Goddesses of Tibetan Buddhism
This page is simply a partial database list of some of the Goddesses / Dakinis found in Tibetan Buddhism and Bonpo. The word dakini is translated as women who dance in the sky or this could be interpreted as women who revel in the freedom of emptiness. Please know if you really desire liberation from Samsara you must study with a Guru or master because this is an oral tradition. So when you are ready to commit, seek a Guru who can empower your practice. It is not productive to actually practice without a guide. It is ok to simply study and learn. If the mantra is blank or missing it either means I have not found it yet in my research or that it is unavailable for some other reason.
If we analyze the entimology of the word lama the first syllable 'la' means superior, while the second 'ma' is the word for mother. The 'ma' in lama refers to the mother, therefor, the explanation for the title lama is that the lama is viewed as the highest form of motherhood. In Tibetan-English dictionary by Chandra Das, the word lama is literally interpreted as 'soul mother,' or the all-sustaining mother of the universe.
Tibetan Buddhists place extreme significance on the feminine. There exists a genre of important goddesses who display a violent dynamism rarely visible elsewhere in Buddhist aesthetics. In universal parlance they are referred to as Dakinis or Yoginis, and encompass a dazzling array of both compassionate and wrathful female imagery. These unrestrained damsels appear to revel in freedom of every kind. The dakini is a representation of the cyclical and rhythmic vibrancy of Mother Nature. Wrath must be grasped and understood not as a retribution which inspires submission, but as a powerful and constructive force, and as a facilitator of change and understanding.Nature is complete when male and female essences co-exist, each is incomplete without the other and this is the goal of tantra.
Most texts are written down in either Sanskrit or Tibetan. But there exists a very secret language said to have emanated from the dakinis which are guarded with great secrecy. These kinds of teachings should be limited only to those able to understand their meaning and who can maintain the required degree of discretion concerning their contents. Texts said to have been revealed by dakinis, were believed to be written in the 'dakini spirit,' a kind of secret language known as twilight language, and these texts are highly prized for their esoteric nature. The whispered voices of the dakini are known popularly as the Dakini's warm breath.Most of scholars believe that the use of such a mystical and secret language is parallel to the identification of women with the unknown in nature, and her body as a metaphor for the mysteries of the world. The drum is an instrument closely associated with the dakini orsound of the heartbeat which we all heard in the womb. The dakini is not to be taken for granted nor imposed upon, the blazing fires often depicted behind her are ever ready to consume the enemies of the Dharma.
Achi Chkyi Drolma (A-chi Chos-kyi sGrol-ma)
Description: This female is a Dharma protector. She is white and rides a snow lion.
Mantra:
Belwong Kalasiddhi
Description: Emanation of Vajra Varahi's "quality".
Mantra:
Cintamani
Description: One of the forms of Tara meditational deity of the Unsurpassed Yogatantra class.
Mantra:
Ekajati (Ralchikma)
Description: Wrathful goddess, protectress of the Dzogchen teachings, she has a single hair knot, one breast and one eye and is the Black form of Tara.. She is often depicted with Avalokiteshvara and Green Tara.
Mantra:
Green Tara
Description: Goddess who was a Nepalese princess who married Songsten Gampo who was the first Buddhist King of Tibet. She offers the gifts of compassion, and healing and protects against danger and removes hinderances to awakening.
Mantra: Om tare tutare ture svaha!
Khandro Wongchang (mKha - gro dbang- chang)
Description: An emanation of Vajra Varahi's essential indefinable individuality. Very little is currently known about her. If you happen to come accross new information, please send me an email.
Mantra:
Kurukulla (Red Tara)
Description: Kurukulla is the goddess of subjugation. She is for empowerment, protection, and transformation. She is red and arises dancing from the Sanskrit syllable Hrih. She destroys harmful spirits and enemies.
Mantra: Om Kurukulle hri svaha!
Machig Lapdron
Description: Goddess & woman mystic who was the first Mahamudra Chod practitioner. Dakini of the Vajra family. Mother of the Buddhas of the Three Times.
Mantra:
Norgyuma (Yellow Tara)
Description: Goddess who offers the gift of wealth and physical and spiritual abundance, generosity and fulfillment to all beings as can be seen in the symbols by her opulant throne and ornamentaton. She can help us to open our hearts and minds to receive the abundance in the universe.
Mantra: Om, tare tuttare ture pushtim kuru Om!
Mandarava
Description: One of Padmasambhava's (Guru Rinpoche) two consorts; a female Buddhist master. A wisdom Dakini from India. She was the daughter of the King of Zahor. One of the emanations of Vajra Varahi - her "speech".
Mantra:
Marici (Ozerchenma)
Description: Propitiated to remove obstacles and protect travelers. She is the red goddess of the dawn - associated with the sun. One of her 3 faces is the sow. She has 8 arms holding implements and rides on a throne drawn by nine pigs.
Mantra:
Nairatmya
Description: She is sky colored blue which symbolized her transcendence of ego-centered exstence. She has used her crescent shaped knife to cut off self-centered mind-states.
Mantra:
Palden Lhamo (Shri Devi)
Description: The only female dharma protector common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. This wrathful diety is dark blue with one face and 3 eyes, she rides on a mule through a sea of blood and is surrounded by wisdom fire. She is under a peacock umbrella symbolizing protection. There is a sun at her navel and a moon at her crown. Mo a system of devination by dice is associated with her. Cognates are Sarasvati or Tara.
Mantra:
Prajnaparamita (Yum Chenmo)
Description: Goddess who embodies perfect discriminative awareness, she is yellow, holdng emblems such as a lotus, book, vajra, and rosary which symbolize supreme insight. She is the ultimate nature of all phenomena, emptiness, the essence of reality.
Mantra: Om Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.
Sakya Dema ( Belmo Sakya Devi))
Description: Dakini from Bhutan. Emanation of Vajra Varahi - her "activity". Daughter of the King Hamra who invited the Guru to Bhutan. At age 13 she met the Goddess Yeshe Tosgyel who was meditating in Nering Drak Cave who she brought milk and honey. She goes with Tosgyel to Tibet where she meets and is given to Guru Rinphoche. She becomes a secondary consort of Guru Pema representing the tigress. Chidren performs as his mudra in initiatory rites of Dorje Phurba performed for the protection of Tibet. She is later reborn at Machik Labdron's daughter.
Mantra:
Salgye Du Dalma (gsal-byed-gdos-bral-ma)
Description: According to the Bon Mother Tantra Salgye Du Dalma is a dakini who can be called upon for protection during sacred sleep. So she is used when practicing dream yoga. "She who clarifies beyond conception" She is visualized as a luminous sphere of light known as a tingle'. This dakini is always available because she resides in the heart, sitting on a white moon disk, which rests on a golden sun disk which rests on a blue 4 petaled lotus. Call upon her at night when you wish to have lucid dreams.
Mantra:
Samantabhadri (Kuntu Zangmo also spelled Kungtusangmo)
Description: This goddess is white and completely naked. The female objective aspect of primordial buddha-body of actual reality (dharmakaya) symbolizes emptiness. Known as the "all good woman". She is shown iconographically in union with Samantabhadra her consort.
Mantra:
Sherab Chamma (Kunzal Chamma Chemo)
Description: Bon enlightened being - the Wisdom, Loving Mother. She is gold in color and holds a vase in her right hand and a mirror in ther left hand.
Mantra: Om Ma Wa Ma De Ma Hi Mo Ha E Ma Ho Ma Ye Ru Pa Ye Ta Du Du So Ha
Shridevi (Palden Lhamo)
Description: Protrectress who has both peaceful and wrathful ferocious forms. In her wrathful form (Remati) she is depicted as dark blue, with 3 eyes, holding a sickle or sandalwood club and a blood-filled skull and riding a mule. Ask for her help to overcome internal passions.
Mantra:
Sinhavaktra
Description: A lion headed goddess (counterpart of Mahakala) the female aspect of Padmasambhava. She dispells obstacles to enlightenment. She has dark blue skin and holds a vajra-chopper and skull cup.
Mantra:
Tara
Description: Tara, the Divine Mother, is the embodiment of love and compassion. Goddess who made a vow to carry all beings across the ocean of suffering into full enlightenment. She has 21 forms.
Mantra: See each specific form because mantras are different for each.
Vajrayogini (Dorje Naljorma)
Description: Shown dancing in a circle of flames. Slightly wrathful goddess, red in color, with loosely flowing black hair, one aspect is known as Kecari. The principal female yidam of Highest Yoga Tantra of the New Translation schools of Tibetan Buddhism. She is untamed, beautiful and passionate. Her form "Vajravarahi" is associated with the Kagyu school.
Mantra:
Vishvamata
Description: The consort of Kalachakra. She is yellow, has 4 faces, with 3 eyes in each face, she has 8 yellow arms with the following implements: a curved knife, a hook, a small drum, a mala, a skull cap, a lasso, a lotus flower and a jewel. She is one of the 6 dieties in the center of the lotus of the Kalachakra sand mandala. Along with the eight shaktis and Kalachakra she resides in the Mandala of Enlightened Great Bliss which is at the center of the enlightened mind.
Mantra:
White Tara
Description: She is a merciful protectful goddess who has a wisdom eye and action eyes in her hands and feet. Goddess who offers long life, protection, compassion and forgiveness.
Mantra: Om tare tutare ture mama ayuh punya jnana pustim kuru svaha!
Yeshe Tsogyal (also Kuntuzangmo)
Description: She is one of Padmasambhava's (Guru Rinpoche) two mystic consorts, former wife of King Trisong Detsen, a Sky Dancer yogini from Tibet. One of the emanations of Vajra Varahi - her mind. She had a perfect memory. Tsogyal is an emanation of the Goddess Sarasvati. She cuts away ignorance and attachment with her hooked knife. Tsogyal hid Guru's treasures which were to be found in the future when the time is ripe. She lived 211 years then achieved the rainbow body (parinirvana).
Mantra:
The following are the 5 elemental goddesses (air, earth, water, fire and space) from the Bon tradition.For further details and information you might want to order Healing with Form, Energy and Light by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche which was the source of the following information. There is much more detail and information about shamanism, tantra, and dzogchen in this text.
Element: Earth Goddess
Mantra for Transformation: MA KHAM
Mantra of the Goddess: KHAM LA ZHI KYE LE DU
Color of goddess: radiant yellow-gold
Qualities: Strength, steadiness, security, groundedness, focus, connection
Organ: Spleen
Wisdom: Equanimity
Image: Powerful, solid mountains
Element: Water Goddess
Mantra for Transformation: A MAM
Mantra of the Goddess: MAM DANG RA MAM TING DU
Color of goddess: luminous blue
Qualities: calm, comfortable, sensuous, relaxed, peaceful, flowing
Organ: kidneys
Wisdom: miror-like wisdom
Image: vast, calm lake
Element: Fire Goddess
Mantra for Transformation: A RAM
Mantra of the Goddess: RAM TSANG TANG NE RAM DU
Color of goddess: Luminous Red
Qualities: energy, warmth, strong will, inspiration, creativity, bliss
Organ: liver
Wisdom: discriminating wisdom
Image: fiery volcano
Element: Air Goddess
Mantra for Transformation: MA YAM
Mantra of the Goddess: YAM YAM NI LI THUN DU
Color of goddess: luminous green
Qualities: flexibility, liveliness, freshness, quickness
Organ: lungs
Wisdom: all-accomplishing wisdom
Image: fresh wind through the valley and across the mountains
Element: Space Goddess
Mantra for Transformation: MA A
Mantra of the Goddess: A MU YE A KAR A NI A
Color of goddess: Luminous white or clear
Qualities: spaciousness, ease, clarity, expansiveness, vastness
Wisdom: wisdom of emptiness
Image: vast open sky over the desert or plains
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