Buddha's Lions

Buddha's Lions
The Lives of the Eighty-Four Siddhas

The Translation
Homage to the sacred gurus Herein is written the true account of the eighty-four siddhas, Luyipa and the others: eighty men who gained c ear understanding and o!tained siddhi, and four women who achieved c ear understanding and won i!eration" This assem! y of eighty-four is indeed most we come" #The yoginis

$a"%&"i!hadra, $e'ha a, (ana'ha a, and La~minkara were o!)ects of devotion for five generations of (ing (un)i's descendents"

Luyipa
*uru Liiyipa received his name !ecause he ate the innards of fish" This is his story" +nce there was a 'ing as wea thy as (u!era, the god of riches" He not on y had a pa ace decorated with )ewe s, pear s, go d and si ver, he a so Lf%,-./ 01 had three sons" 2hen the 'ing died, an astro oger was consu ted as to which of the sons wou d inherit the 'ingdom" Mter the astro oger had made his ca cu ations, he announced:

"If the midd e son inherits the 'ingdom, the rea m wi !e sta! e and the peop e wi !e content"3 So the midd e son was given the 'ingdom" The o der and younger !rothers, together with a the su!)ects, crowned him as 'ing, even though he himse f did not wish this" He attempted to escape the throne, !ut his !rothers and su!)ects prevented him, and put him in chains of go d" The prince gave out go d and si ver as a !ri!e to his guards and retainers" /t night, having dressed in patched c othes and having given go d to an attendant to accompany him, the 'ing f ed to 4amancivara, the city of (ing 4ama a" There he gave up his cushion of si ' and too' one of rough c oth5 having a!andoned the roya 6uarters, he now s ept in ashes" He was, however, so handsome to oo' upon, that everyone gave him food and drin', and he never ac'ed for sustenance" The prince then went to Bodhgaya where the 75 a'inis cared for him and gave him instructions5 after that he went to Sa iputra, the residence of the 'ing" 11 He ate the food peop e gave him and too' up his a!ode in a cemetery" +ne day, whi e on his way to a mar'et p ace, he visited a tavern" The tavern owner, who was actua y a wor d y 75 a'ini, saw the prince and thought, 3He has thorough y purified the four ca'ras, !ut he sti has a pe~-sized impurity: his opinion of his socia status"3 Thereupon she poured rotten food into a c ay pot and gave it to him" 2hen the prince threw it away, the 75 a'ini !ecame angry and said, 3-f you have not a!andoned the conception of good and !ad food, how can the 8harma come to you93 The prince rea i:ed that categories and distinctions are o!stac es to en ightenment, so he rid himse f of them" He too' from the *anges the intestines of fish discarded !y the fishermen, and he ate these during his twe ve years of practice" 2hen the fish-mar'et women saw him eating innards, they ca ed him Liiyipa, '+ d Fish *uts'" He was famous everywhere as Liiyipa, and he o!tained siddhi under this name" The rest of his story appears when te ing ofTei gipa, and of 8ari'a, the man of the prostitutes"

Li apa
There was a 'ing who sat upon a ion throne in south -ndia" / yogin from another and came into his presence, and the 'ing said to him: 3,ou must !e suffering great y, wandering here and there in the 'ingdom"3 3- am not suf 26 fering,3 said the yogin" "It is you who are suffering"3 32hy do you say that93 as'ed the 'ing" 3,ou are afraid that you wi ose your 'ingdom, and worried that your su!)ects may !e discontented" That is why you suffer" Even if - were to )ump into a fire, - wou d not !um" Even if - ate poison, - wou d not die" - wi not suffer o d age and death, !ecause - have the instructions of the a chemists"3 The 'ing too' faith and said, 3- cannot wander the 'ingdom i'e you can, !ut - can meditate whi e staying in my roya 6uarters" 2ou d you give these instructions to me93 The yogin, hearing this,

gave him the initiation of Heva)ra and instructed him in the samadhi of a sing e-point" 0 The 'ing meditated on his ion-throne with its soft cushions of si ', surrounded !y his wife, his ministers, and various 'inds of musica entertainments" He meditated ;e, ven during the night5 !ut !ecause of his sensuous en)oyments, he was 'nown as Li: apa, 'the Sporting $an'" <ontinuing to fo ow the instructions, he meditated unwavering y on the ring on the finger of his right hand" Having done that, he visua i:ed the divine hosts of Heva)ra there" He then )oined the 8eve oping Stage and the .erfecting Stage and his perfect comprehension arose !y its own power"=1 He o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra and then many 6ua ities such as the super'now edges" Therefore, if you co ect these three together-the guru's teaching, your own effort, and the re6uisite previous 'armayou can !e re eased even without giving up the good things of the wor d" L apa aided innumera! e sentient !eings and then went to the rea m of the =&a'as"=>

?irupa
?iriipa was !orn in the East, in Tripura, the city of (ing 8evapa a"ts There was, in south -ndia, a vihara ca ed Somapuri,=@ 'the <ity of the $oon': a 8harma-circ e with thousands of mon's, a verita! e ocean of them" Though he was on y a novice, ?iriipa as'ed for initiation" -n twe ve years, ?iriipa twice-over recited the mantra of?a)ravarahi=A a mi ion times5 !ut not one sign of siddhi came to him even in a dream" He !ecame despondent at this, tore up his rosary, and threw it into the atrine" That evening, when he customari y gave worship, it occurred to him that he was without his rosary" / c5 a'ini then appeared, put a rosary in his hand, and gave him these words of encouragement: 3B worthy aspirant, do not despair for my ! essing" .erform the practice that a!andons a names and conceptions"3

This p ace of the natura mind is the essence of?a)ravarahi" This is so for you as for everyone e se5 you are ineCperienced i'e a chi d" The wishing gem of the mind is not po ished !y conceptua i:ations" To 'now the !est of practice is sufficient" ?irupa then practiced for twe ve years, and o!tained siddhi" His servant !ought meat and wine and !rought it to him5 ?irupa then 'i ed and ate the pigeons in the vihara" 2hen a the pigeons were gone, the mon's as'ed, 32ho among us wou d eat pigeons9 Sure y no mon' wou d do such a thing"3 The mon's then oo'ed in a the ce s, a so going to ?iriipa's room" /s they oo'ed in the window, they saw him drin'ing wine and eating pigeon meat" The mon's then assem! ed and decided to eCpe ?iriipa from the vihara" So ?iriipa offered his mon''s ro!es and !egging !ow in front of an image of the Buddha, did reverence, and eft" /s he was eaving, a mon' said to him, 32here wi you go now93 /nd ?iriipa rep ied, 3,ou eCpe ed me5 why shou d you care93 Beside the vihara there was a arge a'e" ?iriipa cut off a otus f ower f oating on the water and offered it to the Buddha" Then, p acing his foot on a otus eaf at the edge of the a'e, he wa 'ed across the water to the other shore" Those who were in Somapuri deep y repented5 they grasped ?iriipa's feet, did reverence to him, and as'ed him, 3But why did you 'i the pigeons93 3- did not 'i them,3 ?iriipa said, and he to d his servant to !ring him the pieces of the pigeon's wings" The master18 snapped his fingers, and the feathers !ecame pigeons again, which f ew off !igger and !etter than !efore" This was seen !y everyone" From then on, ?iriipa put aside the ha!it of a mon' and too' on the ways of a yogin" 2hen ?iriipa came to the !an' of the *anges, he !egged food and drin' from the *anges goddess, !ut she did not give him any" The master !ecame angry, parted the waters, and went to the other side" -n the city of (anasati, ?iriipa !ought wine from a tavern gir 5 she gave him a g ass of wine and a p ate of rice which he great y en)oyed" He continued eating and drin'ing" For the space of two days and a night, he prevented the sun from moving and the 'ing, ama:ed, eCc aimed: 32ho is it who performs such a mirac e93 -n answer, the goddess of

the sun appeared to the 'ing in a dream and said, 3/ yogin has p edged me as payment to a tavern gir "3 The 'ing and his su!)ects paid the price of the wine, which came to a mi ion g asses, and ?iriipa disappeared" ?iriipa then went to the and ca ed -ndra in the country of the ido ators" -n this p ace, there was an image, eighty-one cu!its high, of Siva as 'the *reat Lord' $ahesvara" The inha!itants to d ?iriipa to do reverence to the image, whereupon ?iriipa rep ied, 3-n no system does the o der !rother do reverence to the younger !rother"3 The 'ing and the others then said to him, "If you do not give reverence we wi 'i you"3 But the master rep ied, 3-t wou d !e a sin to give reverence to it5 so - wi not !ow down"3 3Then et the sin fa on me,3 said the 'ing" 2hen the master !rought his hands together and !owed down, the great statue of Siva sp it in ha f" / voice coming from the s'y ca ed forth: 3- vow to isten to you"3 /fter ta'ing the oath, the statue was restored to its previous condition" The peop e made the offerings of the statue of Siva to the master, and were then converted to Buddhism" It is said that the offerings sti eCist" /fter that, the master went to the east of -ndia to 8evi''ota where the entire popu ation of the country had !ecome witches" If anyone stayed in their cast e, they put a spe on him" The master, having arrived at this p ace of the witches, found food in the town, !ut no p ace cou d he find odging" He met with a sing e Buddhist, a young Brahman, who to d him that there were no humans eft in the and, that a had !ecome witches, and they were doing great harm to everyone" The master and the Brahman !oy then proceeded to the temp e where the master stayed" There the master initiated the Brahman !oy and gave him mantras" / the witches having gathered, they" said among themse ves, 32hat is to !e offered: there are a 'inds of meat here, !ut we have no human f esh"3 +ne of them spo'e up and said, 3- have two victims for youD3 3Bring them hereD3 they a cried" But when the witch tried to !ring them he was not a! e to do so, !ecause of the power of the Brahman chi d" She tried over and over again, !ut to no avai " The witches then saw ?irupa sitting on a fa en tree" They carried him away together with the tree5 !ut a though they p anned to coo' him, ?iriipa dran' up a the wine they were using as !roth" They then thought to 'i him

another way: a the witches together made a hissing sound, !ut ?irupa )ust aughed twe ve fearfu aughs, and a the witches fainted dead away" Later ?iriipa !ound the witches !y oath: that from then on, they wou d ta'e the Buddhist refuges and wou d not harm any who had faith in him" They were not to harm any iving !eing, so they cou d on y drin' a handfu of ! ood from the !odies of those who had not ta'en the refuges or who had not produced the thought of en ightenment" If they !ro'e this oath, their nec's wou d !e cut off with his discus, and the Yaksa of the Eorth wou d drin' their ! ood" Even now, the form of that discus and that Yaksa can !e seen in the s'y" He then !ound the witches !y oath and put them in the retinue of the 8harma-protectors" /gain ?iriipa returned to 8evi'ota" +n the road, Siva and the goddess Fma created for him a phantom city with >GB,BBB inha!itants, and the gods of the thirty-three heavens and a the divine rea ms made him eCtensive offerings of food" ?iriipa spo'e to them in verse: /s a novice and mon' in Somapuri - faithfu y carried out the ?inaya, and then, !y power produced !y previous 'arma, - gained fu initiation and teachings" For twe ve years - meditate~ with conceptions and nothing occurred, even in a dream5 my weary mind cursing, - threw away my rosary" /fter that, a 8 a'ini appeared to advise me: !ecause of this, - strengthened myse f and right y understood the character of samsara" From then on - practiced without conceptions, a though the mon's !e ieved - was mis!ehaving" So in order to destroy their misconceptions, - wa 'ed on water without sin'ing" - reversed the course of the *anges, and whi e en)oying myse f, - put up the sun as a p edge" - sp it the ido of the ido ators, !rea'ing its pride, and in 8evi'ota, - contro ed the witches, 2hen Siva saw my many powers he created a city to ma'e me offerings" Eow, if - did not do these miracu ous deeds, why wou d peop e prefer even the outer 8harma9 Then he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

8om!ipa
-n the country of $agadha, there was a man of roya !irth who had attained siddhi from Heva)ra" He had !een initiated !y the guru ?irupa, and having !een granted the instructions, he eCperienced their meaning" Though he re garded his su!)ects as a father thin's of his on y son, the peop e did not 'now that their 'ing had entered the door of the 8harma" But he was 'ind y !y nature, so a the peop e unanimous y affirmed: 3This 'ing is indeed a pious man"3 +ne day, the 'ing said to his minister: 3The peop e are suffering in our country" Thieves and ro!!ers are destroying property, and !ecause of the peop e's itt e merit, there are increasing num!ers of the poor and indigent" To de iver the

and from fear and poverty, hang a great !e on the trun' of a tree" If anyone witnesses a crime or sees poverty, et him stri'e this !e "3 The minister did as he was to d, and fear and poverty were !rought to an end in $agadha" / whi e ater, a group of ow-caste singers came to the capita , offering to sing and dance for the 'ing" +ne of the singers had a twe ve-year-o d daughter who was very attractive" She had a ove y face and a good comp eCion5 furthermore, she was unsu ied !y wor d y thoughts and had a the 6ua ities of a padmani. So the 'ing said to the ow-caste singer, 32ou d you give your daughter to me93 To this the singer rep ied, 3,our ma)esty is a 'ing of $agadha-you ru e HBB,BBB cities" Because of your roya wea th, you do not have to wor' for a iving" 2e are of ow caste, denigrated and shunned !y other c asses of peop e" -t is not fitting for you to ma'e such a re6uest"3 The 'ing made his re6uest again, !ut in a more forcefu way5 he too' the gir , after giving her father a sum e6ua to her va ue from the treasury" For twe ve years, the peop e did not 'now that she was the 'ing's Tantric consort5 !ut eventua y it was discovered" Soon it !ecame 'nown to everyone throughout $agadha: 3The 'ing consorts with a ow-caste woman"3 So the 'ing a!dicated in favor of his son, and with his ow-caste mistress, went into the forest" There he practiced for twe ve years" But the fortune of the and diminished !y degrees, unti fina y the son and his peop e were no onger a! e to ho d the country" The citi:ens assem! ed, and after conferring among themse ves, sought the former 'ing to offer him the 'ingdom once again" / de egation went to the forest where the 'ing was residing: there they saw him sitting at the !ase of a tree, whi e his woman went out to draw water" She stepped out on a otus eaf on the surface of the a'e and, without sin'ing, drew water from a depth of fifteen fathoms5 she then !rought it !ac' to the 'ing" The men were so ama:ed that they returned home to report what they had seen to the popu ace, who then sent an invitation to the 'ing to ca him !ac' to the throne" The 'ing and his consort came riding out from the forest on a young tigress, using a poisonous sna'e as a whip" The peop e were astonished and said, 3Sure y if you ru e the country everything wi prosper" 2i you p ease ta'e the 'ingdom93 But the 'ing rep ied, 3-f - am of ow-caste, how am - fit to ta'e the 'ingdom9 /fter death, it no onger

matters whether caste is good or !ad5 !urn us in the fire, and when we are !orn again from it, - wi do as you as'"3 So the peop e !urned the two, 'ing and consort, in a fire fue ed with sanda wood: !ecause there was so much wood, the fire !urned for seven days" But within the fire they caught g impses of the coup e transformed into Heva)ra and his consort, in a se f-produced !ody, shining i'e dew" 2hen they saw this, the peop e of $agadha too' faith, and the 'ing !ecame 'nown as the master +om!ipa, 'He of the Low-caste +om!is'" The 'ing then spo'e to a his ministers and su!)ects: 3-f you are a! e to do as - have done, - wi ru e you" -f you cannot, - wi not !e 'ing"3 / of the peop e were ta'en comp ete y !y surprise, and rep ied, 3How cou d we do what you ;have done93 /t this the 'ing dec ared, 3-n this 'ingdom, there is itt e of !enefit and much that is of fau t5 rather, - wi ru e a 'ingdom of the 8harma"3 From there he went to the rea m of the 8a'as for the sa'e of sentient !eings"

Savaripa
+n the mountain ca ed ?i'rama, in the mountains of $anda, there was a hunter named Savaripa, who !rought harm to many iving !eings !y 'i ing many anima s and eating their f esh" This was the way he made his iving" /va o'itesvara saw this hunter and !ecame fi ed with compassion" -n order to convert him, he transformed himse f into a hunter i'e Savaripa and went to where the hunter resided" The hunter as'ed him, 32ho are you93 3- am a so a savari," /va o'itcivara rep ied" 32here do you come from93 as'ed Savaripa" 3From far away,3 was the rep y" 3,ou have on y one arrow" How many deer can you shoot with on y one arrow93 32ith it - can 'i three hundred deer,3 the em!odied Bodhisattva said" /t this, Savaripa eCc aimed, 3- wou d i'e to see a demonstrationD3 +n the neCt day, the manifestation too' Savaripa to a

great p ain and showed him five hundred deer, a of which had !een produced !y magic" /s soon as Savaripa saw them, he as'ed the em!odiment, 3How many of these deer wi you 'i with your arrow93 3- wi 'i a five hundred,3 was the rep y" But Savaripa said sarcastica y, 3Spare four hundred" -t is enough to shoot one hundred deer"3 Thereupon the manifested Bodhisattva shot one hundred deer with the one arrow" He then as'ed Savaripa to retrieve one of the dead deer5 when Savaripa was ~ot a! e to ift it, the hunter's pride was !ro'en" They returned home, and Savaripa as'ed the Bodhisattva, 3Teach me how to shoot an arrow i'e that"3 /t this, the Bodhisattva rep ied, 3For this teaching, you must give up eating meat for one month"3 So Savaripa gave up his ha!it of harming and 'i ing iving !eings" The em!odied Bodhisattva returned in seven days and as'ed Savaripa, 32hat have you !een eating93 3$y wife and - have !een eating fruit,3 Savaripa rep ied" The manifestation then instructed, 3$editate 'ind iness and compassion for a iving !eings"3 /fter a month, the Bodhisattva returned again" Savaripa said, 3Eow you have taught me the 8harma of etting the deer escape"3 The $anifestation then produced a manda a, put f owers around it, and instructed Savaripa and his wife to oo' into the manda a and to te him what they saw there" They oo'ed within the manda a and saw the eight great he s, with the two of them !urning in it" They !ecame afraid5 they gasped, shuddered, and cou d not spea'" The em!odied Bodhisattva as'ed them again what they saw, and Savaripa fina y rep ied, 3- saw peop e )ust i'e us !urning in he "3 3/re you not afraid of !eing !orn there93 as'ed the Bodhisattva" 32e are indeed afraid,3 they rep ied" 3-s there any way we can !e saved from such a fate93 3-f there is a method, wou d you !e wi ing to practice it93 32e are wi ing,3 they said" /nd so the Bodhisattva preached the 8harma to Savaripa and his wife: 32hen you ta'e a ife, there are various 'inds of 'arma produced" ,ou wi !e re!orn in he " (i ing gives rise to a disposition to further ta'ing of ife, with the inherent resu t that your own ife is short" The outer ref ection of a this is that you wi !e very unattractive" 3But if you refrain from ta'ing ife, you may we o!tain en ightenment" 2hen you do not have the desire to 'i , the inherent resu t wi !e a ong ife" The outer ref ection of a this is that you wi !e !orn with considera! e persona magnetism"3

He preached to them the unp easant resu ts of the ten non-virtuous actions,0B and the !enefits of the ten virtues" /nd Savaripa, now disgusted with samsara, o!tained a firm and unwavering faith in the 8harma" /va o'itesvara gave them further instructions, and then returned to the mountain 8odanti" Having meditated great compassion without conceptua i:ing for twe ve years, Savaripa attained the superior siddhi of $ahamudra" He passed from the highest condition of great compassion, and went !efore the ho y /va o'iteHvara" The Ho y +ne high y praised the 6ua ities of Savaripa: 3B we -!orn son, the one-sided nirvana which is i'e a grass-fire going out is not the !est 'ind" ,ou shou d remain in the wor d for the sa'e of sentient !eings, and !enefit inconceiva! e num!ers of !eings"3 So Savaripa returned to his own and, where he remained" He is ca ed Sri Savari" Because he c othes himse f in peacoc' feathers, he is a so ca ed 'the .eacoc'-wing 2earer', and !ecause he a ways stays in the mountains, he is ca ed 'the $ountain-dwe ing Hermit'" These are the three names !y which he is 'nown" He teaches the fortunate !y song and sym!o , and wi remain on the continent of %am!udvipa in this !ody unti the coming of $aitreya the future Buddha"

Saraha
Saraha, the son of a dakin'i, was !orn a Brahman in a city ca ed 4o i in a particu ar part of 4a)ii , in the east of -ndia" Though he was a Brahman, he had faith in the 8harma of the Buddha, and !ecause he had istened to the 8harma from innumera! e masters, he had trust in the Tantric doctrine" 8uring the day, he practiced the Hindu system5 at night, he practiced the Buddhist system" He a so dran' wine" There came a time when this was discovered !y the Brahmans, who then attempted to have him !anished" They went to (ing 4atnapa a and said to him, 3,ou are the 'ing" -s it proper for you to a ow a disreputa! e system of re igion to !e practiced in your country9 Even though Saraha, 'the /rrow-shooter', is chief of fifteen thousand residences in 4o i, he has owered himse f in caste !y drin'ing wine, and

therefore must !e eCpe ed"3 The 'ing, not wanting to eCpe a man who contro ed fifteen thousand househo ds, went to Saraha and said, 3,ou are a Brahman5 it is not fit that you drin' wine"3 But Saraha rep ied, 3- do not drin' wine" *ather a the men and those Brahmans here, and - wi ta'e an oath to that effect"3 /fter they had gathered, Saraha stated, 3-f - have !een drin'ing wine, et my hand !urn" If - have not !een drin'ing, may it not !urn"3 He then put his hand in !oi ing oi , and it was not !urnt" 3-n truth, he does not drin' wine,3 the 'ing said" But the Brahmans said, 3But tru y he does drin' wine"3 So Saraha spo'e as !efore" He dran' mo ten copper and was not !urnt" 3He sti drin's,3 the Brahmans maintained" Saraha then said, 32hosoever sin's when entering the water, he is the one who drin's" If he does not sin', he does not drin'"3 So he and another Brahman !oth entered the water" Saraha did not sin', !ut the other one did, so they fina y said, 3Saraha does not drin'"3 Simi ar y, Saraha was weighed on a sca e: 32hoever is heavier does not drin',3 he said" They put three iron weights on the sca e, each as heavy as a man, and sti Saraha was heavier than the weights" He was heavier than even siC of those weights" Fina y the 'ing said, "If anyone who has powers i'e these drin's wine, then et him drin'"3 The 'ing and the Brahmans !owed to Saraha and as'ed for his instructions" Saraha then sang to the 'ing, the 6ueen, and a the su!)ects, of the three cyc es of 8oha" 0= The Brahmans a a!andoned their own system and !ecame Buddhists" The 'ing with a his retinue attained siddhi" Saraha married a fifteen-year-o d house gir , eft his home, and went into another and" He sett ed in a so itary p ace, where he practiced the 8harma whi e the gir went out !egging for his food" +ne time, he as'ed her to prepare some radishes for him" She miCed some radishes in yogurt and too' them to him, !ut he was sitting in meditation, so she went away without distur!ing him" Saraha remained uninterrupted y in meditation for twe ve years" 2hen he fina y arose, he as'ed, 32here are my radishes93 The serving gir rep ied, 3How cou d - 'eep them9 ,ou have not arisen from meditationa trance for twe ve years" -t is now spring, and there are no radishes"3 Saraha then said to the gir , 3- wi go to the mountains to meditate"3 But the gir rep ied, 3/ so itary !ody does not mean so itude" The !est so itude is the mind far away from names and conceptions" ,ou have !een meditating for

tIve ve years, yet you have not cut off the idea of radishes" 2hat good wi it do to go to the mountains93 Saraha thought, 3This is true"3 /nd so he a!andoned names and conceptions" By eCperiencing the essentia meaning, he o!tained the highest siddhi of $ahamudra, and furthered the aims of iving !eings" He, together with his woman, entered the rea m of the 8a'as"

(an'aripa
There once was a ow-caste househo der of $aghahura who married a woman of the same caste" ECperiencing the

taste of domestic p easures, he cared on y for the things of this wor d, and did not direct his mind, even a itt e, to the virtues which are the path of i!eration" Then 'arma ripened for his wife, and she died" He too' his wife's !ody to the cemetery, and then was not a! e to eave the corpse" He )ust stayed !eside it, weeping" / yogin of good understanding came up to him and as'ed, 32ho are you and what are you doing in the cemetery93 The househo der rep ied, 3B yogin, do you not see my condition9 - am a ! ind man whose eyes have !een torn out" $y good fortune is eChausted without my wife" -s there anyone in the wor d worse off than -93 The yogin then said to the househo der: 3The end of !irth is death" The end of composition is separation "" / composite things are impermanent" Since everyone who ives in samsara suffers, do not grieve over the wor d's painfu nature" 2hat do you accomp ish !y guarding a corpse that is i'e a ump of c ay9 ,ou can end your suffering on y !y means of the 8harma"3 3-f there is a method that wou d i!erate me from the misery of !irth and death in the wor d, p ease give it to me,3 said the househo der" -n rep y the yogin said, 3- have the guru's instructions which wi !ring a!out i!eration"3 3Then - as' for them,3 said the househo der" /nd the yogin proceeded to initiate him and to give him the instructions on the essence of ego essness" The househo der then as'ed, 3How sha - meditate93 The yogin rep ied, '3To get rid of the notion of your dead wife, meditate on your wife, devoid of se f, as the nondua ity of emptiness and ! iss"3 Then he set the househo der to meditating" Fina y, after siC years, the househo der shed the ordinary concept of his wife in emptiness and ! iss" He c eared away the stains of the mind, and he eCperienced the inner eCperience of the pure ight and great )oy" He purged the poison of ethargy, and he awo'e from ignorance" Having c eared away his error and de usions, he saw the unmista'en truth, and he o!tained siddhi" He !ecame famous in a directions as the yogin (an'aripa, and having preached the 8harma to many peop e in his own country of $aghahura, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

$inapa
$inapa's country was in eastern -ndia, and his caste was that of the fishermen" His guru was $ahadeva, and the siddhi which he o!tained was wor d y siddhi" -n an ocean ca ed -ta in (amariipa, every day the fishermen wou d fish and then se their catch in the mar'et" +ne day a certain fisherman fastened his hoo' with a cotton thread, and after !aiting it with meat, threw it into the water" / huge fish too' ho d of it, tugged and )er'ed away, and pu ed the fisherman into the water" The fish then swa owed the fisherman, !ut !y the power of the man's 'arma, the fisherman did not die" Eow at that time, the goddess Fma was as'ing $ahadeva a!out the 8harma" $ahadeva said to her, 3$y 8harma is not to !e eCpressed to )ust anyone" It is very secret, so et us erect a house under the ocean"3 Having thus

spo'en, it was done according y, and in the dwe ing under the ocean, he preached the 8harma to the goddess Fma" /t this time, the fish who had swa owed the fisherman swam under the house" Eow, during the eCp ication of the 8harma, F rna had fa en as eep, so when $ahadeva as'ed her if she understood, the fisherman answered, 3- understand"3 /nd so he heard the 8harma" /fter the 8harma was preached, and when the *oddess had ended her s eep, she as'ed for the teaching, and $ahadeva said, 3- have )ust spo'en it"3 The *oddess rep ied, 3- heard on y up to the midd e" - was then overcome !y s eep, and - heard no more"3 3Then who was it who answered '- understand'93 3- did not spea' those words,3 said the *oddess" $ahadeva then oo'ed out with his superior sight and saw that the one who had heard the 8harma was a man in the stomach of a fish which had swum !eneath his house" Since the fisherman had !ecome his pupi , $ahadeva thought, 32e are now of the same commitment"3 So he gave the fisherman initiation, and the fisherman meditated in the !e y of the fish for twe ve years" /t this time, a fisherman in the and ofSritati caught the fish and anded it" The fisherman thought, 3How heavyD -n the !e y of this fish there must !e go d, si ver, and many other precious things"3 But when he cut open the !e y of the fish, there appeared a man who to d him, when as'ed, that he had !een a fisherman at the time of 'ing such-and-such" 3This fish gu ped me down and !ore me off"3 2hen the peop e counted up the years and arrived at the figure of twe ve years, they were eCtreme y surprised, and the fisherman thus !ecame famous as the yogin $inapa" *iven offerings !y everyone, $inapa danced a over the and, his feet never imprinting the ground" +nce, however, he danced on a stone and his foot san' into it as if it were mud" Everyone was ama:ed" There he stood and sang from the stone: Eow - am free of my previous 'arma5 now - re)oice in the 8harma" The precious 6ua ities arose in this way5 B wonderfu my precious mindD Thus he sang for five hundred years for the we fare of a iving !eings" He he d the name $inapa, and the name ?a)rapada, and the third name /cinta, 'Eot <ontained !y

Thought'" Having first o!tained a the wor d y powers of siddhi, he gradua y progressed through the path and went !odi y into the rea m of the 8a'as"

*ora'sa
-n a country of eastern -ndia, there ived a 'ing named 8evapa a who had on y one son" 2hen the prince was twe ve years o d, his mother !ecame ill and was near death" %ust !efore she died, the mother gave her ast testament to her son: 3/ the happiness and misery of iving !eings arises from virtuous and nonvirtuous deeds" Even if it means you

ose your ife, do not do anything non virtuous"3 Then she died" The citi:ens of that and a advised the father, the 'ing, to marry a 6ueen from another country, and so he did" / few days after he married this 6ueen, the 'ing went into the forest to dispe his grief" The 6ueen then went to the tower of the pa ace and oo'ed out" Seeing the young prince, ust arose in her, and she sent him a message, which said: 3. ease come to me"3 But the prince refused" The 6ueen, em!arrassed, thought to herse f: 3He ho ds me in contempt"3 She grew more !itter toward the prince than toward an enemy, and she thought to herse f, 3- must find some means to destroy him"3 She to d her fo owers to 'i him, !ut they refused, saying: 3-t wou d not !e right to 'i the prince, the son of a 'ing, a ho y person"3 /fter they had refused, the 6ueen carried out a deception: She cut herse f a over her !ody unti the ! ood f owed, and then she ay na'ed on her !ed" 2hen the 'ing returned, he 6uestioned her: 32hat terri! e misfortune has !efa en you93 3,our ma)esty's son has mistreated me in the way of a man,3 she rep ied, 3and then eft me in this fashion"3 The 'ing, in anger, said to her, 3-f this has !een done to you as you say, the prince wi !e 'i ed"3 The 'ing then gave orders to the two eCecutioners: 3Ta'e the prince into the deep forest and cut off his hands and feet"3 The eCecutioners considered: 3-t is not right to 'i the prince" 2e wi save him !y 'i ing one of our own sons instead"3 The eCecutioners then revea ed their p an to the prince, saying, 32e dare not 'i ,our Highness5 we wi 'i one of our own sons for your sa'e"3 But the prince re)ected this, saying, 3That sure y is not right" (i me" -n her ast testament" my mother said, '8o not do anything evi , even to save your !ody or your ife"' <arry out the orders of my father"3 So the two eCecutioners set the prince down at the foot of a tree, cut off his hands and feet, and then returned home" Eow, in that country there was a great yogin named /cinta who had initiated the prince and given him instructions" The yogin went among the herdsmen who were wor'ing a!out a 'i ometer distant from the prince, and the yogin said to them, 3There is a man with his im!s cut off at the !ase of a tree a!ove which the vu tures are circ ing" 2ho is wi ing to go to him93 / sma !oy, the son of an incense se er, said, 3- am wi ing to do it5 !ut whi e - carry out your tas', you must do mine"3 /nd so he gave over the catt e he was watching to the

yogin, and using the circ ing vu tures as a andmar', he went to the tree" /fter seeing the man at the foot of it, he returned to the yogin and said, "It is as you say"3 The yogin then as'ed the cowherd, 32hat do you have to eat and drin'93 The !oy rep ied, 3- stay with the master of the herdsmen, and he gives me enougJ: to eat and drin'5 - wi ta'e ha f to that man"3 3*ood,3 said the yogin" 3Eow ta'e care of him" His name is <aurai gi"3 So the !oy made a roof of eaves around the tree, and after giving food to the prince, c eansed the impure things from the prince's wounds with his hands" He he ped in this way for twe ve years" Then one day the !oy arrived and saw the prince standing" /ma:ed, he as'ed how this cou d !e, and the prince answered, 3/ ho y guru, s'i ed in means, !rought me to rea i:e emptiness" How wondrous it is to 'now the one true nature of eCisting things and so to !e without p easure and painD -n accordance with rea ity, my hands and feet have grown again"3 Then he rose up in the air, saying to the cowherd, 3,ou have !een given instructions !y me5 now practice them"3 But the herdsman rep ied, 3- do not wish instructions" have a master who as'ed me to ma'e offerings to you, and have acted according y"3 Having said this, he turned around and returned to guard his herd" 2hen the yogin /cinta came again to the cowherd, the herdsman to d of his eCperience, and the yogin re)oiced" /cinta then initiated the cowherd and gave him instructions" He then eft for another and" The cowherd meditated and o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" 2hen this happened, the guru returned, and said to him, 38o not depart from this wor d unti you have awa'ened to en ightenment a hundred times a hundred iving !eings"3 Thereupon the herdsman initiated every iving !eing who came to him" $ahadeva chided him, saying, 3,ou shou d not initiate everyone who comes to you" It is not fitting to teach those who ac' discernment or faith" *ive initiation on y to those !eings who ma'e the proper re6uest"3 The cowherd then did as he had !een counse ed" Since he was a cowherd, he !ecame famous everywhere as *ora'sa" Even now, if you have pure 'arma, you may !e initiated !y him-you wi then !e a! e to hear the sound of his drum on specia days though others wi not hear it"

<aurangi
The story of how <aurai gi received his name '$em!er of the 4o!!er's *ang' is as fo ows: /s was said !efore, the prince, whose im!s had !een cut off, ay at the foot of a tree" /cinta had given him initiation and instructions concerning the vase-!reathing techni6ue, and had to d him, 32hen you o!tain siddhi, your !ody wi !ecome as it was !efore you were harmed"3 /fter /cinta had given these instructions, he eft" <aurai gi then meditated as he had !een to d" Twe ve years ater a group of roya merchants !earing go d, si ver, g ass, and other precious things, trave ed

through that particu ar area-which was 'nown for its ro!!ers and thieves" Eight came, and the prince, having returned to the foot of his tree, heard the sounds of footsteps" 32ho is it93 he as'ed, and the merchants, thin'ing him to !e a thief or a ro!!er, rep ied, 32e are coa dea ers"3 The prince rep ied simp y, 3So !e it"3 2hen the merchants arrived home they saw to their horror that their go d and other precious things had turned to coa " They tried to thin' how this cou d have happened5 they were very confused" Then one of the more thoughtfu of the merchants said, 32hen we were trave ing at night, someone as'ed us: '2ho are you9' Eo dou!t that person has the power to spea' words that come true" Let us return to him and see if that is indeed the case"3 The merchants returned to the woods, and seeing a man with his im!s cut off sitting underneath a tree, to d their story to him" They then as'ed the prince to remove his words of truth" The prince rep ied, 32hat happened was not what - had intended" But since it occurred, et there !e whatever precious things there were !efore"3 The merchants returned home and saw that their precious things had indeed !ecome as !efore" They wondered at this, and returned to the prince with gifts and to te him what had occurred" The prince to d them a!out the words of his guru, and then said, 3Let my !ody resume its former state"3 /nd it was so" Having attained a the powers of siddhi, the prince performed miracu ous things" But ho ding his doctrines to !e too important to give to men, he gave them instead to his tree" The tree !ecame immorta , and it sti eCists, so it is said" This ends the story of the immorta <aurai gi"

?inapa
?-napa, whose name means 'the $an 2ho . ays the ?-na', came from the country of *hahuri, and was !orn of roya fami y" His guru was Buddhapa, and he o!tained his siddhis from Heva)ra" VInapa was the only son of the king of Ghahuri, and his parents and the people were very fond of him. He was rought up y eight nurses, ut he preferred always to sit in the !ompany of the musi! masters. "hen the prin!e played the vina, he e!ame totally involved with the sound of the musi!, and !ogni#an!e of the other things of the world simply did not enter his mind. His father and mother, the assem ly of ministers, and the people dis!ussed the matter$ %The prin!e is the heir&apparent to the throne, and yet he is not interested in the affairs of the kingdom' he is interested only in the vina. "hat should e done(%

"hile this dis!ussion took pla!e, a well&e)perien!ed yogin, Buddhapa, !ame efore the prin!e. The prin!e took faith in him. *ir!umam ulating and giving reveren!e to the yogin, he spoke sin!erely with him. The yogin remained in the !ompany of the prin!e for only a little while efore he saw the time had !ome to train him. He then said to the prin!e, %+ prin!e, would you not like to pra!ti!e the ,harma(% The prin!e replied, %+ yogin, I !annot give up my instrument. If there e)ists a method of a!!omplishing the ,harma without giving up the vina, I will pra!ti!e it.% The yogin, upon eing asked, then gave him the initiation whi!h ripens the unripened !auses, and the following instru!tions for meditation$ %Give up distinguishing the sound of the vina from the hearing of it. -editate so as to make the two&the e)perien!e of the sound and the idea of it&into one.% The prin!e meditated in that way for nine years, and purified the stains of the mind. Having produ!ed the inner e)perien!e whi!h is like the pure light of a lamp, he o tained the -ahamudra, and generated in himself the many auspi!ious a ilities, su!h as !lear understanding and others. Be!oming known in all dire!tions as the yogin VInapa, he taught count ess doctrines to the assem! ed citi:ens in the cities of *hahuri" Fina y, having narrated his eCperiences, he went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Santipa
8uring the time when (ing 8evapa a he d dominion over the cities of $agadha, there was a great mon' and teacher of Brahman caste in ?i'ramaGi a named 4atna'arasanti" He had mastered the five fie ds of earning and had !ecome a great and very high y respected scho ar, his fame spreading in a directions" There was a so at that time a 'ing of <ey on, (a!ina !y name, who !y his merit did not ac' any desira! e 6ua ity" Though the teachings of the Buddha had not !een previous y 'nown in <ey on, he had heard good things a!out the Buddha 8harma from men who had come from -ndia" As of that time, he had not met with anyone who cou d teach the 8harma, !ut he heard that there ived in $agadha a great master, a teacher named Santipa" So 'ing (a!ina and the peop e of <ey on sent out a messenger to

invite the master to come to their country" 2hen the messenger arrived at ?i'rama"Si a, he !owed down to Santipa and payed homage from the 'ing of <ey on" He de ivered gifts of go d, si ver, pear s, and si ', saying, 32e are peop e at the edge of the wor d" 2e have !een dimmed !y the dar'ness of ignorance5 we !urn in the fires of the passions5 we are tormented !y the weapons of anger" The vision of 'now edge has !een covered !y the stains of wrong views" The i!erating path, the 8harma of the *reat ?ehic e of the $ahayana, has !een dispersed" If you have any compassion at a for us, it wou d !e fitting to consider coming to the and of Sinha a" - as' this for the sa'e of iving !eings"3 The master, ref ecting on these sentiments, announced that he wou d go" Thereupon Santipa, together with an assem! y of students two thousand strong, set forth, carrying the Scriptures on horses and e ephants" They wandered progressive y to the cities of Ea anda, +dantapuri, 4a)agrha, Bodhgaya, and others, and then came to the shore of the Si &"ha a ocean" There they sent a messenger ahead, and the master with his company !oarded a !oat and departed for <ey on" 2hen the messenger arrived in <ey on and announced that Santipa was coming, (ing (a!ina, his ministers, and a the peop e were as happy as if they had attained the first eve of Bodhisattvahood" They turned their minds away from wor d y activities and directed their thoughts to the shore of the ocean" 2hen a wee' had passed, the peop e saw signs: paraso s and e ephants-and they re)oiced" They swept the road c ean from their city up to the ocean, covering the road with c oth for the master to wa ' upon" (ing (a!ina and his peop e honored the master with f owers and incense, with f ags, and the other various instruments of honor "" For three years, from the honored p ace on a high seat, the master preached many doctrines from the Scriptures" Then Santipa and his students prepared to return to centra -ndia" (ing (a!ina and a the peop e gave them horses and e ephants, go d, si ver, and pear s, in immeasura! e 6uantities" The company then set out on the ongest route to return to ?i'ramasi a" Eow, when (ing 4amanapo a'a of 4amesvara was searching for a wife, he had !ui t a great temp e and insta ed in it an image of $ahesvara, the '*reat Lord' Siva" This is how the city of4amesvara got its name" The master had his company ta'e provisions for a wee', for they were to

trave towards that city a ong a "road where they wou d meet no man for seven days" They had trave ed a ong the road for on y four days, when they met with the fortunate Togcepa, whose story of initiation is to d in another p ace" Fina y, Santipa and his circ e arrived at ?i'ramasi a" The master had !ecome very o d and ! ind, and his !ody cou d no onger function proper y" His discip es fed him with yogurt and sugar, for he had to give up rough food and cou d eat on y sma 6uantities" The master was now a ready a hundred years o d" For twe ve years, Togcepa had meditated without conceptions, whi e Santipa had remained in the rea m of con SA. ceptua i:ation" -n that twe ve years, Togcepa had perfected the highest 8harma-nature" Because of this, whi e Santipa had to !e cared for !y his discip es, a the gods and 75 a'inis gave reverence to Togcepa, pouring am!rosia over his head-which contented him great y" The gods and 75 a'inis reverenced him as the actua ?a)rasattva, and through his spiritua efficacy, the auspicious o!)ects which constitute the wea th of the gods !egan to increase" Togcepa said: 3Fnti o!taining the instructions of the guru, - dug on y in the outer mountain" /fter - o!tained them, - dug in the mountain of the mind and o!tained siddhi"3 ndra and the gods of the thirty-three heavens then invited Togcepa to the divine a!odes, !ut Togcepa refused, saying to them, 3- wi give reverence to my teacher, for my guru is 'inder than even a Buddha"3 Then Togcepa arrived at ?i'rama"Si a in a moment, though oo'ing with the eye of 'now edge, one cou d see it was a siC months' )ourney !etween cities" -n his menta !ody, Togcepa !owed down to his guru, though he was unseen !y his teacher's retinue" Togcepa then revea ed himse f in his actua physica !ody and did measure ess reverences" 2hen Togcepa put his head to the master's feet, Santipa as'ed, 32ho are you93 3- am a student of yours,3 Togcepa rep ied" 3But - have had num!er ess students,3 said Santipa, 3and - do not recogni:e you"3 3- am Togcepa,3 was therep y, and the two masters recogni:ed one another and )oyfu y set to conversing" Santipa said to his student, 32hat a!i ities and 6ua ities have you o!tained9'9 /nd Togcepa answered, 3Having eCperienced the instructions of my teachers, - have tru y o!tained the most eCce ent 8harma-!ody of $ahamudra"3 The guru Santipa then said, 3Though - have spo'en much, have not practiced very much and have not met with the

actua meaning" Since you have chief y practiced and have not spo'en, you have encountered the meaning direct y" have forgotten that - gave instructions to you5 now you must instruct me" 2hatever factors and 6ua ities there are, teach them to me"3 So, in a 6uiet p ace, Togcepa revea ed the many 6ua ities of the 8harma-!ody to his guru" /nd the guru, 4atna'ara" Santi, carried out his own previous instructions, and in twe ve years attained the highest siddhi of$ahamudra" Having aided the aims of iving !eings, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Tantipa
-n the city of Sandhonagara, there ived a weaver with many sons" Through his weaving, he !ecame possessed of immeasura! e wea th, and married wives of good fami y to a his sons" He continued to ive with them, and the entire fami y of this weaver prospered without measure" The wife of the weaver died when the weaver himse f was eighty-nine years o d and had !ecome aged, decrepit, and infirm in !ody" He wou d eat successive y with each of his daughtersinaw, !ut everyone aughed and made fun of the !ehavior caused !y his age" The daughters a met together, for they saw that peop e were turning away from seeing their o d father-in- aw, and they were accumu ating evi " 3Let us !ui d aKthatched hut in the garden,3 they said, 3and feed him there"3 They a agreed to this, and acted according y"

By chance, the guru %a andharapa came to that area and went to the house of the weaver's e dest son, as'ing for food" They invited him to sit down, and when the wife had comp eted the coo'ing preparations, she invited him in" The guru went inside and ate the food prepared for him" /s the guru %a andhari was preparing to eave, the wife of the weaver said to him, 3*uru, s eep here" 8o not go to another p ace"3 But he rep ied, 3- do not s eep among men"3 To this the wife said, 3Then p ease s eep in our garden"3 /nd they ed him out to the garden and set a amp there" The o d weaver heard the sound of a man, and wondering to himse f who it might !e, as'ed, 32ho is that ma'ing the noise93 3- am a guest, a man of the 8harma,3 the master answered" 32ho are you93 3- am a weaver,3 was the rep y, 3the father of the house" 2hen - was a young man, - was the rea owner of this p ace and its property" Eow a my sons and daughters-in- aw ridicu e me, so - have !een put here in this garden" -ndeed, the things of the wor d are insu!stantia "3 Then %a andharapa said to the weaver, 3/ composite things are impermanent" / the wor d is painfu " / eCisting things are without su!stance" +n y nirvana is peacefu and happy" 8o you want the 8harma which is provision for death93 /nd the weaver said, 3- want it"3 %a andharapa then gave the weaver initiation in the manda a of Heva)ra, gave him secret instructions, and started him meditating" The guru then went e sewhere" The weaver committed the guru's instructions to memory, !ut he did not te these instructions to any of his fami y" He practiced for twe ve years and o!tained many 6ua ities which were not o!served !y men" /t this time, the e dest son had )ust finished weaving a fine c oth of si ', and was giving a party to ce e!rate, so"he forgot to !ring food to his father" That night, the daughter-in- aw remem!ered, and unseen !y her hus!and and the guests, went to ta'e food to the o d man" -nside the hut, there was a great !ri iance" The o d weaver was surrounded !y fifteen maidens, and there were many 'inds of food in view" The woman, seeing ornaments and c othing not !e onging to the wor d of men, hasti y returned to the house" She said to her hus!and, 3*o and see your o d fatherD3 The hus!and !egan weeping, thin'ing that his father was dead, !ut the other men went into the garden to oo'" / of them saw these things and were ama:ed"

/fter returning indoors, they said among themse ves, 3This is not human-it must !e the wor' of a demon"3 But !y the neCt morning, the news had spread, and a the peop e of Sandhonagara came and gave reverence to the weaver" He then came forth, transforming his !ody into that of a siCteen-year-o d youth" $easure ess rays of ight arose from his !ody, and none cou d !ear to oo' upon him" His !ody was i'e a po ished mirror, and everything appeared as ight" The o d weaver !ecame famous everywhere as Tantipa, and he did measure ess deeds for the !enefit of iving !eings" Fina y, he went !odi y to the rea m of the :+a'as, together with an uncounted number of iving !eings from Sandhonagara" By having faith and devotion and istening to the instructions of the guru, this o d man was a! e to gain the success of$ahamudra in this very ife"

<amaripa
The name <amaripa means 'the Shoema'er'" -n the city of Visunagara there were eighteen different artisan castes, and <amaripa's caste was that of the shoema'ers" He practiced his trade on o d and new shoes, and his time was comp ete y ta'en up in wor'ing" +ne day, a yogin happened !y" <amaripa !ro'e off immediate y from his wor', put his hands to the feet of the mon', and spo'e to him saying, 3am disgusted with samsara and wou d i'e to practice the 8harma" But since - have not met with a spiritua friend, have not even entered the door of the 8harma" - as' you to te me the 8harma for the !enefit of !oth this ife and the neCt"3 The yogin answered, "If you are a! e to practice the 8harma, - wi give it to you"3 The co!! er then as'ed the yogin if he wou d eat food in his ow-caste home, and the yogin rep ied, 32hen - return tonight, - wi do so"3 /fter

this, the co!! er announced the arriva of the yogin to his wife and her he pers" 2hen the yogin returned that night, the shoema'er aid out a seat, washed the yogin's feet, and offered him various nourishment" The wife and daughter offered him a the necessities, and massaged him with oi " Then the yogin, !eing p eased, initiated the co!! er and his wife and gave them these instructions: Let the menta distortions and conceptions !e the eather" +n the !oard of friend iness and compassion, with the dri of the guru's instructions, sew proper y with the cords of giving up the eight wor d y concerns" Then a shoe, a miracu ous resu t, wi appear" This wondrous shoe of the 8harma-!ody wi not !e understood if you ho d to wrong views" 3*ive up the p easant and the unp easant !y the thread of non-grasping" Let a the mar's and conceptions !ecome the eather" $editate on ma'ing the marve ous shoe of the 8harma-!ody !y sewing the eather with the thread of your own eCperience and the guru's instructions"3 32hat eCperiences wi arise when - meditate in this way93 as'ed the shoema'er" The yogin rep ied: 3First a fee ing of disgust with samsara wi arise" Then gradua y the e ements wi merge into the 8harma-nature"3 /fter saying these words, the yogin disappeared" The shoema'er then eft his o d house and went to a 6uiet p ace, where he meditated" Later, the signs arose progressive y )ust as the guru had said" Through the ana ogies of his craft, the shoema'er came to understand the siC root distortions and the ignorance that under ies them5 he produced a c ear understanding, and made the shoe of the guru's instructions" He practiced for twe ve years, traversing the entire rea m of ignorance" 2hen <amaripa c eared away a the stains of ignorance, he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" 8uring those twe ve years, he meditated without distinguishing the words of his guru and the ma'ing of shoes, and too' no notice of day and night" / the shoe craft was done !y ?isva'arman, so it was not 'nown in Viisunagara that he had attained success in meditation and in the accumu ation of 6ua ities" +ne day, however, one of the men of his gui d came to

visit him, and was ama:ed when he saw the shoema'er meditating and ?isva'arman wor'ing" +ne !y one, others came to see, unti everyone had seen this" They then gathered together and as'ed the shoema'er for instruction" He taught the !enefits of re ying on the guru" Then, after having preached many doctrines to iving !eings in Visnunagara, he !ecame 'nown everywhere as the yogin <amaripa" Having wor'ed for the !enefit of immeasura! e iving !eings, he went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(hadgapa

(hadgapa, 'the $an with a Sword', came from the country of $agadha" He was of ow caste, his guru was the yogin <arpati, and he o!tained the sword siddhi which is one of the eight shared powers" (hadgapa's father had !een a farmer, !ut (hadgapa gave up this wor' to !ecome a thief" 8ay and night, his thoughts were directed toward on y one thing-stea ing" /t one time, this thief went into a city of $agadha in order to stea , !ut he returned empty-handed" +n his way home, he passed through a cemetery and came upon <arpati" He as'ed him what he was doing there, sitting i'e that, and <arpati rep ied, 3- am practicing meditation, for - fear !irth and death in samsara"3 32hat good wi come of practicing meditation93 as'ed the thief" To which the yogin rep ied, 3Since the yogin attains high !irth as the resu t of his meditation and can even attain that happiness which is the fruit of the fina good, wou d not even you i'e to practice the 8harma93 3/dmira! e though the 8harma may !e, since - must continua y !e ro!!ing, - do not have the eisure to sit meditating in a cemetery" 2hat do you thin' - am, a 'ing's minister9 - as' for a power !y which - can ta'e what - want when - am ro!!ing a house, and not get caught !y anyone, even if there is a strugg e"3 So the yogin gave the ro!!er initiation and instructions: 3-n the and of $agadha, in the city of *orisama'ra, there is a structure with the outer form of a stiipa" 2ithin it there is a chape 5 within the chape there is a statue of /va o'iteHvara, fi ed with spiritua power" <ircumam!u ate the statue for three wee's without sitting down either day or night" Even eat whi e standing" Then, when you see a sna'e come out from under the foot of the figure, fear ess y gra! its head" Then you wi o!tain power"3 2ith these words, the yogin set him to practicing" The ro!!er too' the instructions to heart, and practiced according y" -n twenty-one days, a great ! ac' sna'e came out from under the foot of /va o'itesvara" The ro!!er gra!!ed its head, and the sna'e changed into a sword: thus he he d the shining sword of 'now edge in his hands" He then purified himse f of the menta stains of stea ing, and o!tained the siddhi of the sword" He !ecame famous under the name of the yogin (hadgapa, and having purified himse f of a de usions of !ody, speech, and mind, preached the 8harma to everyone in $agadha for twenty-one days" Having eCp ained his c ear understanding, he went !odi y into the rea m of the 8a'as"

Eagar)una
Eagar)una ived in a p ace ca ed (ahora, a section of (anci in eastern -ndia" He was of Brahman caste, and he o!tained siddhi from Tara" There were =,GBB cities in (ahora, and a of them had !een p undered and despoi ed" The Brahmans gathered together and decided to eave the strife-torn and and go to another country" The master heard this and sent a messenger to these Brahmans, counse ing them not to go to another and, for they wou d find suffering

in those p aces as we " Then he gave them a his property and wea th" /fter this, the master eft (ahora, and having come to Ea anda, on the other side of the Sitavana, he !ecame a mon'" $astering the five sciences, Eagar)una arrived at the pinnac e of 'now edge" Then, !ecoming disgusted with )ust preaching, he set himse f to practicing, and saw Tara face to face" He then a!andoned the home and sustenance of Ea andawhere a!ide the hundred assem! ies of the 8harmacirc eand !egged a ms in another city" 2hen again he returned to his home, he thought to himse f: 32ith such a menta attitude as - now have, - wi not !e a! e to accomp ish the !enefit of iving !eings"3 -n order to o!tain the 6ua ities to !enefit iving !eings, Eagar)una went to 4a)agrha" +n the first day of reciting mantras, twe ve demonesses of the principa order of demons shoo' the earth" +n the second day, they caused water to f ood" Fire appeared on the third day, and on the fourth, a great wind" +n the fifth day, a rain of weapons fe , and on the siCth, a rain of stones" +n the seventh day, a the demonesses appeared in their own form and threw things around, !ut they did not frighten the master out of his meditation" Then these demonesses of the Eorth came to him and said, 32hat can we do to serve you93 3Serve me enough to sustain me5 - need nothing more,3 Eagar)una said to them" So every day from then on, they gave him four handfu s of rice and five vegeta! es" The master ate these and practiced for twe ve years" 8uring this time, one hundred and eight demonesses gathered under his power, and his thoughts were on doing !enefit for iving !eings" Eagar)una then went to the mountain *hadhaSi a and considered transforming that mountain into go d for the !enefit of iving !eings" He made the mountain first into iron, and then into copper" But then the ho y $afi)usrr counse ed him that the go d wou d !ring a!out a great 6uarre among the peop e, and evi wou d accumu ate" Hearing this, Eagar)una a!andoned further effort" ,et to the du -witted *hadhaH a sti appears as a copper-co ored ump" /fter this, Eagar)una trave ed south toward Sriparvata" 0@ / ong the way, he came to the shores of the Brahmaputra where he met a group of cowherds" He as'ed them a!out a passage across the river, anci they showed him an inauspicious way which was fi ed with ravines and crocodi es"

But another cowherd came a ong who cautioned him a!out the river and showed him a !etter p ace to cross" /nd the cowherd set out across the river carrying the master on his !ac'" -n the midd e of the river, Eagar)una caused crocodi es and other fearfu things to appear, !ut the herdsman continued on, saying, 3,ou need not !e afraid whi e - am sti a ive"3 The master then did away with the apparitions" Then they came to the shore, the master said, 3- am the /rya Eagar)una" 8o you 'now me93 3- have indeed heard ta ' of you,3 said the herdsman, 3!ut - did not recogni:e you"3 3,et you have saved me from the river" 2hat can give you as a reward93 The herdsman was e ated" 3- wou d i'e a method to !ecome 'ing,3 he said" So the master c eared away some ground, sprin' ed water on the trun' of a sa a tree, and it immediate y turned into an e ephant" 3That wi !e your vehic e,3 said Eagar)una" 2hen the herdsman as'ed him if he wou d need an army, the master rep ied, "If the e ephant trumpets, an army wi appear"3 It occurred eCact y as was said: the cowherd !ecame (ing Sa a!handa, his 6ueen was ca ed Sindhi, and he ru ed over the eCtraordinary city of Bhahitana" Fnder this 'ing there were eight hundred taC-paying cities of =BB,BBB peop e" The master went south to Sriparvata, and he remained there practicing meditation" But (ing Sa a!handa missed his guru" He went to Sriparvata, gave reverence to Eagar)una, and circumam!u ated him" 3Since my 'ingdom has sma va ue and arge pro! ems, my unhappiness is increasing" - do not need a 'ingdom" - as' on y to sit !efore the eyes of the master"3 38o not desert your 'ingdom,3 rep ied Eagar)una" 3Let the precious rosary !e your master" 4u e the 'ingdom, and wi give you the e iCir which removes fear of death"3 The 'ing was chagrined" "If it is necessary to ru e the 'ingdom at the same time as - o!tain the e iCir, then - wi do so" But hope it is not necessary"3 / though the 'ing did not want to return to his 'ingdom, !ut on y wished to remain in that p ace, the master gave him instructions to practice in his own country" The 'ing then accomp ished the a chemica art, and for one hundred years he ru ed the 'ingdom" 8uring that time, the peop e !ecame wea thy, and even the !irds and wi d anima s in the mountains ived happi y" /fter one hundred years, the 'ing had reason to go again to Eagar)una, who was wor'ing to eCtend the teachings of

the Buddha" The evi spirit Sunandesvara had grown )ea ous and was producing various misfortunes and disruptive omens" The moon and the sun had !ecome dim and without uster5 a the fruit was rotting spontaneous y5 the rain did not fa at the right time5 and famine was aff icting the peop e" Sic'ness and war increased" The trees and forests were drying up, and various other unfortunate signs were appeanng" (ing Salabhanda ref ected on this, thin'ing that these portents were a sign that harm had come to his guru" He gave the 'ingdom to his son <andhi'umara and together with on y a few of his fo owers, he went to Sriparvata to the presence of the master, who as'ed him, 3$y son, why have you come93 The 'ing rep ied: Either - and the peop e have eChausted our fortune, or the <on6ueror's teachings have decayed" +r the dar'er ha f has !ecome the victor5 or the great compassion white i'e the moon, has !een covered !y demons i'e rainc ouds" 2i the ho y guru who is i'e a diamond fo ow the nature of compounded things9 - have come !ecause these signs have occurredout of your compassion, p ease remain in the wor d" The master rep ied, 3/ that is !orn must die" / compounded things must disintegrate" / accumu ations are spent" Since a compound things are impermanent, why are you unhappy9 Ta'e the e iCir for yourse f and go"3 3The e iCir is there in front of the guru" If the guru wi not remain in the wor d, what need - of die e iCir93 /nd so the 'ing remained" Then the ho y master made gifts of a his property" 2hen the god Brahma appeared as a Brahman and !egged for his head, Eagar)una agreed to give it to him" The 'ing, Sa a!handa, cou d not !ear suffering the death of his teacher, and aying his forehead to the foot of the master, he died" Everyone turned on the Brahman and ! amed him for this" The master then gave his head" However, no one cou d sever it5 so he fina y had to cut off his own head, which he did with a sta ' of 'usha grass" 2hen he then gave his head to the Brahman, a the trees withered, and the peop e's merit degenerated" Eight of his yaksis were set to guarding the master's !ody5 they are sti there" / ight then entered Eaga!odhi, the guru's successor, and emanated for a!out a month during the year in which ight emanates" -t is said that the !ody of the master wi rise

in the future, and wi aid iving !eings when the Buddha $aitreya appears"

Kanhapa
The master (anhapa is a so 'nown as the master Krsnacari He ived in Somapuri, his guru was %a andhari, and he was of the scri!e's caste" (anhapa was a mon' of the vihara of Somapuri, which had !een !ui t !y (ing 8evapa a" Having !een initiated and given the instr:uctions of Heva)ra !y the guru %a andhari, (anhapa practiced for twe ve years" +ne day, the earth shoo', and he saw the

divine hosts of Heva)ra" /t this he !ecame very happy" But a da'ini said to him, 3B we -!orn son, since these signs do not have any specia va ue, you shou d not fee !oastfu 5 you have not rea i:ed the truth"3 ,et when (anhapa stepped up onto a stone and san' his footprint into it, he !ecame very proud" He ignored what the da'ini had said, thin'ing that he had o!tained every power of siddhi" /nd when he was a! e to raise himse f so that his foot did not touch ground !y a cu!it's height, his pride grew even greater than !efore" Soon seven um!re as and seven drums came down from the s'y to accompany him5 when he heard the characteristic sounds of the e ements, he considered that he had o!tained the powers of siddhi !y his own means" Then he said to his students: 3Since - have o!tained such powers of siddhi, et us go to the demonic rea m of Lan'a, the and of ra'sasas, to wor' for the sa'e of iving !eings"3 He set out at once with an entourage of three thousand students" 2hen they came to the ocean, (anhapa went on without sin'ing into the water, thin'ing in his heart: 3Even my guru does not have the a!i ities - have"3 His pride grew greater, whereupon his powers eft him, and he san' into the water" /s the waves showed him his end, he oo'ed up and saw his guru %a andhari appear in the s'y" 32here are you going, (anhapa,3 as'ed %a andhari, 3and what are you doing93 (anhapa !ecame ashamed" 3- was setting out to the demon's rea m of Lan'a" Be ieving my powers to !e greater than my guru's, my powers eft me" Because of my pride, san' into the water"3, 3This wi not do,3 said his guru" 3-n my country of Sa iputra, where a righteous 'ing named 8harmapa a resides, there ives a discip e of mine, a weaver" *o to him and do whatever he says"3 2hen (anhapa decided he must act according to his guru's instructions, he regained a his former a!i ities" His feet did not touch the ground5 um!re as and drums appeared in the s'y5 he eft his footprints in stone" Together with his circ e of three thousand discip es, he went to Sa iputra" Leaving his discip es in one p ace, the master went in search of the weaver" He met many weavers on the road and eCamined them c ose y, !ut they a needed too s to sp ice together yarn that had !een cut" Fina y Kanhapa came to a p ace at the outs'irts of town where a weaver ived" He tested him, and saw that he, of a the weavers, was a! e to sp ice cut yarn" Having determined that he was certain y the right weaver, Kanhapa circumam!u ated him and did reverence"

32i you isten to what - te you93 the weaver as'ed" Kanhapa agreed to do so" They then went to a cemetery" <oming upon a corpse, the weaver said to Kanhapa, "If you are a! e to eat that meat, then eat it"3 Kanhapa too' out his 'nife, and !egan to trim the f esh" 3%ust eat itD3 said the weaver, and so Kanhapa transformed himse f into a wo f and ate the f esh" 3,ou can on y to erate eating f esh when you ta'e another shape,3 said the weaver" Then the weaver made three pe ets of great odor and offered one to Kanhapa, saying: 3Eat itD3 Kanhapa refused, saying, 3.eop e wou d scorn me"3 Then the weaver ate one pe et5 the gods of heaven carried away one, and the nagas from !e ow carried away the other" /fter that, !oth Kanhapa and the weaver returned to town" The weaver !ought food and wine with five pennies, saying: 3*o summon a your fo owers, and assem! e them in a circ e"3 Kanhapa thought, 3This food wi not satisfy even one man5 how can it feed three thousand93 But he assem! ed his students" By the miracu ous power of the weaver-yogin, the vesse s !ecame fi ed with rice-paste and other de icious things" The fo owers cou d not consume the a!undance of good things even in seven days" 3,our food and drin' are i'e an ocean which cannot !e eChausted,3 said (anhapa" Then, when (awapa and his fo owers were a!out to eave, the weaver spo'e: Listen" Those yogins who separate wisdom and means !ring themse ves down i'e chi dish peop e" -t wi do you no good to go to another p ace" 3The paraso s and drums are trivia achievements" ,ou have not rea i:ed the 8harma-nature, so continue to practice"3 (fu: J: apa did not i'e to hear this, so he went to a p ace ca ed Bhando'ora, a city a hundred mi es from the vihara ofSomapuri in the East" As he was approaching the city, he saw a gir at the foot of a tree, whose fruit is ca ed ychee" 3*ive me a fruit,3 (anhapa ordered the gir " She did not want to give him one, so the master, !y his manner of ga:ing, caused a fruit to drop" However, the gir , !y her manner of ga:ing, caused the fruit to !e refastened to the tree" (anhapa !ecame enraged, and !egan to utter mantras against

the gir " B oo6 dripped from a the gir 's im!s, and she fe to the ground" The peop e !ecame indignant" 3Those who ca themse ves Buddhists have great compassion" ,ogins do not 'i D3 they said" So (anhapa ca med his mind, eCtended his thoughts of compassion to the gir , and withdrew the spe " But in doing so, he dropped his own protection, and the gir cast a spe on him" (awapa !ecame very sic', vomiting ! ood and a so osing it from !e ow" He said to a da'in'i named Bandhe: 3-n the South, on the mountain Sr'iparvata, there is a medicine which is good for this vomiting of mine" *et it and give it to me"3 -n one day Bandhe arrived in Sr'iparvata, a though the road she too' ordinari y ta'es siC months to trave 5 and she o!tained the medicine" Seven days a ong the return road, Bandhe came upon the same gir as !efore, who had now transformed herse f into an o d woman and was sitt)ng !eside the road, crying" 32hy are you crying93 as'ed Bandhe" 32hy shou dn't cry93 the woman rep ied" 3The yogin Kanhapa is dead and am destitute"3 Bandhe thought, 3The medicine is of no use now"3 So she threw it on the ground, and the o d woman carried it off" The da'in'i then hurried to the house where (anhapa was staying, and she saw that he was not dead" 32here is the medicine93 as'ed (anhapa" Bandhe to d her story: / as, she was without it" Then, for seven days (anhapa eCp ained the 8harma to his assem! y of students and gave them the instructions of ?arah'i 'with the cut-off head'" The master then dropped off this !ody of ripened 'arma and went to the rea m of the 8a'as" The da'in'i Bandhe grew angry and went oo'ing for the girl" She cou d not find her in the rea ms of the gods a!ove, or in the ower rea ms of the nagas, or in the midd e rea m of men-!ecause the gir was hiding within a tree ca ed the Shim!hi a" The da'in'i found her, cast a spe , and 'i ed the tree" +ne shou d 'now that pride and )ea ousy are hindrances"

(arnaripa
(arnaripa was !orn of a miracu ous !irth from among the four possi! e modes of !irth" He went to the monastery of Sri Ea anda, where he was made master of a the mon's and where he had a hundred thousand pupi s" But though he sought instructions from many masters, rea i:ation did not come forth" +ne day he heard that the great master Eagar)una was residing in the South, and with considera! e faith and )oy, he set out on the southern road" +n the shore of a great ocean, the ho y $an)usri appeared in the form of a fisherman" (arnaripa saw him, gave reverence to him, and presented a manda a to him" 3- am going to the southern ands where the master Eagar)una a!ides" . ease show me the way,3 he said" 3Eagar)una ives within the thic' forest over there, practicing a chemy,3 said

the fisherman" (arnaripa went to the forest and he saw that the master, having co ected the necessary materia s for a chemica operations, was preparing them" 8oing reverence, (arnaripa made his re6uest" Eagar)una cared for him and gave him encouragement" (arnaripa was initiated into the manda a of *uhyasama)a, and having !een given instructions, he sat down to meditate in front of the master" Eot far from this thic' forest, there was a city where the two masters wou d go to !eg a ms" (ari; aripa received sweets as his a ms, !ut the master Eagar)una did not" 3Because these a ms of yours were given !y a ustfu woman, they are not sweet,3 said Eagar)una" "It is not auspicious for you to o!tain sweet food" EeCt time, do not put it on the top of the arge eaf you use to co ect food, !ut ta'e it up on the point of a need e"3 (arnaripa then accepted a itt e rice grue , which he ate instead" The neCt day, the women made wheatca'es and put a sorts of sweets on top of them" (ari; aripa too' them up on the point of a need e and, in tum, served them to his guru" Eagar)una then as'ed him, 3How did you o!tain this93 3too' it )ust as my guru had said - shou d do,3 (arnaripa rep ied" 3From now on,3 said Eagar)una, 3you are not to go into town" Stay inside the house"3 .arnaripa o eyed and remained there, ut while he was there, a tree goddess appeared in her true form and served him many sweet foods. /he gave him reveren!e and praised him. He took these alms and served them to his guru, who asked, %0rom whom did you get these(% %1 tree&goddess rought them,% .arnaripa replied. The holy master went out to the tree goddess to dis!over the truth. He looked for her, ut he did not see her in her true form' he saw only an arm up to the shoulder. %2ou showed your true form to my student,% the master said. %"hy is it that you do not show it to me(% %2ou have not a andoned a portion of your mental distortions,% said a voi!e from the tree. %2our dis!iple has a andoned su!h mental distortions without remainder and so he saw me.% Both the master and the student !onsidered these words. %It is ne!essary to take the eli)ir of the al!hemists,% 3agar$ 4una said. He gave it to 1ryadeva 5as .arvaripa was now !alled6 and he himself also took some. Then .arnaripa smeared the eli)ir on a arren tree and the tree grew leaves. "hen the master saw this, he smiled. %If you .smear my al!hemi!al eli)ir on a tree, !ome ring some of the eli)ir to me.% %I will serve it as you wish,% said .arnaripa. He then

put his own water into a full water&vessel and stirred the water with a sti!k. It e!ame as the essen!e of the al!hemists. Then he pi!ked up the eli)ir and offered it to his master. 3agar4una dis!arded the eli)ir on a arren tree, and the tree grew. In this way, the master determined whether or not his student's reali#ation had grown. /eeing that .arnaripa's e)perien!e of reali#ation had arisen, 3agar4una spoke$ %,o not stay in samsara.% Immediately upon hearing this, .arvaripa prepared to go into the sky, ut suddenly a woman who had followed him, did reveren!e to him. %"hy do you want to do reveren!e to me(% .arnaripa asked. %I must have your eye,% the woman answered" 3- am !ound !y attachment to your eye5 nothing e se is necessary for me"3 The master too' out his right eye and gave it to her" /nd he !ecame 'nown as /ryadeva, '2ith +ne Eye'" /ryadeva #(arnaripa& then mastered the instructions of Eagar)una" He purified the stains of his mind and was comp ete y freed from a !onds" He praised the words of his guru, and rising seven ta as into the air, he preached the 8harma to many iving !eings, causing them to !e free of !onds" 2ith his hands fo ded, !ut with his feet up in the air and his head !e ow, he did reverence to his guru sitting !eneath him" Then /ryadeva went to the top of the heavens where the gods of the height caused a rain of f owers" /fter that he !ecame invisi! e"K This ends the story of the master /ryadeva, who has the second name, the guru (arnaripa"

Thaganapa
Thaganapa means 'the $an 2ho / ways Te s Lies'5 this is his story" Thaganapa ived in the east of -ndia, and as a resu t of his 'arma, he made his iving as a man of ow caste" +ne day, whi e sitting on a tree trun', he entered into thought, considering in what ways he cou d te ies to others" / we -discip ined mon' came near him and as'ed, 32hat are you doing here93 3,our reverence, - do not want to say,3 he said" 3Te me without ying,3 said the mon'" 3-f you ie, there are various 'inds of 'arma produced" ,ou may !e re!orn in he " ,ou wi want to ie and others wi not trust you" The resu t ref ecting the cause is that a !ad sme wi come from your mouth and you wi spea' devious y" The predominant resu t wi !e that in the future state, your tongue wi !e i'e a p ow in a roc'y fie d, producing fruit of

itt e vigor"3 Thaganapa had never rea i:ed what resu ts wou d come from his ying" Having heard these words, he !ecame very afraid, and spo'e truthfu y to the mon': 3,our reverence, am ca ed Thaganapa" - am a ways ying and have not spo'en even a hundredth part of a hair of the truth" 2hat can - do a!out my ying93 32i you practice the 8harma93 as'ed the mon'" "If your reverence wi preach the 8harma to me" But since have !een accustomed to ying from ear y on, - may not !e a! e to give it up so easi y"3 3There are instructions which do not re6uire giving up ying,3 said the mon'" Fpon hearing this, Thaganapa !ecame happy and said, 32ou d you 'ind y grant me that 8harma93 The mon' initiated him in a way appropriate to his !odi y constituents, mind, and dispositions" He instructed him that )ust as one uses water to remove water from the ear, so ying can !e the antidote to ying" He to d Thaganapa to meditate on things !eing fa se from the very !eginning5 and his menta stream !ecame fu y mature" The essence of the teachings is as fo ows: 3/ eCisting things which are o!)ects of 'now edge are from the !eginning, fa se" Everything eCperienced !y the siC sense facu ties and the siC o!)ects-your seeing and hearing and so forth-is fa se" So meditate on everything as on y fa sehood"3 /s for the eCisting things of this wor d of appearances, what is not 'nown to !e true is seen as fa se" -ndeed, 'nowing and the o!)ects of 'nowing are a fa se5 so if the siC senses and their o!)ects are fa se, where do you find the truth9 /nd so you remain in the misery of samsara" B chi d, if you do not recogni:e the fa se as fa se, you ta'e it as true5 and i'e a waterwhee , you are ost again and again in samsara" Therefore you shou d actua y meditate on the fa seness of a eCisting things" %ust as words are fa se, so a so are the physica forms and such" So grasping this, meditate on the fa se" Having !een instructed in this way, Thaganapa meditated on a the data of consciousness as fa se" -n seven years, the rea i:ation arose that this wor d of appearances indeed appears fa se y5 and he rea i:ed that a eCisting things are fa se" Because of this, he turned away from ho ding them as

rea " /gain the guru came and eCp ained: 3The eCisting things are not efficacious, even as fa sehoods" Since their very nature is empty, these eCisting things are neither created nor destroyed" $editate now in this way"3 Thaganapa came to rea i:ation in that way" He too' conceptua i:ation as his path, and he o!tained siddhi" -n a directions, he was 'nown as the guru Thaganapa" He gave instructions to many fortunate ones, and in this very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Earopa
Earopa came from a fami y of wine-se ers, !ut he himse f gave up this fami y profession" -n Sa iputra, in eastern -ndia, he earned his iving !y gathering wood" Eow, Earopa heard it to d that there ived, in Visnunagara, a very wise man named Ti opa" Thereupon Earopa eCchanged his oad of wood for a ! ac' ante ope's pe t, too' up the ha!it of a yogin, and fina y set out in search of the yogin Ti opa" He came to Visnunagara and as'ed for the yogin, !ut the master had gone off, eaving everyone !ereft" Earopa wandered through the and, !ut did not find him" Fina y, after a ong search, he met Ti opa on the road" Earopa did reverence, and circumam!u ated Ti opa saying, 3B guru, are you in good hea th93 3- am not your guru and you are not my student,3 said Ti opa" /nd in anger he !egan to thrash Earopa, !ut Earopa's faith on y increased" Earopa then gathered a ms in a c ay pot and presented them in front of his guru-who !ecame angry and !eat him as !efore" Earopa's faith increased even more" He ate the remaining food and made circumam!u ation" Earopa !rought a ms again in the evening, and the neCt morning he went out for more" -n this way, for twe ve years, he did reverence !efore the guru without despairing, a though the guru did not spea' any words to him eCcept in anger" +ne day, Earopa was !egging a ms where a wedding was ta'ing p ace" He received great amounts of food of rriany different 'inds and a 6uantity of a very tasty dish ca ed 'green patasa' which had eighty-four different ingredients" He gave this dish to his guru" The guru ate it and was so p eased that he said: 3$y son, where did you get such food9 2ho gave it to you93 Earopa fe t the eCtraordinary )oy that is o!tained in the first Bodhisattva stage" He thought to himse f: 3For twe ve years - stayed near my guru and he did not even say '2ho are you9' Eow he has said '$y son'"3 /s he ref ected on this, Earopa !ecame very happy" 3Son,3 said Ti opa, 3go get me some more of this de icious dish"3 Four times Earopa went to get the food, and everyone in the house was g ad to give it to him" The fifth time, Earopa was ashamed to as' again, !ut fe t that if he did not get it, the guru wou d !e disp eased" So he ;went to as' once more5 seeing that a the guests of the househo der were distracted, he sto e the pot fu of food and carried it away" 2hen he presented it to his guru, the guru was most p eased" Earopa was initiated with ! essings and given the instructions of ?a)ravarahi" /fter

meditating for siC months, he o!tained siddhi and !ecame famous everywhere under the name Earopa" From every direction, peop e came to ma'e offerings to him, and a ight arose from his heart that was visi! e for the distance of a month's trave " /fter wor'ing for the !enefit of count ess !eings, he fina y went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Sha ipa
The name Sha ipa means 'the 2o f-man'" Sha ipa5 who was of ow caste, ived in the city of ?ighasura near a cemetery where pac's of wo ves how ed at night" 8ay and

night, without ceasing, Sha ipa ived with the fear of wo ves on his mind" +ne day, a mon' came to his home and as'ed for food" Sha ipa !rought him food and drin', and the mon' preached the 8harma in compensation for what he was given" Sha ipa then !owed to the feet of the mon' and spo'e open y: 3,our 4everence, the 8harma which you give as payment is very wonderfu indeed" But if you have a doctrine which gives rise to fear essness as we , p ease give it to me"3 38o you fear the misery of samsara93 as'ed the yogin" 32hat other than that cou d you !e afraid of93 3Fear of the misery of samsara is universa ,3 said Sha ipa" 3Every!ody has that" But - ive near the cemetery, and - am afraid of the how ing of wo ves" $y fear is a ways with me, day or night" It app ies to me a one" If there is a teaching which wi !e of !enefit, p ease give it to me"3 3There is a mantra which wi he p cure fear,3 said the yogin, 3But first of a , there must !e an initiation"3 Sha ipa re6uested the initiation and presented many things, as we as go d and si ver, as an initiation fee" He received these instructions: 3To rid yourse f of fear, meditate unceasing y on the fact that a the various sounds of the wor d are identica to the how of a wo f" Bui d a itt e dwe ing in the cemetery and ive there"3 Sha ipa acted according y and meditated in this way" /nd he overcame his fear of "wo f-how s when he rea i:ed that a sounds were insepara! e from emptiness" Freed from his own fears, he produced an un!ro'en state of great )oy5 after meditating for nine years, he purified the stains of mind and !ody, and he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" He carried a dead wo f on his shou ders, and !ecause of that practice, he was 'nown everywhere as the yogin Sha ipa" He gave many instructions a!out the insepara!i ity of emptiness and appearances to those ready for such teachings, and fina y, in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Ti opa
-n the and of Bhigunagara, there ived a very earned master named Ti opa" He was the o!)ect of the 'ing's devotion and worship and was given a su!sidy of five hundred go d coins every day" +ne day he !ecame distur!ed whi e preaching the 8harma to the measure ess circ e of students that surrounded him" He ref ected on the meaning essness of his ife, and fi ed with this thought, desired to s ip away" His fo owers tried to prevent him from doing so, !ut when he was a one, the master put aside his monastic gar! and dressed himse f in patched c othing" He wrote a etter and eft it in his house: 3- wi not return again" 8o not come after me"3 8uring the night, he eft" Ti opa sett ed down in a cemetery in the city of (anci, where he too' food and provender and practiced" Earopa

came to him and offered food, and whi e iving i'e this, Ti opa purified the stains without remainder" /fter practicing for ten years, he o!tained the success of $ahamudra" Having gone to the rea m of the gods, Ti opa was given food offerings !y the deities" Having o!tained the successfu powers of !ody, speech, and mind, he !ecame famous in a directions as Ti opa" He set measure ess num!ers of persons on the path, and wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings" Fina y, in this very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

<atrapa

<atrapa, 'the Beggar 2ho <arries a Boo'', ived in Sandhonagara, and though he was a !eggar, he carried a sma dictionary in his hand" +ne day he met with a we discip ined yogin who as'ed him, 32hat are you doing93 3am !egging for my ive ihood,3 <atrapa rep ied" The yogin then as'ed him, 38o you not need the path for your neCt ife93 But the !eggar as'ed the yogin, 3How shou d - regard such a path93 The yogin then initiated him into Heva)ra and gave him these instructions: <onfess a your sins5 meditate )oy a day and night" Loo' to your !ody for what you have done !efore5 what wi happen ater depends on your mind" 2hen you have meditated thisK way for a ong time, the signs wi arise progressive y, and you wi o!tain Buddhahood in this very ife" But <atrapa did not understand the meaning of this" The guru eCp ained:3 'Sin' means ignorance, and from it a sorts of de usions arise" But if you ho d to the view that rea i:es that the wor d of appearances is $ahamudra, your sins wi !e purified" 3 '$editate )oy, day and night' means that if you meditate compassion continuous y, the ! iss of the 8harma-nature wi arise !y itse f" If one does not ho d the deeds of past and future as a!so ute, the mode of iving which arises from inner power wi !e perfect" 3'2hat wi occur ater' means a your happiness and misery arise from your mind" It depends on whether or not you are sti c inging to your attachments" 3 '-n this way for a ong time' means you shou d cu tivate vigor and eCamine the mind undistracted y" -f you meditate in this way, you wi turn away from the mind's de usions -and as a resu t, you wi o!tain Buddhahood in this very ife"3 $ter the guru had given his instructions in this way, <atrapa meditated in Sandhonagara" -n siC years, he o! tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" /nd !eing famous in a directions as the guru <atrapa, together with a circ e of five hundred, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Bhadrapa
-n a p ace ca ed Manidhara, there ived a Brahman who was accustomed to diverting himse f with a wea th of amusements and companions" +ne day, after ta'ing eave of his friends, he was ta'ing a !ath when a we -discip ined yogin came to his house, as'ing for food" The Brahman said to him, 3*et out of here" ,ou are impure" By coming here, you po ute my home" $y househo d and my friends wi see me here with you and wi gossip" *et out"3 But the yogin said, 32hat do you mean 'impure'93 3-' te you what - mean,3 the Brahman rep ied" 3,ou don't !athe" ,ou go around without c othes" ,ou carry a s'u as a cup" ,ou eat po uted food" ,ou are of ow caste"

So get out"3 3That is not impurity,3 said the yogin" 32hen the !ody, speech, and mind contain unvirtuous 6ua ities, that is impurity" By washing the !ody, you do not purify the defi ements of the mind" That which c eans the stains of the mind are the guru's instructions-which are pure from the very !eginning"3 /nd he continued: Those of the $ahayana fami y are the highest, Ksatriya or Brahman are not as good" 2hi e it is not good to have a dirty !ody, mere y !athing with water wi not ma'e you pure" +n y the instructions of a we -6ua ified guru can wash you comp ete y c ean" The highest food and drin' are without attri!utions5 rice and mi ' cannot accomp ish that" 2hen the yogin had spo'en this and more, the Brahman too' faith, and as'ed the yogin to give him instructions" The yogin answered, 32e , - wi do as you as' if you give me food"3 "If you teach me the 8harma here in my home,3 said the Brahman, 3my househo d and friends wi !e suspicious" wi go to where you ive" 2here are you staying93 3- ive in a cemetery,3 the yogin rep ied" 3<ome there, !ringing wine and por'"3 3-f it is improper for a Brahman even to pronounce the words 'wine' and 'por'', how can it !e proper to carry them with me93 But the yogin rep ied, 3Bring them if you want the instructions"3 3- cannot as' for these things !y day,3 said the Brahman, 3so - wi come to you at night"3 The Brahman, disguising himse f, went to the mar'et and !ought the wine and por', after which he went to the cemetery and presented them to the yogin" The yogin ate some himse f and gave some to the Brahman" He then gave the Brahman the initiation which transfers spiritua power, and the Brahman offered a manda a" The yogin then made the Brahman sweep the house to !rea' his pride in caste, after which he eCp ained the sym!o s of right understanding" He had the Brahman p aster the wa s, and then he eCp ained the sym!o s of proper activity: 3The co or of the p aster is the sym!o of meditation" The con)unction of the three-the wa , the p aster, and the act of app ying it-is the sym!o of the resu t"3 The Brahman, rea i:ing the meaning of these sym!o s, understood that the wor d of appearances is the pro)ection of

i usion" He a!andoned a conception of caste, and he !ecame a yogin" -n siC years of meditating, he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra, and !ecame famous everywhere as the yogin Bhadrapa" He wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings, and fina y, with a circ e of five hundred fo owers, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very ife"

(handipa
(handipa or 8hu'andi, if trans ated, means 'He 2ho $a'es Two into +ne'" He was of the sweepers caste, and was a !eggar in the city of*ha"%&Lapura" He made his c othes !y

co ecting scraps from the gar!age pi es and s'i fu y patching them together" +ne day, a we -discip ined yogin came a ong and as'ed him how he cou d ive in such misery and poverty" 32ou dn't you rather practice the 8harma93 The !eggar rep ied, 32ho wou d teach the 8harma to me93 3- wi teach you,3 said the yogin, and initiated the !eggar into <a'rasamvara" He gave him instructions on the 8eve oping Stage, the .erfecting Stage, and their Tota -ntegration" The !eggar tried to meditate, !ut found himse f thin'ing a!out sewing c othes, and did not want to continue" 3do not want to meditate this morning,3 he said to the yogin, 3!ecause - have distracting thoughts"3 The yogin then gave instructions which wou d ta'e these thoughts as path: ECisting things are in suchness5 there is no sewing or things to !e sewn" The gods and mantras are i'e that5 and the rea i:ation of this is the 8harmadhatu" 2hen the !eggar meditated according y, he ost the thoughts of sewing c othes, even osing the gods and mantras in the rea m of the 8harma-nature" He rea i:ed the 8eve oping Stage, the .erfecting Stage, and their Tota -ntegration" -n twe ve years, he o!tained the siddhi of$ahamudra" He wor'ed for the !enefit of count ess iving !eings and went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

/)o'ipa
The name /)o'ipa means 'the La:y Bum'" -n the city of Sa iputra, there was a son of a househo der, who was very fat" +f the four modes of action- ying down, sitting, standing, and wa 'ing-his most common mode was the first" His parents and re atives chased him out, saying, 32hat good is a son i'e this93 He came to a cemetery, and there he ay down" / yogin happened a ong, and upon seeing the !oy, compassion arose in him" Eow, the yogin had o!tained food and drin' in the city, which he then gave to the young man" But the !oy did not even get up to eat the food" "If you wi not get up to eat,3 said the yogin, 3what in the wor d can you do93 3$y parents got rid of me !ecause - cou d do nothing,3 /)o'ipa rep ied" 3<ou d you not use the 8harma whi e you are ying there93 as'ed the yogin" 3- cou d indeed,3 said /)o'ipa, 3!ut

who wou d teach the 8harma to one i'e me93 3- wi give it to you,3 rep ied the yogin, and he gave him the initiation of Heva)ra" He gave instructions on the stages of the Lesser <onsummation: 3-n the meditation of the Fpper 8oor5 meditate condensing the three wor d systems into a drop, the si:e of a white mustard seed, on the tip of your nose"3 /)o'ipa then as'ed, 32hat signs wi occur during this meditation93 3$editate and you wi 'now them,3 was the yogin's rep y" /)o'ipa meditated in this way, and having disso ved the image of the three wor d systems and the mustard seed into emptiness, he produced the rea i:ation of $ahamudra" He meditated for nine years, and he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" /fter wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings, he went in this very !ody to the and of the 8a'as"

(a apa
(a apa's country was 4a)apura, and his guru was a yogin with a we -discip ined mind-stream" /s a resu t of meditating onK patience in a previous ife, (a apa had a very handsome appearance, which caused the peop e of 4a)apura to ga:e at him and fo ow him around" (a apa !ecame so upset at this that he went to a cemetery where he remained" / we -discip ined yogin came !y and as'ed him, 32hat are you doing, staying here in the cemetery93 The man rep ied, 3- am staying here !ecause peop e wi not eave me a one"3 3Eow then,3 said the yogin, 3don't you need the 8harma93 3- do indeed need the 8harma, !ut who wi give it93 The yogin rep ied, "If you need the 8harma, - wi give it to you"3 /nd he initiated him into <a'rasamvara, setting him meditating on the goa s of the 8eve oping and the .erfecting Stages" /fter the man disso ved the dua istic idea

of se f and other into the rea i:ation of the 8eve oping Stage, the .erfecting Stage, and the -ntegration of the two, he acted according toK the spontaneous !ehavior arising from inner power" The peop e of 4a)apura a ca ed him a cra:y man, !ut he said: Some things are he d as se f, some appear as other: These two appear to have an a!so ute nature" If the wise understand these correct y, the divine hosts of conceptua i:ations within the etter / dissipate i'e the rain!ow in the s'y" /rising, duration, and cessation no onger pertain to me, the <ra:y +ne" $y !ehavior arising from non-dua power is ! issD The c ear unceasing rea i:ation is ! issD $editating unceasing y on the siC assem! ies is ! issD The effort ess resu t is ! issD He then rose seven ta as in the s'y and disp ayed various mirac es" From then on, he was ca ed the guru (a apa" Later he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

8hom!ipa
-n the city of Sa iputra, there ived two men of the washerman caste, father and son, who made their iving !y washing c othes" / we -discip ined yogin came a ong and !egged food from them" They gave a ms to him, and they a so as'ed if they cou d wash his c othes" The yogin then too' in his hand a piece of coa : "If you wash this coa , can you c ean it93 he as'ed" "It is the nature of coa to !e ! ac'5 not even washing it wi ma'e it white,3 rep ied the son" 3,et you wash on y the outside,3 said the yogin" "If - do not purify the stains of the three inner poisons, it wi do me no good to wear c othes c eansed on y !y an eCterna washing" ,ou must wash things many times to 'eep them c ean, yet there are instructions that ma'e washing once sufficient" have these instructions5 do you not need them93 32e do

indeed,3 they rep ied" The yogin then initiated the two men into <a'rasamvara" He gave them the instructions, and ! essed them with mantras, mudras and samadhis" They meditated for twe ve years, purifying their !odies !y mudras, their speech !y mantras, and the stains of their minds !y samadhi" This is the essence of their instructions: By the sca ding water of mudras, the stains of the !ody are c eansed5 !y the water of vowe s and consonants, the stains of speech are purified" %oining the hero and heroic ady, the stains of the mind are wiped away" They according y performed the mudras and recited the mantras" Having meditated on the mind as insepara! e from the 8eve oping and .erfecting Stages, they purified the stains of !ody, speech, and mind" 2hen they o!tained the siddhi of$ahamudra, the c othes were c eansed !y themse ves without the men having to wash them" The peop e saw this, and rea i:ed that the washermen had perfected these 6ua ities" They !ecame famous in a directions as 8hom!ipa5 they wor'ed for the !enefit of sentient !eings, and after a hundred years, went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(an'ana
-n a p ace ca ed Visnunagara, there was a 'ing who, having fu y deve oped his 'ingdom, did not ac' for any desira! e 6ua ities" +ne day, a we -deve oped yogin came to that p ace as'ing for a ms" The yogin said to the 'ing, 3,our $a)esty, the 'ingdom is without su!stance" Samsara is i'e a watermi of !irth, o d age, and death5 every wor d y rea m is painfu " There is no end to the various 'inds of pain, for even in paradise, there is the pain of transformation" Even the grand monarch of a wor d-system can fa into a !ad destiny" 8esira! e things are deceiving, and they evaporate i'e dew" ,our $a)esty shou d !e without attachment, and practice the 8harma"3 "If there is a method of practicing the 8harma which does not force me to give up the things - i'e, then give it to me" If there is none, we , - cannot ive !y eating a ms and

wearing patched c othes,3 said the 'ing" 3.atched c othes and a ms for food are the very !est way,3 said the yogin" "It is important for ,our $a)esty to ta'e up such a ife"3 3.atched c othes disgust me, and the idea of eating eftovers in a s'u cup disgusts me even more" - cannot do it" /t that, the yogin said, 34u ing the 'ingdom with such pride as yours, you wi sure y eCperience the misery of a !ad destiny in a ater ife" There is, however, a method which !rings )oy as its resu t which does not mean patched c othes, eftovers, or a s'u cup"3 /nd he to d the 'ing that there was indeed a method of practicing the 8harma which does not mean giving up desira! e things" The 'ing responded, 32e then, - wi practice that 8harma" . ease show it to me"3 The yogin then instructed the 'ing: 3,our $a)esty, give up your pride and attachment to that shining !race et on your arm" <om!ine the unattached mind and the ight of the )ewe s into one, and meditate"3 The yogin then gave the 'ing the fo owing instructions: The ight of the !race et radiates everywhere" Loo' at it" It is the )oy of your own mind" The many sorts of outer ornaments produce many 'inds of co or, !ut their own nature does not change" -n the same way, the various appearances give rise to many memories and ponderings, !ut the mind itse f is radiant i'e a )ewe " The 'ing then directed his mind to the !race et on his eft arm and meditated" Having eCperienced the mind itse f through these o!)ects of desire, he o!tained siddhi in siC months" 2hen his retinue oo'ed through the door they were ama:ed at the sight of a circ e of count ess divine maidens" They re6uested instructions from the 'ing and he said: The eCperience of the mind itse f is 'ing5 *reat B iss is the 'ingdom" The integration of the two is the highest en)oyment" If you need a 'ing, do i'ewise" He preached to his court and to a the various peop es of Visnunagara, and he !ecame 'nown as (an'anapa, 'the $an with the Brace et'" /fter five hundred years, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

(am!a a
-n the and of (an'arama, there was a 'ing who ru ed some H,>BB,BBB cities" He had two sons" 2hen this 'ing died, the e dest son, due to his p easing nature, was consecrated as 'ing !y the subjects. Because of the 'ing's virtues, the inha! itants a prospered5 they ived in uCury, eating from p ates of go d" /fter !ecoming 'ing, the prince, who had not seen his mother for many months, as'ed, 32here has my mother gone9 2hy does she not come to see me anymore93 3She is

grieving for your father,3 was the answer" /fter a year had passed, his mother came to him crying" 32hy is my mother crying93 he as'ed" 3- am crying !ecause - am not happy that you are sitting on the )ewe ed throne, ru ing the 'ingdom"3 So the prince said to his mother, 32hat if - were to set my younger !rother to ru ing the 'ingdom and entered the monastic order9 2ou d my mother then !e happy93 3That wou d !e the right thing to do,3 she said" So he gave the 'ingdom to his younger !rother, entered the order, and remained in a vihara together with a circ e of three hundred mon's" But again his mother came to him weeping" He greeted her and said, 3$other, why are you crying93 3- am sti not happy,3 she said" 3Though you are in the monastic order, you are )ust i'e a 'ing in the midst of a !ust ing crowd"3 32hat then shou d - do93 as'ed the prince" 3/!andon this !ust e for an iso ated p ace,3 she rep ied" So he gave up the vihara, and he sat at the foot of a tree in an iso ated p ace, getting his provisions !y !egging a ms" /gain his mother came to him and wept" The son greeted her, and said, 32hat shou d - do now93 /nd his mother said, 32hy are you ho ding on to those sense ess monastic imp ements of ive ihood93 So he discarded his mon''s ro!e and !ow and such and too' up the ha!it of a yogin" He went into another country and, on the way, his mother, who was a da'ini, initiated him into <a'rasamvara and eCp ained the 8harma" The son s ept in the ashes of the cemetery and practiced for twe ve years" He o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra, and went to the heavens" His mother, together with many L"a'inis, fo owed him to the heavens and said to her son, 3+f what use is this great wonder, this wa 'ing in the s'ies, if you do not wor' for the !enefit of sentient !eings9 If you are a! e to do so, wor' for the !enefit of iving !eings"3 So the master set out for the west to $a apura in FL"L"iyana, a city of 0GB,BBB inha!itants" -n a p ace ca ed (ar!ira, in an iso ated p ace in Banava, he sat in a cave ca ed 'The +pening at the Top of the Ta as'" The witches of the area noticed his presence" +ne witch informed another, and the 6ueen of the witches, admadevi, together with her entourage, went to o!struct him" The master, wearing a ! ac' woo c oa', went to !eg a ms in the town" +n the road, he met with a witchgir , who came up to him saying, 32e have prepared food for you5 p ease come into our house"3 3- do not eat inside houses,3 the

master rep ied" 3- go a!out !egging"3 He departed, !ut he entrusted his woo garment to .admadevi and the others" The witches then ran away with it, saying: "If we are to diminish his power, we must eat this woo en garment"3 So they ate it, and !urnt what was eft over" 2hen the master returned, he said to the witches, 3*ive me the woo en c oa' - entrusted to you"3 But the witches gave him another woo en c oa' instead of his own" 3- want my own garment,3 the mastcr said" They offered him go d in eCchange, !ut he wou d not ta'e it" The master then went !efore the 'ing, saying, "If you are the 'ing, why do you not protect me against ro!!ers93 32hat ro!!ers93 as'ed the 'ing" 3,our witches who too' my woo en garment,3 the master rep ied" The 'ing then summoned the witches and ordered them to return the woo en ro!e to the yogin" But they c aimed they did not have it, and they did not give it up" The master went to the cave of the Top of the Ta as, and there he practiced" He offered torma to the da'inis, and when the witches dried up the water in the cave, the master to d the earth-goddess to give forth water, and the water arose aga=n" The master then summoned a the witches from a four continents to $ount $eru, at which time he turned them a , inc uding the 6ueen, into sheep" The 6ueen, ta'en !y surprise, p eaded with the master to change them !ac' to their origina form, !ut to no avai " He sheared the f eece off the head of a the sheep, and when he turned them !ac' into women, they a had shaven heads" / so whi e staying in that p ace, the gods of the 8esire 4ea m sp it a roc' so that it wou d fa on him-!ut the master pointedK his forefinger up, and the roc' went !ac' into the s'y and remained there" The 'ing then advised the witches, 32hat is the matter with you9 So many witches cannot contro himD ,ou shou d su!mit to him"3 But the witches wou d not isten" The guru then !ound a the witches, after saying to them, 3Sha - give you over to ,ama, the (ing of the 8harma9 +r wi you remain in my teachings, and !e true to your oath93 Fearfu of the master's power, the witches too' the refuges, and remained true to their oath" The witches then disgorged every !it of the woo ro!e which they had eaten" The master co ected a the pieces, and putting them in order, found the ro!e was on y a itt e shorter than !efore" Then, ta'ing the ro!e with him, he departed"

He !ecame famous under the name (am!a a or Lvapa" For count ess years he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings, and in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Tengipa
Tengipa was a Brahman, a minister of (ing -ndrapa a of Sa iputra" He and the 'ing !ecame disgusted with samsara, so they !oth went to the cemetery where Luyipa ived, and 'noc'ed on the door of his hut" 32ho is there93 as'ed

the master" 3The 'ing and his minister,3 they rep ied" Liiyipa then we comed them in, and after they had first su!mitted their !odies as an initiation fee, initiated them into the manda a of <a'rasamvara" They went into a foreign and, +dissa, and there the three, master and students, !egged a ms" -t was there that the 'ing was so d, as is to d in the story of 8ari'a" The two, the master Liiyipa and the Brahman minister, arrived a wee' ater at %intapura, the p ace of a Buddhist 'ing" They went to the residence of a wine-se ing woman, and finding the chief wine-se er at home, Liiyipa said to her, 3B Lady, wi you p ease !uy him93 From the inside, she rep ied, 3- wi !uy him" How much do you want93 3Three hundred go d coins wi do,3 he said" She paid the price, and too' the Brahman away" /s the master was eaving, he said, 3For such a price, may he s eep a one5 and et him go when your money is regained"3 The Brahman was very happy carrying out his duties as a wine-se er, and eventua y he !ecame the chief of the woman's who e househo d" Then one day, a though he had finished his day's wor' at the inn, he was not !rought his food" 2hen night came, he went to s eep in the garden, !ut sti the wine-se ing woman had not sent food" 2hen fina y she remem!ered and sent food to him, those who !rought him his food saw five-hundred divine maidens ma'ing offerings to the Brahman, whose !ody was shining" They reported this to the woman, and she repented of what she had done" She said to the minister, 3- have sinned for ma'ing you wor' these twe ve years" . ease, to ma'e up for this, wou d you consent to !e my o!)ect of reverence for twe ve years9 wi ma'e offerings to you and honor you"3 He did not accept the offer, !ut instead, after preaching the 8harma to the wine-se ing woman and the peop e of %intapura, he gave them instructions for practice" He then went to the rea m of the 8a'as with a retinue of seven hundred" Because he performed the wor' of a rice-hus'er, he !ecame 'nown as Tei gipa, and so it is said in this verse: Tei gipa who recited the ?edas too' up the idea of hus'ing rice" He a ways hus'ed the rice carefu y, gathering it into pi es !y hand" He !eat the rice grains !y the guru's instructions5

the dar' rice grains he !eat" /t first, he pounded sin with virtue, !y the pest e of va)ra 'now edge" He shone i'e the sun and the moon, in the emptiness of the mortar" He pounded ac6uiring and renouncing into nondua ity, and churned his conceptions with the sound of HUNG The pure !utter of great )oy arose, and he tasted the f avor of non-dua ity" Tei gipa was so d to the wine-se ing woman !ecause of his considera! e attachment to his !eing a Brahman5 the wine-se ing woman, having ta'en him in, cut down his pride in caste"

Bhandhepa
Bhandhepa means 'He 2ho Ho ds the *od of 2ea th'" His and was Sravasti:5 his occupation was iconpainter5 his guru was the master Krsnacari! +ne day, when Bhandhepa was a!iding in the s'y, he saw a ho y arhat wa 'ing through the s'y dressed as a mon', carrying a !ow , a wa 'ing staff, and paraso " The arhat was radiant and ma)estic" Bhandhepa, ama:ed at this sight, as'ed ?isva'arman: 3B Eo! e +ne, who is this wondrous man who goes through the s'y in such a manner93 ?isva'arman answered, 3That is a ho y arhat who has a!andoned the defi ements"3 Bhandhepa, desiring to !ecome compara! e, returned to % am!udvipa" He re6uested the 8harma from the master Krsnacari, who initiated him in the *uhyasama)a and gave him instructions on the Four

-mmeasura! es as methods of yogic protection" Having produced the fruits of compassion, happiness, friend iness, and e6uanimity in meditation, he purified a the poisons of de usions and wrong views" He o!tained the $ahamudra siddhi, and !ecame famous in a directions as the yogin Bhandhepa" 2hen ?isva'arman in6uired of him, he rep ied: ?ision without perceptions, meditation without cutting the f ow, deeds i'e mother and father, and resu ts i'e the s'y" These are the four - see without distinction" How can one succeed !y ho ding things wrong y9 Beho d, one shou d a ways re y' on a guru who is a master of wonders" For four hundred years Bhandhepa spo'e in this way and wor'ed for the we fare of measure ess iving !eings in the siC great rea ms of Sravasti" Then, together with four hundred fo owers, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

Tandhepa
Tandhepa, 'the 8ice-p ayer', was a person of ow caste in the and of(ausam!i Having eChausted a of his wea th !y continuous y p aying dice, he was soon penni ess" He continued to compu sive y p ay dice, !ut since he had ost a of his money, everyone avoided him" He !ecame so de)ected that he went to a cemetery and remained there" / yogin came a ong and said to him, 32hat are you doing here93 Tandhepa rep ied, 3- ove to p ay dice, !ut have ost my entire fortune" Both my !ody and mind are tormented, and so - am staying here"3 The yogin then as'ed him, 32ou d the 8harma !e of use to you93 To which Tandhepa rep ied, 3- cannot give up dice-p aying" But if there is a teaching which wou d not ma'e me give it up, then cou d use it"3 3There is such a one,3 said the yogin, and he

gave him initiations and instructions: 3$editate on the three wor ds !eing emptied )ust as your purse is emptied when you p ay dice" $editate on the mind itse f !eing empty, as empty as the three wor ds"3 %ust as you can get rid of a fortune at dice, you can get rid of conceptions !y the dice of 'now edge" ,ou shou d pound the conceptions into the 8harma-!ody )ust as you are now pounding on yourse f" %ust as sure y as you s eep in this cemetery, you wi rest in great )oy" Tandhepa meditated according to the way he was taught, disso ving the conceptua i:ations of the three wor ds into the 8harma-nature" -n this way, he ac6uired the 'now edge arising from the c ear understanding that everything is without se f-nature" Having o!tained the fruit of $ahamudra, he said: -f at first distress did not arise, then how cou d - enter the path of i!eration9 If - had not ta'en recourse to my guru with faith, how wou d - have entered the highest siddhi9 /fter he had spo'en, he rose in the s'y, and in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

.ukkuripa
+nce there was a Brahman from (api a"Sa'ru who too' faith in the mantra vehic e" Ta'ing up the practices of a yogin, he went a!out !egging for provisions" +ne day, he came across a starving fema e puppy on the road that eads to the city of Lum!ini" Fee ing compassion for her, he intended to ta'e her with him to the city" /fter oo'ing a around, he found an empty cave where he eft the puppy whi e he o!tained provisions" He then decided to practice in that p ace" /fter twe ve years, he o!tained the wor d y siddhis such as c airvoyance and other powers5 he therefore was invited to the heavens of the thirty-three gods" /nd so he went there, eaving the dog in the cave !y herse f" Left without the man, she dug into the earth5 water and food arose, and so she remained in the cave"

The gods made offerings to the yogin,K !ut then he remem!ered his dog of former times" 2hen he started to return, the gods tried to prevent him, saying, 3Having o!tained your a!i ities, it is not right to ho d ideas such as that of a dog" ,ou shou d remain here"3 They repeated this again and again, ho ding him !ac'" However one day, he did not isten to them, and returned to the cave with its stream" 2hen he patted the dog, she !ecame a L"a'ini, who said: 2e done, we done, you are a son of good fami yD ,ou did not remain in those powers that hinder" ,ou wi attain the higher siddhi" The previous powers can deceiveyou have purified your wrong views" Having these a!i ities is not such a wonder" The mother wi !estow the ho y siddhis, the highest of great )oys without impurity" Spea'ing in this way, she gave him the teachings of the sym!o s which unite wisdom and method, and he o!tained the highest siddhi" The menta out oo' which is pure and unchanging arose, and from then on, everyone in Lum!ini ca ed him the guru (u''uripa" He worked for the !enefit of iving !eings, and together with an assem! y of peop e from the city of(api a"Sa'ru, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in that very !ody"

(ucipa
(ucipa, 'the $an with a Eec' Tumor', was a man of ow caste in (ari who made his iving !y wor'ing in the fie ds" +ne day, as a resu t of his previous 'arma, a tumor !egan to grow on his nec'" /s it grew arger and more painfu , he went to a one y p ace so that no one cou d see him" 2hi e he was iving there, the ho y Eagar)una came a ong" (ucipa too' faith in h"im and greeted him saying, 3,our 4everence, how wonderfu that you have comeD - am !eing tormented !y previous 'arma5 - can hard y endure this pain" . ease give me a method of freeing myse f from this hardship"3 The Ho y +ne rep ied, 3There is a method of i!eration from this" 2ou d you !e a! e to practice it di igent y9 If you are a! e, you can free yourse f from pain, using it as a method of going to great )oy"3 3,our 4everence,3 said (ucipa,

3why wou d - not !e a! e to practice di igent y9 - wi do itD3 So Eagar)una initiated him into the *uhyasama)a and gave him the instructions on the 8eve oping and the .erfecting Stages" He gave the teachings which ta'e pain as path in this way: 3$editate that the tumor on your nec' is growing arger" That is the o!)ective of the 8eve oping Stage"3 (ucipa meditated in that way, and the tumor !ecame arger than !efore and was sti painfu " /gain the Ho y +ne came and as'ed, 3/re you happy93 /nd (ucipa rep ied, 3Eo, - am in great pain"3 Eagar)una then said, 3$editate as the o!)ective of the .erfecting Stage that a eCisting things are contained in your tumor"3 2hen (ucipa meditated in this way, the tumor disappeared, and he was happy" /gain the Ho y +ne came and as'ed, 3/re you happy93 3- am happy,3 was the answer, and so Eagar)una gave these instructions: .ain and p easure arise from !eing and non-!eing" 2hen free from the notions of these two eCtremes, How can there !e pain and p easure9 ECisting things themse ves are empty of inherent nature" (ucipa came to an eCce ent rea i:ation of these things, and he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra without menta constructions" For seven hundred years he wor'ed for the !enefit of the iving !eings in (ahira" He !ecame famous as the guru (ucipa, and together with seven hundred fo owers, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

8harmapa
8harmapa means 'the $an 2ho Has the 2isdom *ained !y Study'" -n a p ace ca ed ?i'ramfumra, there ived a Brahman who studied di igent y !ut was without the wisdom of critica ref ection or meditation" +ne day, a yogin came a ong and said to him, 3Since you have done so much studying, there must !e much 8harma in your mind"3 3,ogin,3 the man answered, 3- have studied a great dea of 8harma, !ut - am not a! e to practice what - have earned" . ease te me, are there instructions that wi he p me to retain what - earn93 The yogin said there were and gave him the initiation which transfers spiritua power" He then gave him instructions on how to integrate the many themes of the 8harma: %ust as the partic es of precious meta !ecome we -fused !y the smith,

so the various things you have studied must me t together in your mind" /s this was said to him, 8harmapa understood it, as we as what it signified" /s he rea i:ed in his mind the unified who eness of the many doctrines he had heard, he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" He !ecame famous under the name of 8harmapa, !ecause he eCp icated the way of i!eration to those to !e su!dued" He then went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

$ahipa

$ahipa, 'the Braggart', was a man of ow caste who ived in the and of $agadha" He had great !odi y strength, !ut was a ways under the power of his pride, for he thought he cou d su!due any man or indeed any iving !eing" +ne day a yogin came !y and seeing him, said, 32hat are you thin'ing a!out9'' 3- am not thin'ing of anything,3 $ahipa rep ied" 32e then, what a!out 'there is nothing - cannot overpower'9 2hat do you consider that93 Thereupon $ahipa !ecame a !e iever and did reverence to the yogin, saying, 3- give you most respectfu greetings"3 The yogin, in rep y, to d him to purify the stains of his arrogance" 3. ease teach me how,3 said $ahipa" The yogin said he wou d teach him, and gave him the initiation which transfers spiritua power: ,ou shou d 'now that appearances are in the mind, !ut the mind is empty-not produced, not destroyed" $editation is ho ding to that without distractionas a resu t, the mind !ecomes the vast eCpanse" But $ahipa answered, 3- do not understand this"3 So the yogin then continued: Since you are powerfu , there is nothing you cannot su!due" These three-appearances, !reath, and wisdomyou must ho d to !e i'e the s'y's eCpanse" $ahipa was taught the instructions which ta'e contradictions as path" Thin'ing, 32hat is the difficu ty in that93 he he d to the path and persevered" Since he cou d not find an o!)ect, he was no onger conscious of !eing "the su!)ect" By the emptiness which is i'e the eCpanse of s'y, he o!tained siddhi" For three hundred years, he gave powerfu instructions to count ess !eings to !e converted in the country of $agadha, and with a circ e of 0GB fo owers, he entered the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

/cinta
-n the city of 8hanariipa, there ived a man of the wood-se er caste whose name was /cinta, which means 'He 2ho -s Beyond Thought'" He was very poor and onged day and night for wea th5 he had no other interest in the wor d than how he cou d o!tain money and fortune" But since these were on y daydreams, he !ecame discouraged and went off to a deserted p ace to !rood" The yogin (am!a a came a ong, saw this woodse er, and said, 3,ou are a one and si ent in this one y spot" 2hat is it that you are thin'ing a!m=t, sitting here93 3- am depressed, yogin, for my heart dwe s on money and wor d y fortunes" - cannot thin' a!out anything e se"3 3-f there were instructions to find wea th and fortune, cou d you practice them93 as'ed the yogin" 32ithout a method, - cannot practice

anything,3 the man said" /nd he re6uested instruction" The yogin then initiated him into <a'rasamvara and gave him these instructions on the profound .erfecting Stage: How can you o!tain wea th !y )ust wishfu thin'ing9 *ive up these daydreams, which are i'e the son of a !arren woman" The !est !ody has the nature of the s'y" <ontemp ate that your mind is as !right as the many stars, and you wi !ecome i'e the god of wea th himse f" 2hen these things !ecome evident, then everything you desire wi arise" The wood-se er meditated according y" He fused his ideas a!out wea th and fortune with the stars, and disso ved these stars into the nature of the s'y" /nd in this way, he !ecame devoid of conceptions" Then his guru came again and said, 3Having spo'en with no conceptions whatsoever, you have !ecome free of them"3 Since your nature has !ecome i'e the s'y, did you use it as an o!)ect, or what9 If you meditate free of co or and shape, in what way can you desire things9 Having rea i:ed the meaning of this, the wood-se er o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" He !ecame famous as the guru /cinta, and instructed others on the rea nature of Kthings, wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings for three hundred years" Then with a circ e of fo owers measure ess in eCtent, he went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Ba!hahi
The meaning of Ba!hahi is 'the $an 2ho *ets $i ' from 2ater'" -n the and of8han)ura, there ived a man of ksatriya caste, who was attracted to a the advantages of 'ingship" / we -discip ined yogin came to him as'ing for food and provisions" The ksatriya offered him food and drin', and then too' faith and as'ed for the 8harma" The yogin said, 3Faith is the root of the entire 8harma" The guru is the root of a siddhi"3 Then he gave him the initiation which transfers spiritua power and gave instructions on the nadis, prana, and bindu, in this way 5 2ith that specia !ody possessing method, miC the semen with the great ocean of ! ood, and ho d it in the manda a of the vu va" 2hen you have carried it to its proper p ace,

it wi spread within, causing un!ro'en )oy" 2hen you have overcome )oy with )oy, $editate that it is insepara! e from emptiness" Ta'ing this into his mind, he purified the stains o!structing his vision, and in twe ve years, he o!tained siddhi" He performed many !enefits for those to !e trained, saying: /s the 'ing of geese separates mi ' from water, the instructions of a revered guru draw out the e iCir of en ightenment" /nd in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Ea ina
-n the city of Sa iputra, there ived a very poor man, !y the name ofEa ina, 'the Lotus-root', who made his iving !y gathering otus roots from the a'es" +ne day, he met a yogin who preached the i s of samsara and the 6ua ities of nir vana" The man eCperienced a revu sion against samsara and said, 3B guru, p ease give me a method of gaining i!eration"3 Saying, 3- wi do it,3 the yogin initiated him into *uhyasama)a and gave instructions which use one's own !ody as method: -n the p ace of great )oy at the top of your head, visua i:e that there is a pure white HAM. <ause the etter 1- to appear at your nave , and et the H1- drip down in ! a:ing ight" 2hen the )oy, a!sence of )oy, greatest )oy, and the inherent )oy arise in order,

you wi cast away the i s of samsara, and wi ta'e the great )oy of i!eration" Ea ina meditated according y" %ust as the otus grows from the mud !ut is not covered with the mud from which it arises, the four )oys of meditation manifested themse ves in the four ca'ras" $editating, he was no onger enmeshed in the i s or conceptions of samsara" -n nine years, rea i:ing the meaning of his meditations, he purified the stains of his de usions" +!taining the siddhi of $ahamudra, for four hundred years he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings in Sa iputra" Together with GGB of his fo owers, he went in this very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Bhusuku
Be!ause Bhusuku, who was of the kl(atriya !aste, appeared to have an auspi!ious !hara!ter, he was a!!epted as a monk in the monastery of 3alanda. 1t this time, ,evapala was king, and he provided food and drink for the group of seven hundred mon's in the 8harma-circ e of Ea anda5 the a!!ot of the ordinary section of the four sections of the Sangha had a!out three hundred students" By their di igence, they had a !ecome s'i fu in the five sciences, eCcept for this ksatriya mon', who was very ethargic in his studies" $oreover, each morning he ate five fu !ow s of rice !ecause his appetite was i'e a raging fire" (ing 8evapa a said of him, 3This person is a husuku, a a:y !um"3 /nd so the mon' !ecame 'nown !y the name of Bhusu'u !ecause he did on y three things: eat, s eep, and wander around" It was the genera practice in Ea anda to have those

in the 8harma-circ e recite the Siitras in turn" The a!!ot, spea'ing for the entire p ace, said to Bhusu'u, 3Since you wi not ta'e your turn reciting the Siitras, p ease go e sewhereD3 But Bhusu'u rep ied, 3- have not !ro'en any of the ru es" It is not right to throw me out" -t is )ust that - have no uc' in earning academic su!)ects"3 So he was permitted to stay" But when it was again time for Bhusu'u to recite the Siitras, the mon's to d him to prepare we , !ecause this time he wou d have to ta'e his turn" He accepted that he wou d have to do it, and a the mon's ofEa anda p anned to come to hear him and augh at him" The a!!ot said to Bhusu'u, 32hen you shou d have !een studying, you were eating or s eeping instead of preparing the Siitras for the master of Ea anda"3 Bhusu'u rep ied, 3- wi recite the Siitras"3 The a!!ot then said to him, 3-f you cannot recite the Siitras, you wi !e eCpe ed"3 Bhusu'u said he understood" But he sti cou d not do it, so the a!!ot taught him the mantra of the ho y $an)usri'-/-4/-B/-TS/-E/-and to d him to recite the mantra during the night without s eeping" He set Bhusu'u to reciting the mantra with a meditation cord around his nec' and 'nee to prevent his do:ing" As Bhusu'u was reciting the mantra, the ho y $aft)usri appeared to him and said, 3How are you doing, Bhusu'u93 Bhusu'u rep ied, 3-n the morning, it wi !e my tum to recite the Sii"tras" -t is a!out this that - am ma'ing a re6uest to the ho y $aft)usri3 The ho y one said, 38o you not recogni:e me93 3Eo, sir, - do not,3 he answered" 3- am $aft)usr "3 3+hD3 said Bhusu'u" 3$aft)usri, p ease, - want the siddhi of the most eCce ent wisdom"3 3.repare your Sii"tra in the morning,3 said $aft)usr " 3- wi give you the 'now edge"3 Then $aft)usri disappeared" +n the morning of the Sii"tra-recitation, the mon's, the mass of peop e, and the 'ing arrived at the assem! y ha , a te ing each other how they had come to oo' at Bhusu'u" The imp ements of offering, the f owers, and so forth were then carried in, and the assem! y sett ed down, ready to have a good augh" Bhusu'u, having re6uested the mon''s paraso , went to the throne of the vihara without apprehension5 when he sat down, he !ecame eCtraordinari y radiant" Even though there was a curtain in front of Bhusu'u, everyone was wondering what was happening" 3Shou d - recite the Sii"tras in the way they have !een

done !efore, or shou d - eCp ain them in a way that has not !een done !efore93 as'ed Bhusu'u" The scho ars a oo'ed at each other whi e the 'ing and the peop e aughed" The 'ing said, 3,ou have deve oped a method of eating that has never !een seen !efore, and a method of s eeping and stro ing a!out that has never !een seen !efore" Eow preach us the 8harma in a way that has not !een done !efore"3 Bhusu'u proceeded to eCp ain the essence of the ten divisions of the Bodhi!ary!watara, and then rose up into the air" The five hundred scho ars of Ea anda, (ing 8evapa a, and the crowds of peop e a too' faith and threw f owers that near y covered Bhusu'u up to his 'nees" 3,ou are not a husuku,% they said" 3,ou are a master"3 The 'ing and a the scho ars ca ed him Santideva, '.eacefu 8eity', !ecause he 6uieted the pride of the 'ing and scho ars" The assem! ed scho ars re6uested him to ma'e a commentary" 2hen that was done, they as'ed him to !ecome the a!!ot" But he did not agree to that" He p aced in the temp e his most precious !e ongings as a mon', the mon''s ro!es and the !egging !ow , and to the surprise of the a!!ot and the mon's, he eft the vihara" Eventua y he came to the city of fifty-thousand inha!itants ca ed 8e'ira" Ho ding a gi t-hand ed wooden sword in his hand, he went to the 'ing and said: 3-t is seem y that - !e your swordsman"3 /nd so he made his iving in this way, and was given ten times ten go d coins a day" For twe ve years he was a swordsman, yet he never deviated from his no! e aim" Then one day in autumn, the swordsmen, inc uding Santideva, made offerings to an image of the *oddess Fma" 2hi e they were a washing their swords, one of the men saw that Santideva's sword appeared to !e of wood, and he reported this to the 'ing" The 'ing said to Santideva, 3Show me your sword"3 But Santideva rep ied, "If - showed it to you, it might !ring you harm"3 3Even if it were to harm me, so !e it,3 said the 'ing" 3Then cover your eyes,3 said Santideva" He then drew the sword from its sca!!ard5 its ight was so !right the peop e cou d not endure it" They !egged him to put the sword away, for even their covered eyes were ! inded" Santideva then anointed them with his tears, and their sight was restored" /ma:ed, they as'ed him to remain and !e an o!)ect of veneration, !ut he wou d not stay" Santideva went up onto a roc'y mountain, where he was seen 'i ing wi d anima s !y his magic power" He was a so

seen eating their f esh, and this was reported to the 'ing" The 'ing and his court went to the mountain and 6uestioned Santideva: 3+nce you were an ascetic, chief of those at Ea anda" There you eCp ained the 8harma5 here" you demonstrated that you cou d cure ! indness" 2ith such a!i ities, how can you !ear to do an in)ury, et a one ta'e ife93 But Santideva said, 3- have not 'i ed anything"3 He then opened the door of his hut" They a oo'ed out upon the mountain and saw that the wi d anima s had !een restored to ife, and had even dou! ed in num!er" Soon the anima s eCtended over mountain and va ey" 2hen the anima s fina y disappeared in the distance, and the 'ing and the fortunate others were again a one, they rea i:ed that a eCisting things are i usory, on y a dream" Then, rea i:ing that things are not rea from the very !eginning, they set out upon the spiritua path" Santideva spo'e: These anima s which - 'i ed in the !eginning did not come from anywhere" -n the duration, they did not stay anywhere" -n the end, they were not destroyed into anything" From the outset, eCisting things are not rea , so how can the 'i ing and the 'i ed !e rea 9 Beho d, sti having compassion for iving !eings, Bhusu'u has said this" 4eciting this, manifesting his a!i ities to a , he hum! ed the 'ing and a the others and instructed them in the 8harma" He o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra, rea i:ing the unity of !ody, speech, and mind" The 6ua ities of the 8harma arose in him instant y5 fina y, after a hundred years, he went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

-ndra!huti
There were GBB,BBB cities in Fddiyana, and these cities were ru ed !y two 'ings" -ndra!huti ru ed the 0GB,BBB cities in Sam!o a, and (ing %a endra ru ed the 0GB,BBB cities of Lan'apura" -ndra!huti, the 'ing of Sam!o a, had a seven-year-o d sister named "aksminkara! He offered her in marriage to the young son of %a endra, 'ing of Lan'apura" But when (ing -ndra!huti met with his ministers, they counse ed him that since %a endra did not practice the 8harma, he shou d consider someone e se" So -ndra!huti ended the agreement, te ing %a endra's messenger that since those who practice the 8harma and those who do not have itt e in common, the coup e shou d not marry" But a year ater, %a endra's son came to Sam!o a and

met with "aksminkara! They seemed to !e compati! e, when the prince set out for his own country, -ndra!huti sent with him horses, e ephants, and many men !earing go d and si ver as presents" 2hen the son returned to his own and, his father as'ed him a!out his young wife, and the prince rep ied, 3- did not !ring her with me !ecause she is too young" But a is we "3 Eow -ndra!huti had many wives, and a of them had faith in the 8harma" The guru (am!a a had initiated and given instructions to a those no! e adies as we as to the princess, and they a endeavored toward accomp ishment" The princess was siCteen years o d when (ing %a endra sent a messenger for her5 !ut when she was siCteen years o d she had a ready turned her mind from samsara" 51s is eCp ained in the story a!out the princess herse f, she fina y accomp ished her aim and, a ong with a sweeper, she f ew up into the s'y"& (ing %a endra sent a messenger to -ndra!huti concerning the ife-sty e of the princess: 3That the ady has attained a high eve of accomp ishment is a good thing, !ut it has not !rought a!out my own peace of mind-and that is not good"3 Then it occurred to (ing -ndra!huti: 3$y sister is wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings" $y 'ingdom gives me itt e !enefit and great concern: - shou d give it up and practice the 8harma"3 So the 'ing gave his 'ingdom to his son, and having practiced in the pa ace for twe ve years, he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" His entourage, however, did not 'now this" +ne day, the son and the courtiers were oo'ing for the 'ing and they were a!out to open his door, when a voice from the s'y said: 38o not open the door, - am here"3 2hen they heard this, they oo'ed up and saw (ing -ndra!huti sitting in the s'y" Fpon seeing this, they were as happy as if they had o!tained the first Bodhisattva- eve " The roya father remained sitting there for seven days, preaching from the s'y to those who honored him in their faith" To the son and the courtiers, he to d of the great, profound, and inconceiva! e 8harma, and then, with seven hundred fo owers, in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

$e'opa
-n the and of Benga , there was a person of the foodse er's caste who a ways gave provisions to a certain yogin" +ne day, the yogin as'ed him, 32hy are you giving reverence to me93 3Because - need provisions for the path to my future ife,3 the food-se er rep ied" 32e then, are you a! e to accomp ishK such provisions93 The man said he cou d, so the yogin gave him the initiation which transfers spiritua power5 he a so gave him instructions which introduced him to the nature of the mind itse f" To the ordinary mind, even though it is )ewe - i'e, samsara and nirvana appear to !e different" -t depends on whether or not

you have c ear understanding" For this, you shou d oo' to the unchanging nature of the mind itse f" How can the idea of dua ity arise, since there is no such a!so ute nature9 Eone of the eCisting things have any rea ity whatsoever" If you do not rea i:e this, you wi !e !ound !y i usory desires" The food-se er understood !y this that appearances were in his own mind" Having understood that, in rea ity, the mind does not move, and concentrating on the meaning that the mind itse f does not change, he destroyed his de usions in siC months5 he rea i:ed the prima nature of the mind itse f" .row ing the cemetery i'e a wi d !east, he wentK from town to town oo'ing i'e a madman and ga:ing a!out with wide-open eyes in a fearsome manner" The peop e said: 3The guru has the ga:e of a wrathfu deity"3 Everywhere he !ecame famous as $e'opa" He guided many !eings to !e trained in the profound 8harma, and fina y, having narrated his eCperiences, he went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(ota i
(ota i, who was a so 'nown as Togcepa, ived in the and of 4amesvara unti he went to ive in a and four days )ourney distant, where he hoed the mountain fie ds for a iving" The master Santipa, who had !een invited to Sinha a !y the 'ing, happened !y the mountain fie d on his way to $adhyadesa, and as'ed (ota i, 32hat are you doing93 (ota i respectfu y greeted him, and said that he was hoeing the mountain" He went on to say, 3Evi 'ings have destroyed the and, and everyone is suffering" - cannot get and in 4amesvara, and so - have come to this mountain area to wor'"3 Santipa then as'ed him, 3-f - had $antric instructions for p owing the mountain, cou d you use them93 3cou d,3 (ota i answered, and so Santipa said: 8eeds i'e those you are doing

wi tire the !ody and so those deeds are very !ad" These are the siC mista'en deeds" But tru y, p owing the and is charity, and mora ity, such as not harming others" It is the patience which endures pain, and the vigor which accomp ishes" It is the unwavering mindfu ness, and the wisdom which 'nows these" By the siC true deeds, one a!andons the mista'en deeds" ?enerating the guru is charity5 mora ity is guarding your own menta stream" .atience is the endurance of the mind itse f" ?igor is meditation5 mindfu ness is unwavering, and wisdom is that which 'nows these things" $editate a ways on these" But Togcepa said, 3. ease eCp ain the meaning of this"3 The master rep ied, 3?enerate the guru, since a p easure and pain arise from one's own mind" $editate on the prima nature of one's own mind, for the prima nature of the mind is unchanging i'e the mountain" By uminous 'now edge which cannot perish, dig as if you were hoeing" These two efforts, meditating and hoeing, are i'e the right and eft hand" ,ou shou d hoe without separating them"3 2hen he understood what the verses actua y meant, Togcepa said: . easure and pain arise from the mind5 - wi hoe the mountain of the mind with these teachings" 2hen one on y hoes the physica mountain, +ne cannot rea i:e the great ! iss of the prima nature" $editating according y, he o!tained siddhi in twe ve years" He performed many !enefits for iving !eings, and in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(arpparipa
-n the and of Sa iputra, (a6=paripa, 'the Smith', wor'ed hard at the profession of his caste" Then one day, a yogin came to the p ace where he was wor'ing" 32hat are you doing93 the yogin as'ed" 3- am simp y doing the wor' of my caste,3 (arpparipa responded" 38o you en)oy your wor'93 as'ed the yogin" 38o - oo' happy93 as'ed the smith" 3The fire, spar's, and heat a torment me" - must suffer )ust to ma'e a iving"3 The yogin then as'ed for food, and as he ate, the smith and his wife said to him, 32e offered you a ms, and it is ama:ing that you ta'e food from the hands of ow-caste peop e" 2e are most happy at this"3 The yogin then as'ed them, 38on't you practice the 8harma93 32e are of such ow caste-who wou d instruct us93 they rep ied" "If you

have faith in the 8harma,3 said the yogin, 3and are a! e to practice, - wi give you instructions"3 They were e ated" They p eased the yogin with their veneration and many offerings, and then as'ed for the instructions" The yogin, having given the initiation which transfers spiritua power, a so gave them instructions on the visua i:ations of the three mystic veins in this way: 3$editate within yourse f that you see the !e ows, fue , fire, and the hammering of iron, )ust as you do in the eCterna wor d" $a'e the two veins, lalana and rasana, the !e ows" <onsider the centra vein, the avadhuti, as the anvi " Let the consciousness !e the smith" -gnite the fire of 'now edge and ma'e conceptua i:ations the coa 5 then hammer the iron of the three poisons" 2hen the great )oy and the non-dua 8harma-!ody ripen as a resu t, there wi !e ight"3 Let your inner acts of meditation !e i'e those deeds you do outward y" The lalana and rasana, right and eft, et those two !e the !e ows" Let the avadhuti the anvi 5 et the consciousness !e the smith" Let the conceptions !e the fue , and investigation and 'now edge !e the shining fire" Hammer the iron of misery and the three poisons: the resu t wi !e the stain ess 8harma-!ody" The smith, having generated faith within himse f, meditated, and in siC years he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" 2ithout eCertion he accomp ished a sorts of things in their proper manner" The smith then said to the inha!itants of Sa iputra that he had o!tained a the 6ua ities of the 8harma, and they were ama:ed" Everywhere he was 'nown as the guru (arp" pari, and he accomp ished !enefits for iving !eings" /fter narrating his eCperiences, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

%a andhari
%a andhari, 'the $an 2ho Ho ds a Eet', was a Brahman who ived in the city of Thod-tha" He had !ecome disgusted with the things of the wor d, and so he went to a cemetery" 2hi e sitting at the !ase of a tree, he eCperienced the ! iss of 'now edge" / L"a'ini appeared in the s'y, and a voice said: 3B no! e son, you shou d 'now that your mind is the nature of rea ity itse f"3 -n his )oy, the Brahman prayed over and over again" The L"a'ini of 'now edge then showed herse f in her true form, !estowed upon him the initiation of Heva)ra, and gave him instructions on the .erfecting Stage in this way: 3-nc ude a the iving and non iving things of the three wor ds into the three veins, and )oin the two veins into the dhuti. 2hen various concepts and memories have gone out from the p ace of Brahma at the top of the head, meditate

in that centra vein on the insepara!i ity of emptiness and appearance"3 *ather without remainder, eCisting things, inner and outer" %oin them into the three: !ody, speech, and mind" %oin the right and eft veins into the avadhiitf, and a of this to the p ace ofBrahmathen emptiness and the highest )oy wi arise from the nature of pure yoga" Fnderstand in your meditation the tota integration of )oy and emptiness" Having !een granted the .erfecting Stage in this way, he meditated, and in seven years, he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" He then narrated his eCperiences, and wor'ed for the !enefit of count ess iving !eings" Together with a circ e of three hundred, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

4ahu a
4ahu a, 'He 2ho Has *rasped 4ahu', was !orn of ow caste in (amariipa" 2hen he !ecame an o d man and una! e to contro his !odi y functions, a his re atives a!used him" He was very unhappy at !eing despised-so, thin'ing of his neCt !irth, he went to a cemetery" / yogin came a ong and as'ed him: 32hat are you doing here in this cemetery93 /nd the o d man answered: The moon of my youth has !een ec ipsed !y the 4ahu-dragon of o d age" $y sons and others a!use me, so - remain here, happy to die" The yogin rep ied:

,our 'arma is ripening: The rivers of chi dhood, youth, and o d age have a f owed past" The river of death has now arrived" Shou dn't you practice the 8harma as provision for death9 The o d man rep ied, 3B guru, give the 8harma to me" Even though - am o d and without wea th, p ease give me the 8harma"3 The yogin said in rep y: The natura mind is without o d age" ,our nature is not dependent on wea thif, with devotion, you are a! e to practice the ho y 8harma, - wi ta'e care of you" He gave him initiation which transfers spiritua power, and he gave him instructions on the seed-point in this way: 3$editate the circ e of the moon arising from the etter A on the top of your head" $editate a the concepts of the visi! e wor d entering into it"3 Ec ipse the concepts of which you have ta'en ho d !y the 4ahu of non-dua eCperience" /t the great ! iss at the top of your head, the profound seed-point wi arise" By the continuous integration of emptiness and ! iss, you wi overcome the enemies, the s'andhas" The 6ua ities of the Buddhas wi arise and o, there wi !e unceasing wonders" The o d man received these instructions, and as he meditated in the way he was to d, the moon of ho ding to dua ity was entire y devoured !y the 4ahu of non-dua ity" The nectar of non-dua ity entered the fire at the Brahma opening at the top of his head, and the nectar eCpanded throughout his entire !ody" He practiced for siCteen years, and then he won the siddhi of $ahamudra" He trained iving !eings in (amariipa, and having narrated his eCperiences, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

8harmapa
8harmapa, 'the $an of the 8harma', was a scho ar in the and of Bodhinagara who main y preached without practicing" Later, as he grew o der and was osing his sight, a thought occurred to him: 32ou d it not !e fitting that meet with a guru93 / L"a'ini spo'e to him in a dream, giving him encouragement and saying, 3- am your spiritua friend"3 Then she revea ed herse f in her true form and initiated him, giving him these instructions: $editate a eCisting things as a vesse 5

meditate a conceptua i:ations as !utter" $editate your consciousness as fue 5 then meditate the f ashing fire of 'now edge" -nto the vesse -a eCisting things without eCceptionpour the !utter of conceptua i:ations" Let the fire !urn the fue of thoughts, and the )ewe of the mind itse f wi appear" For five years he recited mantras and practiced the precepts which deve op into rea i:ed 'now edge" 2hen the rea i:ed 'now edge occurred, to the astonishment of the peop e, his !ody !ecame i'e that of an eight-year-o d" Then he said: How can the co ection of causes and conditions, !eing empty, give rise to any resu t9 But unti you possess an en ightened mind, you must eCert effort" He wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings unti fina y, having narrated his eCperiences, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

8ho'aripa
8ho'aripa, 'the $an 2ho <arrie"s a .ot', was a man of ow caste in Sa iputra who a ways carried a pot" 2hatever he cou d !eg as a ms, he wou d put into the pot" +ne day, una! e to find sustenance, he sat down at the foot of a tree" / yogin came up to him, and 8ho'aripa said to him, 3have nothing for you today"3 32e then,3 said the yogin, 3cou dn't you use the 8harma93 3-ndeed - cou d, !ut - have not met with a spiritua friend,3 said 8ho'aripa" 32ou d you !e a! e to practice it93 as'ed the yogin" 3- wou d !e a! e to do it,3 8ho'aripa rep ied" Then having initiated 8ho'aripa into Heva)ra, the yogin gave him instructions on the 8eve oping Stage and the

.erfecting Stage in this manner: B 8ho'aripa, you who carry a pot: .ut a the sustenance of rea i:ation inside the vesse of the 8harma and meditate these two as insepara! e" He meditated in this way5 he understood the meaning, and in three years he o!tained siddhi" /fter this, when he was seen carrying his pot around, the peop e wou d as' him, 3B guru, what do you carry there93 /nd he wou d answer: I carry the vesse of the *reat Emptiness: - am co ecting the fruit of the *reat B iss5 8ho'aripa has what he desires" s this not 'nown !y the fortunate9 He wor'ed for the !enefit of many !eings and fina y, having narrated his eCperiences, he !ecame famous as 8ho'aripa, and went in this very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

$edhina
$edhina, 'the $an of the Fie d', was a ow-caste man of Sa iputra" +ne day, whi e a!oring in the fie ds, he )ust stopped and stood there" / yogin came a ong and as'ed him, 32hat are you doing, )ust standing there93 3- have stopped doing fie d wor',3 he rep ied" 32ou dn't you i'e to get away from this pain and suffering93 as'ed the yogin" 3The 8harma can accomp ish that"3 3But who wou d give me the 8harma93 3- wi give it to you if you are a! e to practice it,3 rep ied the yogin, and $edhina indicated he was a! e" The yogin then gave him instructions on the 8eve oping Stage and the .erfecting Stage, and then set him to meditating" But the thoughts of his fie d wor' continua y interrupted

him, and $edhina ost his desire to meditate" He went !ac' to his guru, who gave him instructions that were more consistent with his thoughts: $a'e your thoughts into a p ow, and ma'e p easure and pain into oCen" <ontemp ate your !ody as the fie d, and contemp ate the fruit, the ! iss of the 8harmanature, coming forth night and day" $a'e your concepts into a p ow, your fee ings of p easure and pain into oCen" Sow the seeds of the e ements to ripen on the fie d of your !ody" ECerting yourse f on that fie d, wor' day and nightD The fruit, the ! iss of the 8harma-nature wi never end" He meditated according y for twe ve years, and having stopped the various 'inds of wor d y conceptions, he o!tained siddhi" He ascended a tree which grew seven ta as up into the s'y, and from there he narrated his eCperiences" He wor'ed for the !enefit of count ess !eings in the city of Sa iputra, and then went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

.an'a)a
.ai 'a)a, the son of a Brahman, was ca ed .ai 'a)a !ecause he was !orn from a otus in his parents' peacefu garden of otuses" His siddhi came from /va o'iteHvara" / short whi e after his !irth, an image of /va o'iteHvara was p aced near the pond of otuses" Eow, it was customary in that area to reverence $ahadeva, and for twe ve years, .ai 'a)a made offerings to the image, !e ieving it to !e $ahadeva" -n accordance with oca custom, he made offerings of f owers three times a day, p acing them on top of the head of the image" +ne day, whi e .ai 'a)a was ma'ing an offering, the master Eagar)una came and offered a f ower" The image

accepted it and p aced it upon its own head" K.ai 'a)a !ecame angry at this, and thought to himse f, 3For twe ve years, - made offerings and the image did not accept them" He made on y one offering, and the image received it and responded"3 Then out of the mouth of the image came these words: 3,our thoughts were not pure" - was not p eased with your actions"3 /t this, remorse arose in .ai 'a)a, and he prostrated himse f !efore the master Eagar)una and respectfu y as'ed to !ecome his pupi " Eagar)una initiated him and instructed him in the integration of vision and activity: ,ou cannot !e successfu with faith a one or with )ust the ! iss of compassion" ,ou must see tru y without distinctions )ust as do the /ryans themse ves" Fnderstanding this, .ai 'a)a practiced, and in seven days he o!tained siddhi" He !rought many ! essings to iving !eings !y his compassionate ga:e and !y his instructions on method" Fina y in this very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

*handhapa
#handlhapa, who too' the vows of a mon' at

Sri Ea anda,

did not transgress them" 2hen he mastered the five sciences, his fame spread in every direction5 as a master, he wor'ed for the !enefit of sentient !eings in every and" There was a 'ing, 8evapa a !y name, who !y the power of his merit !rought great prosperity to his country" The wea th of his 'ingdom was immeasura! e: his own cities num!ered =,HBB,BBB5 there were MBB,BBB in (amari, >BB,BBB in Benga , and in addition, over 1,=BB,BBB p edged fea ty to him" +ne day, the master came to Sa iputra, the seat of (ing 8evapa a, !egging a ms" He too' his p ace at the foot of a tree and ived there"

Eow (ing 8evapa a, !eing a re igious man, had count ess o!)ects of devotion" +ne night, the 'ing too' counse with his wife: 3/ compound things are impermanent" / wor d y things are painfu " ECisting things have no su!stance" If - am to ru e a 'ingdom, !oth now and in the future, and if we are to remain hus!and and wife, we must accumu ate merit as provision for the future ife !y ma'ing worthy men our o!)ects of reverence" That indeed wou d !e the right thing to do"3 3,ou have revered count ess men !efore,3 the 6ueen answered, 3!ut there now ives at the edge of the city an /ryan who is superior to a the others" He is tru y an o!)ect of reverence" He ho ds to the monastic ru e5 he co ects a ms, wears mon''s ro!es, and ives on meager provisions" ,ou shou d ta'e food and drin' to him-the eighty-four vegeta! es, and the five drin's such as grape-)uice and so on" ,ou shou d offer the ight of )ewe s instead of the ight of a amp5 give him a the desira! e things of the 'ingdom"3 3That is certain y the right thing to do,3 said the 'ing" So the neCt day he sent severa of his circ e to !ring the master to him5 !ut they returned without the mon'" The 'ing and his retinue then went themse ves and !owed to the master, who as'ed them" 32hy have you come here93 3- have come out of faith, to invite the master to !e my o!)ect of reverence,3 the 'ing rep ied" 3- wi not go with you,3 said *ha:gc5 hapa, 3for the 'ingdom of a 'ing is an evi thing"3 /t this, the 'ing said, 3Even if you do not stay permanent y, come for at east one year"3 The 'ing insisted, !ut sti the master refused" -n the same way, the 'ing as'ed again and again: 3For siC months93 3For three months93 3For one month93 3For two wee's93 Fina y, he as'ed, 3For )ust one day93 To a of this the master rep ied, 3- wi not come, for your nature is who y evi " ,ou practice harmfu modes of action"3 For forty days the 'ing urgent y p eaded, over and again, !ut the master sti wou d not come" The 'ing and his peop e !ecame angry, and the fire of hatred f amed in their hearts" The 'ing made a genera proc amation: 32hoever is a! e to cause this mon' to a!andon his purity, - wi give him ha f the 'ingdom and a ton of go d"3 There was a woman in that and, a most c ever prostitute, who to d the 'ing that she cou d accomp ish what he desired" 32e then, do itD3 eCc aimed the 'ing" 38o it with s'i and energyD3 Eow, the prostitute had a twe ve-year-o d daughter, so !eautifu she did not even appear to !e ong to this wor d"

She had a ove y face, a vo uptuous !ody, a p easant voice, and a charming way of wa 'ing" If the sun cou d see her, he wou d not !e a! e to move" The prostitute thought: "If send her to that mon', she wi !e a! e to separate him from the virtuous conduct which frees him from the things of samsara"3 She then instructed her daughter to do reverence to the mon', circumam!u ate him, and then return" /fter the gir had done this for ten days, she said to the mon', 3wi !e your patron for the three summer months"3 But he refused this" For an entire month, over and over, the gir made this offer5 fina y the master assented" The gir was e ated, and performed a ceremony to ce e!rate" 3/ !egui ing gir ,3 she thought, 3if she desires eighty things, can gain a hundred"3 /nd she thought further: "If - am c ever, - cou d seduce the four continents" 2hat need - say for this mon'9 However pure his mind may !e, - can !egui e him"3 But at the time food was !eing !rought, the master said to her, 3Send men to !ring food to me" / gir shou d not do it"3 /nd she rep ied, 3- wi do as you wish"3 8uring the first two months, on y men !rought the master sugar-water and rice dishes" Then the c ever prostitute, decorating her daughter with a sorts of ornaments, sent her with five hundred maidens carrying many vesse s with a sorts of food and drin'" Eear the p ace of the master, the gir to d the others to return home" Then she went inside the mon''s hut, reco ecting the !egui ing ways she had !een taught !y her mother" The mon', seeing that those who usua y !rought him food had not come, went inside" There he saw the young maiden decorated with ornaments" 32here is everyone93 he as'ed" 3They do not have the time,3 the gir rep ied" 3But tru y we do"3 /nd she stayed a ong time" Fina y he said, 3Eow goD3 But !y now five-co ored c ouds had gathered in the s'y, and it !egan to rain" Saying that she wou d go when it stopped, she stayed a whi e onger" Fina y the sun went down" 3- have no trave ing companion,3 she said" "If the wrong peop e see these c othes and ornaments, they may ta'e my ife"3 He said he did not thin' that wou d happen" But she then as'ed to s eep there !ecause she was afraid of the night, and so he et her s eep near him" By the power of !eing so c ose, the two )oined !odies together" Fniting together, they eCperienced the four )oys and !egan to trave the path" The neCt day, the gir did not want to return to her

mother5 instead, she went out to get food and drin' for !oth herse f and the mon'" They ived together for a year, and a son was !orn to them" The king was always pestering the prostitute a out how things were progressing, ut she was not a le to give the desired answer. Then, after three years had passed, the prostitute said to the king$ %+ great king, the intent of your -a4esty's de!ree has een fulfilled. 3ow may your heart e happy.% The king answered, %"ell then, in three days, ring this monk here and !all your daughter.% 1nd the king and the people of /aliputra prepared to e)amine the monk. The monk asked the girl, %/hould we stay here, or should we go somewhere else(% %If we stay,% the girl said, %all these people will revile us for doing sinful deeds. "e !an e happy even if we wander away from the ha itations of men!,$' The girl took up the !hild and a ottle of wine, and the two !ompanion&lovers left. They then met with the king in the middle of the road. He dismounted from the a!k of his elephant, saying, %"hat is that inside your monk's !lothes( "ho is this woman with you(% %Inside these !lothes are a !hild and a ottle. The woman is my wife,% said Ghandhapa %I remem er on!e you said you would not go into the presen!e of a sinner. 3ow, what a out your wife and !hild( 2ou yourself are a sinner.% %There has een no wrong&doing here, so do not slander me,% the master said. "hen the king repeated what he had said, the master threw the !hild and the ottle to the ground. The earthgoddess was frightened, the earth split, and water gushed out. In the water, the !hild turned into a va4ra, and the ottle into a ell. The master e!ame *akrasamvara, and his woman e!ame Va4ravarahi. In the sky a ove the king and his entourage, *akrasamvara and Va4ravarahl, in ya yum position, appeared holding a va4ra and ell. The king and the rest looked up and made reveren!e to the master as a prote!tor, ut the monk would not end his samadhi of va4ra&anger. The king and his retinue were sinking in the water whi!h was gushing from the split ground, and were nearing death" -n an instant, the ho y /va o'iteHvara appeared and, with his foot, ! oc'ed the water from the sp it ground" (ing 8evapa a and the others, having !een saved, again made apo ogies to the guru" The master spo'e the sy a! e HUNG and a the water disappeared" /n image of the ho y one was formed out of the roc' itse f, and it is said that a itt e stream sti f ows out from under the foot" Then the master gave instructions to the 'ing and the others in this way:

%ust as medicine and poison can !e identica in themse ves and yet give rise to two different effects, so one is avoided and the other is readi y ta'en, a though they have one nature5 there is no difference" The masters who rea i:e this do not renounce things" Those who are not masters must do so, for ac'ing rea i:ation, they wander in samsara" The 'ing and the peop e ceased to s ander the mon'" -n one accord, they too' faith, and num!er ess iving !eings were set on the path" The master !ecame 'nown as *hand hapa, and he grew famous in a directions" 8espite the fact that in this ife she was an impediment to mora ity, the woman had !een prepared in siC previous ives !y the master" The master, removing a conceptua i:ations of ho ding to dua ity in the nature of 8harmahood, consummated the path !y the power of maturing his stream of consciousness" Both the son, ?a)rapa &"i, and the woman purified their stains !y the !enefits of veneration" Then, !eing endowed with the ho y 6ua ities, the master *handhapa and his partner !oth, in that very !ody, went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

,ogipa
, ogipa, who ived in +dantapuri, was of the <anda a caste, and his guru was Savaripa" ,et though , ogipa made great effort, it ed to itt e wisdom" +ne day, the guru Savaripa came to him and initiated him into Heva)ra" /fter giving him instructions for the 8eve oping Stage and the .erfecting Stage, he set him to meditating" But ,ogipa sti was not a! e to understand the meaning of the instructions" He said to the guru, 3- cannot meditate effective y,3 and made a re6uest to perform meritorious acts !y )ust !ody and speech" So the guru taught him the recitation of ?a)ra-Heru'a and to d him to consummate his practice !y going to the twenty-four great p aces" ,ogipa practiced according y, and in twe ve years, he purified the stains and o!tained the siddhi

of $ahamudra" He to d of his understanding, and for five years he aided the various purposes of Fving !eings" Then, in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

*aluki
<a u'i ived in $anga apura5 he was of ow caste, and his guru was $aitripa" <a u'i was a great s eeper: a ways under the power of s eep" He was not even a! e to !egin effort" Eow at one time, he conceived the notion that sam

sara was evi , and he too' his p ace at the foot of a tree" / yogin came to that spot and as'ed him, 32hat are you doing here93 <a u'i rep ied, 3- had thought to practice the 8harma to free myse f from the wor d, !ut - have not met with a master who wou d teach the doctrine to me" $y nature is ethargic5 - am a great s eeper, and - am not a! e to !egin the effort" ,ou may !e a! e to give the 8harma to me, !ut if you do not give me a method to diminish my need for s eep, the instructions wi not wor'"3 3-f - initiate you,3 said $aitripa, 3you wi !e a! e to free yourse f from the wor d !y diminishing your need for s eep"3 The yogin then initiated <a u'i into <a'rasamvara" He gave him the instructions of the vita !reath and the mystic veins, and of the e ementary .erfecting Stage in this way: 3/ssimi ate a appearances into your own !ody, speech, and mind" Bind the lalana, the eft vein, and the rasana, the right vein, to the midd e vein, the avadhuti. <ontemp ate the !odi y avadhuti as an ocean5 then contemp ate your 'now edge as a goose" /fter that, contemp ate the goose f ying over the ocean of essence" /s your need for s eep a so diminishes, the vita !reath wi !e )oined to the avadhuti and the condition of !eing without conceptions wi arise !y its own power"3 <a u'i meditated in that way for nine years and, c earing away the stains, he successfu y attained the siddhi of $ahamudra" He co ected a appearances of the wor d into his !ody, speech, and mind, and then these three were co ected into su!)ect and o!)ect and the f ower-and the two veins were then co ected into the center" By attaining discriminating 'now edge, he won siddhi which was i'e the goose eCtracting the essence from the ocean" He to d of his eCperiences, and he went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

*orura
*orura, the 'Bird-man', was of the !ird-catcher caste -that is to say, he carried a net and captured !irds" Eow, at one time a yogin came a ong and as'ed him: 3,ou there, sir, what are you doing93 *orura rep ied, 3- accumu ated evi in a former ife, so - was !orn into the caste of the !ird-catchers" -n this ife - ma'e my iving at ta'ing ife, and so - am despondent"3 /nd the yogin rep ied: Because 'arma is pi ing on 'arma here, you wi suffer in this ife and in the neCt" The ho y 8harma is a ways )oyfu " 2hy not practice it9

32hat guru wou d have compassion and give instruction to a man of such ow caste93 as'ed the !ird-catcher" 3/s a resu t, - am una! e to practice"3 So the yogin gave *orura the initiation which transfers spiritua power, and instructions which wou d conform to his own character: 3<ontemp ate that a the sounds of the wor d are i'e the sounds of !irds" %oin the two-your conscious thought and the sounds of!irds-into one" Then again, free the mind of sound" Listen for the song of the cuc'oo: The many sounds !ecome one sound" Then grasp the sound itse f as sound, and contemp ate the 8harma-nature spreading everywhere" *orura meditated according y and eCperienced the emptiness of sound without differentiation" For nine years he purified his mind and he o!tained the siddhi of $ahamudra" He remained in the wor d a hundred years, narrating his eCperiences and wor'ing for the immeasura! e !enefit of iving !eings" Then, together with three hundred fo owers, in this very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Luci'a
Luci'a, 'the $an 2ho Stood Fp after Sitting', was a Brahman who ived in the eastern part of Benga " 2hen he came to rea i:e the universa ity of death, his mind had a revu sion against samsara, and so he went to a 6uiet p ace, intending to practice the 8harma" But he was without instruction and did nothing !ut thin' sad y that he had not met with a guru who cou d instruct him in the 8harma" Eow one day, a yogin came there-which made him very happy" He gave reverence to him, and the yogin said, 32hat do you want that you give reverence to me93 3- have a revu sion against samsara,3 Luci'a rep ied, 3and have intended to practice the 8harma" ,et - have not met a guru who cou d give me instructions" Eow that - have fina y met

with a guru, - as' for instructions"3 /nd so the yogin gave him initiation into <a'rasamvara and gave him instructions on the 8eve oping Stage and the .erfecting Stage" Luci'a eCerted himse f and meditated" -n twe ve years, he was a! e to )oin the 8eve oping and the .erfecting Stages and thus attained siddhi" He !ecame famous as Luci'a and spo'e thus: - see no distinction !etween samsara and nirvana" ,et i!eration is great ! iss, for when you ho d to ow things, it is difficu t to cross over" -n this very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as" From the s'y he narrated his eCperiences and then disappeared"

Eiguna
Eiguna, 'the $an without Lua ities', was the son of a ow-caste househo der in the country of .iirvadeHa" 2hi e he was !eing !rought up, he was very a:y, and did not thin' at a of the affairs of the wor d, !eing indifferent to what others considered good or evi " If he saw a fruit he i'ed, he wou d thin' it good5 !ut if he cou d not reach it without effort, he wou d curse it as evi " -n such a state of mind, he went to a 6uiet p ace" / yogin came a ong and said to him, 3<ome, et us get a ms in the city"3 But Eiguna rep ied, 3But what if we don't get anything93 /nd he did not even get up from the ground" The yogin, out of compassion, gave food to him and said, 38on't you have any good 6ua ities93 3,ogin,3 Eiguna rep ied, 3if someone has !een given the name 'Eiguna' then he is without good 6ua ities"3 As Eiguna ate the rest of the food, the yogin as'ed him, 38oesn't death frighten you93 3-ndeed it does,3 Eiguna rep ied, 3!ut - have no way to dea with it"3 3-f you can practice it, - wi give you a method,3 said the yogin" 3Then - wi practice during the time - s eep,3 said Eiguna" /nd so the yogin gave him initiation" He then gave him instructions on

con)oining emptiness and appearances: Su!)ect and o!)ect have no rea ity whatsoever, yet !eings are not en ightened" Suffering, they are pitifu in their torment, which from the !eginning, has no rea ity" /ppearances are insepara! e from emptiness5 the pure ight is continua y present" /nd though you act i'e a cra:y man, you wi enter into the pure city" The yogin spo'e in this way and Eiguna, gathering a ms, practiced" 2hen he produced the rea i:ation of Tota -ntegration and the c ear ight, he attained siddhi" He wandered in a directions, as'ing: 32ho are these men93 2henever he saw peop e, he wou d say, 3B pity men such as theseD3 and weep" For those to !e trained, he demonstrated the path which does not sp it appearance and emptiness" Then, i'e a ship on the ocean, he wiped out a the mar's of de usion" /ttaining the siddhi of $ahamudra in this very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

%ayananda
%ayananda was a Brahman minister to the 'ing of
Benga " He fo owed the re igion of the Brahmans !ut then, secret y, he !egan to practice the 8harma of the secret mantras, and though ! essings arose, no one witnessed them" In the course of time, however, he !egan to ma'e many torma offerings" The other ministers, finding this unendura! e, reported it to the 'ing" So the 'ing had him c asped in irons" %ayananda p eaded with the 'ing, 3Set me free from these chains" - have not a owed even ha f a handfu of your $a)esty's wea th to !e wasted"3 But the 'ing wou d not isten" Later, at the time the Brahman was accustomed to

give torma offerings, many !irds appeared-not finding the offerings, the !irds gathered on the 'ing's pa ace" 2hi e the so diers tried to remove them, the peop e watched and wondered" /s the gathering of the !irds increased, a man who had the a!i ity to understand the voices of !irds heard them say: 3That Brahman, who was i'e a mother and father to us, has !een condemned !y the 'ing"3 He re ated this to the 'ing, and the 'ing rep ied, "If that is so, - wi pardon him if he agrees to remain in a one y p ace" /s' the !irds to eave"3 The man gave the message to the !irds, and they eft" The 'ing too' faith, and every day he gave the Brahman twenty !ushe s of rice as materia s for torma offerings" From then on, the minister was 'nown as the guru %ayananda" He spo'e in this way: The 'now edge of the -n!orn has !een tru y rea i:ed through the 'indness of the guru" - have !ecome the minister of greatest ! iss, and - remain no more in the whir of samsara" The (ing, the c ear and natura state, has con6uered the enemies of su!)ect and o!)ect and does not ust after the de ights of the wor d" Beho d, B unen ightened !eings" - cry out and say: '%ayaD ?ictoryD' /nd so he wor'ed for the !enefit of !eings, and after seven hundred years, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

.acari
.acari was from the and of <ampa'a and his caste was that of the pastry-se ers" He was so poor he did not even have c othes of cheap cotton" He wou d o!tain pastries from a rich househo der, coo' them in !utter, and se them" He then repaid the househo der and ived on the profits" +ne day, as he had not yet so d them, he too' ha f of the pastries to eat himse f" /va o'itesvar:a, ta'ing the form of a mon', went to him" .acari, ta'ing faith, did him reverence and gave the mon' the other ha f of the pastries" The mon' then as'ed, 32here did you get these93 2hen .acari answered truthfu y, the mon' said, 32e now, we !oth must offer payment" - wi give something to my donor"3 /nd so

he made a manda a offering and offered f owers" The manifestation then gave .acari the spiritua power which produces the thought of ta'ing the refuges, and a so gave him the instructions of the SiC Sy a! es" +ut of devotion, .acari gave his ife over as an offering" /t the time .acari attained siddhi, the pastry-master of !efore came a ong and as'ed for his money" 3But - do not have any,3 .acari rep ied" Fpon hearing this, the pastrymaster !eat him" .acari then said, 3- did not eat them a one" The master and - !oth ate them-!ut you are on y !eating me"3 Then, to !oth of their ama:ement, a voice spo'e out from the wa s, saying the same thing" The pastry-ma'er said, 3So ta'e my pastries and go,3 and then re eased him" .acari went to a temp e where there was an"image of his patron deity" He then gave a hundred go d coins to the househo der as a price of the pastries, thus purifying his former sin, even though it was trif ing" It then occurred to .acari that his guru was the Ho y +ne, and so he set off for the .ota a mountain" / ong the way, whi e trave ing through a forest, a thorn entered his foot and he suffered great pain from it" He cried out the *reat $antra to the Ho y +ne, who then appeared to him in his true form" He said, 3- am your guru" ,ou shou d not !e interested in securing on y your own !enefit" Turn !ac' and wor' to guide those to !e trained"3 Becoming very happy, .acari ascended into the s'y and descended again in <ampa'a" Everyone who saw him was ama:ed" He gave instructions on the insepara!i ity of emptiness and appearances, and in that very !ody, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

<ampa'a
There is a and ca ed <ampa'a which received its name from the f ower" Living in that and was a prince who did not ac' for any of the en)oyments or any of the wea th of the 'ingdom" He was so captivated !y his p easures and his pride in these things that he did not thin' a!out the future" The prince had a f ower-house s'i fu y !ui t in his p easure garden of campa'as" -n the garden there were seats and cushions made of campa'as-f owers of a go den co or with sweet perfume-and he ived there in the garden" +ne day, a yogin came to the garden, !egging a ms" The 'ing washed the yogin's feet, !rought him a seat, and made him comforta! e" He then gave the yogin food and drin', after which, as the yogin preached to him, the 'ing and his

entire court sat !efore him and made him an o!)ect of reverence" The 'ing then said, 3/s a yogin, you must have gone through many ands" Have you ever seen such f owers or such a 'ing as me93 The yogin rep ied, 3The scent of the campa'a f owers is eCce ent, !ut it is not so with the sme s of your !ody" ,our $a)esty's 'ingdom may !e superior to other 'ingdoms, !ut when you die, you wi have to go without it"3 The 'ing, recogni:ing this fact, turned away from his fondness for his own !ody, and as'ed for instructions" The yogin first taught him a!out the cause and effect of 'arma, then gave him initiation and the instructions for the 8eve oping and the .erfecting Stage" But the 'ing's thoughts turned to the f owers and he did not want to meditate" So the yogin gave him instructions which too' his conceptions as path: Since appearances themse ves are empty, consider the guru's instructions as a f ower5 ma'e the s'andhas and your own mind the ground" <ontemp ate as having one nature the three rivers of pure nectar, and the great ! iss wi arise as a resu t" These are the words of the great ?a)radhara5 so meditate with conviction" The 'ing meditated for twe ve years, and having rea i:ed that the precepts, his eCperience, and the origina state of his own mind were insepara! e, he o!tained siddhi" From then on, he !ecame 'nown as <ampa'a" He eCp ained the 8harma to his 6ueen a ong with innumera! e fo owers, and fina y went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

Bhi'sana
%hiksana, 'the $an with Two Teeth', ived as a man of

ow caste in Sa iputra" /s he ac'ed !oth wea th and fortune, he went !egging from town to town" +ne day, not having o!tained anything and fee ing very disheartened, he went to a one y p ace" / da'ini came to him and as'ed him what he was doing there" He to d her the truth: "If there is some way of ac6uiring what - desire, - rea y want it,3 he said" 32e then, what wi !e my payment93 as'ed the da'ini" He then !it together his upper and ower teeth, and offered them" Fnderstanding that he had an unwavering mind, she gave him initiation and instructions on the con)oining of wisdom and method"

He meditated in such a way, and in seven years he eCperienced the truth" Stain ess 6ua ities arose in him" He went from town to town narrating his eCperiences for the !enefit of those to !e trained, and !ecame famous under the name of %hiksana! /fter many years, he went in this very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Te opa
Te opa made his iving in the city of Sa iputra as an oi

merchant" Since he was a! e to se his oi at a good price, he !ecame very rich" /s his good fortune continued, he !ecame as wea thy as (u!era, the god of wea th" He en)oyed his prosperity, eating the eighty-four vegeta! es, the twe ve foods, and the five drin's )ust i'e a 'ing" Then one day the scho ar Bahana came !y and preached to him the sorrow of samsara and the means to escape it" The merchant too' faith and, as'ing for the 8harma, he made reverence to the yogin" The yogin Bahana, seeing T e opa preparing the oi , said to him, 3,our wea th is due to good fortune, !ut it wi not produce i!eration"3 The merchant answered, 3B guru, p ease then te me the method which wi produce i!eration"3 So the yogin gave him initiation and instructions on how to produce his own radiance in the dar'ness of night: Free the oi of your conceptua i:ations from the 'erne s of sesame seeds, your own !ody, and then fi up the vesse which is your own mind" The wic' is the insepara!i ity of emptiness and appearances5 if you app y the fire of 'now edge, you wi dispe the dar'ness of ignorance" -n the highest )oy of i!eration, you wi ive in stain ess ! iss" The merchant pious y meditated, and in siC years, when he )oined the 8eve oping Stage and the .erfecting Stage, he o!tained siddhi" Light streamed from his !ody and fi ed the area a around" +thers saw this and reported it to the 'ing" The 'ing as'ed, 3<an this !e so93 /nd he saw that it was" The 'ing a so en)oyed stain ess ! iss, and the others, though they did not have an e6ua )oy, too' faith" The merchant then gave instructions, spea'ing a!out their wor d and its emptiness" /fter many years, together with a arge circ e of fo owers, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(umaripa
(umaripa, 'the .otter', ived in the country of %omanaHri, where he made his iving !y ma'ing pots" Because he had time for nothing !ut wor', he !ecame 6uite despondent" / yogin then came and !egged a ms from him" The pot ter !rought food to him, saying, 3B guru, - wor' strenuous y at my tas' !ut no great !enefit comes from it" - am disheartened !ecause the wor' is never comp ete y finished" - am disheartened !ecause there seems to !e no end to it"3 Thereupon the yogin answered, 3B !enefactor, do you not understand9 The iving !eings of the wor d have p easure on y with suffering" / few do not have any p easure at a " From !eginning ess time, even without wor'ing, the

pain a one has no end" ,ou have reason to !e depressed"3 The potter too' faith and as'ed from his guru a method of i!eration" Thereupon the yogin gave the potter initiation and instructions on the 8eve oping Stage and the .erfecting Stage: 4emove the mud of misery and conceptions from the c ay of ignorance" By the whee of the wor d, form the pots of the siC Tantric fami ies5 then fire them !y the fires of 'now edge" By these words, the potter understood the instructions which c eared away his misconceptions" Having meditated for siC months, he purified himse f of the stains of wor d y de usions, and o!tained siddhi" 2hi e he sat in meditation, the potter's whee turned !y itse f and the pots were formed as he desired" 2hen the citi:ens of the city saw that he had the 6ua ities oftheTantric fami ies, he !ecame 'nown as the guru (umaripa" Having narrated his eCperiences, he went in this very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

<aparipa
-n a certain city in $agadha, there was a herdsman of immeasura! e wea th who owned a thousand !uffa o and horses, and sheep without num!er" 2hen his o d father died, he gave a arge wa'e- arger than had ever !een seen !efore" He invited a the peop e of the and, and much food and drin' was given out for many days" +ne day, these peop e went to !athe in the 4iver *anges, whi e the herdsman's wife stayed at home with their three-year-o d daughter to watch over things" /t this time, the guru <aparipa sudden y appeared and as'ed for food" 2hen the woman ta 'ed to him honest y and with itt e artfu ness, <aparipa said to her, "If your hus!and or the

others !ecome angry, then come to me" - wi !e up in the forest ma'ing a fire" But if they do not get angry, it wi !e a right to stay" So you must give me food and drin'D3 She istened to the guru, and when he returned to the forest, she was in a very re aCed frame of mind" 2hen the others returned, her mother-in- aw, who came a so, saw that she had given away most of the food, so that there was itt e eft" She f amed up and fought with her" -n anger, the woman, carrying her chi d on her !ac', f ed to the yogin" 2hen she arrived, the yogin said, 3?ery goodD3 He then sprin' ed them with mantra water, and !oth mother and chi d turned into stone-so that they wou d not need food or anything e se any more" 2hen her hus!and returned home he as'ed, 32here did she go93 The peop e did not 'now" Hurrying around, as'ing a!out her everywhere, fina y he went to the yogin and to d him what had happened" He too was sprin' ed with mantra water and !ecame what his wife and chi d had !ecome" / p ace was made avai a! e for the three of them" The re atives then came one !y one, fo owing the others" There were a!out three hundred of them, who came ! eating i'e !uffa o ca ves5 and everyone met with the same treatment" The chi d of that woman had certain 6ua ities: from his scrotum came the siddhis of the 8a'as" From his penis came the power to transform things into go d" From his anus came the e iCir of immorta ity" From his eye, the eight great siddhis: wa 'ing on air and the others" This fami y !ecame famous everywhere, and the 'ing of <ampa'a came with !uffa oes and other anima s" The 'ing, out of faith, !ui t a temp e to the three: the chi d, and the hus!and and wife" He then !ui t a temp e to the other three hundred ca ed '$any-named'" Those who have !ad thoughts cannot enter that temp e5 if they do, the images wi !eat them or worse" This temp e has !ecome a center of practice, and it is said that even now there are many yogins who reside there" /t that p ace practice has 6uic' resu ts" ,ou can attain the wor d y siddhis there, and whi e waiting for the appearance of the ?ictorious +ne, $aitreya, you can !e wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings"

$ani!hadra
$anihhadra is a so ca ed the yogini Bah uri" -n the city of /gartse, there ived a wea thy househo der who had a thirteen-year-o d daughter who had !een given in marriage to a man of her own caste" As she was visiting the home of her parents one day, the guru (u''uripa came up to her and as'ed for food" 3,ou are we -formed,3 she said" 32hy do you ive i'e this, !egging for food and wearing patched c othes9 Sure y you shou d ta'e a wife who is chaste and of your own caste"3 He rep ied: - am frightened !y samsara5 and since - am afraid, - am wor'ing to accomp ish the great )oy of i!eration" If - do not accomp ish i!eration in this auspicious ife time, how wi - !e a! e to meet with it in my neCt ife9 -f this precious ife, which is i'e a )ewe , were to !e wrapped in impurity such as a spousethe desire of my ife wou d !e defeated" / sorts of i s wou d arise" Because - 'now this wou d happen, - avoid ta'ing a wife" 2hen the gir heard this, she too' faith in him, and giving him a ms, she as'ed, 3Show me a method of o!taining i!eration"3 3$y home is in the cemetery,3 he said" 3,ou must come there if you want it"3 Even though it was eCtreme y difficu t to do, she went to the cemetery that evening !efore midnight" He saw that she was ready for the teachings, and he initiated her into <a'rasamvara" He gave her instructions on the 8eve oping Stage, the .erfecting Stage, and Tota -ntegration" She then practiced for severa days" 2hen she returned to her parents, they !eat her -and spo'e harsh words to her" She said to them, 3There is no one in the three rea ms of the cosmos who has not !een my mother and father" Even with caste and great fami y ineage, you cannot escape from samsara without fa ing !ac'" - have

ta'en the guru as my support and am wor'ing toward i!eration" So hit me """ - wi ta'e that as path"3 Her parents !e ieved this to !e a trif ing matter, and so they said nothing more" But she meditated on the instructions of the guru and in her mind gave up a the resu ts of 'arma" She practiced for one year, and then her hus!and came for her and too' her !ac' with him" /t his house, she did the deeds and duties of the wor d as they are usua y done5 she spo'e p easing words and was restrained in !ody and speech" Eventua y she gave !irth to a !oy and two gir s" Then as things happen, one day whi e she was ta'ing her son for a ! essing, she met with her guru" Twe ve years had passed" She went to draw water and was returning home when she tripped at the foot of the tree and !ro'e her water pot" She )ust stood there, oo'ing at the !ro'en pot" /t noon, when she did not return, her hus!and went out and saw her there" If anyone said anything to her, she did not seem to hear" She on y stared" Then she fina y said, 32hat are you saying9 /re you a possessed93 /nd at sundown she said: Living !eings without !eginning, !rea' the pot of the !ody" 2hy shou d - return home9 $y pot is now !ro'en" - wi not return to my home in samsara5 now - wi go to the great ! iss" Beho d, B guru, a great wonder: desiring great ! iss, - have recourse to you" Then she rose up in the air, and for twenty-one days she gave instructions to those in /gartse" Then she went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

$e'ha a
There was a househo der in 8evi'ota who had two daughters" There was a so a great merchant who had two sons-and the two fami ies were to !e )oined" But everyone gossiped a!out the two gir s-even though they had not done anything wrong" The younger of the two said to her sister, 3.eop e are ta 'ing a!out us without cause" 2e shou d go somewhere e se"3 But the e der daughter rep ied, 3Even if we went e sewhere, it wou d not ma'e any difference, since we do not have a good accumu ation of 'arma"3 The guru (anhapa then came to that area with a circ e of seven hundred yogins and yogin'is" He manifested num!er ess prodigies such as um!re as suspended over his head

and the cease ess resounding of the damaru" The two sisters said to themse ves, 3Since the townspeop e have gossiped a!out us !oth, we shou d as' for instructions from the guru and practice them"3 So they to d their stories to him and as'ed for instructions" The guru granted their re6uest and gave them initiation" He a so Kgave them instructions of ?a)ravarah'i regarding seeing, meditation, practice, resu ts, and Tota -ntegration" These two practiced energetica y, and in twe ve years attained siddhi" They then went !ac' to their guru and presented offerings to him" But he responded !y as'ing, 32ho are you9 - do not 'now you"3 So they gave an account of what had happened previous y" 32e then,3 he said, 3you must give me my fee"3 3B guru, we wi give as fee whatever you re6uest,3 they rep ied" 3Then,3 said the guru, 3give me your heads, !oth of you"3 32e wi give what the guru re6uests"3 +ut of each of their mouths came a sharp sword of 'now edge" They then each cut off their own head with their own weapon and then presented the heads to the guru, saying, 32e are repaying the words of the guru"3 2e have cut off the i usion of samsara and crossed over !y the Tota -ntegration of the 8eve oping and .erfecting Stages" 2e have cut off the i usion
(/E/(H/L/

of ac6uiring and renouncing !y the Tota -ntegration of vision and activity" 2e have cut the i usion of se f and other !y the Tota -ntegration of 'now edge and space" 2e give you the i usion ess with this gesture" Having said this, as they !egan to dance with their heads in their hands, Kanhapa eCc aimed, 3Beho d, two great yoginisD ,ou are happy !ecause you have attained most eCce ent 6ua ities" But to remain mere y in your own tran6ui ity is the inferior way" ,ou shou d wor' for the !enefit of iving !eings"3 Saying this, he restored their heads without eaving any trace of a wound, at which everyone was ama:ed" These two sisters, fo owing in the steps of (anhapa,

!ecame famous" They attained the siddhi of $ahamudra and after wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings for many years, they went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(ana'ha a
She was the younger of the two sisters who, fo owing the guru (fu: "L"apa, cut off their own heads as is to d in the previous story" The younger sister !ecame 'nown as the yogini (ana'ha a"

(a a'a a
(a a'a a, 'the <hatter!oC', was !orn of a ow-caste fami y in the city of Bhi ira" /s a resu t of 'arma in a previous ife, (a a'a a was very ta 'ative" The townspeop e a found him o!noCious, and therefore ostraci:ed him" He !ecame very downhearted and fina y went to ive tn a cemetery" 2hi e he sat there in his misery, a yogin came a ong" 32hy are you in this cemetery93 he as'ed" (a a'a a to d the yogin truthfu y a!out how his ife had !een, and the yogin said in rep y, "If you are depressed, cou dn't you use a method of i!eration from the misery of the wor d93 32ho wou d - as' if - needed it93as'ed (a a'a a" The yogin indicated he wou d !e the one to as'" /fter the chatter!oC did reverence and made offerings, the yogin initiated him into the *uhyasama)a and gave these instructions for i!eration from appearances: $editate as having one nature, without distinction, the sound of se f and other as sound itse f" Then, during meditation, your own voice wi !e the sound of thunder in the s'y-and f owers wi rain down" ECerting himse f, (a a'a a meditated and ost the sound of other peop e's anger in the sound of his own voice5 his own voice was ost in a rain of f owers5 he ost the idea of f owers in the emptiness of the s'y5 and the $ahamudra of a appearances arose" Having i!erated himse f from a appearances, he attained siddhi, and in a directions he !ecame 'nown as guru (a a'a a" Earrating his eCperiences, he wor'ed for the !enefit of many of those to !e trained" Then, together with a circ e of three hundred fo owers, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(anta i
-n the city of $a &"idhara, (anta i, 'the Tai or', ived a ife devoid of !oth wea th and en)oyment" To support himse f, he cou d on y sew c othes and !eg" +ne day, whi e sewing, he stuc' himse f with the point of a need e" B ood spurted forth, and the hurt was so great that he cou d not endure it" He therefore returned home" The c5 a'ini ?eta i too' the form of a young gir , who as'ed him, 32hat are you doing93 2hen he to d her what had happened, she said to him, 3,ou undergo suffering in this ife !ecause of previous ives" Because of this ife, you wi eCperience suffering again and again in future ives"3 To this, (anta i rep ied, 3- wou d i'e a method to escape from that suffering if you have one"3 3/re you a! e to practice it93

she as'ed" 3- cannot un ess - am shown how,3 he rep ied" So she initiated him into Heva)ra" She instructed him on the immeasura! es, the ,oga of the *uru, and the 8eve oping Stage of yoga" ,et whi e meditating, he !ecame conscious of his sewing" 2hen the c5 a'ini returned again, she gave him instructions as to how to ta'e his conceptions as path: $editate sewing together emptiness and appearances with the need e and thread of 'now edge and mindfu ness" 2hen you have sewn these c othes with the need e of compassion, meditate c othing the !eings of the wor d" $editating in this way, he rea i:ed that a eCiStmg things are empty" 8eve oping great compassion for a unen ightened !eings, he o!tained Tota -ntegration and the siddhi of $ahamudra" Becoming famous everywhere as the guru (anta i, he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings, and fina y, having narrated his eCperiences, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

,hahuli
There ived a man of ow caste in 8ha'ara, who made his iving !y ma'ing rope out of grass" +ne day, whi e he was ro ing up and tying the ropes, a arge ! ister appeared on his hands" -t !ecame so painfu that he )ust stood there wai ing" / yogin came a ong and said, 32hat ai s you93 The rope-ma'er to d him what had )ust occurred, and the yogin rep ied, "If you cannot endure this much pain now, what wi you do when you are re!orn into an unp easant destiny in a ater ife93 3B guru,3 as'ed 8hahu i, 3is there a method to free myse f from that93 The yogin then gave him the initiation which transfers spiritua strength, and then to d him these instructions for practicing the path of

rea i:ation: From the !eginning there is no intrinsic nature in either the 'usha grass of accustomed appearances or in the things which tie appearances together" So meditate with increasing energy" For twe ve years he meditated with faith and vigor on what he had !een to d" Having rea i:ed that a !inding notions are without foundation, and having rea i:ed that the power of other things is dependent, and the essentia nature is the space of the 8harma, he o!tained siddhi" He !ecame famous everywhere as the yogin 8hahu i, and for seven hundred years, he wor'ed for the !enefit of many iving !eings" Then, together with a fo owing of five hundred, he departed for the rea m of the 8a'as"

7dheli
Fdhe i, 'He 2ho F ies', was a no! eman of the and of Lev 'ota, who, as a resu t of his charity in former ives, was very rich" +nce, whi e he was K iving in his pa ace and en)oying his p easures, c ouds of five different co ors gathered in the s'y" /s he ay ga:ing at them, the c ouds appeared to ta'e the shapes of various iving things" +ne oo'ed i'e a goose f ying in the s'y, and he ref ected, 3B, if - cou d on y f y i'e thatD3 2hi e he was ref ecting a!out !irds, the guru (arnaripa came !y as'ing for food" /fter giving him food and water, the t:to! eman !owed down to him and said, 38o you have a method for f ying in the s'y for one who gives a ms to

yogiris93 3-ndeed - have,3 said the yogin" /nd he gave the no! eman the initiation of the <atupithamahayoginitantra" /nd these were the instructions: 3-n the twenty-four great p aces, there are twenty-four medicines" *o to each of these p aces and recite a thousand times the mantra of each da'ini" 2hen you have recited them, then ta'e the medicines"3 3+nce - have done that, then what shou d - do93 as'ed the no! eman" 3First pour the medicines into a copper vesse , then into a vesse of si ver, and then pour them into a vesse of go d" Then you wi !e a! e to go into the s'y,3 was the yogin's rep y" -n twe ve years the no! eman comp eted the admiCture of medicines, and having done as instructed, he f ew into the s'y" He !ecame famous everywhere under the name Fdhe i, and having narrated his eCperiences, he went in this very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(apa apa
(apa apa, which means 'the $an with a S'u ', was a man of ow caste in the country of 4a)apuri who had five sons" Because of previous 'arma, his wife died" He carried the corpse to the cemetery, and as he was standing there grieving, he was to d that his five sons had a so died" He !rought their !odies to the cemetery as we , and remained to grieve even more" The yogin Krsnacari came up to him and said, 32hat are you doing here93 3- have ost my wife and sons, yogin" am torn !y misery" - )ust stand here, una! e to forget these !odies"3 To which Krsnacari rep ied, 3Everyone in the
I

wor d is in the same condition, and you are not a one" But

!eing misera! e is of no !enefit from the standpoint of the 8harma" /re you not afraid of !irth and death in samsara93 3- indeed fear ife and death,3 said (apa apa" 3/nd if you have a method of escaping it, p ease give it to me"3 So the yogin initiated him into the manda a of Heva)ra and gave him instructions on the 8eve oping and .erfecting Stages5 then he set him to practicing" The man made siC sets of ornaments from the !ones of his sons, and !y sp itting the head of his wife, he made a cup" This s'u cup was the 8eve oping Stage5 that it was empty inside the s'u showed him the .erfecting Stage" -n nine years, he achieved the Tota -ntegration, and having attained siddhi, he then spo'e to those to !e trained: - am the yogin of the s'u " The nature of a eCisting things - 'now to !e i'e this s'u " So - !ehave according to my inner power" He danced in the s'y, and the peop e a too' faith in him" He !ecame famous as the guru (apa apa5 he then narrated his eCperiences and wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings for five hundred years" Then, with a circ e of siC hundred, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

(irava
-n the city of *rahara, there was a 'ing as wea thy as (u!era, who en)oyed an eCtensive domain" But that did not satisfy him-he had to pi age the rea ms of other 'ings and en)oy them as we " /t one time, he ed his army into another and5 a who were a! e to f ee did so, !ut the women were not a! e to get away" 2hen the 'ing heard the women wai ing, he as'ed his minister a!out it" The minister spo'e to him straightforward y, and the 'ing grew very sad" <ompassion arose in him, and he said, 3Let the women !e reunited with their fathers and hus!ands"3 The minister carried out the 'ing's instructions, and so the men a ieturned to their homes" The 'ing decreed a great !e for gift-giving, and gave many gifts to those who

had no food" The 'ing then ref ected that it might !e necessary to practice the 8harma, and whi e he was so thin'ing a yogin came there as'ing for food and drin'" The 'ing gave the yogin an a!undance of !oth" The yogin then taught him the doctrine of the Four mmeasura! es" The 'ing then as'ed for more teachings of the Buddha, and the yogin initiated him into <a'rasamvara and set him to meditNtting on the 8eve oping and the .erfecting Stages" However, his path was hindered !y thoughts of his army and his rea m, so he received these instructions on how to overcome these thoughts: <ontemp ate that a sentient !eings of the three rea ms are i'e an heroic army" / imit ess hero comes forth from your own mindwhich is as eCpansive as the s'y" Having removed a distinctions !etween these two heroes, you wi con6uer your enemies5 then you yourse f wi !ecome a great 'ing" +nce you o!tain the )oy of victory !y meditation, you wi achieve the pinnac e of ife" /fter twe ve years, the 'ing envisioned and eCperienced this truth, and after he o!tained siddhi, the pa ace was pervaded !y ight" 2hen he rea i:ed that his 6ueen and the court had o!tained siddhi as we , he ordered a great ceremony, say=ng: For sentient !eings practicing the Four -mmeasura! es, o!sessions can !e a!andoned even !y acts which oo' i'e desire" The hero, !y what oo's i'e great fury, can destroy a enemies" Becoming famous as the guru (irava, he narrated his eCperiences, and for seven hundred years he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings" 2ith a circ e of siC hundred, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Sa'ara
-n the and of(aiici, there was a 'ing named -ndra!hiiti who ru ed over >BB,BBB cities" Though he was a great 'ing, he had no son5 so he prayed to !oth the wor d y and the transmundane deities for a son to !e !orn to him" +ne day, a eing took residen!e in his wife's wom and thoughts of 4oy arose in her. /he had a dream that in si) months the !hild !arried the sun and moon on his shoulders, drank the o!ean, ate -ount -eru, and put his foot on the three realms of the !osmos. /he asked the king a out this dream, and he said to her, %I do not know what to make of it. 2ou will have to ask the honored s!holars and Brahmans.% 8ffering gifts, she put her 9uestion to them, and they replied, %These are signs that a Bodhisattva will e orn, a

king of the ,harma&realm, a sour!e of perfe!tions who $ill ring 4oy to the people of this world and 4oy to the ne)t world as well.% :veryone was elated upon hearing this. 3ine months later, in the wa)ing fortnight, a !hild was orn in the !enter of a lotus, on a great lake of a!!omplished deeds and merit. There fell a rain of desira le things in the area. :veryone was ama#ed, and wondered y whose power this was o!!urring. 1t noon, they reali#ed that the power was the !hild's, and they gave him the name 'Lake& orn 2outh'. Through his power, the inha itants all o tained and en4oyed all that !ould e desired. 1fter this son was orn, there !ame two other sons. "hen the mother and father died, the people gave the kingdom to the eldest son' ut he gave it to the younger sons and e!ame a monk. He then went to /ridhana. 8n the way, the holy 1valokitesvara appeared to him in the form of a monk, so the prin!e would not re!ogni#e him. %,o you wish to meet with the /am hogakaya(% he asked the prin!e. %If I do not have a method, how !an I reali#e this desire(% %If you take me as your guru and pay respe!t to me, I have a method.% 1nd so the prin!e did reveren!e and asked for instru!tions. 1valokitesvara manifested the hosts of deities of Heva4ra y his magi! power and then revealed his own form. He then initiated the prin!e and gave him instru!tions. "hereupon the Holy 8ne disappeared. The prince came to Sridhana, and whi e he was practicing, a man desiring to !e a yogin came to him and said, 32hat are you doing93 The mon' answered him straightforward y, at which the man responded, 3Then - must serve you" But when you attain siddhi you must give instruction to me"3 The prince agreed to this, after which he went to an empty cave and practiced for twe ve years" 8uring this time, there occurred a great famine in the and, and many peop e died" /fraid that he wou d distur! his guru, the servant ived on the eftovers of the guru's food" +ne day he went to get food, !ut there was none to !e had, so he went to the 'ing's pa ace where he managed to get a !ow of rice grue " /s he !rought it !ac' to his guru, !ecause he had not eaten, he fe on the ground in front of the cave and spi ed some of the rice" 3Have you !een drin'ing wine93 the guru as'ed" 3How cou d - !e drin'ing wineD3 eCc aimed the servant" 3- co apsed !ecause - am wea' from hunger"3 32hy cou d you not get food93 as'ed the guru" 3did not say anything for fear of distur!ing the guru,3 the man rep ied" 3There has !een a famine for twe ve years and many peop e have died" The others are suffering considera! y"3

3-s it part of the secret practice to say nothing93 as'ed the master Saroruha" 3- have a method of a eviating hunger"3 He co ected a arge amount of rice and made a torma !eside a river" He stirred up the eight great nagas !y meditating on their sym!o s and mantras5 he then !rought these nagas overhead !y the power of his thoughts" 32e are here,3 said the nagas" 32hat do you wish to !e done93 3There has !een no rain in %am!udvipa,3 said the guru" 3.eop e are dying and it is your fau t" Therefore on the first day, rain down food" +n the second day, grain" +n the third day, rain down )ewe s" /fter you have done that, rain down water"3 peop e were freed from their sufferings" Thoughts a!out the yogin pervaded every direction: 3This was done through the power of Saroruha,3 the peop e said" /nd everyone too' faith in him" Saroruha then initiated his former servant, whose name was 4ama, and gave him instructions where!y he o!tained the wor d y powers of siddhi" The guru then said, 3Since you have !een given the instructions for the 8eve oping and the .erfecting Stages of Heva)ra, do not )ust go into the s'y, !ut wor' for the !enefit of iving !eings" *o to the Sriparvata and do what you need to do"3 The guru went to the rea m of the 8a'as" 4ama !rought the daughter of a 'ing to the neigh!orhood of the Sriparvata !y his power" They !oth !ui t temp es and fina y went to the rea m of the 8a'as themse ves"

Sarva!ha'sa
Sarvabhaksa, whose name means 'the $an 2ho Eats

Everything', was !orn of ow caste, a su!)ect of (ing Sinhacandra in the city of /!hara" He had an enormous y arge stomach, and whatever was put !efore him, he ate" +ne day, he cou d find nothing to eat, so he wandered off to another p ace where he )ust sat, thin'ing a!out nothing !ut food" Saraha came a ong and as'ed him, 32hat are you doing here93 Sarvabhaksa rep ied, 3$y stomach !urns with a great fire and - cannot find enough food to satisfy me" Today - cannot find anything to eat at a , and so - suffer"3 "If you

cannot endure hunger for such a short time, what wi it !e i'e when you are re!orn as a preta, a hungry ghost93 The man as'ed what a preta was i'e, and the yogin, saying 3Loo' thereD3 pointed one out" 3,ou wi !e re!orn as a !eing )ust i'e that"3 4ecogni:ing that indeed this was so, Sarvabhaksa !egged the guru for a method of i!eration" The guru first gave him initiation and then taught him the Bodhicaryavatara of Santideva" He gave instructions as fo ows: <ontemp ate that your stomach is as empty as the s'y" Let the fire !urn as when you are hungry" Let a the visi! e wor d !e edi! e and drin'a! e, and et it !e consumed as you eat it" Sarvabhaksa meditated with such devotion that the sun and moon !ecame afraid and hid themse ves in the va ey of $ount $eru" Everyone cried out in one voice, 3/ as, the ight is going outD3 /roused !y the da'inis, $aha!rahma came down to Sarvabhaksa and said, 3,ou have eaten a the food5 now meditate without it"3 So Sarvabhaksa did" The sun and moon reappeared, and everyone was again happy" 4ea i:ing the integration of appearances and emptiness, Sarvabhaksa attained siddhi" He narrated his eCperiences and !rought great ! essings to a iving !eings for siC hundred years" Then, with a circ e of a thousand, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Eaga!odhi
+nce when the ho y Eagar)una was iving in the hermitage of Suvarna, there came from the west of -ndia a Brahman who was a thief" He oo'ed at the guru through the door and saw him eating uCurious food from a go den p ate" The thought came into his mind to stea the p ate, !ut the guru recogni:ed the thought and threw the go den p ate out of his room onto the ground" 32hy did he do that93 thought the thief" He went into the house and spo'e hum! y" 3- was thin'ing of stea ing the go den p ate, !ut now you have made that unnecessary" 2hy did you throw it to me93 3$y name is Eagar)una,3 the guru answered" 3/ my

wea th is for the !enefit of others" - threw out the p ate !ecause when we die there is no use in having wea th" 4emain here" Eat and drin' a you need so that you do not have to stea "3 The man, !e ieving in that 'ind of !ehavior, as'ed for the 8harma" Then Eagar)una initiated him into the *uhyasama)a and gave him instructions on freeing himse f from attachment to things: <ontemp ate that a the things you desire are i'e arge horns on your head" %ewe s have no inherent nature whatsoever, so meditate on the radiant c ear ight" Eagar)una fi ed a corner of the house with arge )ewe s and eft the thief with them" Eaga!odhi ived in the house and meditated according to the instructions" -n twe ve years, great horns grew on his head-so that whenever he moved a!out, they !umped into things" He !ecame very unhappy" 2hen Eagar)una returned, he as'ed the thief: 3/re you happy now93 3- am not happy,3 rep ied the man" Eagar)una then aughed and gave him further instructions: %ust as one who grows horns !y meditating finds they destroy a his )oy, so onging for a '!asic nature' causes a !eings to suffer" ECistent things have no actua !eing, !ut they arise i'e c ouds in the s'y" Birth, ife, death, !enefit, and in)ury arise from what9 By means of what9 2hat can !enefit you9 2hat can in)ure you if the mind itse f is pure9 From the !eginning, there is nothing to !e done, !ecause everything is empty of su!stance" 2hen this was said, the man rea i:ed that emptiness is the !asic condition of things" Sitting in meditation for siC months, having rea i:ed the insepara!i ity of samsara and nirvana, he attained siddhi" He !ecame famous under the name Eaga!odhi, and was se ected as the successor to the guru" He attained the eight great powers of siddhi for the !enefit of iving !eings: the siddhis of wa 'ing underground, of the sword, of !inding and etting oose, of the pi and eye medicine, of the winged feet, and of the e iCir of immorta ity"

These eight powers wi !ring whatever is desired" 34emain on the Sriparvata,3 said Eagar)una, 3teaching and wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings"3 Then Eagar)una eft him there" It is said he wi ive for two thousand years"

8ari'a
-n the and of Sa iputra, there was a 'ing named

-ndrapa a" +ne day when he was out hunting, at a!out noontime he came upon a group of peop e gathering for the mar'et" He saw the peop e a giving reverence to the yogin Liiyipa sitting there" The 'ing said to the yogin, 3/ man such as you with such good appearance and good fami y shou d not !e eating fish-guts, which are unc ean" - wi give you whatever you need to eat, and whatever e se you want" If you want my 'ingdom, - wi give it to you"3 The guru answered, "If you have a method of i!eration from o d age and death, that - can use" But if you do not, even your 'ingdom and your daughter wou d !e of no use to me"3 32hy not93 as'ed the 'ing" 3The 'ingdom !rings itt e !enefit and is a great hindrance" - have renounced everything,3 Liiyipa said" Thereupon (ing -ndrapa a himse f grew weary of his 'ingdom and said to his Brahman minister, 3- wear a crown in this wor d, !ut for what9 Let us go to the 8harma" There is sufficient food and c othing for my wife, and - can give the 'ingdom to my son"3 The minister saw that such a course wou d !e fitting, and so the 'ing gave the 'ingdom to his son" Both the 'ing and the minister went to the cemetery where Liiyipa ived and 'noc'ed on his door" 32ho is thereD3 ca ed the master" 2hen the 'ing and his minister answered, the master said, 32e then, come inD3 /nd they entered" The master then initiated them !oth into the manda a of <a'rasamvara, and the two offered themse ves as the initiation fee" Then the three of them went to another and, +rissa, and there they stayed and !egged a ms" /fter that, they went to the and of Bhirapura to a city ca ed %intapura" -n the city, they went to the house which !e onged to the woman in charge of the three hundred dancing gir s who gave service in the temp e" Liiyipa as'ed at each of the three hundred doors, 32ou d not your mistress i'e to !uy a servant93 3.erhaps may !uy him,3 said the madam" She opened her door and oo'ed out, and when she saw that he was a handsome man, she wanted him and as'ed, 32hat is his price93 3Five hundred go d coins,3 the master answered" 2hen she !ought the prince the master said to her, 38o not et anyone s eep with him at night, and do not chain him" He is worth the price you paid for him"3 Then he and the Brahman eft" The prince wor'ed for twe ve years in the house of the prostitute, washing the women's feet and massaging their

!odies" However, he did not forget the words of his guru" / ong with a his other wor', he too' on wor' that was !eing neg ected" / the other servants of the p ace great y admired him for that" +ne day, a 'ing named %anapa, a so 'nown as (ing (un)i, came to the house with five hundred go d coins which he intended to spend on wor d y p easures" 2hen the master served him, (un)i gave him seven go d coins as payment" Then (un)i spent the entire day in )oy and in fi ing his stomach5 as a resu t of his overeating, he got indigestion" He was pacing !ac' and forth in the midd e of the night, when he noticed a p easant aroma coming from a ighted p ace within the garden" He went to investigate, and there he saw the servant sitting on a throne, !eing venerated !y fifteen maidens" The 'ing was 6uite ama:ed" He retraced his steps to the house, and to d the madam what he had seen" They !oth went out into the garden and saw the same scene as !efore" The madam !ecame penitent and prostrated herse f !efore the master, saying, 32e poor sou s have made an error5 we did not 'now that you had these a!i ities" - have incurred a great sin !y treating you as my servant" 2e !eg you to !e patient with us" - wi ma'e you an o!)ect of reverence for twe ve years"3 2hen the master assented to this, the madam and (ing (un)i as'ed to !e his students" He rose in the midd e of the air and came down a!ove the town, saying: / wor d y 'ing has a paraso and sits on an e ephant throne" $y 'ingdom is more distinguished and my position more eCa ted" - have the paraso of i!eration and ride the $ahayana" 8ari'a en)oys himse f on the throne of the three wor ds"
%ecause he was the servant of a prostitute, he was 'nown

as 8ari'a" Later, with a circ e of seven hundred, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

.uta i
+ne day, a guru yogin came and !egged a ms from a man of ow caste who made his home in Benga " The man !rought the yogin food and drin' and, ta'ing faith in him, too' him as guru" He was initiated into Heva)ra and given instructions" The yogin a so gave him a than'a of Heva)ra, a!out which the yogin said, 3.ractice and use the than'a as you !eg a ms from city to city"3 .uta i practiced according y for twe ve years and attained siddhi, though he did not have a comp ete rea i:ation" +ne day, .uta i went to the 'ing's pa ace" The 'ing saw him as he was putting each god in its p ace on the than'a, and the 'ing revi ed him, saying, 3This is not a painting" +n y icon-painters ma'e proper paintings"3 The yogin rep ied,

3These are the genuine gods" $y gods are highest !ecause they have ta'en the p ace of your gods in the than'a"3 The 'ing, thin'ing that may!e this was true, summoned his icon-painter" The yogin said to him, 3Even if you paint your god in the p ace of my god, how can it !e right93 32hat wi happen93 as'ed the 'ing" 3$y god wi !ecome the god of godsO' the yogin rep ied" 3How can we demonstrate that93K as'ed the 'ing" 3.aint the 'ing's god a!ove and p ace the Buddhist deity !e ow" Soon the Buddhist god wi !e on top,3 the yogin said" "If that occurs,3 said the 'ing, 3- wi accept your system and !ecome a Buddhist"3 The yogin ref ected on these words" Later, when they oo'ed at the painting, the 'ing's god had eft its p ace and the other one was there instead" The 'ing was astonished" He too' the yogin as guru and entered the 8harma" The yogin !ecame famous as the guru .uta i, and for five hundred years he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings" Having narrated his eCperiences, fina y, with siC hundred fo owers, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

.anaha
.anaha, whose name means 'the Bootma'er', was a man of ow caste in Sandhonagara who supported himse f !y ma'ing !oots" +ne day, the !ootma'er saw a yogin who had great magica powers !egging a ms" He too' faith in that yogin and fo owed him into a 6uiet cemetery" 32hy did you come here93 as'ed the guru" 3- have come to as' for the 8harma,3 the !ootma'er rep ied" /nd so the yogin preached the misery of samsara and the !enefits of i!eration" The !ootma'er !ecame very despondent a!out samsara, and as'ed, 3B guru, p ease give me a method of i!eration from samsara"3 /fter the yogin gave the initiation which transfers ! essings, he gave these instructions to ta'e

desira! e o!)ectives as the path: .ut on the ornamented !oots5 hasten a ong in your wa 'ing and a sound wi arise" <oncentrate on this sound a one5 then meditate that the sound and emptiness are insepara! e" .anaha understood the meaning and meditated on it" $ter nine years he purified the stains which o!struct the path of sight, and attained siddhi" Becoming famous as the guru .anaha, he narrated his eCperiences" Having wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings for eight hundred years, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as with a circ e of eight hundred"

(o'a ipa
+nce there was a 'ing in the city of <ampara who cou d not endure the heat" So he stayed in the shade of a grove of asmra trees, near a stream of c ear water where there grew sweet-sme ing !right y co ored f owers and fruits of a varieties" Here the princes and no!i ity did him reverence" /nd, of course, the 'ing had many young maidens to serve him-some fanned him, some sang, some danced for him, whi e others scattered f owers" 2hi e he was en)oying his 'ingdom-which did not ac' for any de ights-a true mon' came to the garden" There were three hundred doors to the p easure grove, and he did not 'now which one to enter" The 'ing himse f heard him, ca ed 3come inside,3 and had the mon' admitted"

The 'ing gave the mon' food and provisions and then as'ed him, 3<an your 8harma !e as happy as my 8harma93 3From the point of view of a chi d, you are very happy,3 said the mon'" 3But from the point of view of the wise, a this is poison"3 3How can you say poison93 as'ed the 'ing" The mon' then eCp ained to the 'ing a!out the three poisons" 3The 'ingdom is a composite of these poisons,3 said the mon'" 3-t is destined for an unp easant end" -t is !y nature painfu 5 it is i'e a man who eats and drin's de icious food that had !een aced with poison"3 The 'ing, a person of spiritua inc inations, too' this mon' as guru and re6uested instructions" He was initiated into <a'rasamvara and was shown the path" The 'ing then a!dicated in favor of his son" But though he was a! e to renounce his previous mode of ife, the sound of the cuc'oo !irds in the asmra trees distracted him, so he as'ed to !e instructed in a way that wou d free him comp ete y from distractions" The mon' said to him: %ust as in the empty s'y, the thunderc ouds gather5 and when the rainfa occurs the sap eCtends through to the fruit, i'ewise in the emptiness of the ear, the 'thunder' of the cuc'oo sounds, and from the c ouds of concepts and perceptions comes the poisonous rain of misery Kwhich ma'es the eaves of o!session grow" The wise man cuts off his chi dish nature" From the empty nature of the mind itse f, the thunder of the insepara!i ity of sound and emptiness, the c ouds of unstained great ! iss co ect, and from the rainfa of the radiant true nature, the fruit of the five 'now edges grows" Beho d such a wonder for one who understands" He meditated on these words and attained siddhi in siC months" He !ecame famous as the guru (o'a ipa, and wor'ing for the !enefit of iving !eings, he went to the rea m of the 8a'as in this very !ody"

/nanga
/nai ga was !orn a person of ow caste in the and of *ahura" Because he had meditated on patience in a previous ife, he was very handsome, and !ecause everyone was a ways ga:ing at him, he !ecame very proud" / discip ined mon' who practiced the appropriate !ehavior came to where he ived, as'ing for food" 3<ome in,3 /nai ga said" 3wi serve you every day"3 /nd he as'ed the mon' to return" /nai ga washed the mon''s feet, p aced cushions for him to rest on, and satisfied him with food and drin'" 3,our reverence,3 he said, 3it is very difficu t to !eg a ms and food" 2hy do you do it93 3Since - am afraid of samsara, - wish a

method of i!eration from it,3 the mon' rep ied" 3,our 4everence, what is the difference !etween the support we two have93 3There is a great difference,3 the mon' rep ied" 3The 8harma does not arise from the pride which is your support" $easure ess good things arise from the faith which is my Ksupport"3 3,our 4everence, what is the 6ua ity of faith93 /nai ga as'ed" /nd the mon' rep ied, 3Those whose support is the practice of the 8harma are not hindered !y either human or non-human forces" They attain the !ody of a Buddha and cross over from wor d to wor d"3 /nai ga then as'ed the mon' to give him a method to o!tain such 6ua ities, and the mon' rep ied, 3/re you a! e to give up wor d y activities such as dressing and coo'ing93 3/ny man can do that,3 /nai ga responded" 32e then, having first done that, can you meditate93 3- can,3 said /nai ga, and so he was initiated into <a'rasamvara and given these instructions on how to c arify the siC sense fie ds: / various appearances have the nature of the mind" Eothing whatsoever eCists apart from it" /rrange the o!)ects of the siC senses in their own p ace5 penetrate to their indestructi! e nature without usting for them" He meditated, and having attained siddhi in siC months, he !ecame 'nown as the guru /nai ga" He wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings and fina y went in that very !ody to the rea m of the 8a'as"

La'smin'ara
"aksminkara was the sister of (ing -ndra!hiiti who

ru ed over the 0GB,BBB cities of Sam !o a in Fddiyana" From her youth, she had en)oyed the many advantages of her no! e c ass" She earned doctrines from the great siddha (am!a a, and she 'new many of the Tantra co ections" Her !rother, (ing -ndra!hiiti, had given her in marriage to

the son of %a endra, (ing of Lan'a" 2hen the messenger arrived to ta'e her to Lan'a, she carried her stain ess wea th with her, her great 'now edge a!out the 8harma" 2hen she arrived at the city of Lan'apura, "aksmin'ara !ecame very sad, for a of the many peop e she saw were non-Buddhists" Because it was said that the stars were unfavora! e, she was not permitted to enter the 'ing's pa ace" So she stayed in town" The entourage of the prince,)ust returning from a hunt and carrying much meat with them, came into her presence and greeted her" 32hat is a this93 as'ed the princess" 32here did these anima s come from9 2ho 'i ed a of them93 The hunters answered, 32e have )ust come !ac' from the hunt" ,our hus!and, the prince, went into the wi ds to hunt and 'i "3 The princess fe t a great revu sion at the ta ' of the hunt and of eating )ust to stuff their !e ies" She thought to herse f, 3$y !rother is a 'ing who protects the 8harma" <an permit myse f to !e married to someone who is i'e a pagan93 Thereupon she fainted" /fter she recovered from her faint, she gave her wea th to the citi:ens of the city and her ornaments to her retinue" She then returned to the p ace where she was staying" *iving orders that she wou d not receive anyone for ten fu days, she remained inside the house" She cut her hair and stripped herse f na'ed5 then she smeared ashes and coa on her !ody" / though she acted demented, she unwavering y set a!out her heart's aim" The 'ing and his court were oppressed !y sorrow" They sent for a doctor who prepared medicines for her, !ut she struc' out at a who came near her, tossing !rass ornaments in the air" / though they sent a message to her !rother a!out this turn of events, she remained very unhappy" The princess considered p ans for escape, for she had turned her heart from samsara" She acted i'e a demented ascetic" Escaping from Lai 'apura and staying in a cemetery, she consummated her heart's aim" -n seven years she attained siddhi" / sweeper of the 'ing did reverence to her, and she gave him instructions" He attained some of the necessary 6ua ities and was wor'ing to eCperience the others when (ing %a endra and his entourage came !y one day on a hunt" The 'ing ost his way and wandered a!out5 una! e to find his way out of that wi d p ace, he oo'ed for a p ace to rest" He came to the cave where "aksminkara s ept" Thin'ing to himse f, 32hat is the cra:y woman doing93 he oo'ed in "" There was a !right ight inside, and in a directions

he saw num!er ess divine maidens who were doing reverence and ma'ing offerings" Though he went !ac' to his pa ace, a pure faith arose in the 'ing, and he returned to that p ace and did reverence" 32hy do you do reverence to a woman i'e me93 "aksminkara as'ed" The 'ing then as'ed for instructions, !ut she said: / !eings who dwe in samsara parta'e of pain" There is no happy or ! issfu state of !eing" Birth, o d age, and death5 even the gods, chief among !eings, are not free !ut are stric'en !y them" The three evi destinies are painfu in themse ves" Though you eat here and there, you wi a ways !e hungry" ,ou are tormented !y fire and frost end ess y" B 'ing, see' the ! iss of i!eration" Then she said, 3,ou cannot !ecome my pupi " ,our sweeper is my student, and wi !e your teacher" He has )ust attained siddhi and wi !e your auspicious friend"3 3Since there are so many sweepers,3 said the 'ing, 3how wi - 'now him93 3The right sweeper wi !e giving food to the peop e" *o to him at night"3 2hen the 'ing saw the proper sweeper he chec'ed him carefu y" He then put him on a throne, did him honor, as'ed for instructions, and was given the initiation which transfers spiritua power" Fina y the sweeper and the princess manifested many mirac es in Lai 'apura, teaching the 8eve oping and .erfecting Stages of ?a)ravarahi" Fina y, in this very !ody, they went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

Samudra
-n a and ca ed Sarvatira, there ived a man of ow caste who gained his sustenance !y co ecting things from the sea" +ne day he found nothing, and growing depressed a!out his ife, he sat down in a cemetery" The yogin /cinta came a ong and as'ed him, 32hat are you doing here93 The man to d him what had happened previous y, and eCpressed his unhappiness" 3/ sentient !eings in the wor d have measure ess misery,3 the yogin said" 3,ou wi find the ;previous misery unendura! e, !ut more pain wi come, and you may not find even a word of p easure"3 3B yogin,3 the man said, 3as' for any method of !eing i!erated from misery"3 The

yogin then initiated him, and gave him instructions on the Four -nner %oys and the Four +uter mmeasurea! es: Friend iness, compassion, )oy, and e6uanimity, are the Four mmeasurea! es" Happiness wi f ow from the center and from wor d y things in e6ua measure" The four ca'ras are the four )oys" Happiness and emptiness are 6uite insepara! e" If you meditate correct y, not on y wi you have undefi ed ! iss, !ut there wi not !e a word of misery" /fter he understood what was said, the man meditated and in three years attained siddhi" He !ecame famous in a directions as the guru Samudra" Having narrated his eCperiences, he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings and with a circ e of eight hundred, went to the rea m of the 8a'as"

?ya i
-n a p ace ca ed /patrara, there ived a wea thy Brahman named ?ya i who made many eCperiments in order to ma'e the e iCir of ife" He !ought a ot of mercury and many drugs5 he then pu veri:ed the drugs and miCed them together" But he cou d not find the 'ey to the e iCir" 2hen nothing resu ted from a this, and as no signs of progress had appeared, in a fit of rage he threw his !oo' into the river *anges and gave up his efforts" /fter wor'ing for twe ve years on the e iCir, and having used up a of his wea th, he went as a !eggar to the city where the vihara of (ing 4ama was situated" -n that same city, a prostitute went to the !an's of the *anges to !athe,

found the !oo' the o d Brahman had thrown away, and showing it to him, as'ed, 32hat is this93 He saw that it was his o d a chemy !oo', and to d her of his previous attempts to produce the e iCir" "If - had a itt e !it more go d, - wou d !e a! e to do it,3 he said" She then gave him money, !ut under the same de usions as !efore, he fo owed the same procedures" He was power ess" He !ought a ot of mercury and practiced again for a year, !ut since he did not 'now a!out the red S'yurura, theKsigns of transformation did not occur" +ne day, whi e the prostitute was !athing, a f ower which was se f-formed attached itse f to her finger" /s she was p uc'ing it off, a partic e of the f ower fe into the miCture of su!stances, and immediate y the signs of transformation appeared" The Brahman as'ed the woman what had gone into the miCture, !ecause he was himse f carefu not to a ow foreign su!stances into it" 32hat caused this93 he as'ed" 3The signs of success are here" The eight mar's of good fortune have arisen"3 They indeed had great fortune" The prostitute put a drop of the e iCir into the Brahman's food and, served it to him" +n previous days when they had added drops to food and drin', he had not detected any difference" But this day he did" The prostitute had accomp ished what he had not" The Brahman, the prostitute, and a horse a ate the e iCir, and a three attained the successfu power of iving without death" But the Brahman had a very se fish nature, and he wanted to go where he wou d not have to give the e iCir to anyone" He went to the rea ms of the gods, and even the gods did not 'now he had it" He then went to the country of a 'ing named (i am!e and ived there" There was a roc' a mi e high and ten shouting distances in eCtent surrounded !y a swamp" +n the top of it, there was a tree" The Brahman ived in the sec uded shade of this tree, where he wou d not have to revea the recipe for the e iCir to anyone" Eow the ho y Eagar)una, after attaining the successfu power of going through the air, came to that p ace, wearing a pair of magic shoes" He did reverence and as'ed for instructions" 3How did you get here93 as'ed ?ya i" Eagar)una showed him the power of the magic shoes, and eCp ained how he had got them" ?ya i gave him the recipe for the e iCir and then said, 3*ive me those !oots for a fee"3 Eagar)una gave him one shoe, and with the other went !ac' to %am!udvipa" Eagar)una comp eted his practice on the Sriparvata

and he wor'ed for the !enefit of iving !eings" Eagar)una then said, 3/ttachment to go d is an evi un ess you are a! e to attain the proper 6ua ities" -f you are not a! e to produce these 6ua ities, you shou d see' the spiritua counse of a guru5 you wi then !ecome a great man"3

The fruit, the ! iss of the 8harma-nature,wi never end"