Darikapa

Darikapa is one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas in India. He also taught Tilopa one of the four major teachings which later transmitted to Naropa through Tilopa.

In the land of Saliputra there was a king named Indrapala. One day when he was out hunting, at about noontime he came upon a group of people gathering for the market. He saw the people all giving reverence to the yogin Luyipa, one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas in India, sitting there.

The king said to the yogin, “A man such as you should not be eating fish guts which are unclean. I will give you whatever you need to eat, and whatever else you want. If you want my kingdom I will give it to you.”

The guru answered, “If you have a method of liberation from old age and death that I can use. But if you do not, then even your kingdom and your daughter would be of no use to me.” “Why not,” asked the king. “The kingdom brings little benefit and is a great hindrance. I have renounced everything,” said Luyipa.

Thereupon King Indrapala grew weary of his kingdom and said to his Brahmin minister, “I wear a crown in this world, but for what? Let us go to the Dharma. There is sufficient food and clothing for my wife, and I can give the kingdom to my son.” The minister agreed that such a course would be fitting and so the king gave the kingdom to his son.

Both the king and the minister went to the cemetery where Luyipa lived and knocked on his door. “Who is there?” called the minister. When the king and his minister answered the master said, “Well then come in!” And they entered. The master then initiated them both into the mandala of Cakrasamvara, and the two offered themselves as the initiation fee.

Then the three of them went to another land, Orissa, and there they stayed and begged alms. After that they went to the land of Bhirapura to a city called. In the city they went to a house of three hundred dancing girls who gave service in the temple.

Luyipa asked at each of the three hundred doors, “Would not your mistress like to buy a servant?” “Perhaps I may buy him,” said the madam. She opened her door and looked out, and when she saw that he was a handsome man, she wanted him and asked, “What is his price?” “Five hundred gold coins,” the master answered. When she bought the prince the master said to her, “Do not let anyone sleep with him at night, and do not chain him. He is worth the price you paid for him.” Then he and the Brahmin left.

The prince worked for 12 years in the house of the prostitute, washing the women’s feet and massaging their bodies. However he did not forget the words of his guru. Along with all his other work, he took on work that was being neglected. All the other servants of the place greatly admired him for that.

One day a king named Janapa, also known as King Kunji, came to the house with 500 gold coins which he intended to spend on worldly pleasures. When the master served him, Kunji gave him 7 gold coins as payment. Then Kunji spent the entire day in joy and in filling his stomach; as a result of his overeating he got indigestion. He was pacing back and forth in the middle of the night when he noticed a pleasant aroma coming from a lighted place within the garden. He went to investigate, and there he saw the servant sitting on a throne being venerated by 15 maidens. The king was quite amazed.

He retraced his steps and told the madam what he had seen. They both went out into the garden and saw the same scene as before. The madam became penitent and prostrated herself before the master saying, “We poor souls have made an error; we did not know that you had these abilities. I have incurred a great sin by treating you as my servant. We beg you to be patient with us. I will make you an object of reverence for 12 years.” When the master assented to this the madam and King Kunji asked to be his students. He rose in the middle of the air and came down above the town saying:

A worldly king has a parasol
and sits on an elephant throne.
My kingdom is more distinguished
and my position more exhaled.
I have the parasol of liberation
and ride the Mahayana.
Darikapa enjoys himself
on the throne of the three worlds.

Because he was the servant of a prostitute, he was known as Darika, meaning servant of prostitutes. Later, with an entourage of 700 he went to the land of the Dakas.