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The Life of the Madman of U
Synopsis
The Life of the Madman of UE tells the story of Kunga Zangpo (1458-1532), a famous Tibetan Buddhist ascetic of the Kagyu sect. Having grown weary of the trials of human existence, Zangpo renounced the world during his teenage years, committing himself to learning and practicing the holy Dharma as a monk. Some years later he would give up his monkhood to take on a unique tantric asceticism that entailed dressing in human remains, wandering from
place to place, and provoking others to attack him physically, among other norm-overturning behaviors. It was because of this asceticism that Zangpo came to be known as the Madman of UE.
Written in two parts in 1494 and 1537, this biography provides a rich depiction of religious life in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Tibet. Between his travels across central and western Tibet, the Himalayas, and Nepal, Zangpo undertook inspiring feats of meditation, isolating himself in caves for years at a stretch. The book also details Zangpo's many miracles, a testament to the spiritual perfection he attained. His final thirty years were spent at his monastery of Tsimar Pel, where he
dispensed teachings to his numerous disciples and followers.
The life of this remarkable and controversial figure provides new means for understanding the tradition of the "holy madman" (smyon pa) in Tibetan Buddhism. This valuable example of Tibetan Buddhist hagiographical literature is here made available in a complete English translation for the first time.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
"The Life of the Madman of UE offers an exceptional case study for understanding the tradition of holy madness in Tibetan Buddhism, and DiValerio's masterful translation is clean and accessible to both Tibetologists and lay readers. In the broader field of Tibetan studies, the book adds greatly to our understanding of Tibetan history, religion, and culture."--Reading Religion
"This wild story of the fifteenth-century tantric yogin Kunga Zangpo is a remarkable piece of Tibetan Buddhist sacred biography. Composed in two parts, during and shortly after Kunga Zangpo's life, the biography offers intimate and captivating descriptions of his yogic experiences, miracles and magical attainments, and his daring role in society as an exemplary saintly madman. David DiValerio's exceptional translation makes the Life
accessible to English readers for the first time." --Bryan J. Cuevas, translator of The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat: The Life of Ra Lotsawa