Continuing my theme of super serious Buddhist posts being applied to non-Buddhist stuff I want to talk to you about the dakinis.
Specifically the four primary dakinis who appear in a variety of rituals, they appear “secretly” as HaRiNiSa, are the rulers of the four actions, and represent the Buddha families. They are Vajradakini, Ratnadakini, Padmadakini, and Karmadakini.
Now to the super serious part of this post…after a discussion with a friend, I realized that these four dakinis have manifested in pop culture, and are none other than the Golden Girls. (Okay, maybe that’s stretching it, but there is an amusing parallel.)
First there is the blue Vajradakini in the East. Her action is pacifying, she is used to bring peace to disruption, not to destroy it or command it, but to settle it. She binds people together harmoniously. She is also very detail focused and literal, precise. She is the emotional mind and the memory, and she transforms anger into wisdom. I see this as being Rose. While often the butt of an angry outburst (shut up Rose), she is ultimately the most peaceful of the Golden Girls, in fact, it is stated that if it wasn’t for her none of the women would be living together, she is the one that makes them work together. She is also the most literal, which is part of her charm in the way she misunderstands things. She is the heart of the Girls, and that is Vajradakini.
Secondly there is yellow Ratnadakini in the South. Her action is enriching, she is used to ground and increase, to expand. She is the earthiest of the dakinis, the most interested in the body and the here and now. She is about the physical past and origins. She transforms our false pride into wisdom. This would be Sophia. Sophia is the master cook, nurturing the bodies of all the others. By far the most grounded and physical of them. She’s probably the most open about her body too, most episodes include some complaint about her body and age that most people rather wouldn’t hear, but she is the body and earth elements. She supports the Girls, but also keeps their egos from getting too big. She is thoroughly grounded in her past as a foundation “Picture it Pussycat, Silicy, 1922…”
Next is the red Padmadakini in the West. Her action is enchanting…and I could probably stop there. She is the more Venereal of the dakinis: attraction, magnetism, enchanting. She is also connected to passion and drive. All I had to say was enchanting, and I’m sure we all could see this is Blanche. Beautiful, sexual, sensual, and all about the chase, the attraction, the drawing in of others.
Lastly is the green Karmadakini to the North. Her action is discrimination and being wrathful. She helps eliminate distractions and delusions, to clear away that which is preventing us from seeing things the way they are. Tied to this is her wrathful action, she is the one who gives us the tough lessons that we need. It’s not a cruel action, but a swift one. She destroys our illusions, even the ones we enjoy. This is Dorothy, she was always the most frank of the group, the sharp mind backed by a sharp tongue. Dorothy said what needed to be said to her friends, even if they wouldn’t want to hear it. Of all the Golden Girls she had the most wit and clarity.
I hope from this people will come to see some of the transcendent wisdom that is the Golden Girls.
Thank you for being a friend.
Dakinis: The Ganden Girls
