ESOTERIC THOUGHT
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Gender Fluidity... ...continued from page 23
ness, then the physical form must be secondary to the underlying capacity for metamorphosis — a principle vividly described in the Mahāyāna sutras. In the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, The Teaching of Vimal - akīrti, this famous and much discussed sequence in Mahāyāna Bud - dhist scripture recounts the ability of a goddess to magically transform the genders of herself and the monk Śāriputra she is speaking with: Thereupon, the goddess employed her magical power to cause the elder Śāriputra to appear in her form and to cause her - self to appear in his form. Then the goddess, transformed into Śāriputra, said to Śāriputra, transformed into a goddess, “Reverend Śāriputra, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?” And Śāriputra, transformed into the goddess, replied, “I no longer appear in the form of a male! My body has changed into the body of a woman! I do not know what to transform!” The passage continues with the goddess proclaiming: “With this in mind, the Buddha said, ‘In all things, there is neither male nor fe - male.’” Numerous episodes of gender and non-human transformation ap- pear within Buddhist and Hindu scriptures. This leads one to consider whether the recent term “xenogender”, coined in 2014 by a Tumblr user named Baaphomett to describe non-binary gender identity that transcends traditional human understandings of gender, is actually an idea far more ancient than otherwise considered. Manifesting into any form, be it human or otherwise, is a major theme in The Universal Gateway Chapter, or Chapter 25 of the Lo - tus Sutra, one of the most influential and respected Buddhist texts. It focuses on Buddha speaking with Bodhisattva Aksayamati, one of the eight bodhisattvas (“enlightened ones”), discussing in depth the enduring qualities of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and their profound ability to adopt any form in order to liberate people. Avalokiteśvara is said to be able to manifest in a multitude of forms or “can manifest in the ten directions to save beings.” The transfor- mative magical powers of this deity are exemplified in the scripture’s chapters, which run over several stanzas in an attempt at encompass - ing Avalokiteśvara’s endless compassion, wisdom, supernatural pow - ers, and sublime far reaching voice: For those who should be liberated by someone in the form of a woman from the family of an elder, a lay-person, a minister, or a brahman, then he will manifest in the form of a woman and teach the Dharma to them. For those who should be lib - erated by someone in the form of a young boy or young girl, then he will manifest in the form of a young boy or young girl and teach the Dharma to them. Because of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara’s endless permutations of being, this deity has become an icon of transgender, gender-fluid and nonbinary people throughout and outside of Asia. But there are other noteworthy examples. Phra Lersi Narot, known as one of the most powerful Lersi (a mys - tical hermit or ascetic) of the Thai occult world, is seen as a fascinat - ing emanation of Narada, or Narada Muni, the famous Hindu litera - ture sage-divinity, travelling musician, storyteller, news vendor and wisdom soothsayer — one of the mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. Phra Lersi Narot has many identical attributes to his Indian counterpart Narada, including his known magical abilities to change gender. Narada experiences the ability to transcend gen- der when becoming a woman during the Devī-Bhāgavata, one of the eighteen Mahapuranas of Hinduism. The resonance of androgyny and shifting sexuality sits well with the magical powers of the Lersi, the angelic, shape-shifting and sorcerous being, who ultimately sees the irrelevance of gender, and whose own supreme form as consciousness
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24—PATHWAYS—Summer 26
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