Kunkhyen Pema Karpo

Kunkhyen Pema Karpo (Tibetan: པད་མ་དཀར་པོ།, Wylie: Pad-ma Dkar-po) (1527-1592 CE) was the fourth Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the most famous and learned of all the Gyalwang Drukpas. During his lifetime, he was known as the grand lama amongst all grand lamas, and was a teacher to many lamas and disciples all over Tibet.

Pema Karpo authored twenty-four volumes writing on philosophy, logic, literature, history, and astrology which have since formed a widely studied corpus of work. He is also quite famous for his writings on Mahamudra. He founded Druk Sangag Choling monastery at Jar in southern Tibet, establishing it as the new seat of the Drukpa lineage.

This omniscient master was the first Gyalwang Drukpa to concoct the famous enlightenment pill known as Ja-Tsukma, utilizing esoteric ingredients offered by the dakinis. Before passing away, Pema Karpo promised that he would have two incarnations to propagate the spiritual teachings. In accordance with this prophecy, two incarnations were discovered.

Trivia

The multi-award winning The Druk White Lotus School (Pema Karpo translates as 'White Lotus') in Shey, Ladakh, is named after him. (link to the schools' website.)

Monasteries

Important monasteries of the Drukpa order include:

Ralung Monastery in central Tibet just north of Bhutan
Druk Sangag Choeling Monastery
Hemis Monastery
Thimphu Dzong, which houses the Central Monk Body in summer
Punakha Dzong, the winter home of the Central Monk Body
Namdruk Monastery

References

External links