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Maha-siddhas means a Great Adept. Maha-siddhas are those individuals who through practice of sadhana, a spiritual and psychic discipline attains the realization of siddhis, psychic and supernatural powers. These methods were revealed by Buddhist scriptures known as Tantras. Sometimes the source is historical Buddha or transhistorical Buddha called Vajradhara. Maha-siddhas are the one who are credited for the revelation of the higher tantras or the Anuttara Tantra. Maha-siddhas broke the rules of the conventional monastic life of the time, abandoned monasteries and practiced in caves, forests, cremation ground e.t.c. They are acknowledged as the founders of many Indian and Buddhist traditions and lineages. In Buddhism there are 84 Mahasiddhas. These are as given below:
1. Acinta or Acintapa, the 'Avaricious Hermit'; 2. Ajogi or Ayogipa, the 'Rejected Wastrel'; 3. Anangapa, Ananga, or Anangavajra; 4. Aryadeva (or Karnaripa), the 'Lotus-Born' or the 'One-Eyed'; 5. Babhaha, the 'Free Lover'; 6. Vyalipa, the 'Courtesan's Alchemist'. 7. Bhadrapa, the 'Snob' or the 'Exclusive Brahmin'; 8. Bhandepa, the 'Envious God'; 9. Bhiksanapa, 'Siddha Two-Teeth'; 10. Bhusuku, Bhusukupada or Shantideva, the 'Lazy Monk' or the 'Idle Monk'; 11. Camaripa, the 'Divine Cobbler'; 12. Campaka or Campakapada, the 'Flower King'; 13. Carbaripa or Carpati, 'Who Turned People to Stone' or 'the Petrifyer'; 14. Catrapa, the 'Lucky Beggar'; 15. Caurangipa, the 'Limbless One' or 'the Dismembered Stepson'; 16. Celukapa, the 'Revitalized Drone'; 17. Darikapa, the 'Slave-King of the Temple Whore'; 18. Dengipa, the 'Courtesan's Brahmin Slave'; 19. Dhahulipa, the 'Blistered Rope-Maker'; 20. Dharmapa, the 'Eternal Student' (c.900 CE); 21. Dhilipa, the 'Epicurean Merchant'; 22. Dhobipa, the 'Wise Washerman'; 23. Dhokaripa, the 'Bowl-Bearer'; 24. Dombipa, the 'Tiger Rider'; 25. Dukhandi, the 'Scavenger'; 26. Ghantapa, the 'Celibate Monk' or the 'Celibate Bell-Ringer'; 27. Gharbari or Gharbaripa, the Contrite Scholar (Skt., pandita); 28. Godhuripa, the 'Bird Catcher'; 29. Goraksa, Gorakhnath or Goraksha, the 'Immortal Cowherd'; 30. Indrabhuti, (teachings disseminated to Tilopa); 31. Jalandhara, the 'Dakini's Chosen One'; 32. Jayananda, the 'Crow Master'; 33. Jogipa, the 'Siddha-Pilgrim'; 34. Kalapa, the 'Handsome Madman'; 35. Kamparipa, the 'Blacksmith';
36. Kambala, the 'Yogin of the Black Blanket' (or the 'Black-Blanket-Clad Yogin'); 37. Kanakhala*, the younger of the two Headless Sisters or Severed-Headed Sisters; 38. Kanhapa (or Krsnacarya), the 'Dark-Skinned One' (or the 'Dark Siddha'); 39. Kankana, the 'Siddha-King'; 40. Kankaripa, the 'Lovelorn Widower'; 41. Kantalipa, the 'Rag Picker' (or the 'Ragman-Tailor'); 42. Kapalapa, the 'Skull Bearer'; 43. Khadgapa, the 'Master Thief' (or the 'Fearless Thief');
44. Kilakilapa, the 'Exiled Loud-Mouth'; 45. Kirapalapa (or Kilapa), the 'Repentant Conqueror'; 46. Kokilipa, the 'Complacent Aesthete'; 47. Kotalipa (or Tog tse pa, the 'Peasant Guru'; 48. Kucipa, the 'Goitre-Necked Yogin'; 49. Kukkuripa, (late 9th/10th Century), the 'Dog Lover'; 50. Kumbharipa, 'the Potter'; 51. Laksminkara*, 'The Mad Princess'; 52. Lilapa, the 'Royal Hedonist'; 53. Lucikapa, the 'Escapist'; 54. Luipa, teachings disseminated to Tilopa; 55. Mahipa, the 'Greatest'; 56. Manibhadra*, the 'Model Wife' or the 'Happy Housewife'; 57. Medhini, the 'Tired Farmer'; 58. Mekhala*, the elder of the two Headless Sisters or Severed-Headed Sisters; 59. Mekopa, the 'Wild-Eyed Guru' (or the 'Guru Dread-Stare'); 60. Minapa, the 'Fisherman'; 61. Nagabodhi, the 'Red-Horned Thief'; 62. Nagarjuna, "Philosopher and Alchemist", 63. Nalinapa, the 'Self-Reliant Prince'; 64. Nirgunapa, the 'Enlightened Moron'; 65. Pacaripa, the 'Pastrycook'; 66. Pankajapa, the 'Lotus-Born Brahmin'; 67. Putalipa, the 'Mendicant Icon-Bearer'; 68. Rahula, the 'Rejuvenated Dotard'; 69. Saraha, the "Great Brahmin"; 70. Sakara or Saroruha; 71. Samudra, the 'Pearl Diver'; 72. Santipa (or Ratnakarasanti), the 'Academic' (the 'Complacent Missionary') was a teacher of Brogmi; 73. Sarvabhaksa, the 'Empty-Bellied Siddha' (or the 'Glutton'); 74. Savaripa, the 'Hunter', held to have incarnated in Drukpa Künleg; 75. Syalipa, the 'Jackal Yogin'; 76. Tantepa, the 'Gambler'; 77. Tantipa or Tanti, the 'Senile Weaver'; 78. Thaganapa, 79. Thaganapa, 'Master of the Lie' (or the 'Compulsive Liar'); 80. Tilopa, the "Great Renunciate" 81. Udhilipa, the 'Flying Siddha' (the 'Bird-Man'); 82. Upanaha, the 'Bootmaker'; 83. Vinapa, the 'Music Lover', the 'Musician' (teachings disseminated to Indrabhuti) and Tilopa}; 84. Virupa, inspired the Sakya lineage.
1. Acinta or Acintapa, the 'Avaricious Hermit'; 2. Ajogi or Ayogipa, the 'Rejected Wastrel'; 3. Anangapa, Ananga, or Anangavajra; 4. Aryadeva (or Karnaripa), the 'Lotus-Born' or the 'One-Eyed'; 5. Babhaha, the 'Free Lover'; 6. Vyalipa, the 'Courtesan's Alchemist'. 7. Bhadrapa, the 'Snob' or the 'Exclusive Brahmin'; 8. Bhandepa, the 'Envious God'; 9. Bhiksanapa, 'Siddha Two-Teeth'; 10. Bhusuku, Bhusukupada or Shantideva, the 'Lazy Monk' or the 'Idle Monk'; 11. Camaripa, the 'Divine Cobbler'; 12. Campaka or Campakapada, the 'Flower King'; 13. Carbaripa or Carpati, 'Who Turned People to Stone' or 'the Petrifyer'; 14. Catrapa, the 'Lucky Beggar'; 15. Caurangipa, the 'Limbless One' or 'the Dismembered Stepson'; 16. Celukapa, the 'Revitalized Drone'; 17. Darikapa, the 'Slave-King of the Temple Whore'; 18. Dengipa, the 'Courtesan's Brahmin Slave'; 19. Dhahulipa, the 'Blistered Rope-Maker'; 20. Dharmapa, the 'Eternal Student' (c.900 CE); 21. Dhilipa, the 'Epicurean Merchant'; 22. Dhobipa, the 'Wise Washerman'; 23. Dhokaripa, the 'Bowl-Bearer'; 24. Dombipa, the 'Tiger Rider'; 25. Dukhandi, the 'Scavenger'; 26. Ghantapa, the 'Celibate Monk' or the 'Celibate Bell-Ringer'; 27. Gharbari or Gharbaripa, the Contrite Scholar (Skt., pandita); 28. Godhuripa, the 'Bird Catcher'; 29. Goraksa, Gorakhnath or Goraksha, the 'Immortal Cowherd'; 30. Indrabhuti, (teachings disseminated to Tilopa); 31. Jalandhara, the 'Dakini's Chosen One'; 32. Jayananda, the 'Crow Master'; 33. Jogipa, the 'Siddha-Pilgrim'; 34. Kalapa, the 'Handsome Madman'; 35. Kamparipa, the 'Blacksmith';
36. Kambala, the 'Yogin of the Black Blanket' (or the 'Black-Blanket-Clad Yogin'); 37. Kanakhala*, the younger of the two Headless Sisters or Severed-Headed Sisters; 38. Kanhapa (or Krsnacarya), the 'Dark-Skinned One' (or the 'Dark Siddha'); 39. Kankana, the 'Siddha-King'; 40. Kankaripa, the 'Lovelorn Widower'; 41. Kantalipa, the 'Rag Picker' (or the 'Ragman-Tailor'); 42. Kapalapa, the 'Skull Bearer'; 43. Khadgapa, the 'Master Thief' (or the 'Fearless Thief');
44. Kilakilapa, the 'Exiled Loud-Mouth'; 45. Kirapalapa (or Kilapa), the 'Repentant Conqueror'; 46. Kokilipa, the 'Complacent Aesthete'; 47. Kotalipa (or Tog tse pa, the 'Peasant Guru'; 48. Kucipa, the 'Goitre-Necked Yogin'; 49. Kukkuripa, (late 9th/10th Century), the 'Dog Lover'; 50. Kumbharipa, 'the Potter'; 51. Laksminkara*, 'The Mad Princess'; 52. Lilapa, the 'Royal Hedonist'; 53. Lucikapa, the 'Escapist'; 54. Luipa, teachings disseminated to Tilopa; 55. Mahipa, the 'Greatest'; 56. Manibhadra*, the 'Model Wife' or the 'Happy Housewife'; 57. Medhini, the 'Tired Farmer'; 58. Mekhala*, the elder of the two Headless Sisters or Severed-Headed Sisters; 59. Mekopa, the 'Wild-Eyed Guru' (or the 'Guru Dread-Stare'); 60. Minapa, the 'Fisherman'; 61. Nagabodhi, the 'Red-Horned Thief'; 62. Nagarjuna, "Philosopher and Alchemist", 63. Nalinapa, the 'Self-Reliant Prince'; 64. Nirgunapa, the 'Enlightened Moron'; 65. Pacaripa, the 'Pastrycook'; 66. Pankajapa, the 'Lotus-Born Brahmin'; 67. Putalipa, the 'Mendicant Icon-Bearer'; 68. Rahula, the 'Rejuvenated Dotard'; 69. Saraha, the "Great Brahmin"; 70. Sakara or Saroruha; 71. Samudra, the 'Pearl Diver'; 72. Santipa (or Ratnakarasanti), the 'Academic' (the 'Complacent Missionary') was a teacher of Brogmi; 73. Sarvabhaksa, the 'Empty-Bellied Siddha' (or the 'Glutton'); 74. Savaripa, the 'Hunter', held to have incarnated in Drukpa Künleg; 75. Syalipa, the 'Jackal Yogin'; 76. Tantepa, the 'Gambler'; 77. Tantipa or Tanti, the 'Senile Weaver'; 78. Thaganapa, 79. Thaganapa, 'Master of the Lie' (or the 'Compulsive Liar'); 80. Tilopa, the "Great Renunciate" 81. Udhilipa, the 'Flying Siddha' (the 'Bird-Man'); 82. Upanaha, the 'Bootmaker'; 83. Vinapa, the 'Music Lover', the 'Musician' (teachings disseminated to Indrabhuti) and Tilopa}; 84. Virupa, inspired the Sakya lineage.
Guide created: 01/21/08 (updated 01/24/08)
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