by ChiyoNi Ishi: Yeshe Tsogyal, Princess of Kharchen, was born in the 8th century, in Tibet. At that time, there was a King ruling Tibet, but the country was divided in princedoms… and each one had its ruler. So, Yeshe was the youngest daughter of one those Princes. Buddhist tradition says that when she was conceived and when she was born, all kind of marvellous events took place and, by her beauty and intelligence, she showed the signs of a spiritually highly developed being.

At the age of 12-13, she was supposed to be married. There were especially two suitors who her father could not refuse. But she was not willing to marry any of them. She was not interested in anything else then a spiritual path. She had to find ways of misleading her suitors and she had to run away. Still, when the King heard about her, he request her, and she was given to him. She became his youngest wife at that time. At the age of 13, she became a queen, and because of her religious nature, she was given he responsibility of the religious matters at the court.

The King Trisong Detsen was a follower of the Buddha’s teachings, and he invited the Indian Sage Padmasambhava(“The Lotus Born” Guru), also known as Guru Rimpoche, to spread the Buddhism in Tibet. Soon, she became Padmasambhava’s most devoted disciple, and his chief companion.

In those early times of Buddhism in Tibet, the Bön religion was still a religious and political main force. So, the relationship of the youngest wife of the King with an Indian, Buddhist Master, became a matter of discontent by the Bön Ministers… who were not seeing with good eyes this foreign Master teaching a new religion.

Yeshe had to struggle, sometimes she had to hide herself, or even to exile. She received nearly all of Guru Rinpoche’s teachings. She made all sorts of purification and tantric practises, retreating in caves, facing natural and spiritual barriers, until, finally, she attained the highest realisation.

Back to the court, she took part of the discussions and tests of magic and debates between Buddhists and Bön followers, until Bön (or Bonpo) religion was nearly. Actually, Buddhism became the main religion in Tibet by the support of the royalty.

The next years of her life were occupied in practicing, teaching, and assisting her many disciples. She developed the “siddhis” of a high-developed Master. Siddhis are what we would call … “miracles”…. In fact, in Buddhism, all is energy. Being able to master and perform “exterior” energy, is a sign of being able to control one’s own energy.

By her teachings and example, Yeshe took part in the growth of Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century AD, and she also continued Padmasambhava’s work of hidden precious teachings so that their disciples would discover them later for the benefit of the generations of the future. She travelled all over the country to hide these “terma” (treasure). Among those texts, it was included her The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava, considered a sacred text and an extraordinary biography of the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.

Yeshe Tsogyal became the first female lineage holder in Tibet. She is considered an emanation of Dorje Phagmo, the Mother of all Buddhas, and the embodiment of Wisdom. Her name means “ocean of unending primordial wisdom”.

As a final note, I would like to quote Padmasambhava “The body is the basis of the accomplishment of wisdom. And the gross bodies of men and women are equally suited. But if a woman has strong aspiration, she has higher potential.”

About “Mother of Knowledge”, the story of Yeshe Tsogyal’s spiritual career (the text is a terma), Varachitta, an artist who lives in East London, says: “My first encounter with the tantric text Mother of Knowledge was a bit like walking into a jungle. This strange poetry, this assault on the limitations of my mind set, drew me like a magnet. I wanted very much to understand, but Mother of Knowledge has so many levels of meaning, and so many different dimensions, that I don’t believe I will ever fathom them all. Having studied it continuously for seven years, I am still uncovering deeper and deeper levels. The further I go into the jungle, the more there is to see.”