Eight Bodhisattva Dakinis
The Bardo Thödol speaks of eight
female Bodhisattvas
appearing in groups of two during the 2nd to 5th days of the bardo.
The deities in question, listed according to their appearance, have the following names:
- 2nd day
- Lasya, who rules the human sense of vision and draws all eyes toward her by
performing dance and mudra (1). Thus she is seen as the divine archetype of the female temptress, displaying the physical beauty, dignity, majesty and seductiveness of the feminine principle.
- Pushpa (Skt., puspa, "flower"), the Goddess of flowers and the natural environment
as well as the Bodhisattva of vision and sight.
- 3rd day
- Mala, the Bodhisattva of adornments, necklaces and garlands
- Dhupa, the Goddess of air, smell and scent who carries and burns wonderful incense
- 4th day
- Gita, the Bodhisattva of singing and chanting
- Aloka, who carries the torch of boundless white light
- 5th day
- Gandha, Goddess of feelings carrying an essence made of herbs, representing
sensory perception
- Naivedya or Nartya, who offers the nourishment of meditation that is necessary
for skillful action
These eight goddesses are associated with the eight male Bodhisattvas,
with who they are frequently shown in sexual union, more precisely in the yab-yum
position.
The fierce aspects of the eight deities are known as Eight Phramenma.
