14Chamaripa

There once lived a humble cobbler in eastern India in the town of Visnunagar. He worked all day long, making and repairing shoes while thinking he wasn’t meant to be a cobbler all his life. One day, he chanced a meeting with a monk, throwing down his tools; he dashed to the street and prostrated himself to the holy man.

Camaripa said to the monk, “I am sick and tired of this life of endless toil, passion, and stupidity. I have always wanted to follow the Buddha’s path but have never had the chance before. Please, venerable sir, teach me something that will benefit me in this world and the next.” The kind monk, said he would be pleased to instruct him, and with joy Camaripa agreed and invited the holy man for dinner. He then rushed home and told his family, they began cooking and cleaning the house to prepare for the arrival of the honored guest.

When the monk arrived, with respect the family begged the monk to be seated and washed his feet. The humble feast was served and afterward, the cobbler’s wife and daughters offered him every comfort, including a massage. The monk was delighted with the generous welcome, and gave both the cobbler and his wife initiation and instructed the cobbler to visualize his shoemaking as his sadhanas.

So, for 12 years, the cobbler practiced his sadhanas, forming out of his meditation and as all impediments vanished from his mind, he attained mahamudra-siddhi.

Visvakarman, the god of arts and crafts came to the shoemaker’s shop with his rentinue. As the cobbler sat looking on, detached from all worldly things, the god himself took up the tools and leather lying on the workbench and began making shoes. When the people of Visnunagar heard of this miracle, they came to see it for themselves. They then prostrated at the feet of the cobbler-yogin and begged him for instruction. He taught them about the indispensible benefits of the guru’s instruction and then explained the workings of many different doctrines and techniques. In due time, he ascended in his own body to the Paradise of the Dakinis.

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