Tsog dates 2022: Happy Dakini Day — Introducing the Wisdom of the Female Enlightened Dakinis

Dakini Day, celebrated on the 25th day of each lunar month in Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, celebrates the feminine energy of wisdom. (DATES FOR 2022 Tsog updated below.)

Devoted Buddhists will celebrate with a Tsok (Tsog), a feast including food, singing, a group (or single) sadhana full of sound and celebration. The 10th is also celebrated with Daka Tsog to honor Guru Rinpoche and the Heroes (Dakas). Tsog is normally a commitment in higher yogic practices.

For a full story on “What is Tsog” see this feature>>

• Dakinis are portrayed as elusive, playful and often fierce and naked to symbolically convey how elusive true Wisdom encompassing “Emptiness” can be.

Dakini Tsog Days 2022

Important: Dakini day is Mother Tantra Tsog, on the 25th of the Lunar month.

All Tsog (Tsok) Dates on Western calendar 2022

MONTH	DAKINI TSOG	DAKA TSOG/GURU RINPOCHE	TARA DAYS	MEDICINE BUDDHA DAY
January	January 27, 2022	January 12, 2022
February	February 26, 2022	February 11, 2022	February 8, 2022	February 27, 2022
March	March 27, 2022	March 12, 2022	March 10, 2022	March 18, 2022
April	April 25, 2022	April  11, 2022	April 9, 2022	April 16, 2022
May	May 25, 2022	May 11, 2022	May 9, 2022	May 16, 2022
June	June 23, 2022	June 9, 2022	June 7, 2022	June 14, 2022
July	July 23, 2022	July 9, 2022	July 7, 2022	July 13, 2022
August	August 21, 2022	August 7, 2022	August 5, 2022	August 12, 2022
September	September 20, 2022	September 5, 2022	September 4, 2022	September 10, 2022
October	October 20, 2022	October 5, 2022	October 3, 2022	October 9, 2022
November	November 18, 2021	November 3, 2021	November 1, 2021	November 8, 2021
December	December 18, 2013	December 3, 2021	December 1 and 30, 2021	December 7, 2021

Without contradiction to their role as exemplars of Emptiness, Dakinis can also represent fierce activities, such as protection (Green Tara and Palden Lhamo) — the ferocious protective love of a mother [For a story on Palden Lhamo, the female protector, view here>>].  Most Tibetan Buddhist temples and meditation centres try to arrange a monthly Tsog on this day each month, with celebrants bringing food as offerings. It is always a happy day, that invites blessings not only for the attendees, but for all sentient beings.

Padmasambhava described Dakinis as “the bestower of excellent blessings.” [3]

What is a Dakini?

The Dakini represents the divine feminine. (Khandroma in Tibetan, K’ung-hsing fo-mu in Chinese.) Dakini practices focus on Enlightened Feminine (although there are also some “unenlightened Dakinis”) — the Enlightened Dakinis such as Vajrayogini or Vajravarahi. Dakini can also refer to female sangha, teachers and students who might be exemplars of the path.

In Buddhism, typically, the male Buddhas represent compassionate means, epitomized in Avaolokiteshvara (Chenrezig), while the female Buddhas represent Wisdom, typically exemplified in Tara or Vajrayogini. The symbols of bell and vajra (Ghanta and Dorje) represent female wisdom — the bell, which makes the sound of “Emptiness” — and the Vajra, representing compassionate means.

The Dakini is almost always an advanced practice, or Highest Yoga Tantra, largely because their practice explores the challenging notion of “Emptiness” (not be be confused with Nothingness. (For an article on Emptiness, see>>)

Padmasambhava, the great Eight Century Enlightened Yogi of Tibet, “reasoned that women are better equipped to realize the wisdom of the teachings…” [1]

Playful, Naked and Elusive

Just as true wisdom is “elusive”, the female enlightened, in the form of Dakinis, is very “elusive and playful.” [1] Dakinis recognize that true wisdom does not come from intellectual debate and meditative contemplation alone. The elusive wisdom of Dakinis is the ultimate wisdom of Emptiness.

Khandro Rinpoche defines the authentic dakini principle as “a very sharp, brilliant wisdom mind that is uncompromising, honest, with a little bit of wrath.” [1]

Dakini’s have always been a part of Buddhism, starting with the Jataka’s (stories of Buddha’s former lives) in which “divine beings are described as travelling through the air. In Sanskrit, such a being is called a dakini, a term generally translated as “space-goer,” “celestial woman,” or “cloud fairy.”” [2]

Dakinis are typically thought of as the emanation of the “Enlightened Mind” understanding Emptiness. Another concept usually tied to Dakini practice is “bliss” — the state of blissful awareness of emptiness.

It is a wonderful experience to have a moment that realizes emptiness, a feeling of joy-bliss rather than “nothingness.” This is why Dakinis are often portrayed as active, dancing, joyful or fierce, naked and unencumbered.

There are also male aspects, called Dakas. Typically, the 25th day of the lunar month is focused on Dakinis, while the 10th day of the lunar month (which is also a Tsok feast day) is for the Dakas — and also to celebrate Guru Rinpoche Day.

The Wisdom of Enlightenment

Wisdom, without Compassion, is not the path to Enlightenment, which is why, in Tantric Buddhism, Dakinis are often in union with male Herukas (Buddhas) — this symbolically demonstrates the union of Wisdom (Dakini) and Compassion (Heruka or “Hero”). This is symbolic, not literal — in other words not a sexual representation. It’s symbolically conveys you cannot have one without the other (wisdom without compassion, or compassion without wisdom) if your goal is to achieve Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Also, that the union of wisdom and compassion bring bliss.

Nyingma master, Chagdud Tulku, explained, “Dakini refers to the feminine principle of wisdom that manifests in female form to benefit beings. We say the lama’s mind is the dakini because it embodies the inseparability of emptiness and wisdom, the absolute dakini. This absolute nature, dharmakaya, manifests as the subtle display of the samboghakaya dakini and the nirmanakhaya, or physical form of great female realization holders in order to benefit beings.” [2]

Dakini Power book:

Dakinis can come in many forms, but are normally portrayed as active, playful and fierce. The notable exeptions are the many manifestations of Tara [Read more about Green Tara here>>]. Most enlightened Dakinis can be thought of as emanations of Tara — at the level of ultimate reality. Tara herself, in her many forms, can be thought of as a Dakini:

The Four Classes the Four Empowerments

Padmasambhava taught there were “four classes of Dakinis, who are the Daknis of the four families of Vajra, Ratna, Padma, and Karma. They art spiritual beings who carry out the four activities of pacifying, increasing, magnetizing and subjugating.” Dakinis often are also visualized in advanced practices as giving the four empowerments: “the empowerments of vase, secret, wisdom knowledge and precious word.” [3]

Dakinis are also strongly associated with the great Mahasiddhas of India, particularly Vajrayogini. It is often said that all of the Mahasiddas relied on Dakinis. Also, most of the great Enlightened Yogis and Yoginis of India and Tibet practiced Dakinis.

Practicing Dakinis

There are, it is said, countless emanations of wisdom, although at the ultimate level, they are all one. Probably the best known Dakini is Vajrayogini. These practices do require a teacher and initiation, due to their profundity, but many Buddhists around the world attend Tsog (as spectators and to receive blessings) and Dakini public pujas as a blessing. Padmasambhava described the Dakini as the “bestower of excellent blessings.” [3].

Dakini mantras should not be recited without appropriate teachings and intimations, although many people will get started on the path to feminine wisdom with the practices and mantras of Tara, which do not require initiation:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

In addition, some Buddhists who may not yet have initiation, might set up a statue or tangkha of a Dakini, especially Vajrayogini, and present offerings. A student does not have to be initiated to honour the wisdom of Enlightenment. Initiation is a step towards realizing that Emptiness. But the precursor to that is often doing the things that Dakini’s delight in:

It is said that you do not have to call to Dakinis. Because we all have Buddha Nature, we all have Dakini within. Dakinis manifest spontaneously in our lives when we perform pleasing acts of compassion, conduct ourselves ethically, and follow the precepts.

Om Ah Hum.

NOTES

[1] Dakini Power, the book

[2] Kahanro.net  “Dakini”

[3] Page 24 in “Dakini Teachings”

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