Mahasiddha Manibhadra - part 2

Manibhadra agreed to Mahasiddha Kukkuraja’s proposal; deciding that she could borrow a servant’s clothes. She prepared to leave home when her parents had gone to sleep – but it proved impossible to take the clothes of any of their servants without drawing attention to herself. In desperation she decided to look for cast-off rags along the way: but she found none. The scavengers had removed everything from the streets.
On arriving at the charnel ground she found herself with a considerable dilemma as to her apparel and the agreement she had made with Kukkuraja. She could not enter the charnel ground—or see Kukkuraja—in her finery – so she sat for some time trying to find a solution to her problem. After an hour she realised that there was no answer – and so, in desperation, she decided she would have to go naked. She removed her clothes and placed them under a rock by a conspicuous tree where she would be able to find them again. As soon as she had hidden her clothes a yogini approached her “So, Manibhadra, welcome – you have come as expected and your appearance is suitable to present your to Mahasiddha Kukkuraja. I will now guide you to the lake where a boatman will take you the island where Mahasiddha Kukkuraja lives.”
The boatman passed any comment on her nakedness – neither did he appear in any way surprised. The boatman helped Manibhadra aboard his small boat and began to row toward to Kukkuraja’s island. As the boat set out she began to hear the howling, growling, and baying of many of what seemed to be dogs. She felt anxious and asked the boatmen “Is this not a dangerous island with so many fierce dogs?”
“Yes Manibhadra. It is dangerous – but not for you. It is only dangerous if you attempt to come here uninvited or with self-serving intentions.”
“So what will these dogs do when they see me?”
“That I do not know – but it is not wise to worry. Mahasiddha Kukkuraja has invited to you attend him – and so there will be no difficulty or danger for you.”
The boat finally came to rest on the shore of the island and Manibhadra stepped out of the boat and into the baleful gaze of a score of dogs. Their howling, growling, and baying subsided as they discerned her presence and Manibhadra stood gazing at them for some time before walking toward them. She had no choice but to walk through the shingled spit of the beach where they were crowded. The nature of the rock strewn island had created a narrow defile beyond the landing place – and so Manibhadra had to approach the dogs or turn back. Having ventured this far—even to the extent of divesting herself of clothing—she decided she may as well brave the ordeal. No sooner was her decision made however, than the dogs quietened—moved aside to let her pass—and stood wagging their tails in a friendly manner. The dogs then followed her until she reached the place where Kukkuraja resided.
“It is good that you have come without your finery, Manibhadra . . . ” Kukkuraja commented when he saw her approach “but . . . is it not disreputable, according to society, to be naked?”
Manibhadra was embarrassed – but replied “Yes, it is disreputable – and if I was discovered I would lose my varna and become an untouchable. It was difficult for me to risk my reputation and to overcome my embarrassment – but I have understood that caring about appearances will not enable me to receive your teaching and transmission. Receiving your transmission and teaching was more important to me than my modesty or embarrassment.”
“You have spoken well, Manibhadra – so now I shall give you transmission and teaching on the nature of mind and the infinite purity of the phenomenal world.”
Manibhadra expected to be back at home before dawn – but Kukkuraja had prepared to spend nine days giving her teachings and transmissions. It was vial that she could conspire to wake in her own bed as if nothing had happened – and her parents would be none the wiser—but it was yet more vital that she remained with Kukkuraja. She realised that this was an opportunity that was not easily available – and if she made some lame excuse about having to go home in case her parents worried about her, the chances of ever seeing Kukkuraja again would be slim. Kukkuraja—having some awareness of her internal writhing—told her “Do not be concerned Manibhadra, A messenger has already been sent to you home to inform you parents that you will be away from you home for nine days – and that no harm will come to you.”
This was both reassuring and terrifying to Manibhadra: reassuring because her parents would not be tortured by uncertain wonders – and terrifying because her parents would be tortured by uncertain wonders. Kukkuraja knew quite clearly what was in her mind and so he commented “I shall leave it to you what you say to your mother and father when you return. I cannot promise that they will be happy—they will not—but it will pass. They may feel that they cannot forgive you – but they will. Like most people they will need to have explosive emotions before they learn to allow them to subside. I am confident that you will behave in the best way and address them in a manner that will enable them to accept you in your new life.”
And so the teachings and transmission were given day-by-day – and by the time her period of instruction was concluded. Manibhadra was equipped to practice for the years ahead without further need of tuition. On Manibhadra’s parting, Kukkuraja said
“Phenomena are empty of conventional value –yet their authentic value is without limit.
The sense fields are the greedy hands by which we manacle ourselves to dualism
Yet they are also the repository of infinite empty-wealth.
Desire to possess the form of phenomena, as if the form were not empty,
This is the cause of unsatisfactoriness.
Appreciation of the empty-lustre of phenomena, knowing that their emptiness is form
This is the portal of the nondual state.”

Manibhadra—her training concluded—set off for her home. She found the place where she had left her clothes – but they were gone. In their place she found only white raiment, ragged – yet clean. She had no choice but to return to her home dressed as a religious mendicant. On seeing Manibhadra, her parents were outraged. They were horrified by her wild appearance. They were furious at her having left home without a word – and thus causing a scandal in the family. Such was their parental disapproval for absconding and bringing their family into disrepute, that Manibhadra received a thrashing. Manibhadra accepted her thrashing without complaint. Once was over however, she explained—with astounding serenity—“According to conventional mores, I have deserved the thrashing you have given me. I make no complaint. You were right to do what you have done according to societal convention – but societal convention knows nothing of authentic reputation. Reputation such as yours would now merely be a burden to me – because I have received transmissions and teachings from the Mahasiddha Kukkuraja. My reputation—according to the convention of Vajrayana—is unstained and my wealth is therefore without measure. You would be just in denying me my inheritance for the conventional shame I have brought upon my family – and I would have no grievance against you. The loss of wealth would make no difference to me – as I shall be happy whatever happens.”
On hearing their daughter speak in this calm yet dignified way, her parents were shocked yet pacified – in a disquieted and unsettled way that was hard for them to comprehend in terms of who they considered themselves to be. They sat in silence for some minutes slightly hypnotically bemused by the spectacle of their daughter sitting before them in a manner almost like a Maharaja. After a while they asked “You . . . would not then, wish to marry . . . ” but it was more like a plea than a question.
She replied “I would be happy to keep the commitment you have made on my behalf – as now all activity will eventually be inseparable from the nondual state; now I know how to practise.”
“So . . . you will then, marry?” they asked again, almost able to understand her answer.
“I will marry.” she replied – and both her parents wept with relief. Once her parents had recovered themselves Manibhadra asked “I have only one request to make of you – and that is that I wish to be allowed, before I marry to spend my time as I wish – engaged in mediation. I will, of course, see my husband-to-be on all proper occasions; on which I shall comport myself appropriately and pleasantly as a prospective wife should.”
Her parents nodded in what could have passed for approval and left Manibhadra to her own devises – realising that they had both regained their daughter and lost her at the same time. They were deeply ashamed of the thrashing they had given her and apologised repeatedly – but Manibhadra told then each time that she had no sorrow, no anger, and no grievance toward them at all. “My dear mother and father – you simply live within the bounds of the conventions of society and have acted as any parent would act who was similarly placed. It is only due to what I now know—from what I have experienced—that makes it possible for me to understand your perception as I do. You may no longer understand me – but I understand and sympathise with you. Be cheerful now my good parents and be happy for the future – because it will be exactly as you desire.”
In the remaining few years before the marriage took place she devoted herself to the accomplishment of the teachings she had been given by Kukkuraja – and by the time of her marriage she found herself able to experience the nondual state. At that point in time she again met Kukkuraja who was happy with her progress. He told her that before she married she should make one journey to the Charnel Ground of HaHa Gödpa - where she would meet Niguma and receive the final teachings which would enable her to rest continuously in the nondual state. Her parents allowed her to make the journey. They had serious misgivings – but because they could not otherwise fault the behaviour or demeanour of the daughter – they felt they had no choice but to concede. They recognised—as far as they were able—that their daughter had become a ‘holy woman’ and therefore outside their understanding. They were assured that she would return – and gave the appearance of being satisfied by her promise “Everything will remain exactly according to my commitment – I shall marry as promised and shall be the model wife to my husband that you would wish me to be.”
Manibhadra met Niguma in the Charnel Ground of HaHa Gödpa just as Kukkuraja had predicted. It was a far greater ordeal in terms of fear than Kukkuraja’s dogs had been – but Manibhadra was not the same person she had been. The harrowing screams that appeared to emanate from the ground itself, were therefore only marginally disquieting. Niguma gave her all the teachings and transmissions required to attain nondual realisation and concluded saying:
“Because demonstrable reality is not as we imagine it to be,
It cannot be revealed in conventional language.
The essence of reality is free of dependency on conventional rationality,
Therefore it cannot be investigated or examined.
It is free of demonstrable examples even though examples exist as allusions
It is beyond the realm of the conceptual mind,
It is neither eternal nor transient – neither samsara nor nirvana,
It is apparent – and yet empty. It is neither real nor unreal – neither arising nor non-arising.
All negative disharmonious conditions are the source of siddhis,
Because negative conditions intensify experience.
Since you understand the true nature of negative conditions
You do not need to avoiding them – but integrate your awareness with them.
Practise the natural state free from attachment and nonattachment
Renouncing nothing, accomplishing nothing, attaching to nothing,
Detaching from nothing, purifying nothing, and rejecting nothing
You will be possessed of perfect behaviour in whatever your body requires”

She received her teaching and transmission and attained the nondual state before she left the charnel ground. She then returned home and informed her parents that she was now free to marry.

Once married, she astounded her parents in being the perfect housewife. She was everything her husband could have wished her to be. Her mother and father-in-law were delighted and all thought of her mysterious nine-day disappearance was forgotten.
She spent many years as the societally perfect wife and mother – but when her children reached adulthood and married, she manifested her realisation externally. She rose into the sky naked and radiating rainbow light. She was seen by the entire township, who came to receive her teachings and the transmission of her presence. Her husband then became her disciple and gained accomplishments.