Niguma, Lady of Illusion

Providing a rare glimpse of feminine Buddhist history, Niguma, Lady of Illusion brings to the forefront the life and teachings of a mysterious eleventh-century Kashmiri woman who became the source of a major Tibetan Buddhist practice lineage. More than an historical presentation, Niguma's story challenges the view that images of women in Buddhism are merely symbolic representations of the feminine principle. This volume includes the thirteen works that have been attributed to Niguma in the Tibetan Buddhist canon. These collected works, which form the basis of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, continue to be actively studied and practiced today. These works include the source verses for such esoteric practices as the Six Yogas, the Great Seal, and the Chakrasamvara and Hevajra tantric practices that are widespread in Tibetan traditions.

Sarah Harding has been a Tibetan Buddhist translator and practitioner since 1974. She became a student of the late master Kalu Rinpoche, and in 1980, she completed the traditional three-year retreat under his guidance. Since then, she has been a teacher and translator. Her publications include Machik's Complete Explanation, The Treasury of Knowledge: Book Eight, and The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa. She is a fellow at the Tsadra Foundation and has been on the faculty of Naropa University for nearly twenty years.