Crazy for wisdom : the making of a mad yogin in fifteenth-century Tibet / / by Stefan Larsson.

• Author: Larsson, Stefan, 1968-
• Year of Publication: 2012
• Language: English
• Series: Brill's Tibetan Studies Library 30.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (374 p.)
• Notes: Revision of the author's thesis (doctoral--University of Stockholm, 2009) under the title: Birth of a Heruka : How Sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan became gTsang smyon Heruka : A Study of a Mad Yogin.

In his early twenties, the Tibetan monk Sangyé Gyaltsen (1452–1507) left his monastery to become a wandering tantric yogin. As he moved from place to place, seeking enlightenment beyond the bounds of monasticism, his behavior became increasingly erratic. While some were shocked or even angered by his actions, others were drawn to him. Tsangnyön’s followers described his transgressive behaviors as enlightened action, rooted in authoritative Buddhist scripture. Using biographical sources, Stefan Larsson explores Sangyé Gyaltsen’s transformation into the charismatic ‘Madman of Tsang,’ Tsangnyön Heruka. Best known today as the author of the Life of Milarepa , Tsangnyön Heruka was one of the most influential mad yogins of Tibet. His biography brings its reader face-to-face with an unexpected aspect of Buddhist practice that flourished in fifteenth-century Tibet.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Sources -- 3 Birth and Childhood -- 4 The Exceptional Monk -- 5 The Birth of a Heruka -- 6 The Mad Yogin -- 7 A Mad Yogin Turns the Wheel of Dharma -- 8 Tsangnyön Heruka and Tantric Buddhism -- 9 Tsangnyön’s Own Works -- 10 Some Key Figures and Texts -- Conclusions -- Epilogue -- Glossary -- Tibetan Spelling Key -- Appendix 1 Tentative Chronology of the Life of Tsangnyön -- Appendix 2 A Summary of the Life of Tsangnyön Heruka -- Bibliography -- Index.