The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava: The Indian Consort of Padmasambhava

The Lives and Liberation

of Princess Mandarava ~ The Lndian Consort of Padmasambhava

TRANSLATED BY lAMA (HONAM and 5ANGYE KHANDRO

INTRODUCTION BY )ANET GYATSO

The Lives and Liberation of

Princess Mandarava

The Lives and Liberation of

Princess Mandarava ~ The lndian Consort of Padmasambhava

Translated by LAMA CHONAM AND SANGYE KHANDRO

Introduction by jANET GYATSO

Wisdom Publications • Boston

Wisdom Publications 199 Elm Street Somerville, Massachusetts 02.144

USA

Translation «:> Nanci Gay GustafSon a/k/a Sangye Khandro 1998 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bsam-gtan-gllii.-pa Phrin-las-' gro-' dul-las-rab-bde-ba-rtsal. [Za-hor rgyal po'i sras mo Lha-lcam Man-dha-ra-wa'i rnam par thar pa. English] The lives and liberation of Princess Mandarava : the Indian consort of Padrnasambhava I translated by Lama Chonam & Sangye Khandro. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN o-86171-144-o (alk. paper) 1. Mandarava. Princess. 2.. Padma Sambhava, ca. 717-ca. 762.. 3· Mandarava. Princess-Pre-existence. 4· Women Buddhists--India-Biography-Early works to 1800. I. Chonam, Lama. II. Khandro, Sangye. III. Tide. BQ972.A57B7513 1998 98-17766 294·3' 42.13-DC.li ISBN o-86171-144-o 10

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Cover image: Mandarava, late 16th century, western Tibet. Photo by John Bigelow Taylor, N.Y.C. Wisdom Publications' books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the guidelines for the permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. Printed in the United States of America.

Table of Contents

Translator's Preface Introduction by Janet Gyatso

of Zahor,

ix I

I.

Daughter of the King

2.

The Daughter of King Indradeva

Princess Mandarava

I7 22

3. Marrying Prince Suryagarbha

30

of Kanaka s. In the Kingdom of Damaru 6. Enlightening the Kingdom of Damaru 7. In the Realm of the Gods 8. In the Naga Realm of Black Chandala 9. Daughter of the Demigod King

39

4·

In the Kingdom

45

53

s8 6I

6s

IO.

Shri Sagara

67

II.

The Twenty-Five Manifestations

70

I2.

Blessings from the Dakinis

72

I

3. Seeing the Country

of Her Birth

76

I4. Choosing Her Mother and Father

79

IS. Entering Her Mother's Womb

82

I6. Paying Homage to Her Father and Mother

86

I7. Aversion to Samsara

92

I8. Perftcting the Outer Sdences

97

I9. Liberating the Heretic Kyabsal Nagpo

I02

20. Leading Three Hundred Noble Women to the Path 21. The Death