The Divine Madman: The Sublime Life and Songs of Drukpa Kunley

by Keith Dowman

The Divine Madman is the secret biography of one of Tibet's best-loved saints, the buddha Drukpa Kunley. Drukpa Kunley was a "nyomba", a crazy yogi who taught through outrageous behavior and ribald humor, through symbolic action, songs and poetry. Using people's emotion, neuroses and sexuality, as a tantric yogi through skillfull means and crazy wisdom he awakened their buddha-nature. He belonged to the lineage of Tilo, Naro, Marpa and Milarepa and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1495379833
• ISBN13: 9781495379833
• Release Date: February 2014
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

not for everyone but a classic

The Tibetans have a far, far, more earthy understanding of religion than we in the west will ever develop. This book, for example, has to do with the spiritual and sexual adventures of a strange Tibetan saint who even the Tibetans approach carefully. Not for those who think that spiritual affairs and sex cannot be combined yet the book is a great classic even if the cultural context is untranslatable.

Not The Place To Start

Though Drukpa is a beloved saint of many Himalayans, this is certainly not the first book to read if you're interested in Tibetan Buddhism or culture. In fact, without a grasp of Tantric principles and the way skillful means can be used in a way seen as legitimate by this tradition, many of the events in this book would be received as downright distastful and suspect. I had run across references to him in a number of other works over the years, and am frankly glad I waited until this later point in my understanding of Buddhism before reading this work. Otherwise, I doubt I could have seen through a lot of the cultural chaff, which many would find offensive, to the core insights that the text is trying to promote. Read it sometime, but don't rush to it before you're ready.

Maybe "the other Buddhism"

I read this book via a borrowed first edition, in one mesmerized sitting. 2nd ed. should be same. Now I must own it as soon as re-published! A fabulous story of the Buddhist monk whose left-hand path will scandalize some and delight others. I visited Drukpa Kunley's monastery in Bhutan and received the resident head monk's blessing with both the wooden phallus and the ivory one. Kunley created Bhutan's national animal, the Takin, and spread both his generous organ's output and the Dharma over the Himalaya. Worshiped by all women he met, he conquered Bon magicians and otherwise gave Buddhism a full-bodied life. Must reading for all adults. Now, I want to make a film about his life...join me? k4vud@hotmail.com