reading about
them. They always inspire great inspiration towards the Dharma and blesses
me to do more. To realize perseverance and diligence does produce results.
Each of them had their particular attachments, delusions and hang ups. In
each of them, we can find ourselves or something similar. It makes us realize,
before they became attained, they were just like you and me. That means, we
can be eventually just like them if we apply ourselves!
Tsem Rinpoche

Dharmakaya Vajradhara
Vajradhara is the primordial Buddha,
who represents the essence of the
historical Buddha’s realization of
enlightenment and the formless
Dharmakaya. He is also the
quintessence of all the Buddhas of the
three times. The color of Vajradhara’s
body is like a deep blue empty sky,
which symbolizes the vastness and
limitlessness of an enlightened mind,
called the Dharmakaya. Vajradhara’s
two arms are crossed in front of his
chest. His right hand holds a vajra
which symbolizes skillful means while
his left hand holds a bell which
symbolizes wisdom. These two Dharma
instruments are the ultimate
representations of the “ultimate non
duality” and the “non duality of
existence.”

Author
H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche
http://www.facebook.com/TsemTulkuRinpoche
About
I am a Buddhist monk/teacher. Dharma is not something I do or
engage in as something separate from me. Dharma has been me
since very young as far as I can remember. I love Dharma. Visit my
blog: http://blog.tsemtulku.com/
Biography
My father is a ex-monk from Tibet. My mother is Princess Dewa
from Xinjiang who is a direct line from Genghis Khan. I was born in
Taiwan, grew up in the States and retuned to Gaden in India in
1987. Had the great honour to be ordained by HH Dalai Lama and
to meet my root guru HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. Now I reside in
Malaysia as spiritual advisor to Kechara House and its thirteen
departments.
A short extract of my biography in pictures can be found here:
http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/me/my-short-
bio-in-pictures1.html

joey wong on Nov 23, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Reading these stories made me cry, as all of the mahasiddhas are just
ordinary people with ordinary attachments and afflictions who have
realized Mahamudra and enlightenment just by following their Guru’s
instructions, and how near we are to achieving that, yet how far we are
from it due to our own stubbornness. All of the stories have strengthened
my resolve in following my Guru all the way and to not be lazy if i really
wanted to extract the essence of this close to meaningless life of mine. I
sincerely pray that i may have the sincerity and resolve of all of the
mahasiddhas to follow my Guru all the way because i am utterly ashamed
at what i lack. My eyes are welling up as i type this comment. Thank you
so much Rinpoche for posting this. My fave mahasiddhas are Kalakala,
Virupa, Ghantapa, Dharmapa and Tsamarepa. but really i love them all i
can relate a lot to Kalakala, Dharmapa and Tsamarepa tho….
Much, much thanks to Rinpoche and his team for making this wonderful
collection of stories. It’s really good to read it whenever anyone feels
down..
Reader Comment

1) Mahasiddha Saraha: The “Arrow
Shooter”/”The Great Brahmin”
The teacher of Nagarjuna.
Saraha, the son of a Dakini, was born in the east of India in Roli. He observed the laws
of the Brahmins by day, and he received instruction in the tantric mysteries from
Buddhist masters by night. However, Saraha enjoyed spirituous liquors which were
forbidden by Brahmin law. Eventually, this was discovered and they were outraged by
his behavior.
They brought this up to King Ratnapala and demanded he be deprived of his caste
status. However, the king was a reasonable man, and decided to investigate the matter
himself. When asked by the king, Saraha replied “I do not drink. If you doubt me,
gather together the Brahmins and all the people and I’ll prove it.” And so, a large crowd
gathered, and Saraha announced a series of trials to prove his innocence. He placed
his hands in hot oil and drank a bowl of molten copper, but he was unharmed. Later he
jumped into a tank of water stating the liar will sink, and true enough the Brahmin that
jumped into the tank with him sank. Then to clear more doubt, he ask for the two of
them to be weighed and the lighter of the two was the liar. When weighed, the Brahmin
who was twice the size of Saraha, was much lighter than Saraha.
At this point, the king stepped in, pointed to Saraha and said, “If this venerable being
drinks, then may he continue to do so for all time.” And with that, the king prostrated
before Saraha, followed by all the Brahmin.
Saraha then took a 15 year old girl as his consort and moved to a distant land, where
he practiced his sadhanas in isolation. One day, he told her to cook him radish curry.
However, he began meditating which continued for 12 long years. When he woke to
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the outside world, he bellowed “Where is my radish curry?” So astonished was his
dakini consort that Saraha decided to move to a mountain hermitage to continue his
meditation properly, but his consort questioned him, saying that if he awoke from
Samadhi and still possessed an undiminished desire for radish curry, what good would
the isolated mountains be for him? She then continued “The purest solitude is one that
allows you to escape from the preconceptions and prejudices, from the labels and
concepts of a narrow, inflexible mind.” He listened carefully and began to devote
himself to ridding his mind of conceptual thoughts and belief in the substantiality of
objective reality. In time, he attained the supreme realization of Mahamudra and spent
the remainder of his life in service to others. Upon death, Saraha and his consort
ascended to the bliss of the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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2) Mahasiddha Nagarjuna: “Philosopher
and Alchemist”
Nagarjuna was a Brahmin youth with dazzling intellectual powers and the magical gift
of invisibility. However, he grew bored of scholarly life and threw himself into a life of
sensual pleasure. One day, he devised a plan to slip into the king’s palace with 3
friends. They were discovered, and Nagarjuna escaped by standing invisible, but his 3
friends were beheaded.
The entire district was in an uproar, Nagarjuna, now filled with self-disgust went
willingly into exile. Frustrated and dissatisfied with life, he set out on a spiritual quest.
He journeyed to the Cool Garden Cremation Ground where he was given initiation into
the doctrine of the Buddha. Then he travelled to the famous monastic academy of Sri
Nalanda, where he studied the 5 arts and sciences until he could recite the entire
library from memory. But spiritual dissatisfaction arose again and books were no longer
sufficient. So he began to practice a meditation propitiating Tara, and when she
appeared to him, he left the security of monastic life and took up life as a mendicant
monk.
Later he decided to go into retreat in Rajagrha and began propitiating the Twelve
Consorts of the Supreme Elemental. For seven days, disaster stroked the place but it
was unable to overwhelm the meditator. Acknowledging Nagarjuna’s mastery, the
female Elemental said to him, “Ask and you shall receive.” Nagarjuna replied “I don’t
really need anything except, perhaps, a daily supply of food to sustain me through my
retreat.” So for 12 years, the Elementals brought him 4 handfuls of rice and 5 handfuls
of vegetables and by the end of his sadhanas, all 108 Elemental consorts were under
his control.
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Renewed with purpose, Nagarjuna had the clear intention of serving all sentient
beings. His first act was his attempt to turn Gandhasila Mountain into pure gold.
However before he could do so, the Bodhisattva Manjushri questioned him as to what
good a gold mountain would be to sentient beings besides causing conflict and strife.
Nagarjuna acknowledged the wisdom of Manjushri and abandoned the plan.
Next he came to the bank of a road river near Sri Parvata Mountain. When he asked
some herdsmen for safe passage, they led him to the most dangerous part of the river,
but they insisted it was the safest place to cross. A herdsman took pity on Nagarjuna
and decided to carry him across the crocodile-filled river. Once safely across the river,
the yogin said the herdsman could have anything he desired, and so he was made a
king and came to be known as King Salabandha.
But after some time, King Salabandha too was dissatisfied and went in search for his
guru with the intention to stay by Nagarjuna’s side. However, he was rejected and
Nagarjuna gave him a Precious Rosary to protect him and his kingdom, then sent him
back to his people for another 100 years. Salabandha’s kingdom prospered and during
these happy years, Nagarjuna spread the teaching of the Buddha far and wide.
However, the evil spirit, Sundarananda grew jealous of the king, and unleashed many
disasters on the kingdom. The King interpreted these omens as a sign that his guru
was in mortal danger, and so he rushed to search for his guru Nagarjuna and to sit at
his feet. Just like what the king feared, Nagarjuna began giving away all his worldly
goods and prepared for death. The great god Brahma in the guise of a Brahmin came
to beg for the master’s head, and when Nagarjuna agreed, out of grief the King laid his
own head at his guru’s feet and died. Nagarjuna then took a stalk of kusha grass,
beheaded himself and handed his severed head to the Brahmin. All things withered,
and the virtue and merit of men faded. Eight yaksis, the female Elementals came to
stand guard over Nagarjuna’s body until today.
After the master’s death, a great light entered the body of Nagabodhi, Nagarjuna’s
spiritual son and successor. When the teachings and loving kindness of Maitreya, the
Buddha Yet to Come, encompass the earth, Nagarjuna will rise again to serve us all.
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3) Mahasiddha Vyalipa: “The Courtesan’s
Alchemist”
Vyali was a very wealthy Brahmin, obsessed with immortality. He began to practice
alchemy to discover the secret to eternal life, and at much material expense, he bought
a rare alchemical manual and all the needed ingredients listed. He prepared the elixir
carefully, however, he was still lacking one ingredient of which, without it the potion is
useless. In fury and now penniless after 13 years of worthless pursue, he throw the
manual into Mother Ganga, and became a wandering beggar.
One day, while begging, he met a courtesan and a conversation formed. She told him
that she found a book while she was bathing in the river. When she showed the book
to Vyali, he laughed uncontrollably as it was the very book he threw away and he told
her of his tale. The courtesan, desperate to preserve her beauty, begged the yogin to
continue his research and offered him 30 pounds of gold as an incentive. He accepted
her offer and began formulating the potion once again, but still lack the one crucial
ingredient, the red myrobalan.
Another miraculous event took place again while the courtesan bathed in Mother
Ganga. A beautiful red flower floating down the river wrapped itself around one of her
fingers. She didn’t notice it until she went hopefully to check Vyali’s progress and when
she shook the flower off her finger, a drop of nectar fell into the potion and the air was
filled with miraculous signs – a wheel of 8 auspicious symbols spinning clockwise
appeared in the sky over their heads.
Out of greed, they both agreed to never tell anyone of the potion, and after conducting
tests on the potion’s safety, they toasted each other’s eternal life and drank the potion.
Instantly they achieved mundane siddhi and the power of deathlessness. However,
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they were still selfish and when they ascended into the heavens the gods rejected
them. So the two immortals went to live in the land of Kilampara where they made their
home in the shade of a lone tree on top of a rock one mile high.
Possessing the power of flight, Arya Nagarjuna vowed to recover the secret of
immortality which was stolen from all mankind. Cleverly, he removed one of his shoes
before taking to the air. When he arrived at the top rock, he prostrated himself to the
mortal pair. They were startled to see him and desired his power of flight. When they
questioned Nagarjuna on his remarkable gift, he told them it was the power of the one
shoe he was wearing. Vyali then offered to trade him the recipe of the elixir of life for
the remarkable shoe. The barter done, Nagarjuna returned to India with the precious
formula. However, the secret of flight is still unknown to Vyali and the courtesan.
To this very day, he continues his practice for the sake of all sentient beings on top of
Sri Parvata Mountain. And to those who find the path to realization, he grants the
secret of the magic elixir of life.
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4) Mahasiddha Samudra: “The Beach-
comber”
There lived a pearl diver in the land of Sarvatira, estranged from his family. He
sustained himself through the sale of pearls he found in the ocean. There was a day he
was despaired because he failed to find a single pearl to earn money for food.
As he wandered to the cremation ground dejectedly and ranted about his unfortunate
state, the yogin Acintapa met him there. The yogin heard Samudra’s fate and gave him
advice. The yogin pointed out that all sentient beings in samsara are bound to suffering
due to one’s past karma. The yogin further made it clear to Samudra that he had
endured severe pain in his past life and in his present life he would continue to suffer,
without even a moment of bliss.
Samudra begged the yogin to show him the path out of suffering and he received an
initiation from the yogin in return. He was given instructions of the four boundless
states of mind and the four internal joys. Samudra took the instructions to heart and
meditated for three years. At the end of his meditation, he attained siddhi and was
known as the Guru Samudrapada. He then worked selflessly to benefit the others with
his realization and attained the Dakini’s Paradise with eight hundred disciples.
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5) Mahasiddha Lakshimikara…
Laksminkara: “She Who Makes Fortune”/”
The Mad Princess”
In the Dakini realm of Oddiyana, King Indrabhuti ruled Sambhola, and to cement the
friendship with his neighboring kingdom, Lankapuri which was ruled by King Jalendra;
Indrabhuti betrothed his sister Laksminkara at age 7 to the son of Jalendra.
Laksminkara was an extraordinary being, blessed with the qualities of the elect. Time
passed and at age 16, she was escorted to the Kingdom of Lankapuri. After her
sheltered upbringing, she was terrified of entering the mundane world, when all she
wished to do was continue with her practice.
Due to the delay of her departure, the royal party arrived later than expected and was
denied entry to the palace because according to them, it was an inauspicious day. So
the princess and her retinue had to wait until the following day. She grew uneasy of her
new environment and fell into depression. And when she languished outside the
palace observing the life of the city around her, her depression deepened. It was quite
clear that the people of the city had never heard the message of the Buddha.
When she finally entered the palace, she locked herself in her chamber and refused to
see anyone for 10 days. Determined that her only escape from this life was to pretend
to be insane, she tore the clothes from her body and smeared oil on her body until she
looked like a wild woman. But all the while in her heart she was concentrating on her
sadhanas. The prince despaired when he saw her, and all the royal physicians sent to
attend her could not cure the princess. She continued the act, until one day, she was
able to escape from the palace and made her way to a cremation ground where she
lived as a yogini for 7 years. A sweeper of the king’s latrines served her faithfully during
this time, and when she gained realizations she gave him initiation. He quickly attained
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Buddhahood without anyone knowing of this achievement except his preceptress.
One day, King Jalendra got separated from his hunting party, and while he circled
aimlessly in the forest, he saw Laksminkara, seated upon a jeweled throne, her body
glowing with golden radiance. Faith blossomed in the king’s heart, and he remained
there all night watching the event in the magical cave.
The next day, the hunting party found King Jalendra and they went back to the city, but
the king could not keep himself from returning to the cave time after time. Finally, he
entered the cave and prostrated himself before the yogini. Initially, she was quite
doubtful of his intentions, but the king spoke so movingly of his belief in her as a
Buddha, and he begged so humbly for instructions. She then told him he could not be
her disciple as his guru should be one of his own sweepers. He was told to observe
closely to find out who his guru should be.
The King did as Laksminkara advised, and not long after that he discovered the
indentity of the sweeper-guru and invited him to his throne room, where he seated his
guru on the throne and prostrated himself before his guru, and requested instruction.
The sweeper-yogin gave him initiation by the transfer of the guru’s grace and then
taught the king the creative and fulfillment stages of the sadhanas of Vajra Varahi.
For many years thereafter, Laksminkara and the sweeper performed many miracles
before they both ascended into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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6) Mahasiddha Mekhala: “The Elder
Severed-Headed Sister”
They are both (with 7, Mahasiddha Kanakhala), known as the headless sisters. In
Devikotta, an elderly widower was burdened with 2 unmarried daughters. It wasn’t that
bad, but the 2 girls were infamous for their playfulness and mischievous tricks.
Eventually the girls were married into a fisherman’s family, and miserable their
husbands were. Finally, the younger one suggested that they run away, but Mekhala,
for the first time spoke wisely to her sister, “You know, I suspect that we deserve what
we get. We bring it on ourselves. I hate to tell you this, but we’re going to have to stay
– it isn’t going to be different anywhere else because we take ourselves with us.”
At that very moment, the guru Krsnacarya passed by with 700 dakas and dakinis in
attendance. Impulsively, the sisters threw themselves at his feet and begged for his
instruction. Krsna gave them initiation and instructed them in the Vajra Varahi path that
unites vision and action.
The 2 sisters meditated diligently for 12 years and successfully attained their goal.
They then decided to visit their guru and seek further instruction. When they found him,
they humbly prostrated themselves and walked about him in reverential circles. The
guru received them kindly, but it was quite obvious he did not know who they were.
The sisters then said they were the 2 unhappy married sisters that he initiated 12 years
ago.
The guru then bellowed, “ if I gave you initiation, then why haven’t you brought me any
offerings!” In reply, the sisters said they were at his service and asked what the guru
would like. Krsnacarya said “your heads!”
Without any hesitation, the sisters pulled a sword of pure awareness and decapitated
10

themselves and as they made their offering to their guru, the severed heads sang a
beautiful song for their guru. Krsnacarya then replaced their heads perfectly and the
sisters came to be known as the Headless Yoginis.
In gratitude, the sisters knelt before their guru and touched his feet in reverence. No
sooner had they done so than they attained Mahamudra-siddhi. For many years
thereafter they worked selflessly for the benefit of all sentient beings and were
assumed bodily into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
7) Mahasiddha Kanakhala: “The Younger
Severed-Headed Sister”
With 6 (Mahasiddha Mekhala), they are both known as the headless sisters.
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8 ) Mahasiddha Kumbharipa…
Kamparipa/Kamari: “The Potter”
Kumbharipa was a potter in Jomanasri. One day, when he thought he could no longer
bear to continue his work, a yogin passed by, begging for food. Kumbharipa shared his
humble means and opened up to the yogin, saying he could not stand even another
minute at the potter’s wheel. Gazing at the potter’s wheel, the yogin gave it a spin and
said, “Don’t you understand that all beings on the wheel of rebirth never find a moment
of true happiness? From time before time there has only been suffering. Don’t get
trapped in your own little misery. All human joys and pleasures are but fleeting
shadows.”
Upon listening to the yogin, he begged for a sadhana, whereupon the yogin gave him
initiation and instructed him in creative and fulfillment meditation with this verse:
From the soil of unknowing and ignorance
Comes the clay of passion and thought
To be turned on the wheel of greed and grasping
Fashion six pots from the six realms
Of samsaric ignorance and delusion,
Then fire the pots in the flame of pure awareness.
The potter understood his guru’s guidance, and meditated for only 6 months before all
the defilements of his mind were erased. As he sat in meditation, the wheel spun by
itself, and pots sprang from it. When people heard he had the power of the Buddhas,
they sat at his feet, ready for instruction. After many years of service, he was assumed
into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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9) Mahasiddha Sarwatripa… Caparipa
One day, in the city of Magadha, the head of the family of a wealthy herdsman passed
away. To honor the deceased man, his son held a great feast which lasted for many
days. On one occasion when everyone went to bathe in the River Ganges, except for
the young man’s wife who stayed home with her 3 year old child to watch over things.
During this time, the guru Caparipa appeared and asked for food. The woman was
honest and expressed she may be scolded for doing so. In reply, Caparipa said to find
him in the forest if anyone became angry. She listened to the guru and offered him
food and drinks.
When her mother-in-law returned and saw most of the food was gone, she was
scolded, and out of anger, she carried her child and fled to the yogin. When she
arrived, the yogin said “Very good!” and sprinkled mantra water which turned both
mother and child into stone – so that they would not need anything else anymore.
When the relatives realized she was missing, one by one came in search for her only
to be turned into stone, in total, there were about 300 of them.
The child of that woman had certain qualities: the siddhis of the dakas, the power to
transform things into gold and even produce the elixir of immortality. The family
became famous, and the king of Campaka, out of faith, built a temple to the three: the
child, and the husband and wife. He then built another temple to the other 300 called
“Many-named.” Those who have ill thoughts cannot enter the temple; if they do, the
images will beat them or worse.
This temple became a center of practice, and it is said that even now, many yogins
reside there as the place hasten one’s practice results. One can attain the worldly
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siddhis there, and while waiting for the appearance of the Victorious One, Maitreya,
one can work for the benefit of living beings.
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10) Mahasiddha Manibhadra: “She of the
Broken Pot”/”The Model Wife”
Manibhadra was the daughter of a wealthy family in Agarce. As was their custom, she
was betrothed at the age of 13 to a man of her own caste, but lived with her parents
until old enough to take up her wifely duties. One day, while in her mother’s kitchen,
the guru Kukkuripa came to her house begging for food. She welcomed him and
served him with her own hands, then asked why he chose to be as he is now and not
lead a comfortable life with a family. At that, the yogin laughed and explained the
preciousness of a human birth as an opportunity to make spiritual progress and to free
himself from the wheel of rebirth. Manibhadra’s faith was kindled and her trust of the
yogin made her beg for him to show her the way to liberation. The yogin told her she
could find him in the cremation grounds if she wanted more information, which was
what she did that night.
Although she had never gone out alone at night, she walked fearlessly through the
streets to the cremation ground, and when she came upon the yogin’s hut, he
welcomed her in. Recognizing the maturity of her mind and her sincerity, he gave her
initiation and empowerment. Then he instructed her in the practice of creative and
fulfillment meditation. She remained in his hut alone for 7 days while she established
herself in the practice of her sadhanas. However, when she was no where to be found,
her family grew frantic, and when she finally returned, her parents beat her. With great
calm, she defended herself stating that pure bloodline and fine reputation would not
free her from samsara, and she had been with her guru, who taught her how to
practice a sadhana of liberation. At that, her parents were so impressed that they didn’t
argue any further, on top of that, they allowed her to practice her sadhanas one-
15

pointedly.
A year passed and it was time for her fiancé to claim his bride. The family was worried
she would not fulfill her obligations, but she accompanied her husband to her new
home with no complaint or resistance. She became a model wife, doing all and more
than what was expected of her with a good attitude. In time, she gave birth to a son,
and later, a daughter.
Twelve years passed in perfect harmony, and on the 13th
anniversary of meeting with
her guru, a tree root tripped her, causing her to break the water pitcher she was
carrying. For the rest of the day, she was nowhere to be seen. Her family searched for
her and eventually found her at the place she fell. When her husband spoke to her, she
seemed totally unaware of his presence; she only had her eyes fixed on the broken
bits of the pitcher.
Manibhadra remained immobile and silent until nightfall. Then she looked up, surprised
to see so many people gathered around her. She then sang a song of realization:
From the beginning of time, sentient beings
Have broken their vessels, and their lives end.
But why do they then return home?
Today, I have broken my vessel.
But I am abandoning my samsara home
For the realms of pure pleasure.
How wonderful is the guru
If you desire happiness, rely on him.
Manibhadra levitated into the sky and remained there for 21 days, giving instruction to
the people of Agarce. Then she bid farewell to her family and friends, and was
assumed bodily into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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11) Mahasiddha Udhelipa… Udhilipa: “The
Flying Siddha”
Udhilipa was a wealthy man from Devikotta who desired to fly after discovering masses
of clouds in five colors and an infinite variety of shapes. One day, the guru Karnaripa
came to his door to beg for food. Udhilipa welcomed him and offered the best food his
kitchen could provide. Confessing his deepest desire, he asked the yogin if he could be
taught to fly. The guru said there is a way, but it is a long and arduous one. After
convincing the guru that he would follow the instructions to the letter, Karnaripa gave
him the initiation of the Catuspitha-mahayogini Tantra and advised him to visit the 24
great power centers where he must find where the 24 panaceas were hidden by
propitiating the 24 dakinis who guarded the panaceas by reciting each of their mantras
10,000 times.
Udhilipa set forth on his journey that very day. In time, he accomplished the task and
then sought out his guru for further instruction. The guru then instructed him to prepare
an elixir that would allow him to fly, an alchemical sadhana which took him 12 years to
succeed and gain mahamudra-siddhi. His realization gave him the power to fly. After
serving humanity selflessly, he flew into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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12) Mahasiddha Tsalukipa… Caluki/Culiki:
“The Revitalized Drone”
Celuka was born of low caste in Mangalapur and had always been idle in his action
and thoughts, blaming it on lethargy all the time. Nevertheless, he had been frightened
by the nightmare of samsaric existence. As he was sitting beneath a tree one day,
yogin Maitripa passed by him and asked him what he was doing. Celuka revealed to
the yogin that he intended to obtain a sadhana to escape samsara sufferings.
However, he lacked a master who could instruct him the proper methods and paths
and was lazy to search for one. He then made a request to the yogin for advice to
overcome his laziness.
Yogin Maitripa suggested that Celuka take an initiation to dispel his laziness and
granted him the initiation and empowerment of Samvara. Celuka was instructed the
methods and significance of the meditation. Celuka was to meditate on his body,
speech and mind and through keeping his psychic energies in the central channel of
his body, he would eventually overcome his idle mind and attain enlightenment. Celuka
meditated as told for nine years, dispelling his ignorant mind.
18

13) Mahasiddha Kalakala… Kilakipala: “The
Exiled Loud-Mouth”
Kalakala was born into a low caste family and was very talkative due to his previous
karma. The town people disliked him and therefore ostracized him, leading him to feel
rejected and he finally went to live in a cemetery.
There, a yogin came along and Kalakala shared his story. After listening to his tale, the
yogin asked if he would like to use a method of liberation from the misery of the world.
When Kalakala indicated that he would, the yogin initiated him into the Guhyasamaja
tantra and gave him instructions.
Following instructions, Kalakala meditated and lost the sound of other people’s anger
in the sound of his own voice; his own voice was lost in a rain of flowers; he lost the
idea of flowers in the emptiness of the sky; and through this he gained the siddhi of
Mahamudra. Kalakala worked for the benefit of many living beings, and with 300
followers, he went to the realm of the Dakas.
19

14) Mahasiddha Kantalipa… Kantali: “The
Tailor”/”The Rag Picker”
Kantali was born to a miserable trade of stitching rags together into reusable cloth.
One day, he accidentally jabbed his finger and it bled profusely on the cloth he worked
on for hours. Driven beyond endurance, he ran out to the forest, began to roll on the
ground tearing at his hair and howling like a wounded animal.
The dakini Vetali took pity upon him and appeared to him as an old woman. He told his
tale to the dakini, and she replied, “what your story tells me is that you have suffered
some great pain in your past life. And I fear that in your next life and the next and the
next that pain will hound you like your shadow hugs your heels. There is nothing but
pain to be found on the Wheel of Rebirth.” In despair, he begged the dakini to show
him how to avoid such terrible fate and promised nothing would hinder him from
following the instructions. There and then the dakini gave him the Hevajra initiation and
empowerment. She instructed him on the four boundless states of mind and taught him
the yoga of identification with the guru as well as fulfillment yoga.
Kantali returned home and did his best to follow, but his mind kept wandering back to
work again and again. Once more the dakini appeared to him and sand a song of
guidance to him:
Envision the rags you pick and stitch as empty space
See your needle as mindfulness and knowledge
Thread this needle with compassion
And stitch new clothing
For all the sentient beings of the three realms
Kantali returned to his work in great peace and realized the emptiness of all the
20

elements of experience. When he understood that compassion and emptiness were
one, he gained mahamudra-siddhi. Working selflessly for others for many years, in
time, he ascended to the Paradise of the Dakinis.
15) Mahasiddha Dhahulipa… Dhahuli /
Dekara (rtsva thag can): “The Man of the
Grass Rope”
Dhahuli was from a low caste family in Dhakara, who made a living by making ropes
out of grass. One day, while tying the ropes, a large and painful wound appeared on
his hands. A yogin came along and asked what was bothering him. In reply, the rope-
maker told him what happened. The yogin then told him if he couldn’t handle such a
small wound, then what he would do if reborn into an unpleasant state in the next life?
At that, Dhahuli requested a method to free himself and was given the initiation which
transfers spiritual strength and was given instructions to practice the path of realization.
After meditating for 12 years with faith and vigor, he obtained siddhi and became
famous everywhere. For 700 years he worked for the benefit of many beings. When he
departed for the realm of the Dakas, he had 500 followers who followed him.
21

16) Mahasiddha Medhenapa… Medhina /
Medhini (thang lo pa): “The Man of the
Field”
Medhina was a low-caste man from Saliputra. One day while laboring in the field, he
suddenly stopped and stood there. A yogin came along and asked if he would like to
get away from this pain and suffering through Dharma. Medhina showed much interest
and so the yogin gave him instructions on the Developing Stage and the Perfecting
Stage, and then set him to meditating. But the thought of plowing the fields interrupted
him, making Medhina lose his desire to meditate. He went back to his guru and
expressed his concern, where upon his guru gave him instructions that were more
consistent with his thoughts.
Mendhipa continued meditating accordingly to his guru’s instructions for 12 years, and
having stopped various kinds of worldly conceptions, he obtained siddhi. He ascended
a tree which grew 7 talas up into the sky.
Mendhipa worked for the benefit of beings in Saliputra and then went to the realm of
the Dakas in this very body.
22

17) Mahasiddha Dhokaripa… Dhokaripa /
Tukkari (rdo ka ri): “The Man Who Carries a
Pot”
Dhokaripa was a man of low-caste from Saliputra who always carried a pot which he
filled with whatever alms he managed to get through begging. One day, having nothing
in his pot, he chanced a meeting with a yogin. He told the yogin he didn’t have
anything to offer on that day, but in reply the yogin asked if he could use the Dharma.
Dhokaripa was interested, but he said he had not met any spiritual friend. At that, the
yogin initiated him into Hevajra and gave him instructions to the Developing Stage and
the Perfecting Stage.
Dhokaripa meditated and in 3 years, he obtained siddhi. After this, when he was seen
carrying his pot around, people would ask him what his pot contained. And he would
answer:
I carry the vessel of the Great Emptiness
I am collecting the fruit of the fruit of the Great Bliss
Dhokaripa has what he desires
Is this not known by the fortunate?
He worked for the benefit of many beings and finally went to the realm of the Dakas in
this very body.
23

18) Mahasiddha Zoghipa… Yogipa / Jogipa
(dzo gi pa): “The Candali Pilgrim”
Yogipa was from Odantapuri of the candela caste, and his guru was Savaripa.
Although he made great effort, he still had little wisdom. One day, his guru came to him
and initiated him into Hevajra with instructions for the Developing Stage and the
Perfection Stage, then sent him off to meditate. However, Yogipa was still unable to
understand the meaning of the instructions, so he went back to his guru to express his
concern, and made a request to perform meritorious acts by just using body and
speech.
So his guru taught him the recitation of Vajra-Heruka and told him to consummate his
practice by going to the 24 great places. Yogipa practiced diligently for 12 years, and
eventually purified the stains and obtained the siddhi of Mahamudra. For 5 years he
aided the various purposes of living beings, and then went to the realm of the Dakas in
this very body.
24

19) Mahasiddha Gandrapa… Ghandhapa /
Vajraganta / Ghantapa (rdo rje dril bu pa):
“The Man with the Bell and Dorje”/”The
Celibate Monk”
Gandrapa was a prince of Nalanda but renounced the throne to be a monk, and later, a
yogin. In his travels he met the guru Darikapa and was initiated into the Samvara
mandala. He then travelled to Pataliputra, where King Devapala, a pious man
welcomed monks and yogins into his kingdom. The king however, had a troubled mind,
he still felt he had not accumulated enough merit for his next rebirths despite being a
devout man. When he heard of Ghantapa from his wife, the royal pair decided to invite
the holy man as their priest, however, the envoy they sent returned bearing news that
the yogin refused. The next day, the king went in person to the master, prostrating
himself before Ghantapa, the king begged him to come to the palace, but Ghantapa
refused again. Everyday, for 40 days the king returned to Ghantapa to repeat his
invitation, and was refused everyday. Finally, the king’s pride was wounded and
instead of pursuing their attempt to invite the yogin, he developed hatred for the holy
man to the point they offered half of their kingdom to whoever was able to prove the
yogin’s virtue and chastity as merely a sham.
Darima, out of greed, accepted the king’s challenge and set off to send her beautiful
daughter to ensnare the monk. Much like the king, Darima visited the yogin everyday,
prostrating to him for 9 days offering him nothing but devotion. On the 10th
day, she
begged him to allow her to be his patron during his summer monsoon retreat.
Ghantapa refused, but Darima was persistent, returning again and again for a month.
Finally, seeing no harm, Ghantapa agreed. When the rain came, the yogin retreated to
a little hut Darima had constructed for him at the far edge of her property. Warily, the
monk insisted only male servants bring him food, which Darima agreed. However, on
25

the 15th
day, she sent her daughter to the hut. Surprized, Ghantapa insisted the girl
leave immediately, but it began to rain heavily, so the monk agreed to share his hut
with the girl until the rain stopped. Unfortunately the rain continued until sunset, with
the excuse of being afraid she would be mugged by thieves, the monk allowed her to
sleep outside the hut. But during the night, she became frightened and began to beg
for his protection. With a sigh of resignation, Ghantapa allowed her to come inside the
hut.
The hut was very tiny. Inevitably, their bodies touched. Then their limbs intertwined.
Before long, they had passed through the 4 levels of joy and traversed the path of
liberation to its ultimate fulfillment. In 6 previous lives, this very girl was the cause of
the monk’s downfall, but in this life, such defilement had long since dissolved, and he
had gained the true path. In the morning, he asked the girl to remain with him and she
agreed. They became yogin and consort, and because of her service to him for 6 lives,
the defilements of Ghantapa’s consort’s mind were also purified. One year later, their
child was born.
Darima never told any of this to the king, and finally at the 3rd
year, when she thought
the time was right, she informed the king. The king was overjoyed for the monk’s
downfall and said he will visit the monk and the girl in 3 days time.
When they heard the news, the girl was very fearful. When Ghantapa asked if she
wanted to stay and face them down, or leave Pataliputra, she begged him to flee with
her, and he agreed. However, as they were leaving, they came face to face with the
king and his followers. The king, looking down at the fleeing pair demanded answers
for what he saw before him. The monk simply replied, “I’m carrying a jug of liquor, I
have my son under my robe, and this is my consort.
When the king kept on repeating the accusations of what appeared to be Ghantapa’s
fault, Ghantapa hurled both his son and the jug of liquor onto the ground. This so
frightened the earth goddess that she trembled with fear. The ground gaped open and
a geyser of water began to flood the entire space. The child was instantly transformed
into a thunderbolt and the jug into a bell. Whereupon the yogin, bearing thunderbolt
and bell, levitated with his consort into the sky, where they become the deities
Samvara and Vajra Varahi joined in father-mother union.
The drowning people screamed, declaring they would take refuge in the master, but
Ghantapa remained adamant in his Samadhi of immutable wrath. Suddenly, the
Bodhisattva of Compassion appeared. Avalokitesvara placed his holy foot over the
source of the flood and the water immediately flowed backward into the ground, and as
if by magic, a stone image of the Bodhisattva appeared where his foot had trod. It
remains there to this very day.
Everyone was saved. Prostrating themselves, they begged for forgiveness. Still
hovering above the assemblage, Ghantapa said “Moral concepts practiced without
understanding can be the greatest of obstacles to fulfilling the Bodhisattva’s vow of
uncompromising compassion. Do not cultivate virtue and renounce vice. Rather, learn
to accept all things as they arise. Penetrate the essence of each experience until you
26

have achieved the one taste.”
At this, everyone was illuminated and their self-righteousness and petty prejudice
vanished. Faith was born in the lotus of each heart. Ghantapa’s fame rang out to all the
corners of the earth. Possessing the power and virtue of a Buddha, the yogin
ascended into the Paradise of the Dakinis with his consort.
27

20) Mahasiddha Sankazapa… Pankaja /
Sankaja (‘dam skyes): “The Lotus-Born
Brahmin”
Pankaja was the son of a Brahman, and was named so because he was born from a
lotus in his parent’s peaceful garden of lotuses. His siddhi came from Avalokitesvara. A
short while after his birth, an image of Avalokitesvara was placed near the pond of
lotuses, and for 12 years Panjaka made offerings of flowers there 3 times a day by
placing them on top of the head of the image, believing it was Mahadeva.
One day, Nagarjuna came and offered a flower. The image accepted it and placed it
upon its own head. Upon seeing that, Pankaja became angry and thought to himself,
“For twelve years, I made offerings and the image did not accept them.” Then out of
the mouth of the image, it said: “Your thoughts were not pure. I was not pleased with
your actions.”
Feeling remorse, Panjaka prostrated himself before Nagarjuna and respectfully asked
to be his student. Nagarjuna initiated him and instructed him in the integration of vision
and activity.
Understanding this, Pankaja practiced and in 7 days he obtained siddhi. He benefitted
many living beings with his compassionate gaze and instructions on methods. Finally
in this very body, he went to the realm of the Dakas.
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21) Mahasiddha Dhamapa… Dharmapa –
(tos pa can): “The Man of Dharma”
Dharmapa means ‘the Man Who Has the Wisdom Gained by Study’. In Vikramasura,
there lived a Brahman who studied diligently but was without the wisdom of critical
reflection or meditation. One day, he met a yogin who said he must have much
Dharma in his mind since so much studying had been done. However, he replied that
he was not able to practice what he had learned and begged the yogin to teach him a
way to retain what he learned.
There and then, the yogin gave him the initiation which transfers spiritual power. He
then gave him instructions on how to integrate the many themes of the Dharma.
As Dharmapa listened to the instructions the yogin gave, he understood what it all
signified. As he realized the unified wholeness of the many doctrines he had heard, he
obtained the siddhi of Mahamudra. When his time came, he went to the realm of the
Dakas in this very body.
29

22) Mahasiddha Kuzepa… Kucipa / Kujiba
(ltag lba can): “The Man with a Neck
Tumor”
Kucipa was from a low caste family and earned his living by working in the fields. One
day, a tumor began to grow on his neck. It became so large and painful that he went to
lonely places so that no one could see him. There, he met the holy Nagarjuna. Kucipa
took faith in him and greeted him, then asked for teachings to free him of torment he
was experiencing due to previous karma, as he was unhappy due to the pain.
After confirming Kucipa’s sincerity to practice, Nagarjuna initiated him into the
Guhyasamaja tantra and gave him the instructions on the Developing and the
Perfecting Stages. Kucipa followed Nagarjuna’s instructions carefully, and the tumor
eventually disappeared. Nagarjuna then asked if he was happy now that the tumor was
gone. In reply, Kucipa said he was happy, and so Nagarjuna gave these instructions:
Pain and pleasure arise from the being and non-being
When free from the notions of these two extremes,
How can there be pain and pleasure?
Existing things themselves are empty of inherent nature.
Kucipa came to excellent realization and obtained the siddhi of Mahamudra without
mental constructions. For 700 years he worked for the benefit of living beings, and
when the time came, he went to the realm of the Dakas with 700 followers.
30

23) Mahasiddha Dharmapa… Dharmapa
(thos pa’i shes rab bya ba): “The Man of
Dharma”
Dharmapa was a scholar in Bodhinagara who preached without practicing. When he
grew older and was losing his sight, a thought occurred to him: “Would it not be fitting
that I meet with a guru?” Later, a dakini spoke to him in a dream, giving him
encouragement and initiation together with instructions.
For 5 years he recited mantras and practiced the precepts which developed into
realized knowledge, and his body became like that of an 8 year old. He worked for the
benefit of living beings until finally he went to the realm of the Dakas.
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24) Mahasiddha Rahulagupta… Rāhula
(sgra gcan ‘dzin): “He Who Has Grasped
Rahu”
Rahula was born in Kamarupa into a low caste family. When he became an old man,
he was severely ill treated by his family. He was very unhappy and began to think of
his next birth, so he went to a cemetery where he met a yogin and shared his tale.
Upon listening to the old man’s tale, the yogin then asked shouldn’t he be practicing
the Dharma as provision for death? In reply, Rahula said “O guru, give the Dharma to
me. Even though I am old and without wealth, please give me the Dharma.” And to that
phrase, the yogin replied:
The natural mind is without old age.
Your nature is not dependent on wealth
If, with devotion, you are able to practice the holy Dharma,
I will take care of you.
The yogin then gave Rahula initiation which transfers spiritual powers, and these
instructions:
Eclipse the concepts of which you have taken hold
By the Rahu of non-dual experience.
At the great bliss at the top of your head,
The profound seed-point will arise.
By the continuous integration of emptiness and bliss,
You will overcome the enemies, the skandhas.
The qualities of the Buddhas will arise,
And lo, there will be unceasing wonders.
The old man received these instructions and practiced it for 16 years, gaining the
32

siddhi of Mahamudra. He trained living beings in Kamarupa, and having narrated his
experiences, he went to the realm of the Dakas in this very body.
25) Mahasiddha Zaledarapa… Jālandhari /
Dzalandara (dra ba ‘dzin pa): “The Man
Who Holds a Net”/”The Chosen One”
Jalandhara was a Brahmin from Turkhara City who was of great spirituality, and the
more refined his consciousness became, the more disgusted he was for the life he saw
around him. At last, he left everything behind and went to live in a cremation ground.
There, he sat under a tree and began to meditate. Soon, he was absorbed into a
blissful state in which he heard a dakini speaking to him from the skies. When she
spoke to him, he was overjoyed and prayed to his dakini-guru until she manifested
before him. She gave him the Hevajra initiation and empowerment, and instructions to
gather all perceptions and place them in the subtle planes of body, speech and mind.
She further instructed him to meditate upon the indivisibility of appearances and
emptiness.
Jalandhara meditated for 7 years according to the instructions and at last he gained
mahamudra-siddhi. Many years later, after working selflessly for untold beings, he was
assumed bodily into the Paradise of the Dakinis with 300 disciples.
33

26) Mahasiddha Dhingipa… Tengipa /
Tinkapa (‘bras rdung ba): “The Rice
Thresher”
Tengipa was the minister to the King of Indrapala in Saliputra. He and the king became
disgusted with samsara, so they travelled to the cemetery where Luyipa lived where
they submitted their bodies as an initiation fee. Luyipa initiated them into the mandala
of Cakrasamvara.
The three, master and students then begged alms in Odissa, where the king was sold
(The story of Darika). Two weeks later, Luyipa and the minister arrived at Juntapura.
Here, the minister was sold for 300 gold coins to a wine-seller.
The Brahman carried out his duties as a wine-seller, and eventually became the chief
of the woman’s household. One day, after finishing his chores, he was not brought his
food because the wine-selling woman forgot to bring it over. When finally she
remembered, she sent someone to bring food to him only for the person to see 500
divine maidens making offering to the Brahman, whose body was shining. When she
received the news, she repented of what she had done and went over to the minister
and apologized for making him work for 12 years under her. She then offered to make
up for her mistake by asking him to be her object of reverence for 12 years. He did not
accept the offer but preached the Dharma to the wine-selling woman and the people of
Jintapura, he gave them instructions for practice. He then went to the realm of the
Dakas with 700 followers.
Because he worked as a rice-husker, he became known as Tengipa. He was sold to
the wine-seller because of his considerable attachment to being a Brahmin; the wine-
selling woman, having taken him in, cut down his pride in caste.
34

27) Mahasiddha Kambala… Kambala /
Khambala (ba wa pa / lva ba pa): “The
Yogin of the Black Blanket”
Kambala was crowned king of Kankarama after his father passed away and at the
same time, his mother disappeared. Despite his double loss, Kambala ruled his
kingdom with great wisdom and virtue, and within a short time, the kingdom prospered.
After 2 years, his mother returned and instead of being overjoyed with his great
success, she began to cry. Sadden to see his mother cry, the king asked what was his
mother upset about, and she said she was sad to see her son engaging in the
wretched business of government. Upon hearing that, the young king gave his throne
to his younger brother and took up residence in a monastery.
After sometime, his mother came to the monastery, again she cried when she saw him,
saying she was disappointed to see him still living like a king and ordered him to leave
the luxury of the monastery and go into the jungle alone and meditate.
Kambala followed her instruction. He entered the jungle and took residence there, but
the local villagers soon aware of his presence, visited him and gave a lot of offerings.
Once again his mother wept when she saw his condition. At that, he abandoned the
jungle and took the path of a yogin, wondering from land to land. His mother appeared
yet again, however this time she was floating above him in midair and he recognized at
last her true dakini form. She gave him the Samvara initiation and instructed him in
meditation, then vanished from sight.
The yogin king wondered for 12 years, sleeping in cremation grounds and practiced his
sadhanas until he attained mahamudra-siddhi. He levitated into the sky and there he
saw his mother, eyes swollen from weeping for he has not used his gifts for the benefit
35

of others. The yogin then came back down to earth with the intent of selfless service,
he set a residence in the cave on the Panaba cliffs.
However, when he took residence in the area, the dakini witches and their queen
Padmadevi felt their power threatened by his presence and caused much problem for
him.
One day, dressed in the black blanket that was his sole covering, he went to town to
beg for food. There, he met Padmadevi who asked him to lend his blanket to her,
which he gave out of kindness. Wanting the power of the siddha, the queen tear the
blanket to tiny pieces, and the dakini witches ate a piece of the blanket until only one
small piece was left, which they threw into the fire. On the way back, Kambala asked if
he may have his blanket back, but the queen tried to give him a new blanket instead
which he refused. They even offered him gold, but again he refused. Furious, he
returned to town to complain to the king and insisted for the witches to return his
property. However, despite all effort the king couldn’t do anything.
So the yogin went back to his cave and meditated. The witches then plotted to defeat
the master, but Kambala got wind of their intention and hatched a counterplot, chanting
a powerful mantra and turned them into a flock of sheep. The war between the master
and the witches brought the business of the kingdom to a halt. Finally, the king decided
to put an end to this and summoned both of them to his court. But when the witches
still remained unrepented, the master, in a voice like thunder said “Vow to protect the
truth or I will send you this very instant to Dharmaraja, Lord of Death.”
In fear, the witches vowed to do as they were told. The master then warned if they
were to break their vow, they will be transformed into a cart horse. The witches then
took refuge in Buddha, swearing to abide by his precepts. When they were given a
ceremony of purification they all vomited up scraps of the master’s blanket. Happy to
have his one piece of clothing returned to him, he gathered the scraps and sewed
them back together, except for the small part which was burnt is forever gone.
After many years of peaceful, selfless service to humanity, he was assumed bodily into
the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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28) Mahasiddha Kukuripa… Kukkuripa (ku
ku ri pa): “The Dog Lover”
Kukuripa, a Brahmin from Kapilavastu who was puzzled over the problems of
existence came to place his trust in Tantra, and in time chose the path of renunciation.
He began his itinerant career by beffing his way slowly toward the caves of Lumbini.
One day, on his journey, he heard a soft whining in the bushes. When he investigated,
he found a puppy so starved that she could no longer stand. Taking pity of the
creature, he carried her with him on his journey, sharing the contents of his begging
bowl, and watching with delight as she began to grow strong and healthy.
The two were often each other’s company and while Kukkuripa was in the continuous
recitation of his mantra, the 12 years passed so quickly. The yogin then attained the
magical powers of prescience and divine insight. The gods of the 33 Sensual Heavens
noticed and invited him to their paradise to celebrate his achievements. He accepted
the invitation and embarked upon a ceaseless round of self-indulgent feasting and
pleasure.
While on earth, his faithful dog waited patiently for Kukkuripa, finding food only places
close to the cave. On Kukkuripa’s side, despite all the luxury, he has not forgotten his
loving companion and misses her dearly. Again and again he told the gods he had to
return but they kept persuading him to stay. One day, he looked down from the
heavens and realized his loyal dog was pining for him. Kukkuripa’s heart ached for her
and immediately, he descended from paradise to rejoin her in the cave.
The dog was filled with joy when she saw Kukkuripa, but as soon as he sat down and
begin to scratch her favorite spot, she vanished. There before him, stood a radiantly
beautiful Dakini. She praised him for overcoming temptation and taught him how to
37

achieve the symbolic union of skillful means and perfect insight. He soon attained the
state of supreme realization, and for a long time he engaged in selfless service. In due
time, he ascended to the Paradise of the Dakinis with a vast entourage of disciples.
38

29) Mahasiddha Tantepa… Tandhepa /
Tandhi (cho lo pa): “The Dice Player”/”The
Gambler”
Tantepa was a compulsive gambler. Most of the time he managed to break even, but
then he met a fateful losing streak. He continued gambling even then, lost everything
he had and even continued on credit. Eventually, he had to run away, but his creditors
found him and beat him half to death.
After the beating, at nightfall, he managed to crawl away to a cremation ground to hide.
There, he met a yogin who shared his meal with Tantepa. When asked if he was
robbed, Tantepa said he have robbed himself for being a compulsive gambler. Having
nothing else to lose, the yogin asked if he wanted to try meditation. Tantepa replied if
there’s a meditation he could practice without giving up gambling, then he may try. At
that, the yogin gave the gambler initiation and empowerment, and gave him
instructions to visualize the three realms and see that the nature of the mind as
emptiness, like his pocket is now.
Tantepa meditated diligently on his guru’s instruction and as he did, all of this thoughts
and beliefs about the nature of the 3 realms dissolved into the true reality of their own
empty spaciousness. He became a renowned teacher and the very last song he sang
to his disciples was:
Had I not knkown sorrow and remorse,
How could I have entered the path to release?
Had I not placed my trust in a teacher,
How could I have attained the ultimate power?
Than he levitated to the height of seven palm trees and entered the Paradise of the
Dakinis
39

30) Mahasiddha Bhendepa…Bhandhepa /
Bade / Batalipa (nor la ‘dzin pa): “He Who
Holds the God of Weath”
Bhandhepa was from the land of Sravasti, an icon-painter and his guru was master
Krsnacari. One day, while he was abiding in the sky, he saw a holy arhat walking
through the sky dressed as a monk, radiant and majestic. Bhandhepa was amazed at
this sight, and when asked who the wondrous man was, Visvakarman told him the man
is a holy arhat who has abandoned the defilements.
Bhandhepa, inspirted to be just like the arhat, returned to Jambudvipa to request the
Dharma from Krsnacari, who initiated him in the Guhyasamaja and gave him
instructions on the Four Immeasurables as methods of yogic protection.
After developing compassion, happiness, friendliness, and equanimity in meditation, he
purified all the poisons of delusions and wrong views. He then obtained Mahamudra
siddhi. For 400 years Bhandhepa worked for the welfare of living beings in the six great
realms of Sravasti. Then went to the realm of the Dakas with 400 followers.
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31) Mahasiddha Khanapa… Kānhapa /
Krsnācharya (nag po pa): “The Dark
Master”/”The Dark-Skinned One”
Kanhapa showed early promise and took ordination in Somapuri where he was
initiated into the mandala of the deity Hevajra by his guru Jalandhara. After 12 years of
practice, he was rewarded with the vision of Hevajra. Inflated with pride, he was certain
he gained his goal; but a scolding dakini appeared and warned him that his vision was
part of the preliminaries. Chastened, he continued his practice.
However, he could not resist testing his achievements from time to time, and everytime
he does it, the scolding dakini will return to send him back to meditation. But on the
fourth occasion that he roused himself from his meditation, seven royal canopies
floated above his head while 7 damaru skull drums filled the air with sound. He then
told his disciple that no one can tell him he haven’t reached his goal and took off for the
island of Lankapuri with 3000 disciples. When they reached the straits, he decided to
show off his prowess and began skipping across the surface of the water thinking
“even my guru cannot do this.” But no sooner had he spoken the fateful words than he
sank beneath the surface of the waters. The waves soon deposited him on the edge of
the sand and as he turned over his back to spit sand out of his mouth, he saw his guru
Jalandhara floating in the sky above him.
To his guru, Kanhapa confessed his pride and its consequences. Jalandhara laughed
and instructed him to go to Pataliputra in search of one of his pupil, a weaver, and to
do everything the student of his asks.
Kanhapa then went to Pataliputra, there he left his disciples outside the city to look for
the weaver with his penetrating gaze. Soon he located the weaver, and begged the
yogin to teach him the ultimate truth. After he promised to do whatever the weaver say,
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the weaver then asked Kanhapa to eat a piece of flesh from a fresh corpse. Kanhapa
took out his knife and began to cut the body, but the weaver scolded him and then
transformed into a wolf himself and began feeding on the corpse. “You can only eat
human flesh in animal form,” he told his astonished pupil.
Next, the weaver squatted down and defecated. He then took one of the 3 pieces of
excrement and asked Kanhapa to eat it. Kanhapa however refused, whereupon the
weaver ate one piece himself, gave the second to the celestial gods, and the third to
the Naga serpents.
Then they returned to the city, where the weaver bought 5 pennies worth of food and
liquor, and invited all 3000 of Kanhapa’s disciples to eat. Although the food was barely
enough for one person, but as if by magic, endless quantities of food appeared. The
feast lasted for 7 days and still there was no end in sight to the offerings. The weaver
then gave them instructions, but Kanhapa refused to listen.
He traveled on and on, and at the outskirts of Bhadhokora he met a young girl beneath
a tree laden with ripe fruit. He greeted the girl and asks if he might pick some fruits, but
the girl refused to allow. However he became angry and plucked the fruit with his
powerful gaze. No sooner had the fruit fallen than the girl sent it directly back to its
proper place with her equally powerful gaze, revealing her true dakini nature. But
Kanhapa, instead of propitiating the dakini, he cursed her with a mantra so powerful
that she began bleeding profusely from every orifice. When a crowd gathered and
muttered how wrong the doing was, he realized his mistake and undo the curse, but
the girl already uttered a counter curse upon him. He fell to the ground vomiting and
bleeding violently. He then called his faithful dakini companion Bhande and begged her
to bring him a certain herb to cure him.
Bhande rushed off to find the herb and travelled for 7 days, but on her journey home,
she met an aged crone weeping by the side of the road. Unfortunately Bhande failed to
recognize the crone, whom was the seductress that cursed her master, and was lead
to believe that Kanhapa has died. Upon hearing the news, Bhande threw away the
herb, and continued on her way. She expected to see smoke of the funeral pyre, but
instead, she found her master still alive but near death. Bhande began to weep and
told Kanhapa how she was tricked.
Kanhapa prepared for death, knowing he only had seven days to instruct his disciples
before he left for the Paradise of the Dakinis. He taught them the sadhanas that is now
known as the Beheaded Vajra Varahi.
After Kanhapa breathed his last, Bhande searched for the mundane dakini and when
she discovered the dakini, she cursed her with a spell so terrible the dakini remained in
a mordant state forever after.
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32) Mahasiddha Dombhipa… Dombipa /
Dombipāda (dom bhi he ru ka): “He of the
Washer Folk”/”The Tiger Rider”
Dombipa, the king of Magadha, was initiated by the guru Virupa into the meditation
rites of the Buddha-deity Hevajra. This practice gave him much magical power, yet he
kept them hidden. Magadha through him, what was once a place ravaged by war,
poverty, famine, and crime turned into a prosperous kingdom. Many years later, a
troupe of low-caste wandering minstrels performed for the king. Through out the
entertainment, the king could not take his eyes off a young girl, the 12 year old
performer who was untainted by the world. She had all the qualities of a lotus child, a
padmini, and the king decided then and there to make her his spiritual consort.
Although a union with a low-caste was not allowed, the king paid no attention to that
and paid for the girl, her weight in gold. For many years, their mystic union was hidden,
but in the 12th
year their secret was discovered, and the king and his consort were
forced to leave, disappearing into the jungle where they devoted themselves to the
practice of tantric yoga.
When Dombipa left, the kingdom of Magadha began to decline. In despair, the new
king (Dombipa’s son) ordered a council and accumulatively they decided the old king
should be asked to return, and a search team was dispatched to find him. They looked
high and low for Dombipa for weeks, and finally one day when they were about to
return home in failure, they saw Dombipa and his consort in a tranquil environment in
the forest. Afraid to intrude upon the royal solitude, they rushed back to report what
they witnessed, and another team was sent, this time more properly equipped with
messages, pleas, and prayers to invite the king to return. When the king received their
message, he agreed to return in 2 weeks. On the day of his return, thousands of
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people lined the route to greet him, and the king, brandishing a deadly snake as a
whip, emerged from the jungle riding with his consort on the back of a pregnant tigress.
Frightened, the people fell their knees and begged him to govern their country once
again.
However, the king replied, “How can I possibly do as you ask? You drove me away
because I had lost my caste status by consorting with a woman of low birth. Casteless,
I cannot rule.” The people began to wail, but the king took pity on them and ordered
them build a funeral pyre, where he and his consort shall be burnt and their rebirth will
be absolved. For seven days it perfumed the air and for seven nights it lit the sky as
brightly as the sun. The fire mysteriously disappeared on the 8th
day, and hovering in
the air was a lotus-shaped cloud where the king, in the guise of the Buddha-deity
Havajra in ecstatic union with his consort sat.
The king then said to all, “if you can find it in your hearts to do as I have done, I will
stay to govern you.” However, he was met with protests. Disappointed, the king sighed
deeply and his form began to be increasingly transparent. His last words were, “My
only kingdom is the kingdom of truth.” Whereupon he dissolved into perfect awareness
and pure delight, to dwell forever in the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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33) Mahasiddha Kankana… Kankana /
Kikipa (gdu bu can): “The Bracelet Wearer”
Kankana was the King of Visnunagara whose kingdom was fully developed and did not
lack any desirable qualities. One day, a yogin came to the place asking for alms. When
the king met the yogin, he asked for a method of practicing the Dharma which does not
force him to give up everything thing, or wearing patched clothes and eating alms.
The yogin then said there is a method, so the yogin instructed the king to give up his
pride and attachment to the shining bracelet on his arm, and to combine the
unattached mind and the light of the jewels into one, and meditate.
The king then directed his mind to the bracelet on his left arm and meditated. Having
experienced the mind itself through these objects of desire, he obtained siddhi in 6
months. When his assistants say a circle of countless divine maidens around the king,
they requested instructions from the king. He preached his court and to various people
of Visnunagara. After 500 years, he went to the realm of the Dakas in this very body.
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34) Mahasiddha Dhubipa… Dombipa /
Dombipāda (dom bhi he ru ka): “He of the
Washer Folk”/”The Tiger Rider”
In Saliputra, there lived two men of the washerman caste, father and son, who made
their living by washing clothes. One day, a yogin came along and begged food from
them. They gave alms to him and also asked if they could wash his clothes. The yogin
then replied there is no good to him to wear clothes cleansed only by an external
washing if he do not purify the stains of the three inner poisons. The two men then
asked for instructions at which the yogin initiated them into Cakrasamvara and gave
them the instructions, and blessed them with mantras, mudras, and samadhis. They
meditated for 12 years, purifying their bodies by mudras, their speech by mantras, and
the stains of their minds by Samadhi.
Having meditated on the mind as inseparable from the Developing and Perfecting
Stages, they purified body, speech and mind. When they attained the siddhi of
Mahamudra, the clothes were cleansed by themselves without the men having to wash
them. When the people saw this, they realized that the washermen had perfected
these qualities. The two men worked for the benefit of sentient beings, and after 100
years, went to the realm of the Dakas.
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35) Mahasiddha Karnarepa… Karnaripa /
Āryadeva (‘phags pa lha): “The One-Eyed”
/”The Lotus Born”
At birth, Aryadeva sprang magically from the pollen filled heart of a lotus flower. Soon
he was ordained in Sri Nalanda and in time, became the abbot of the monastery.
However, after many years of selfless service, he grew restless and feels that he had
not realized his own perfect potential. Finally, he decided to search for the guru
Nagarjuna in hope to gain ultimate knowledge. On his journey, he chanced a meeting
with a humble fisherman whom he recognized as the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Aryadeva
prostrated and presented him many offerings. When Manjusri offered to grant him a
favor, the abbot asked if he could tell him where Nagarjuna was.
Manjusri pointed him the direction and Aryadeva set of to search for Nagarjuna. Soon
he came upon a humble hut of woven grass. There he saw Nagarjuna and prostrated
himself before the master. Nagarjuna sensed an extraordinary presence and agreed to
his pupil’s desire for instruction. He gave him initiation in the mandala of Guhyasamaja
and taught him the accompanying precepts and allowed Aryadeva to remain with him
to practice his sadhanas.
Each day, the two masters journeyed to a nearby town to beg for food, but Nagarjuna
had the greatest difficulty getting offerings while Aryadeva would come back with a
feast. After awhile, Nagarjuna grew cranky told Aryadeva to eat only what he can lift
with the point of a pin. Aryadeva obeyed, but soon the women of the town prepared
cunning little barley cakes and balanced on the point of a pin, which he offered to his
guru. However, the guru grew suspicious and forbade him to enter town. From then on,
Nagarjuna would beg for them both.
The next day when the master went to town, a beauteous tree nymph appeared
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bearing a feast for Aryadeva. When Nagarjuna returned, his pupil told him about the
visit and the master called out for the nymph asking why she have not appeared before
him but to his disciple. The tree nymph chastised the guru, and said because Aryadeva
is free and pure while Nagarjuna have traces of passion embedded. The guru reflected
on that.
That very day, Nagarjuna perfected his elixir of eternal youth and anointed his tongue
with a few drops. But when he handed the bowl to his disciple, Aryadeva threw the
contents to a dead tree which immediately sprang into full blossom. Shocked,
Nagarjuna asked his pupil to replace the contents of that bowl, and obedient as ever,
Aryadeva took a bucket of water and peed into it. Then he stirred the contents with a
twig and handed it to his guru. Stating that he have made too much, Aryadeva
splashed half the contents onto another dead tree and it also restored to radiant life.
Nodding his head, Nagarjuna said, “it’s quite obvious to me that you’re already fully
realized. Why do you insist on staying in samsara?” whereupon, Aryadeva was infused
with ecstasy and levitated to the height of 7 palm trees. Fully liberated from birth, as
are all the lotus-born, he needed only a word from his guru to convince him of what he
had been too innocent to see before.
He began teaching the Buddha’s message to all beings, aiding them to bring their
minds to maturity. And when he finished his labors, he turned the soles of his feet to
the sky, placed his palms together in adoration and prostrated himself before his guru.
And as the heavenly host gathered to shower flowers down upon him, he simply
vanished.
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36) Mahasiddha Santipa… Sāntipa /
Ratnākarasānti (a kar chin ta): “The
Academic”
Santipa is a renowened preceptor from Vikramasila. When King Devapala ruled
Magadha heard of his fame, the king sent a royal messenger along with a bountiful
offering to invite Santipa to his kingdom. After some contemplation, Santipa decided it
was his duty to go and so took sail with 2000 monks along with many scriptures. His
arrival was celebrated and in Sri Lanka the great teacher remained for 3 years,
teaching many doctrines and techniques of the tripitaka to the king and his subjects.
When Santipa left, he decided to take the longer route home. It was here where he met
Kotalipa who became his disciple. When he reached the monastery, everything
returned to normal. Time passed and Santipa grew old. When he reached his 100th
birthday, he retired and began a 12 year period of contemplation.
During those same 12 years, Kotalipa too entered retreat. While Santipa was practicing
discursive contemplation, Kotalipa was absorbed in the essential nature of reality, and
his nondiscursive, thought-free meditation led directly to mahamudra-siddhi. In time,
Santipa returned from his retreat and was much acclaimed by his students.
When Kotalipa attained mahamudra-siddhi, Indra, lord of the gods came to celebrate
and invited him to enter the 33 sensual paradises. But the yogin can only think of his
guru and refused the invitation. In his invisible awareness body, Kotalipa transported
himself into the presence of Santipa, and prostrated himself before his guru, but no
one could see him, not even his guru, so he materialized his physical body and
repeated his homage.
However, his guru had no memory of him, but when Kotalipa mentioned on how they
met, Santipa recalled the incident and then kindly he asked, “what results have you
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obtained from your meditation?” The student told Santipa that through his great
instruction, he attained mahamudra-siddhi and the existential mode of pure awareness
and emptiness.
A great realization dawned upon Santipa. He realized that during all those years of
teaching he had neglected true spiritual discipline. He said that he have never
experienced the perfect reality he taught all those years and asked his student to
demonstrate the results of the meditation. Thus it was that student become teacher,
and teacher become student. Kotalipa took Santipa to a retreat and revealed to him the
many qualities of the dharmakaya, thus returning the gift of instruction.
Santipa spent another 12 years in meditation, and then, he attained mahamudra-
siddhi. With the attainment of true bliss, he realized that all his book learning and all
the gifts he received were hollow. The years remaining to him he spent in faithful
service to others and in the end, he too gained the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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37) Mahasiddha Vinapa… Vīnapa /
Vīnapāda (pi vang pa): “The Lute Player”/”
The Music Lover”
Vinapa was the only son of the King of Gauda who loved the sound of music. He
pestered the court musicians until they agreed to teach him to play the tambura, a four
string instrument; and later the vina, a seven string instrument. He loved playing the
vina so much that he could hardly bear to set it down to take a few morsels of food.
However, his obsession worried his parents and the court for he is the heir to the
throne. His parents then summoned a highly trained yogin called Buddhapa in hopes
he could wean the prince away from music.
At their first meeting, the prince recognized Buddhapa as his master and prostrated to
the yogin. They then sat down to speak deeply about life and death and all that lies
between and beyond. Knowing that the prince is ready for spiritual training, the yogin
asked if the prince was ready to take a sadhanas. The prince replied, “My music is my
sadhanas, venerable yogin. Nothing matters to me but my vina and the sound of the
tambura. The only sadhanas I would practice is one that I could learn without
abandoning music.” So Buddhapa taught the prince a musical sadhanas whereupon he
initiated the prince and instructed him to meditate continuously upon the sound of the
instrument but he must free himself of all distinction between the sound that is struck
and what the mind perceives, to cease all interference with the sound, conceptualizing,
critical and judgemental thought, and to contemplate only on pure sound.
The prince practiced the percepts he had been taught for 9 years and attained the
state of mahamudra-siddhi.
He performed wondrous deeds. He could foretell the future, read people’s thought, and
appear in more than one place at the same time. It was said that he had gained his
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siddhi directly from the deity Hevajra himself. All his long life he taught multitudes of
beings how to find release from the bonds of existence, and when he completed his
task, he was assumed into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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38) Mahasiddha Khadgapa… Khadgapa /
Pargapa / Sadgapa (ral gri pa): “The
Swordsman”/”The Master Thief”
A son was born into a low-caste family of farmers in Magadha was a joyous event,
however, it turned sorrowful when the boy grew up to be a thief. One day, wanting to
escape from harmful pursuers due to his misdeeds, he hid himself in a cremation
ground for several days. While he was there he chanced to meet the yogin Carpati
practicing his sadhanas. When the boy asked Carpati what he was hiding from, the
yogin replied, “I’m trying to dodge the repetitive cycle of birth and death on the Wheel
of Existence. So I’m meditating.” Out of curiosity, he boy asked what was the purpose
of such practice, the yogin said there’s a big payoff, one which the boy can achieve too
if he practice the Buddha’s teaching. However, the boy had no interest in meditating
but instead asked if the yogin know a siddhi of invincibility that can protect him when
he steals. Carpati said he does, and so gave the thief initiation, empowerment, and
instructed him to circle around the statue of Avalokitesvara in the temple Gauri-sankar
located in Magadha for 21 days, non-stop day and night. He also said at the end of the
21 days, a large snake will glide out between the feet of the statue and the thief must
seize it by the head without fear to gain the siddhi he desires.
The thief then took off for the temple, and followed the guru’s instruction to the letter
and at the end of the 21st
day, a large black snake glide slowly across the floor.
Fearlessly, the thief seized it by the head, and then there came a ferocious thunderclap
and a blinding flash of light. And there, held in Khadgapa’s fist, the most beautiful
sword that glowed radiantly. Suddenly, all the defiling delusions of Khadgapa’s mind
were made as palpable, and as he beheld these shadows of the mind, the cutting edge
of the light severed them from his being. He was then free of defilement and gained the
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siddhi of the sword, one of the eight great magical powers. For the next 21 days, the
former thief taught the Buddha’s message to all the people of Magadha. He then
expressed his realization and was assumed into the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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39) Mahasiddha Tsamarepa… Camaripa /
Tsamaripa (lham mkhan): “The Leather-
worker”/”The Divine Cobbler”
There once lived a humble cobbler in eastern India in the town of Visnunagar. He
worked all day long, making and repairing shoes while thinking he wasn’t meant to be
a cobbler all his life. One day, he chanced a meeting with a monk, throwing down his
tools; he dashed to the street and prostrated himself to the holy man.
Camaripa said to the monk, “I am sick and tired of this life of endless toil, passion, and
stupidity. I have always wanted to follow the Buddha’s path but have never had the
chance before. Please, venerable sir, teach me something that will benefit me in this
world and the next.” The kind monk, said he would be pleased to instruct him, and with
joy Camaripa agreed and invited the holy man for dinner. He then rushed home and
told his family, they began cooking and cleaning the house to prepare for the arrival of
the honored guest.
When the monk arrived, with respect the family begged the monk to be seated and
washed his feet. The humble feast was served and afterward, the cobbler’s wife and
daughters offered him every comfort, including a massage. The monk was delighted
with the generous welcome, and gave both the cobbler and his wife initiation and
instructed the cobbler to visualize his shoemaking as his sadhanas.
So, for 12 years, the cobbler practiced his sadhanas, forming out of his meditation and
as all impediments vanished from his mind, he attained mahamudra-siddhi.
Visvakarman, the god of arts and crafts came to the shoemaker’s shop with his
rentinue. As the cobbler sat looking on, detached from all worldly things, the god
himself took up the tools and leather lying on the workbench and began making shoes.
When the people of Visnunagar heard of this miracle, they came to see it for
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themselves. They then prostrated at the feet of the cobbler-yogin and begged him for
instruction. He taught them about the indispensible benefits of the guru’s instruction
and then explained the workings of many different doctrines and techniques. In due
time, he ascended in his own body to the Paradise of the Dakinis.
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40) Mahasiddha Tantipa… Tantipa /
Tantipāda (thags mkhan): “The Weaver”/”
The Senile Weaver”
There was once a fine weaver who lived in Sendhonagar. He worked very hard and
managed to build a prosperous trade, a skill he later imparted to his many sons that
brought greater wealth to the family. As time passed, at the age of 89, the old man’s
wife passed away. Deeply sadden from his lost, he aged swiftly and became senile,
unable to care for himself. His daughters-in-law began looking after him for quite some
time, however, the constantly complain and eventually banished him from the
household into a grass hut out in the garden which they built for the old man. Although
they continued to care for the old man’s basic needs, he grew bitter and angry.
One day, the guru Jalandhara passed through Sendhonaga and among those he
approached for food was the weaver’s eldest son. The family invited the holy man and
treated him well, but when invited to stay the night, Jalandhara refused, saying that it
was not his custom to sleep on comfortable beds indoors. Jalandhara then went out to
the garden, and as he was about to fall a sleep, he heard an old voice speaking to
itself. A conversation started and soon, Jalandhara spotted the hut and at the old
man’s invitation he entered the hut, sat down, and listened to the old man’s tale of woe
on how hollow life’s promises are.
The guru thought for a moment and replied, “everything we make or do is but a
passing show. Everything that enters into existence enters into suffering. Everything is
hollow illusion. Only in nirvana can peace and happiness be found. Would you like me
to give you the instruction that prepares one for death?” With a firm and sure voice, the
old man replied “Yes. The guru then initiated him into the mandala of Hevajra, and
thought him how to meditate.
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For the next 12 years, he practiced diligently. During this time, he attained certain
powers but it remained secret until one day, during a family celebration, the wife of his
eldest son went to his hut to send the old man a platter of food. When she entered the
hut, she was the old man suffused in a lamp-like radiance, sitting in a circle of fifteen
beautiful girls, each feeding the weaver of the most sumptuous food. By morning, the
entire city heard of the amazing tale and people came to stare, some even prostrated
themselves before the hut.
When the weaver emerged from his hut, he was no longer a senile old man, but had
transformed into a 16 year old boy, radiating such magnificent bright like, and a body
that was like a highly polished mirror. He came to be known as the guru Tantipa, for
numerous years he spent it on selfless acts and later assumed into the Paradise of the
Dakinis.
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41) Mahasiddha Putalipa
Putali was a man of low caste in Bengal. One day, a yogin begged for alms, and he
brought the yogin food and drinks, and taking faith in him as his guru. He was initiated
into Hevajra and given instructions. The yogin also gave him a thanka of Hevajra and
asked him to practice and use the thangka as he beg for alms from city to city.
Putali practiced for 12 years and attained siddhi, though he did not have complete
realization. One day, Putali went to the king’s palace. The king saw him painting and a
challenge came up. The yogin said to demonstrate his god will be the god of gods, he
will paint the king’s god above and place the Buddhist deity below, but soon the
Buddhist god will be on top. In reply to that, the king said he will become a Buddhist if
that occurs. So, it happened and when they looked at the painting, the king’s god had
left its place and the other one was there instead. Astonished, the king took the yogin
as guru and entered the Dharma. For 500 years Putali worked for the benefit of living
beings. Finally, with 600 followers, he went to the realm of the Dakas.
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42) Mahasiddha Dharikapa… Dārika /
Darikapa (smad ‘tshong can): “Slave-King
of the Temple Whore”
The Guru Darikapa was once the King of Pataliputra, known as Indrapala then. One
afternoon, the king passed by the market on his return from hunting and all the people
bowed down before him. Among the crowd, the kind recognized the siddha Luipa. The
king admired Luipa as a fine handsome man so much so that the king wanted to offer
him a good life in the kingdom. The king intended to treat Luipa by fulfilling all his
desires. The king even went to the extent of suggesting that Luipa was to be given the
kingdom and even marriage to the king’s daughter if he wishes so.
However, Luipa was not tempted by the material goods and rebuked the king’s offer.
The king felt a sudden revulsion for his hedonistic life upon reflection of Luipa’s act.
The king then decided to renounce his possession of material goods, status and power
and to turn to the Dharma. The king’s minister crowned the king’s son to the throne to
settle the kingdom’s affairs and with the king, both of them journeyed to Luipa’s
residence.
Upon arrival at Luipa’s residence, the king and the minister were granted the initiation
of the mandala of Samvara. However, the king and minister had nothing in return to
Luipa for the initiation hence both of them were made slaves to serve their Guru, Luipa.
They accompanied their Guru to Orissa and settled at the land for a while, begging for
food. Later on, they arrived at Jantipur, a densely populated city.
In Jantipur lies a great temple that housed seven hundred dancing girls performing
worships. Luipa seek the mistress of the temple, Darima and asked if she was willing
to buy a male slave. Darima inspected the king’s appearance and took a liking. She
offered one hundred tolas of gold to buy him as a slave. The trade came with imposed
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conditions that granted the king a space to sleep alone and to be freed once he had
paid his debts. Luipa received Darima’s payment and departed with the minister.
At the temple, the king served Darima conscientiously for twelve years. He became
respected as the master of servants. One day, a king, Kunci came to the temple with a
fortune to spend on worldly pleasures. One night, as Kunci took a stroll outside the
temple for a rest from the pleasures in the temple, he spotted the slave-king sitting
upon a throne, served by fifteen girls. He then realized the concealed, true status of the
slave-king and swiftly informed Darima.
Darima was immediately filled with shame of her treatment of her slave and showed
proper respect of prostration to the slave-king. She begged for his forgiveness and in
return she promised to venerate the slave-king for twelve years. The slave-king turned
down the request but Darima, Kunci and the girls in the temple became his disciples
instead.
The slave-king became known then as the famous Guru Darikapada and he attained
the Dakini’s Paradise.
61

43) Mahasiddha Sorangipa… Courangipa:
“The Limbless One”
Courangi was a prince whose limbs had been cut off. He was given initiation and
instructions on the vase-breathing technique by Acinta. His guru told him “When you
obtain siddhi, your body will become as it was before you were harmed.” Courangi
meditated as he was told.
12 years later, a group of royal merchants carrying many precious things, travelled
through the area Courangi was residing. The area was well known for robberies, so the
merchants were extremely careful. At night fall, Courangi heard the sounds of the
merchants’ footsteps and called out “Who is it?” The merchants, afraid that Courangi
could be a robber replied, “We are coal dealers.” The prince then replied, “So be it.”
When the merchants arrived to their destination, to their surprise, all their precious
items has turned to coal. They tried to think how such a thing could happen. Finally,
they recalled on their meeting with Courangi and decided to return to the woods where
Courangi resides. There, they met the limbless prince and told their story to him,
requesting him to remove his words of truth. The prince said he had not intended for
their items to turn to coal, and may whatever precious things there were return to as it
was before.
The merchants returned home and saw that all their precious things have returned as
before. They returned to the prince with gifts and told him what has occurred. The
prince then told them the words of his guru, Acinta, and then said, “Let my body
resume its former state.” With that, the prince became whole again.
The prince attained all the power of siddhi and performed miraculous things. But his
doctrines were too important to give to men, so he gave them instead to the tree he
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meditated under for the past 12 years. The tree became immortal, and it still exists.
63

44) Mahasiddha Goraksa… Goraksa (ba
glang rdzi): “The Immortal Cowherd”
Goraksa was the son of a poor incense seller, who was employed as a cow herder. It
was a simple life, but Goraksa enjoyed the countryside and the company of the
animals. One day, Minapa appeared to Goraksa and pointed into the distance and told
him, the vultures circling in the distance is awaiting the death of a young prince who
was gravely wounded from the lost of all his limbs. Minapa then asked “who would care
for the prince?” Immediately, Goraksa replied he would and went to save the prince
while Minapa helped him watch after the herd. Goraksa cleaned and bound the
wounds with bandages torn from his own clothes and made the prince feel as
comfortable as he could, then returned to Minapa to report what was seen and done.
Minapa ask, “Will you find a way to feed him?” and Goraksa replied he will share half of
the food and drinks he receive from the owner of the herd every morning and evenings.
Minapa was happy with the boy and instructed him on how to care for the prince, which
is to provide him the four basic functions of life: eating, drinking, sleeping, and
defecating.
Upon that instruction, Minapa went back to the prince and build a comfortable shelter
with branches and leaves. Each day thereafter, Goraksa shared his food and drinks,
bathed the prince, cleaned away the excrement, and did all that was needed for the
prince’s comfort. 12 years later, the prince, to whom Minapa thought the yoga for the
regeneration of limbs, regained his mobility through his regenerated limbs, and to
repay Goraksa’s kindness, he offered to reach Goraksa how to meditate. Goraksa was
touched, but declined as he already have a Guru of which he has been following
instructions from.
64

When Minapa returned, Goraksa updated him on all that has happened. Very delighted
of his student’s diligence and faithfulness, he gave Goraksa initiations and
empowerments, and carefully instructed him in the precepts he should follow.
Goraksa then travelled to practice meditation according to Minapa’s instruction and
attained a more mundane level of awareness. Minapa appeared before him again, and
told him he can only attain awakening by liberating one hundred million beings.
Filled with enthusiasm, Goraksa began initiating anyone who would stop and listen to
him, however, he neglected to make careful assessment of his students’ ripeness for
instruction. This upset the Great God Mahadeva, who appeared before Goraksa to
warn him to only instruct those who come to him and request teachings. From then on,
Goraksa thought only to those whose karma had prepared them for initiation and to
this very day, he continues to teach to those who are pure in mind and ready for
instructions.
65

45) Mahasiddha Nigunapa… Niguna /
Nirgunapa (yon tan med pa): “The Man
without Qualities”/”The Enlightened
Moron”
Niguna was the son of a low caste householder in Purvadesa. He was very lazy and
was indifferent to what others considered good or evil. In such a state, he went to a
quiet place where he met a yogin. The yogin invited him to the city to ask for alms, but
he merely replied negatively if they didn’t get anything. Out of compassion, the yogin
gave food to him and as he ate, the yogin asked if he was frightened of death. Niguna
said he is afraid, but have no way to deal with it, and if there were a method, he would
practice during the time he sleeps. So, having a method, the yogin initiated Niguna and
gave him instructions on conjoining emptiness and appearances.
Listening to his guru’s instructions, while gathering alms, Niguna practiced. When he
produced the realization of Total integration and the clear light, he attained siddhi. He
demonstrated the path which does not split appearance and emptiness. Then, he
wiped out all the marks of delusion and attained the siddhi of Mahamudra, and then
went to the realm of the Dakas.
66

46) Mahasiddha Kiralawapa… Kirava/Kilapa
(rnam rtog spang ba): “He Who Abandons
Conceptions”/”The Repentant Conqueror”
Kirava was the king of Grahara, who enjoyed an extensive domain which led him to
pillage the realms of other kings and enjoy them as well. One day, he led his army to
another land. Everyone fled away except the women, who were unable to get away.
When the king heard the women wailing, he asked his ministers about it. Upon hearing
the straightforward answer from his ministers, he grew sad and compassion arose in
him. He instructed to let the women be reunited with their families. He also gave many
gifts to those who had no food, then reflected that he need to practice the Dharma.
While he was having such thought, a yogin came to ask for alms. The king gave the
yogin an abundance of food and drinks, and received a teaching on the Four
Immeasurables. The king then asked for more teachings, and the yogin initiated him
into Cakrasamvara and set him to meditating on the Developing and the Perfecting
Stages. However, his meditation was interrupted by his thoughts of his army and
kingdom, so he was given another instruction on how to overcome them.
After 12 years, the kind envisioned and experienced the truth and obtained siddhi.
When he realized his queen and court had obtained siddhi as well, he ordered a great
ceremony, saying:
For sentient beings practicing the Four Immeasurables,
Obsessions can be abandoned
Even by acts which look like desire.
The hero, by what looks like great fury,
Can destroy all enemies.
For 700 years, he worked for the benefit of living beings, and with a circle of 600
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