Yeshe Tsogyal, the female Tantric Buddha, is an extrarordinary example of enlightenment in female form. She demonstrated through her life circumstances the applicability of the teachings to all situations and the possibility of discovering awareness within personal hardship.

She traveled extensively with Padmasambhava as his consort, establishing and depositing the Tantric teachings throughout the Himalayas and especially in Tibet.

Yeshe Tsogyal's heart's desire was the dharma, but her royal parents insisted on marrying her off. When she ran away from her suitor and was then stolen by another rival suitor, the King of Tibet decided to take her as his wife in order to avert war. This king, King Trisong Detson, requested teachings from Padmasambhava and gave him his kingdom (including Yeshe Tsogyal) as an offering. She then became Padmasambhava's student, consort and partner in establishing the teachings and dharma treasures to be discovered in future times. She was an extraordinary practitioner and teacher.

At one time, Yeshe Tsogyal was traveling to find her consort, Atsare Sale. She was carrying a bag of gold that her Guru had given her for his ransom. After traveling through remote areas for some time, she saw that she was being stalked by thieves. She knew there was no one to help her or hear her cry out. Being in the state of workability and open-endedness, she saw it as an opportunity to share with them the generosity of the dharma. When they surrounded her, she began to sing. As she did, she laid out her gold in a mandala offering and made a prayer of invitation for the thieves to receive it. They didn't understand the song, but were struck by her actions and the sweetness of her voice and so asked her who she was. She gave them the teaching of The Five Wisdoms, and they became her first students. These were the essence teachings of The Five Wisdoms and Transforming Emotion, which is taught in our school.

"I benefited sentient beings by manifesting in various guises, and they saw me in various forms... Those sentient beings suffering under the laws, I led to a land of harmony, friendship, and love, establishing them in awareness.... From those sentient beings on the point of death, I took away death, establishing them in awareness. Those sentient beings who had just died, I led on the paths of transformation, establishing them in awareness...Those sentient beings born as men in barbarous or wrong-thinking lands, I turned from the wrong paths, establishing them in awareness....Any being who suffered from any kind of disharmony, I saved from that disharmony, establishing them in awareness. For twenty years more, I appeared and disappeared throughout the world."

In the last moments before her death, her followers asked her to stay. Her response was:

"Listen, faithful Tibetans! I am merging with the fundamental, the ground of all that is--- physical pain and suffering are disappearing.... The son, the inner elements of my body, are reuniting with the mother, the outer elements. Her physical remains will disappear into earth and stone. The compassion of the Guru has never left me; his manifestations fill all the world and call out to welcome me. This wild lady has done everything; Many times have I come and gone, but now, no longer. I am a Tibetan wife sent back to her family. I shall now appear as the Queen, the All-good, the Dharmakaya."

"Now until the dualistic identity mind melts and dissolves, it may seem that we are parting. Please be happy. When you understand the dualistic mind, there will be no separation from me. May my good wishes fill the sky."

Quote From: Dakini teachings: Padmasambhava's oral instructions to Lady Tsogyal / revealed by Nyang Ral Nyimey Oser and Sangye Linpa; recorded and concealed by Yeshe Tsogyal; translated by Erik Pema Kunsang.