Tantric Buddhist Masters

Traditionally 84 in number, the Mahasiddhas, or 'Great Accomplished Ones' were the crazy saints of Indian Tantric Buddhism. About them Keith Dowman ((1998: 26) writes,

'But what of the siddhas' craziness, their lack of emotional inhibitions, their flouting social conventions? For the Siddhas themselves, all actions have the same value. It is only the prejudices and limitations of the observer's dualistic mind that sees one set of actions as harmonious, self-less and "divine" and another as unconventional, outrageous, or insane'.

About Crazy Wisdom, Chogyam Trungpa (1991: 112) writes,

'A description for a crazy-wisdom person found in the scriptures is "He subdues whoever needs to be subdued and destroys whoever needs to be destroyed." The idea here is that whatever your neurosis demands, when you relate with a crazy-wisdom person you get hit back with that. Crazy wisdom presents you with a mirror reflection. That is why Padmasambhava's crazy wisdom is universal. Crazy wisdom knows no limitation and no logic regarding the form it takes."

Many of the Mahasiddhas adopted the socially transgressive practices of the Hindu Kapalikas. The texts of this sect are known as the Bhairava Tantras and focus on the worship of a ferocious form of Siva known as Bhairava and the ferocious Goddess Kali. The followers of these texts practiced asceticism in cremation grounds and were called 'skull-men' (Kapalikas) because they, like the Lakula, carried the skull-topped staff and skull begging bowl according to the 'great vow' of penance for killing a Brahman. The Kapalika ascetic worshipped fierce gods and goddesses in cremation grounds through offerings of blood, meat, alcohol and sexual fluids generated through ritual intercourse unrestricted by caste regulations. These were highly polluting activities for an orthodox brahmin and even the sight of such an ascetic would pollute him. The goal of the Kapalika was magical powers (siddhi) that could be attained by breaking social taboos, appeasing the fierce gods, and harnessing their power through controlled possession.

Like Their Kapalika counterparts, the Buddhist Siddhas often adorned themselves with the bone ornaments and carried out rituals in cremation grounds worshipping fierce Buddhas such as Hevajra, Heruka, Vajrayogini and Mahakala, who are often depicted as standing on top of the Hindu tantric gods and goddesses.

Tantra practice ranges from the extremely base (the use of polluting substances to acquire magical powers -- in other words, 'black magic'), to the very subtle (the manipulation of bodily energies through meditation, mantras, mudras (gestures), visualization and sexual yoga). One of the basic principles of tantric practice is the notion that poison may be used to overcome poison. The ancient Buddhist text known as the Dhammapada declares, 'There is no fire like passion'. In tantric practice rather than uprooting our passion, one can transform it into awakening. The ultimate goal is to attain the Great Bliss (mahasukha) of the awakened mind.

Since the transgressive practices of tantra are extremely dangerous from the karmic point of view, one's bodhisattva intention to liberate all beings must be absolutely pure. Otherwise, one risks dire karmic consequences.