e. The Sky Walkers

The Sky Walkers

The literal translation of Dakini is “sky walker” but while the Dakinis for most westerners appear to have come from outer space or a science fiction movie they are useful representations of aspects of the life force. We can divide them into two different mental manifestations, transcendental and mundane, each group having its own function and area of operation which are supportive of the life force.

But lest readers fall into the transcendental trap of floating within a futile cosmic consciousness of their own mind, let it be clear that these are mental manifestations generated as a tool to support the life force. Their function is artificial to the extent that if the human mind was not stained by the concepts of duality then there would be no need for elements to restore the normal balance and harmony. The word transcendental is, you are reminded, just a word. Unfortunately it has to meanings which cause great confusion among students.

The first meaning is that it signifies “existing outside or not in accordance with nature and the second that it is “a characteristic of a system of philosophy emphasising the intuitive and spiritual correlating with the empirical and material.” It is certain that the Dakinis exist as a mind product “not in accordance with nature”, but as a tool to assist those who have strayed from the natural path. As such, that definition is valid if it is well understood. The problem comes from the existence of the second definition which suggests, if we use it as a descrition of a particular area of development and practice, that they are “intuitive and spiritual”and therefore the other side of the “empirical and material”, which is not at all the case. Such an unbalanced view generates superstition and clinging which reduces effective Dakina practices to absurdity,

What is the actual antithesis of the “empirical and material”? It is all that appears beyond the realm of contact with the six senses. Effectively “Tao Eternal” or “Dharma, the natural indescribable law.” The Dakinis are certainly not representatives of the natural and indescribable natural law. When we refer to the use of some aspects as transcendental we mean that they can be used by those who require such aid, to build a bridge between the empirical and material and natural dharma in order to restore balance and harmony of the natural state and permit a balanced and healthy journey within Samsara without delusions or the impediments of Confusion, Greed and Aversion.

The mundane Dakinis have quite another task which is equally as valuable. They are useful in the ordinary course of events concerning all worldly affairs and as such are pertinent to this illusory world of Samsara not the world of Sunyata. They too are operationally useful as a bridge between correct attitudes and intentions which are in accord with the life force and the stained attitudes and intentions of Identity. They permit those who are unable to use Buddh dharma restraint to direct themselves into more noble actions.

Let us first review the ambit and range of the mundane Dakinis. In the world of cinemetogrphic fantasy we can equate them perfectly with Jiminy Cricket. Who was Jiminy Cricket? He was the creature that was constantly behind Pinocchio, the little boy of wood, telling him what the correct attitudes, intentions and behaviour were. That is precisely the task of the mundane Dakinis. They, since they are not celluloid animations, but caricatures of the mind have the added advantage of being able to transform themselves into any form. Of course it is not the dakini that does the trnsformtion. It is the mind that constructs the dakini in whatever form is appropriate and she may appear as a whisp o will or in the concrete form of a living creature or animal. Naturally the dakini is not really within that concrete form. She is imagined to be within that form and is effective in many cases only when the stained human mind really accepts the Identity transference as real. As such, the Dakina can appear in an more abstract form or as a young child, a old woman, a saint, a beggar or even an animal.

Since the Dakinis used correctly are derived from Buddha dharma correct attitudes and intentions we say figuratively that they are devoted to the True (Dharma). Ther is much confusion in supersticious literature that there are indeed mundane Dakinis who are malicious and use their powers to confuse us, to arouse passions that are destructive, and who use their charms for their own selfish purposes. That is a colourful idea, but the truth is more simple. Since the mind is the generator of all Dakinis it is as easy for the mind to create a Dakini who has no true knowledge of the Dharma or the Life force. The adept, believing his own creations then can fall easily into the trap of folly. After the fact one can call a Dakini natural or malicious, but really it is the folly of ones own stained mind that creates a “black Jiminy Cricket”.

How do the Dakini’s actually arise? They cannot arise if there is not an internal cue to do so. That cue is the conscious or unconscious stress or tension caused by attitudes and intentions which are in conflict. Whether to take a course in engineering or art for example if all the factors seem to balance might provoke a Dakini action, a solution to the dissonance. If the Dharma is tapped correctly then the advise will be sage if not then the advise will be invalid.

Someone therefore who lives the Dharma in his or her daily life will have that Dharma as the source of Dakini intervention if the Identity is pushing towards an incorrect solution. All depends, of course, upon the practitioners capacity to evoke the dakini idea. It is not indeed far romoved from the concept of using omens, but with a Dharma foundation the results are more secure. What the actually do is break the Identity fixation on attitudes and intentions that are contrary to the dharma and the life Force. One can romantically declare that they are messengers between our earthly realm and the higher realms of the teachings and th masters and that they help by bringing powerful teachings to earth, protecting the truth from destructive forces, and bring blessings to sincere seekers. This it must be remembered is just romance, for there is nothing that can be learned outside of the mind. All is present. The truth of Samsara and Sunyata are present. What the mundane Dakinis do is cut away the chains of duality which bind us and allow Identity to control our lives. They are manifested from our own minds through internal vision and inspiration for those who need the skill and cannot advance by more simple means.

If one does not need the power of the Dakini presence then do not provoke them, but if one does so one must take the trouble to explore all the paramaters and understand them fully. Remember that you have a western mind and with that debility comes the conditioned response to fall into the trap of belief in the beautiful and falsely transcendental.

The Dakinis, despite, the folly of some who teach are not present as a Saint to generate what we will. If you want a Genie to give you love, wealth, fame, power or long life then it is suggested that you buy a lamp and polish it well.

Where did the idea of Identity Dakinis arise? It was an old and superttitious idea that has continued in the ignorant presentation of Dakinis.

From the ninth to the thirteenth centuries, there was an active cult of yoguinis (more usually called Dakinis) in India with temples dedicated to them, probably serving Kali, who legend tells eminated from the forehead of the Godess Durga (a destroyer of demons) during a battle between the divine forces and the counter-divine. These temples, it is believed, were shrines dedicated to practices which were for Siddhi powers (supernatural). Unfortunately they were reduced to vulgarity by the practices in which theadepts intent was to control mind/body obtain wealth, success, cure of illness and benedictions of all sorts. The human creature was and is selfish and so the Dakinis appeasement of the Dakinis was important. So hymns to their praise were a natural development. It is these mundane desires that have been carried over to Dakini practice and should be set aside without throwing out beneficial aspects of practice. Having, said that however, their use as a sugar coated pill of faith healing vehicle, even for apparently positive change is to be also rejected. If the Dakinis are to be used the use should be understood and the ritual, ceremony and dogma that does not conform with the elevated ideal of Buddha’s Dharma and Natural Dharma should be cut away quickly with a sharp surgeon’s blade before such Identity clinging takes root.

Often we hear different tems related to the dakinis and dakini practice and it is a good idea to get those terms straight before we proceed. The terms Dakini, yoguini, shakti and goddess are used interchangably. The term Goddess should be rejected immediately for it’s definition as a “female deity” casts religious ideas into a pool of knowledge that is damaged by religious devotion, rites and ceremonies which are alien to Buddha dharma advancement.

The term yoguini is less used, but again the term in India is associated with the Deva or Supreme Godess or in some cultures is down graded to the position of attendant to a Godess. But another use is for the decription of mysterious females figures who can effect extraordinary change that is beneficial, though the path may sometimes pper obscure. ultimately, though not always apparently, beneficial.

In Tibetan lore the dakini is used as a term for a female deity fulfilling the role of a messenger. She has the reputation of being a frightening creature and in some texts in Indian literature the word is synonomous with sorcery. However when When the essential character or aspect of a God (generally Shiva) or his activity was generated in a female energy form then the Sanskrit word Shakti was used.

From this poupourri, perhaps then we can derive useful definition to be used in correct Dakini practices. Let us say for the moment then then that the Dakini is a mind generated visualization in a female form that represents the female characteristics of the life force acting as a messenger whose advice or other psychological pressure (beautiful of angry aspect) may move one in the direction of extraordinary eventual beneficial change.

Often a Dakini visualization or association would be provoked from the unconscious to perturb the practitioner involved with his or her Identity delusions in Samsara (often greedy or sexual). Passing the test of wills (identity and life force), the practitioner would have been psychologically elevated to the Paradise of the Dakinis, named Khechari, which is an aware view of Samsara as illusion.

An interesting question is how many Dakinis there are. Actually since they are derived from the human mind and projected as an apparent external manifestation there is no limit. Anyone can theoretically build his or her own Dakini. But traditionally 64 principal transcendental Dakanis have found there way into modern practice in one way or another.

There were 8 major forms in India and it is no surprise therefore to find that in Modern Tibetan Buddhism there are also 8 major forms. They were known in India as Devi, Mother Goddesses and designated as Ashta Matrikas, the Eight Mothers. Each of these had eight attendants which one can imagine as different manifestations of themselves if one wishes. Some were fearsome (bhairava images). One representation for example shows a Dakini wielding a knife while a severed human head lies alongside. Some ignorant people interpret this imagery as an indication that human sacrifice was performed. This is akin to the absurd rumours promulgated by Jew haters that Jews drank the blood of babies.

But devotees did perform a ritual which represented the spiritual decapitation known as a Shava Chedan ceremony in which a corpse was beheaded symbolising the cutting off or a detachment from craving and clinging. But never was there a real human or even an animal sacrifice. Not all past or present systems were closed into the 64 dakini model and although the conceptualization of eight dakinis continues there is for example a Tantric Buddhist tradition of a central Dakini, Krodha Kali (in Tibetan she has become Troma Nagmo) accompanied by four Dakinis which represent the five Buddha Wisdoms, generating therefore five families.

It is trusted that this overview then makes clear that Dakinis are a mental tool to be used by those who are unable by their temperament and characteristics to approach Buddha dharma in a more direct manner. But remember that these practices are a tool and the Dakinis have no correspondence in the outer world, being only fiction of the mind. Any clinging or craving to the images then become an impediment to a true advance toward the liberation of the Buddha nature, the life force which is essentially the birthright of every human creature.