WanderingSusan

DIVINE MADMAN! JAN. 13

Off to do a hike through some rice paddies, after a stop at a morning market. I used my walking sticks and it was very helpful as the paths were narrow and uneven. There was only the stumps from the rice stalks but some winter wheat, onions and mustard was growing (this is a temperate area; we are down 4,000 ft from Paro). They don't get much snow here. Kids were out as this is their winter vacation (no summer vacation).

We walked to the foot of the Chhimi Llakhang Monastery, where it is believed you can go to pray for fertility and have a ritual performed, if you have trouble with this. At the foot of the long uphill walkway, there were several stores with all kinds of phallic symbols painted on the buildings and all kinds of phallic models inside for sale! We shopped on the way back!

This monastery is dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kuenley who came in the 15th century to this area. It is believed there was a demoness who was here and then took the form of a dog. The dog is believed to be buried on top of this mountain and a stupa is there. At 3 he could read and write as well as a monk. He studied and by 25 had reached the highest level of Buddhism. But he was different; he wanted to "be himself." Legend has it he was given a test by a witch where he had 3 choices and he had to pick one. He could drink a jug of wine, he could kill a goat (and then be reincarnated as a goat 500 times!, or sleep with the witch. He did all three!!

Legend is he created the takin, the national animal 1/2 goat/1/2 cow. He slept with every woman he came across!! His cousin created this temple to him after his death, and it is dedicated to fertility. He is called the "Divine Madman."