Drukpa Kunley

by Needrup Zangpo

English 240 pages 1 edition

Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529), one of the most well-known saints of Bhutan, redefined the course of spiritual and religious pursuits through his unconventional paths to enlightenment. Believed by many to be a ‘divine madman’, he called himself an ‘aimless wandering yogi’, but there was an educative method to his madness and a transcendent wisdom to his aura. He was fiercely non-conformist, critiquing religious hypocrisy and describing it as a canker eating away at Buddha dharma. Despite not being from Bhutan, he left an indelible mark on Bhutanese culture, as evidenced by the popularity of the phallic symbol in the country. In this book, Needrup Zangpo retells thirty-three tales about Drukpa Kunley from biographical and oral sources, some of them for the first time. With beautifully rendered illustrations accompanying each story, Drukpa Kunley: Sacred Tales of a Mad Monk is a perfect introduction to an iconic figure of Bhutanese culture.