What appears insane is an expression of enlightenment.
"...many lineages of Tibetan Buddhism trace their origins to mahasiddhas (“great adepts”) that were known for eccentric demonstrations of their awakening in addition to their spiritual accomplishments. Scantily clad and sometimes intoxicated, having left their monasteries to wander through forests (just some of the tropes we find in these tales), these holy madmen were celebrated for their ability to see through and beyond cultural conventions and free themselves from the constraints of natural law. " Asha Kaufman
Known to be Tibet’s most famous holy madman, Tsangnyon Heruka (1452–1507), a Mahasiddha born in a village called Kharkha of western Tibet.
Overwhelmed with feelings of disgust toward cyclic existence and with compassion for the beings that suffer therein, Tsangnyon became a novice monk. He was known to be able to recite many holy text by heart. At 18 he left home to study under famous teachers including Shara Rabjampa Sanggye Sengge (1427–1470), popularly known as Sharawa. He later went to study meditation and Tantras in Tibet.
At 21, he began to model his lifestyle and practice on the siddhas of India, keeping long hair, dressing in the full heruka garments (scantily clad, wearing bone ornaments and a top knot), carrying a tantric staff and a skull-cup. This radical move away from the monastery upset some of his contemporaries while inspiring devotion in others.
A few years after Tsangnyon left his monastery, it is said that he, after having pondered how to benefit the Buddhist doctrine and living beings, entered a gathering behaving very provocatively and strangely. Instead of clothes he wore pieces of human corpses that he found on a charnel ground, and he alternated between laughing and crying. Witnesses started to call him “the Madman of Tsang: (Tsangnyon), the sobriquet under which he would henceforth be known.
Biographies of Tsangnyon include episodes in which monk-scholars question his behavior and manner of dress, saying that his way of practicing did not correspond with the Buddhist teachings. Tsangnyon then surprises his antagonists by giving precise and accurate explanations, often quoting appropriate texts at length. He claims that his unconventional and at times seemingly crazy way of practicing Buddhism are in fact rooted in and justified by authoritative Buddhist scripture, specifically the higher yoga tantras.
Tsangnyon became famous for his songs, poetry, and important literary works—most notably, The Life and Songs of Milarepa, one of the most widely read pieces of Tibetan literature. A pioneer in using relatively new woodblock-printing technology, Tsangnyon was able to make many copies of his works and distribute them widely. In this way, in addition to being one of Tibet’s greatest authors, Tsangnyon was a key figure in the history of printing in the country.
According to his biographies, Tsangnyon sometimes used his influence to reconcile opposing factions in political conflicts, including wars. It was not uncommon for parties on both sides of a dispute to share Tsangnyon as a teacher, and thus respect his wishes.
Tsangnyon passed away in 1507 in Rechung Puk, south of Tsetang.
