Machig Lapdron

[Guest guest]

Namaste All:

 

This person is of great interest to me, and I again thank the

poster who mentioned her earlier. Here is what I have found so

far online, which may be of interest to other Shakti Sadhana

members, too:

 

"Included here is the foreword to "Women of Wisdom," written by

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, followed by a mythical story

concerning the merits of practice (i.e., meditation) from the

sacred biography of Machig Lapdron (1055-1145) translated by

Tsultrim Allione (see also MACHIG LABDRON AND THE

FOUNDATIONS OF CHOD by Jerome Edou, Snow Lion

Publications, Ithaca, New York 1996).

 

 

FOREWARD TO "WOMEN OF WISDOM"

by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

 

"Contrary to popular opinion which holds that the Vajrayana

tradition of Buddhism has been practiced primarily by men,

many of the great contemplative teachers and practitioners have

been women. In Tibet we found that women practitioners were

frequently more diligent and dedicated than men. I am very

pleased to see the publication of Women of Wisdom, which

provides ample evidence to that effect. Tsultrim Allione's work

should not be regarded as mere feminism. This collection of

stories is a great contribution to spreading the understanding of

Tibetan Buddhism in the West."

>From another internet source:

 

"One symbol which demonstrates her balance is that Machig

Lapdron was born a man Monlam Drub and switched into the

body of a girl.  She is a Dakini of the Vajra family and Mother of

the Buddhas of the Three Times. She uses a thighbone trumpet

to summon the four demons of the ego.  The other three

methods of making sound during Chod are the voice, the bell

and the drum.  The 2 sides of the drum represent absolute and

relative truth and the masculine and feminine joined.  The idea of

Chod is to confront our fears so it is performed in charnal

grounds or other places where fear lives.  She uses a hooked

knife and a skull cap in the process of dismembering her own

body in offering." (This reminds me of the Ardhanarishwari/a.)

 

Machig Lapdron also is credited with this statement (according

to still another internet source): "I am not your teacher, so do not

tell me the signs of your progress. Keep it hidden in the space of

'suchness.' You still have the desire to tell everyone the signs of

your practice. Observe your mind well. When you have doubts or

decisions to make, use your own innate knowledge, do not go to

others. Unite your way of seeing with your way of behaving."

 

Mary Ann