Samding Dorje Phagmo Mandāravā (IPA: [mɐndˈaːrɐʋaː], Skt., mandāravā 'Indian coral tree',[1] Tibetan: མནྡཱ་ར་བཱ་མེ་ཏོག, Wylie: man da ra ba me tog)[2] (also known as Pāṇḍaravāsinī)[3] was, along with Yeshe Tsogyal, one of the two principal consorts of great 8th-century Indian Vajrayana teacher Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), a founder-figure of Tibetan Buddhism.

[citation needed] Mandarava's devotion led her to bring at least 800 women, including her entire personal retinue, to the path of the Dharma, all before meeting her teacher, Padmasambhava.

Thus, at 16 years of age, Mandarava became the first of Padmasambhava's five historical spiritual consorts and together they practiced at Maratika (known as Haleshi in the local dialect), the Cave of Bringing Death to an End.

Mandarava is said to have manifested her sambhogakaya form at the great Dharma Wheel of Tramdruk where she engaged in a dialogue of mantra and mudra with Padmasambhava.

[21] Through practice and diligence, Mandarava realised a degree of spiritual mastery equal to that of Padmasambhava, evidenced in her honorific name Machig Drupa Gyalmo (ma gcig grub pa'i rgyal mo), "Singular Queen Mother of Attainment".

Samten Lingpa (also known as Tagsham Nu Den Dorje), a terton from the second half of the 17th century, consecrated six folios to Mandarava and Padmasambhava and their meditation practices in Maratika Cave.

[22] As Mandarava attained the vajra rainbow body (jalus), she is held to be present in the world now spreading and inspiring the Dharma through various incarnations in both the east and the west.

The iconography of Mandarava in her sambhogakaya form often depicts her with white skin with a tinge of red and wearing regal bodhisattva ornamentation.

In this form, in her right hand she often holds the dadar (or arrow) a teaching tool and ritual implement which is a powerful polyvalent symbol of Dzogchen, disciplic succession, lineage and transmission.

Mandarava is also often depicted adorned with banners and a melong (or mirror) which is another ritual implement, teaching tool and polyvalent symbol of Dzogchen representing the clear, reflective and void (or empty and ethereal) nature of mind.

For example, the female terton Dechen Chökyi Wangmo (Wylie: bDe chen Chos kyi dBang mo; 1868–1927) revealed a terma that includes Mandarava.

[28] bDe chen Chos kyi dBang mo (Dechen Chökyi Wangmo) was a student of the famous Bon teacher Shar rdza bKra shis rGyal mtshan (1859–1934).

This gter ma contains sixteen hagiographies of female saints, including those of Maṇḍarava and Ye shes mTsho rgyal, and seems to be one of the few Bonpo treasure texts revealed by a woman in recent times.

[30] The Chime Soktik, a terma received by Mandarava and Padmasambhava directly from Buddha Amitayus, has become the central long life practice of the Dudjom Tersar lineage.