Drukpa Kunley
Kunga Legpai Zangpo (1455 - 1529), was also known by other names such as Drukpa Kunley, Drukpa Kunleg (Tibetan: འབྲུག་པ་ཀན་ལེགས་, Wylie: 'brug pa kun legs), and "The Divine Madman of the Dragon Lineage" Kunga Legpa (Tibetan: འབྲུག་སྨྱོན་ཀུན་དགའ་ལེགས་པ་, Wylie: 'brug smyon kun dga' legs pa). He was a great master of Mahamudra in the Buddhist tradition, as well as a famous poet.
Biography
Drukpa Kunley was born into the branch of the noble Gya (Tibetan: རྒྱ, Wylie: rgya) clan of Ralung in the Tsang region of western Tibet, which was descended from Lhabum (lha 'bum), the second eldest brother of Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje. His father was Nang So Rin Chen Bzang Po. He was the nephew of Gyalwang Kunga Paljor. Father of Ngawang Tenzin and Zhingkyong Drukdra. Established Chimi Lhakhang (khyii med lha khang), near Punakha (spung thang) in 1499.
He was known for his crazy methods of enlightening other beings, mostly women, which earned him the title "The Saint of 5,000 Women". Women would seek his blessing in the form of sex. However, the female consort had/has an important (albeit secret) role in many monasteries in the East. Thangka paintings illustrate sexual positions and some of the rituals that must accompany the actions.
Visitors to Drukpa Kunley's monastery in Bhutan are welcome, but the visit requires a long uphill walk from the road. The monastery is very modest, only one smallish building, but it contains a wood-and-ivory lingam through which one can obtain blessings from the monk in residence.
Poems and songs of Drukpa Kunley
Poem about happiness
I am happy that I am a free Yogi.
So I grow more and more into my inner happiness.
I can have sex with many women,
because I help them to go the path of enlightenment.
Outwardly I'm a fool
and inwardly I live with a clear spiritual system.
Outwardly, I enjoy wine, women and song.
And inwardly I work for the benefit of all beings.
Outwardly, I live for my pleasure
and inwardly I do everything in the right moment.
Outwardly I am a ragged beggar
and inwardly a blissful Buddha.
Song about the pleasure
A young woman finds pleasure in love. A young man finds pleasure in sex. An old man finds pleasure in his memoirs. This is the doctrine of the three pleasures.
Who does not know the truth, is confused. Those who have no goals, can not sacrifice. Those who have no courage, can not be a Yogi. This is the doctrine of the three missing things.
Even if a person knows the way of wisdom; without practicing there is no realization. Even if a master shows you the way, you have to go it by yourself.
The five spiritual ways
I practice the path of self-discipline. I meditate every day.
I go the way of embracing love. I work as a mother and father of all beings.
I do the deity yoga. I visualize myself as a Buddha in the cosmic unity.
I read the books of all religions and practice all at the right moment.
The life is my teacher and my inner wisdom is my guide.
Main teachers
- Gyalwang Drukpa II, Gyalwang Kunga Paljor ('brug chen kun dga' dpal 'byor) 1428-1476
- Lhatsun Kunga Chökyi Gyatso (lha btsun kun dga' chos kyi rgya mtsho) 1432-1505
- Pema Lingpa (padma gling pa) 1445-1521
Main lineages
Alternate names
- Drukpa Kunleg / Drukpa Kuenle
References
