Mahasiddha Savari

Mahasiddha Savari (Shawaripa) is one of the 84 mahasiddhas in India. He was guided to liberation by Nagarjuna, from whom he received the complete teachings of mahamudra. According to certain traditions, Savari later received this same quintessential dharma directly from the bodhisattvas Ratnamati and Sukhanatha, and also from Saraha, at the mountain retreat of Sriparvata (i.e. Nagarjunakonda in South India). Savari means "hill-person" and the few biographical fragments we have of Savari's life describe him sometimes as a hunter and sometimes as a dancer.

The hunter Savari is said to have met bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, who wagered his boast of being able to kill 100 animals with one arrow against a promise from Savari to abstain from hunting for one month. Avalokitesvara killed the 100 animals (which were in fact his emanations) with a single shot. After the month of not killing, Savari and his wife were shown their terrible future rebirth, created by all they had killed. Shocked to see their own future suffering in hell-realms, they became devoted tantric Buddhists.

The Mahasiddha and his wife became quickly enlightened through the instructions of Saraha, the Bodhisattvas Ratnamati and Sukhanata, and the guidance of Nagarjuna. He practiced in many caves in India, and received visions of deities such as the Six-arm Mahakala. The practice of Vajrayogini was a major contribution of Shawaripa towards the lineage.

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