Today, for Ḍākinī Day, here is a new short video reel on the meaning of the often (and misused) word Khandro/མཁའ་འགྲོ་ (the Tibetan word used for the Sanskrit “Ḍākinī”). The word literally means “Kha” (space/sky) and “Dro” (go/travel/move), so a space-traveller/mover. There are many different types of Khandro/Ḍākinī too, such as those in Buddhist mythology and histroy and those in Hinduism and so on. Some are enlightened, some are worldly/harmful, and some are wisdom Ḍākinīs. So, why are they called Khandro, what are they doing while travelling or moving through space?
Messengers of Truth and Wisdom
One meaning and function of Khandro in the Buddhist literature is as messengers of truth and wisdom. They move/travel easily and directly through mental ‘space’ without any hindrances or obstacles, directly ‘hitting the nail on the head’ or “cutting straight to the chase” as we say! So, one of their main purposes/symbolic uses is to cut through and pierce delusions, pride and wrong views of a Buddhist practitioner. This is why Khandro are generally women, whose natural intuitive wisdom, or realisation of emptiness, ‘gets to the crux’ or essence of a situation or person quickly.
So, Khandro are not necessarily young and pretty, nor are they necessarily wives or girlfriends of a famous or popular Buddhist teacher (who may be very worldly, if the teacher is also worldly and chose them for worldly reasons, like their physical appearance!).
This ability to move directly through space to the pith meaning, and to expose the often hidden or denied faults of an advanced Buddhist practitioner, is of great benefit to a practitioner who wishes to progress on the path.
There are various stories of great Buddhist mahasiddhas who met khandro and were scolded by them, such as Tilopa, who famously declared Dakini is Truth! Also, Saraha who was scolded by a consort for asking where his soup was after he had finished a long retreat, and even the yogi who turned monk, Je Atisha who was scolded by Tāra and the Ḍākinīs for his arrogant pride at his knowledge and practice of the Tantras.
However, if the person being ‘scolded’ (or challenged) is an “ordinary/unenlightened” person, they will more often than not, just feel offended and irritated and ‘answer back’ with pride and arrogance. That is why Ḍākinīs /Khandro are also often not very popular, liked, and worse even despised and denigrated by corrupt, degenerate, lazy and self-centred ‘practitioners’ whose focus is more on worldly matters such as money, name, fame, power and sex and so on. The khandro women are then quickly (and easily) labelled as mad, bad or dangerous to know!
Dharma Protectors: enabling authentic teacher and teachers to flourish and exposing and preventing corruption
Another function of a Khandro is to protect and preserve authentic Dharma teachings and practitioners, and to destroy, block and prevent corrupt and degenerate teachings and teachers out of love and compassion. This is why offerings in Vajrayana are also made not only to the Dharma Protectors but to Ḍākinīs as well. Many aspirations and supplications speak of not wishing to incur the wrath of Ḍākinīs, and begging for their forgiveness. Needless to say, if the person supplicating is worldly and regularly treating women and sentient beings unethcial, unkind, unloving and selfish ways, the Ḍākinīs are not deceived or manipulated easily like worldly beings, and will ‘see through it’ too!
Treasure-revealers and long-life consorts
Another function of a Khandro/Ḍākinī, as I wrote about here is to hide and reveal termas/treasures, often written down in the mysterious, yellow Ḍākini script, and to provide a practitioner with long-life as a consort in union too.
Of course a lot more can be said about the origin, meaning, purpose, symbolism of a Khandro. However, they must have some level of authentic wisdom (and love and compassion) too, otherwise it could just be someone being rude and impolite and even harmful! For more research and translations on this topic, see sources listed below. I also recently spoke about the idea of Ḍākinīs with Prof. Janet Gyatso (Harvard University) in a Youtube video podcast: Entering the Space of Dakinis (Dakini Conversations: Ep.2), and with Dr. Jue Liang in a discussion about her work on Yeshe Tsogyel as a woman, teacher and khandro.
In any case, may this new reel and article provide some ‘food for thought’ and may we all have the care and attention of Khandro who kindly lead, guide, protect and even ‘scold’ us with their wrathful, loving speech, actions and wisdom!
Music? Dark Horse by Katy Perry, Gold-Dust Woman by Stevie Nicks, Bad Reputation by Joan Jett, for Dakini-power style inspiration, Addicted To Love by Robert Palmer, “you might as well face it, you’re addicted to love.”
Further Reading/Sources
DAKINI SCRIPT (Khandro Da-yig): Mysterious Symbolic Key to Hidden Treasures
Entering the Space of Dakinis: Interview with Prof. Janet Gyatso (Dakini Conversations: Ep.2)
Ah
So Bhadree as you say, theres so much more..
I can relate an ⁹ongoing dakini tale that began with KhenpoTsultrim Gyamtso Rinpo che.
Rinpo was giving teaching up at Pullahari. As I awoke it was the twilight, five females appeared and presented me with a container of jewels as they sang a most etheric, high pitched joyous melody.
I guess it was a rest day, as I was sauntering down to Boudhanath.
Just before I reached the Stupa the ‘wandering gal’ who lived around the stupa approached me and said you must keep these, and gave me a small package with semi precious coral and bits and bobs. and ran off.
She was always wearing different outrageous outfits and enacting different characters from an old hag to sweet.little.girls and things in between. I couldnt really say I remember what she ‘looked like’ but her very high Pitched voice has remained with me to this day.
I had them strung , so to wear around my neck.
As I seemed to be practicing the assimilation of two very differing mind- worlds i was grateful for the protection that I assume they afforded me.
I had the beads til recently. You see over the years I would ‘lose’ them, sometimes for years at a time.
Always reappearing when I least expected or maybe when I had forgotten them?
Writing this, it dawns on.me that their disappearance probably coincided with Rinpoche’s passing.
Rationally I worked it out, that my mischievous freind had took them along with the black hoodie I was wearing or,
That ‘Those fortuitous spatial intentions took the form of squirrels and hid them somewhere along with another mala that they had strewn all over the floor and hid them as well?
Or ..most probably trickery ala enlighteness
beyond our conventional norms.
But it’s faith we need keep in mind, that there is’bar sNang’,
And functions performed using any & all means by the Lama, protector, dakini is bridging our present day minds within the inexpressible, unimaginable, inconceivable wonderfull Isness. The True nature of Mind.
Yurs unruly,
Michha