Great book from my current reading list.
"Where does Niguma live?" Khyungpo Naljor asked.
They answered, "If one's perception is pure, one can see her anywhere, whereas if one's perception is not pure, she simply cannot be found; for she dwells on the pure stages and has achieved the holy rainbow body. However, when the dakinis gather to make tantric feasts in the great cemetery of the Sosaling Forest, she sometimes physically appears."
Merely on hearing Niguma's name tears came to Khyungpo Naljor's eyes and every hair on his body trembled with excitement. He left immediately for the Sosaling Cemetery, reciting the Namo Buddhaya mantra of Mahakala as he went.
One of my favorite authors & western Buddhist,
Glenn Mullin will be at Krotona in Ojai in February.
A tantric painting of Chakrasamvara
in yab-yum with his consort Vajravarahi.
"In the tradition of the Highest Yoga Tantras
to which the Chakrasamvara Tantra belongs,
such paintings serve as visualization tools
for the transformative meditative practices,
in which the Tantric practitioner realizes
his or her own identity as the fully enlightened Buddha.
The painting succinctly encapsulates the Tantric Buddhist process
of the female (yogini) system practice class of the Chakrasamvara Tantra.
Naropa's View of Essential Nature:
This mind that knows emptiness
Is itself the awakened mind, bodhicitta.
The Buddha potential is just this.
The sugata essence is just this.
Because of tasting what is,
It is also the great bliss.
The understanding of secret mantra is just this.
Means and knowledge is just this.
This self-knowing, while one is still defiled,
Does not depend on other things,
So self-existing wakefulness is just this.
Being aware, it is cognizance.
A natural knowing that is free of thought.
This self-knowing cannot possibly form thoughts.
Without conceptualizing 'a mind,'
Since it is not something to be conceived,
This original wakefulness, cognizant yet thought-free,
Is like the wisdom of the Tathagata.
Therefore, it is taught, "Realize that luminous mind
Is the mind of original wakefulness,
And don't seek an enlightenment separate from that."
Dakini fire
Imagine, a dakini told me,
my words are meaningless.
She speaks a burning truth.
That which means everything to me, is nothing.
No more real than a dream; as real as that.
Aching pain; but a dream, as real as that.
Killing me; thank god but a dream, as real as that.
Nothing left, is anything real.
Burning it up, Dakini will kill you,
And you will love her in spite of it.
BNW
