UnbornMind Zen

Archive for the ‘Ḍākiṇī’ Category

Lankavatarian Foundations All beings are likened to forms originated in an illusion or a dream; since there is no self, others, or both, there is no arising of them. When practitioners penetrate "nothing but self-mind," and thus realize the non-being of external beings, they therefore realize the non-arising of discriminatory faculties... The above passage, from Gishin Tokiwa’s (uploaded in Library) excellent article: The Manomayākaya of the Lankāvatāra Mahāyānasūtra, provides the best Read more [...]

The Notes from the Iron Stupa series made reference to what is described as the Twilight Language: The Twilight Language (saṃdhyā-bhāṣā) is the Transcendent Expedient through which Gnostic-truths are fashioned and revealed. Through the utilization of mythic-motifs, mantras and mudras, mandalas and chakras, Mind-made journeys into Higher Tathatic–Realms of consciousness are made possible. This tantric-language is also employed, “signaling the same transitional, [luminal {inclusion Read more [...]

Tereza Ferraz According to Judith Simmer-Brown the “Secret Ḍākiṇī”, which is akin to the “Mother Prajñāpāramitā (typical of the Unborn Space of the Primordial Mind) in Vajrayāna practice”, is represented by “crossed-triangles”, or the “Source” of phenomena, chöjung: This symbol was also covered in the series, The Tathāgatagarbhatārā Tantra, as the “Dharmodayā –a triangular symbolism of the interaction of the Yin and Yang Elements within the Cosmic Womb.” Read more [...]

In Dakini’s Warm Breath Judith Simmer-Brown boldly asserts, “Women’s and men’s liberation movements have remained primarily in a political or oppositional mode that has insidiously promoted the disempowerment of both men and women. While various forms of feminism have attempted to address this, their methods have often promoted a merely political vision incapable of healing the whole wound.” (ibid, pg. 6) I concur with her assessment. She also highlights a psychophysical component, Read more [...]

In her monumental work, Dakini’s Warm Breath, Judith Simmer Brown describes the nature of the Ḍākiṇī as, “In this her most essential aspect, she is called the formless wisdom nature of the mind itself. On an inner, ritual level, she is a meditational deity, visualized as the personification of qualities of buddhahood. On an outer, subtle-body level, she is the energetic network of the embodied mind in the subtle channels and vital breath of tantric yoga. She is also spoken of as Read more [...]