LION-FACED DAKINI (Siṃhamukhā): Bari Lotsawa, Vanaratna, and Terma revealed by 1st Karmapa: ‘Aspirations to End Adversity’ with 17th Karmapa (Day VIII: part 2)

For ḍākinī day today I am delighted to offer this short post on Lion-Faced Ḍākinī (Siṃhamukhā). On the eighth day of the ‘Aspirations to End Adversity’ with 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, one of the texts recited was that of Lion-Faced Ḍākinī by the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje. This text (with the official English translation) is reproduced in full here (see below). In addition, in this post I have added some textual references and information regarding the other traditions of Lion-Faced Ḍākinī (including a terma revealed by the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa) which the 17th Karmapa referred to in his brief teaching. May it be of benefit and may all harms and obstacles be swiftly repelled!

[[17th Karmapa’s teaching/transcript

The 17th Karmapa explained that:

“Regarding Siṃhamukhā, I have not seen anything specifically about her in the Kangyur, but the Nyingma tradition has a large cycle of teachings on her. In the Sarma, there are quite a few Siṃhamukhā practices. The most common include the one by Bari Lotsawa passed down among the Sakyas, the one passed down from Panchen Nakkyi Rinchen, and the terma hidden by Ngulchu Vairo and revealed by the glorious Dusum Khyenpa (dus gsum mkhyen pa, 1110–1193).

The one we will recite today is the repulsion by Mikyö Dorje that is included in Karma Kagyu prayer books. It is the one we always recite. It is said that Siṃhamukhā is supreme for repulsing sorcery, curses, inauspiciousness, bad omens, and obstacles. In the Geluk tradition, at the beginning of teachings on the stages of the path, they recite the Heart Sutra and Siṃhamukhā to quell any obstacles to teaching and listening to the dharma. In brief, White Parasol, the Heart Sutra, and Siṃhamukhā are well known in all dharma lineages.”

The 17th Karmapa refers to three specific lineages of the practice in the Sarma (New Translation) tradition, rather than the Nyingma tradition. These are considered below in more detail here.

I have written about the Bari Lotsawa tradition of Lion-Faced Ḍākinī here, and translated a brief daily sadhana text of Bari Lotsawa’s Lion-faced Ḍākinī by Karma Chagme, published and available for free download on the same page. The empowerment and transmission for this text was given by HE Gyaltsab Rinpoche in Sikkim, 2019 (for more information about that event, see here).

The revelation of the root mantra for Lion-Faced Ḍākinī is associated with the name of a famous translator and Sakya master, Bari Lotsawa (ba ri lo tsA) (aka Rinchen Drak (rin chen grags)) (1040-1111) — the second throne holder of Sakya school (Sakya Trizin). At the age of 63, he retained the seat of Sakya for a period of eight years (1102-1110). Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo wrote a history of the hearing lineage of Siṃhamukhā, which has been translated and published in English online here, in which he talks about the history of this lineage and revelation of the mantra.

Vanaratna (nags kyi rin chen) (1384-1468) was an important master and translator from Bengal, and one of the last great Indian scholars to visit Tibet in the 15th Century. In fact, according to the Blue Annals, he was referred to as ‘the last pandita’. He traveled in Tibet three times in the first half of the 15th century. A master of the Kālacakra, he was a preceptor to some of the last heads of Pakmodru family, and enjoyed patronage from the members of the Rinpung family in Shigatse. Among his disciples were Rongton Sheja Kunrik, Go Lotsawa Zhonnu Pel, and Trimkhang Lotsāwa Sonam Gyatso; the second of these students composed a biography, which was completed by the third[i]. I was unable to find online the Lion-faced Ḍākinī text the Karmapa spoke about in his teaching.

“With Buddhism in decline on the Indian subcontinent, soon after ordination he went to the island of Laṅkā (modern Sri Lanka) for six years to study from Buddhist masters there, including one named Dharmakīrti, from whom he received instructions on the Vinaya. On leaving the island he traveled across southern India, meeting Buddhist masters and receiving teachings, and practicing the Six-branch Yoga of the Kālacakra tradition. The Blue Annals records a verse of praise that a master in Kaliṅga named Narāditya (mi’i nyi ma) composed in Vanaratna’s honor, suggesting that his religious accomplishments were already remarkable:

“Great sthavira Vanaratna, Who has realized the freedom from worldly attachment Having cleansed the turbid defilement produced of the world, O beings! Follow on him with devotion, in order to pacify saṃsāra.”

At a stūpa known as the Śrī Dhānyakaṭaka-mahācaitya Vanaratna studied with a master named Nāgabodhi. According to legend, it was here that Vanaratna had a vision of the Mahāsiddha Śabarapāda, also known as Śavaripa, who gave him a transmission of the Six Branch Yoga teaching of the Kālacakra.[ii]”

“Vanaratna died at the age of eighty-five, in 1468, having given a great feast to beggars and announcing: “I shall now hold the feast of going to the Tuṣita Heaven.” He was cremated at the Rāmādoli grounds near Swayambhūnath. His reincarnation was identified and enthroned at Govicandra by his Nepali disciples.

Some twenty-three texts are preserved in Tibetan translation in the Tengyur, the majority of which are tantric liturgies, while five devotional praises: those to the Mahāsiddha Śabarapāda, Mahākaruṇika, Ganapati, and two to Śākyamuṇi Buddha. According to Punya Prasad Parajuli, three of Vanaratna’s tantric compositions are also extant in Sanskrit.”

The 17th Karmapa also referred to a treasure (terma) hidden by Ngulchu Vairo and revealed by the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (dus gsum mkhyen pa, 1110–1193). This is very interesting yet I could not find any reference to such a terma text online. I have requested this information from the Karmapa’s translator.

There do not seem to be many other texts by the Karmapas or Karma Kagyu masters on Lion-Faced Dakini, other than the one by Karma Chagme and the one recited during the Aspirations by the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje. That short ritual is not included in the online editions of the 8th Karmapa’s Collected Works. It is reproduced in full below.

Source