Timeless Rapture: Inspired Verse from the Shangpa Masters

NIGUMA
The Shangpa Instruction Lineage is a Tibetan synthesis of
diverse Indian tantric Buddhist meditations. The Indian masters
who contributed to this lineage’s spiritual treasury had but one thing in
common, a Tibetan disciple named Kyungpo Naljor. What we call the
Shangpa lineage reflects his spiritual fortune, values, interests, and preferences.
He received extensive instructions from 150 teachers but did not
include most in his core lineage. Of the chosen few, Kyungpo Naljor valued
most the teachings of two women, Niguma and Sukasiddhi.
These two Kashmiri women are commonly referred to as wisdom dakinis.
The Tibetan equivalent of the term “dakini,” kandro (mkha’ ‘gro), can
be used to designate both women and men, beings either worldly or spiritual.
For example, when Kyungpo Naljor first met Niguma, she claimed
to be the leader of cannibal dakinis, what in another day and age we would
call witches. In fact, however, she was a wisdom dakini, an appellation that
situates her attainment at the level of perfect, complete enlightenment.
Those who are curious to learn of Niguma’s story are quickly confronted
by what appears to be a failure of Indian and Tibetan historians—the life
story of this woman, one of the most remarkable masters Buddhist India
produced, seems to have been left unrecorded. Perhaps she was the wild,
silent type. Certainly she was not an unknown teacher in her day; for
example, Marpa visited Niguma each time he went to India, the first time
at the advice of Naropa. The Life of Marpa relates:
Naropa said, “On the shores of the poison lake in the South, in the
charnel ground of Sosadvipa is Jnanadakini Adorned with Bone
Ornaments. Whoever encounters her is liberated. Go before her
and request the Catuhpitha. You can also request of the kusulus
there whatever teachings you desire.”
Having arrived in the charnel ground at Sosadvipa, Marpa met
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