Courtesans of Ancient India
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
In most cultures, women as a gender have been undeniably classified as lower in status compared with men. It was only recently that women began to receive equal recognition, appreciation, and stature, but even so, in some places around the world, women are still viewed as inferior and treated accordingly.
In Buddhism, gender is just another label, hence no gender is deemed superior to another. One may argue that in certain Buddhist traditions, women have fewer opportunities when it comes to following a Dharma path, for instance, full Bhikkhuni (nun) vows are not available in some traditions as the lineage has been lost.
However, when it comes to mind training and the development of compassion and wisdom, whether one is male or female does not matter, for neither has limitations in terms of gaining full enlightenment.
Proof can be seen in many well-documented examples. Many female Mahasiddhas and Yoginis have gained full enlightenment in a female body, for example the great Yogini Niguma. Likewise, the Buddhas manifest in both male and female forms and, for example, one can gain full enlightenment in just one lifetime by engaging in Vajrayogini’s practice (Vajrayogini is, of course, a Buddha in female form). These are clear examples that gender is no obstacle when it comes to Dharma practice and the attainment of the enlightened mind.
I came across this wonderful article about the courtesans of ancient India, and I want to share this with everyone to illustrate what I have explained above. I also hope this will encourage everyone, both “male” and “female”, to immerse yourselves in Dharma study and practice.
Life passes by so quickly, and if all we care about is beauty and fun, our time and precious human life would be wasted.
Sarva Mangalam,
Tsem Rinpoche
P.S.: In the past, I’ve also blogged about many great female practitioners. The links are below for your easy reference. Take your time to read them and be inspired.
- Three True Stories You Must Read
- Ani Ngawang Pema – 45 Years Solitary Retreat
- Palden Lhamo
- 84 Mahasiddhas
- Sacred and Attained Nuns of Gebchak Nunnery
- Mother Teresa of the East
Courtesans of Ancient India
In SPIRITUAL ARTISANS by Tara Trinley Wangmo 03/11/2015 (http://levekunst.com/category/art/spiritual-artisans/)
Most people know the lady and courtesan, Kamala, from Herman Hesse’s classic spiritual novel, Siddhartha. Not only did she master the art of poetry, music, dance and philosophy, but also the art of making love. Kamala’s flamboyant and erotic skills were not something to be sold, but were part of her repertoire as a teacher from whom a supplicant could receive lessons. Her life example playfully demonstrates independence, dignity and a cultured personality.
The sixty-four arts of making love all had to be mastered, and would define a cultured courtesan . These arts are described in the various versions of Kamasutra, and in The Perfumed Garden Sir Richard Burton gives a rare glimpse into this culture. The courtesans also mastered many other artistic disciplines including tailoring, fine carpentry, rules of architecture, chemistry, mineralogy, laws of society, how to pay respect and make compliments, singing, playing a musical instrument, dancing, writing, reading the thoughts of others, the art of attracting and captivating the mind of others, magic, manufacturing scents and garlands, drawing, sculpturing and painting. They were often more artists and teachers than we tend to believe. It is within this context we can understand the courtesans of ancient India.
One outstanding example is Lady Purasati. She was a courtesan as well as a realized master and lineage holder of the Mahasandhi instructions, a tradition that did not discriminate between cast, gender or age. The only qualification was realization. She attained accomplishment through the practice of Vajra Tikshana, the embodiment of transcendental knowledge. Having received instruction from an Indian rishi by the name Bhashita, she practiced one-pointedly and became so stable in awakened mind, that she is counted among the teachers of the philosopher Nagarjuna, whose short and clear tracts on knowing reality are still used today because of their invincibility. It’s a shame that we don’t know more about her besides her poetry. Here is one her songs of realization.
For I the courtesan Purasati,
The elements, all five, are vastness,
The consorts of the five families,
And this vastness is the basic space, Samantabhadri.The all-ground of the Ever-Excellent,
I see as indivisible from basic space.
Awakened mind now shines
like the sun in the sky.
Another sweet example is Barani the Courtesan. The ancient texts mention that she was a daughter of the commoner Rahuta and his wife Joyful Dhari. Her mind was bright and sharp with the Mahayana potential. She requested the meaning of the realized state from her teacher, the lady Bodhi the Yakshini, who then bestowed it in full and condensed the meaning for her in a song:
Buddhas and all beings are no different from the first;
Realize this fact, the state sublime.
Once you realize nondual mind to be the dharmakaya,
Apart from this there is no higher training.
The courtesan understood the basic intent and then expressed her realization:
I am Barani the Courtesan
Who fully sees awakened mind, the sovereign of every view.
Mind is neither male nor female, so union I fear not.
Mind knows neither birth nor death, it does not die by slaying.
Worlds and beings are all nectar, timelessly transcending unclean and the clean.
It was around that time Bhibhi Rahula, the king of Kashmir, and his wife Shila Kumara had a son who was later known as Brilliance, the Kashmiri scholar. He became a pandita of the most erudite learning, and requested the meaning of the realized state from Barani the Courtesan, which she bestowed in full and then condensed the meaning for him in song:
Awakened mind is the fruition resulting from no cause.
Awakened mind is the instruction that does not come from words.
Awakened mind is the buddha who does not stem from thought.
Like space, awakened mind is not a thing that can be seen.
Devoid of color, it is not a thing to be singled out as this.
Within the gigantic web of illusion, the mahamaya of human culture on our blue planet, women of wisdom and artistic talents have often been ignored. In a perfect world everyone deserves equal respect.
(Source: http://levekunst.com/courtesans-of-ancient-india/)
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Very interesting and informative article. In most cultures, women is consider as lower in status compared with men. Ancient times in India, man took the lead while women is seconded. But times has changed for the better where women are not degraded in society. They receive equal recognition, appreciation, and stature, yet in countries and places around the world, women are still viewed as inferior and treated accordingly. But in Buddhism women have been increasing in number and has proven that many of them have gained full enlightenment in a female body. In Buddhism is concerned there’s no discrimination toward women ,both men and women are equal. There‘s many female Mahasiddhas and Yoginis as in this blog. May it inspired many more to come. Interesting article and its great sharing knowledge.
Thank you Rinpoche with folded hands,
In many parts of the world , women do not enjoy equal opportunities to earn, participate in politics or get an education. They can face gender-based violence and discrimination. Women through history have not always had that choice. Now its natural to see female politicians, doctors, business leaders, and writers. Inspiring …… many courtesans who lived in ancient and medieval India were women who managed to make a mark in the male dominated society of those times. These courtesans were trained in many arts of poetry, music, dance and philosophy. They knew their talents, were confident of their abilities and choosing the path of philosophy along with their profession.
In Buddhism there is no discrimination toward women , gender is just another label. Men and women are equal both in enlightenment and in practice. It has proven that many female Mahasiddhas and Yoginis have gained full enlightenment in a female body.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing….Truly agree that everyone deserves equal respect.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing something “alternative” 🙂 Actually, one of the things I like about Buddhism is that gender is not a criteria in the path to enlightenment. I really hate to see cultures and religions who discriminate females. It is very ironic because everyone is born by a mother, and yet in many cultures and religions, they discriminate the females.
I like what Rinpoche wrote, in that there is no limitation by the gender to gain enlightenment. That is good news for all of us and all of us have the same chance. That also means there is no excuse for us not to make it.
I pray that this world would have gender equality, specifically, I would hope that religions and cultures will encourage gender equality.
Inspiring to read about the Courtesans of India also brought benefit to the world via a spiritual aspects too.
This is truly an inspiring and empowering article for many women who seek the spiritual path to enlightenment. The mind knows no male nor female for enlightenment is yours on the way if you zealously pursue it. The human body is rare to find why waste such precious circumstance in fun and beauty?
Thank you Rinpoche for such inspiring stories of the female force. I love reading about powerful women in society, in history and in the divine realms. It proves the wrong view of women being the lesser, more inferior form, to be a huge misconception. It really encourages and empowers women as well as giving appreciation for both women and men of their powerful unique abilities. In the end like what Buddhism has aptly describe, it is all just labels, which people on this planet need, to comprehend enlightened energies.
It is astonishing to learn that the career of courtesans are perhaps one of the most difficult, multifaceted and challenging one anyone could ever master. My gosh the amount of things the have to learn and master is amazing. I would imagine, they are probably the most, talented, educated, intelligent, artistic and skilful individuals in society at that time.
It is even more amazing to find that amongst them are great Mahasiddhas to help spread dharma. Again proving that highly attained accomplished being do appear in many forms and in the least expected places kind of reminds me of VajraYogini and this praise to her, introduced by Tsem Rinpoche, comes to mind Praise to Vajrayogini, The Goddess That Absorbs All Traumas https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#vyPraise
I also really appreciate Tsem doing this. I found some of the female Mahasidda stories helpful. Both Judaism and Christianity do also have information about the feminine divine but for some reason there has been a lot of suffering and pain and misunderstanding about that for thousands of years. I like the male stuff to but as a woman it is very helpful to get some same-gender examples of how to do it.