8/16/2015

CourtesansofAncientIndia|TsemRinpoche

CourtesansofAncientIndia
AUG1,2015|VIEWS:207
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Inmostcultures,womenasagenderhavebeenundeniablyclassifiedaslowerinstatus
comparedwithmen.Itwasonlyrecentlythatwomenbegantoreceiveequalrecognition,
appreciation,andstature,butevenso,insomeplacesaroundtheworld,womenarestill
viewedasinferiorandtreatedaccordingly.
InBuddhism,genderisjustanotherlabel,hencenogenderisdeemedsuperiortoanother.
OnemayarguethatincertainBuddhisttraditions,womenhavefeweropportunitieswhenit
comestofollowingaDharmapath,forinstance,fullBhikkhuni(nun)vowsarenotavailable
insometraditionsasthelineagehasbeenlost.
However,whenitcomestomindtrainingandthedevelopmentofcompassionandwisdom,
whetheroneismaleorfemaledoesnotmatter,forneitherhaslimitationsintermsof
gainingfullenlightenment.
Proofcanbeseeninmanywelldocumentedexamples.ManyfemaleMahasiddhasand
Yoginishavegainedfullenlightenmentinafemalebody,forexamplethegreatYogini
Niguma.Likewise,theBuddhasmanifestinbothmaleandfemaleformsand,forexample,
onecangainfullenlightenmentinjustonelifetimebyengaginginVajrayoginispractice
(Vajrayoginiis,ofcourse,aBuddhainfemaleform).Theseareclearexamplesthatgender
isnoobstaclewhenitcomestoDharmapracticeandtheattainmentoftheenlightened
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CourtesansofAncientIndia|TsemRinpoche

mind.
IcameacrossthiswonderfularticleaboutthecourtesansofancientIndia,andIwantto
sharethiswitheveryonetoillustratewhatIhaveexplainedabove.Ialsohopethiswill
encourageeveryone,bothmaleandfemale,toimmerseyourselvesinDharmastudyand
practice.
Lifepassesbysoquickly,andifallwecareaboutisbeautyandfun,ourtimeandprecious
humanlifewouldbewasted.
SarvaMangalam,
TsemRinpoche

P.S.:Inthepast,Ivealsobloggedaboutmanygreatfemalepractitioners.Thelinksare
belowforyoureasyreference.Takeyourtimetoreadthemandbeinspired.
ThreeTrueStoriesYouMustRead
AniNgawangPema45YearsSolitaryRetreat
PaldenLhamo
84Mahasiddhas
SacredandAttainedNunsofGebchakNunnery
MotherTeresaoftheEast

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CourtesansofAncientIndia|TsemRinpoche

CourtesansofAncientIndia
InSPIRITUALARTISANSbyTaraTrinleyWangmo03/11/2015

Mostpeopleknowtheladyandcourtesan,Kamala,fromHermanHessesclassicspiritual
novel,Siddhartha.Notonlydidshemastertheartofpoetry,music,danceandphilosophy,
butalsotheartofmakinglove.Kamalasflamboyantanderoticskillswerenotsomethingto
besold,butwerepartofherrepertoireasateacherfromwhomasupplicantcouldreceive
lessons.Herlifeexampleplayfullydemonstratesindependence,dignityandacultured
personality.

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CourtesansofAncientIndia|TsemRinpoche

Thesixtyfourartsofmakingloveallhadtobe
mastered,andwoulddefineaculturedcourtesan.
Theseartsaredescribedinthevariousversions
ofKamasutra,andinThePerfumedGardenSirRichard
Burtongivesarareglimpseintothisculture.The
courtesansalsomasteredmanyotherartistic
disciplinesincludingtailoring,finecarpentry,rulesof
architecture,chemistry,mineralogy,lawsofsociety,
howtopayrespectandmakecompliments,singing,
playingamusicalinstrument,dancing,writing,reading
thethoughtsofothers,theartofattractingand
captivatingthemindofothers,magic,manufacturing
scentsandgarlands,drawing,sculpturingandpainting.
Theywereoftenmoreartistsandteachersthanwe
tendtobelieve.Itiswithinthiscontextwecan
understandthecourtesansofancientIndia.
OneoutstandingexampleisLadyPurasati.Shewasacourtesanaswellasarealizedmaster
andlineageholderoftheMahasandhiinstructions,atraditionthatdidnotdiscriminate
betweencast,genderorage.Theonlyqualificationwasrealization.Sheattained
accomplishmentthroughthepracticeofVajraTikshana,theembodimentoftranscendental
knowledge.HavingreceivedinstructionfromanIndianrishibythenameBhashita,she
practicedonepointedlyandbecamesostableinawakenedmind,thatsheiscountedamong
theteachersofthephilosopherNagarjuna,whoseshortandcleartractsonknowingreality
arestillusedtodaybecauseoftheirinvincibility.Itsashamethatwedontknowmore
aboutherbesidesherpoetry.Hereisonehersongsofrealization.
ForIthecourtesanPurasati,
Theelements,allfive,arevastness,
Theconsortsofthefivefamilies,
Andthisvastnessisthebasicspace,Samantabhadri.
TheallgroundoftheEverExcellent,
Iseeasindivisiblefrombasicspace.
Awakenedmindnowshines
likethesuninthesky.
AnothersweetexampleisBaranitheCourtesan.Theancienttextsmentionthatshewasa
daughterofthecommonerRahutaandhiswifeJoyfulDhari.Hermindwasbrightandsharp
withtheMahayanapotential.Sherequestedthemeaningoftherealizedstatefromher
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teacher,theladyBodhitheYakshini,whothenbestoweditinfullandcondensedthe
meaningforherinasong:
Buddhasandallbeingsarenodifferentfromthefirst
Realizethisfact,thestatesublime.
Onceyourealizenondualmindtobethedharmakaya,
Apartfromthisthereisnohighertraining.
Thecourtesanunderstoodthebasicintentandthenexpressedherrealization:
IamBaranitheCourtesan
Whofullyseesawakenedmind,thesovereignofeveryview.
Mindisneithermalenorfemale,sounionIfearnot.
Mindknowsneitherbirthnordeath,itdoesnotdiebyslaying.
Worldsandbeingsareallnectar,timelesslytranscendinguncleanandthe
clean.
ItwasaroundthattimeBhibhiRahula,thekingofKashmir,andhiswifeShilaKumarahada
sonwhowaslaterknownasBrilliance,theKashmirischolar.Hebecameapanditaofthe
mosteruditelearning,andrequestedthemeaningoftherealizedstatefromBaranithe
Courtesan,whichshebestowedinfullandthencondensedthemeaningforhiminsong:
Awakenedmindisthefruitionresultingfromnocause.
Awakenedmindistheinstructionthatdoesnotcomefromwords.
Awakenedmindisthebuddhawhodoesnotstemfromthought.
Likespace,awakenedmindisnotathingthatcanbeseen.
Devoidofcolor,itisnotathingtobesingledoutasthis.
Withinthegiganticwebofillusion,themahamayaofhumancultureonourblueplanet,
womenofwisdomandartistictalentshaveoftenbeenignored.Inaperfectworldeveryone
deservesequalrespect.
Source:http://levekunst.com/courtesansofancientindia/

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