A Supreme Wisdom Dakini In The Vajrayana Buddhism - Simhamukha

Simhamukha is a supreme dakini in Tibetan Buddhism, who combines anthropomorphic and zoomorphic features. She is a wrathful emanation of Guhya Jnana Dakini (Tib. Sangwa Yeshe Khandroma) and is revered in the Nyingma school as one of Padmasambhava’s main teachers.

In Hevajra Tantra, she appears as one of the eight female spirits *(Tranen Gye) who arise during the intermediate state between lives (bardo). In this role she is also found in the cycle of tantric texts The Web of Magical Illusion (Gyutrul Drawa) to which the Guhyagarbha Tantra belongs. In the Eight Sadhana Teachings (Drubpa Kagye), transmitted in the 8th century in Tibet by Padmasambhava, she appears as a goddess who subdues demons and evil spirits.

*(Tranen Gye) - * The eight tramen (Sanskrit Pisaci) are animal-headed deities (tramen literally means “hybrid”). They are: 

1. Simhamukha, 
2. Vyaghrimukha, 
3. Srigalamukha, 
4. Shvanamukha, 
5. Gridhamukha, 
6. Kangkamukha, 
7. Kakamukha, 
8. Ulumukha.   

Simhamukha is associated with exorcist rituals that prevent black magic and eliminate harmful effects. The ritual practice includes the use of a Kapala and a metal mirror on which dharmodaya (The source of reality”, symbolically depicted in the shape of a tetrahedron) is painted with red powder, in the center of which is written HUNG, the bija mantra of the wrathful goddesses. 

The mantra of Simhamukha is extremely secretive and must be kept secret. A minimum requirement is an oral transmission. Oral transmission (Tibetan word is Lung, Sanskrit word is agama) — The verbal transmission of a teaching, meditation practice or mantra from guru to disciple, the guru having received the transmission in an unbroken lineage from the original source.

The mantra of Simhamukha is known as “the fierce mantra of fourteen letters that averts all magical attacks” (ngag drag log yige chuzhipa). It can be pronounced in a reverse way during extremely wrathful rituals, and it can also be written on the human body to create the so-called “Vajra armor” (Dorje gotrab) of the subtle body.

Simhamukha’s practice is based on the Tantric principle that emotions are an integral part of human nature and must be cultivated and subordinated to the ultimate goal. Through the process of transformation (gyur lam), negative emotions transform into enlightened awareness, which is symbolically expressed through the manifestations of various deities.

The figure of the lion-faced goddess symbolizes the enlightened essence of anger, which is the wisdom, clear as a mirror. The goddess embodies the higher wisdom that realizes emptiness and is beyond dualities. Although she is completely liberated from cyclical existence, Simhamukha manifests in a divine body to help sentient beings attain the Buddhahood through a process of meditative identification with her enlightened qualities.

Her divine forms appear as a result of her great compassion for the sole purpose of freeing beings from their suffering. Her figure is also an embodiment of great bliss (Dechen), which is spontaneous because it does not depend on external objects and great because it can never be destroyed. 

According to Vajrayana philosophy, this bliss is related to the original nature of the mind and manifests itself spontaneously when the attachment to the illusory world, which is the real cause of suffering, is completely removed. This is what leads to the achievement of absolute freedom.

As a supreme Dakini, Simhamukha presents the feminine principle as an independent force that is not merely a complement to man. She is also the embodiment of the strength needed to achieve the ultimate goal. Without the merging of the masculine and feminine aspects, consciousness cannot reach the necessary wholeness and attain enlightenment.

This is the meaning of the ** third empowerment in the system of Anuttara Yoga – to initiate the practitioner in the various aspects of wisdom that appear in the form of Dakini.

** According to the inner tantras (Gang Gi Gyu), there are four types of initiations (Wang): 

1. Vase empowerment (Bum Dbang), 
2. Secret empowerment (Sang Wang), 
3. Knowledge-wisdom empowerment (Sherab Yeshe Kyi Wang) 
4. Precious word empowerment (Tshig Wang). 

They aim to purify the physical, verbal, mental, and subtle defiles and to develop the potential for attaining the four bodies of the Buddha – Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, Dharmakaya, and Svabhavikakaya.   

Footnote 

For those who had received the empowerment of this Tantric practice, you are reminded not intentionally or unintentionally to disclose the mantra to the public or anyone who may not have the empowerment or permission to practice, and by disclosing the mantra intentionally or unintentionally is a form of breaking your Tantric Samaya vows to the lineage masters and Dharma protectors. 

Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Vajrayana practice! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Vajrayana practice, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that Bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Vajrayana practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and self-interests.

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Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

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