Chönyön Drakpa
Chönyön Drakpa, 'Renowned Madman Severance Practitioner', (19th cent.) was a disciple of Dudjom Lingpa. In a vison[1], Dudjom Lingpa was told by a dakini that Chönyön Drakpa was "an incarnation of Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen, Ever-Joyful Victory Banner of the Sakyas, and of the hidden adept Kong-nyön, Madman from Kongpo".
By offering a drum, a hand drum, a thigh-bone trumpet, and a pair of volumes of Jikmé Lingpa’s Longchen Nyingtik volumes, Chönyön Drakpa requested and inspired Dudjom Lingpa to transcribe a Chö practice from his Zabsang Khandro Nyingtik cycle:[2]
- Around 1862, in the last autumn month, someone called Chönyön Drakpa, offered me a drum, a hand drum, a thighbone trumpet, and a pair of volume of Jikmé Lingpa’s Longchen Nyingtik. He asked, 'Transcribe a text from the Zabsang Khandro Nyingtik, 'The Profound Doctrine of the heart Essence of the Dakinis', and I will do that practice'. That night, a bright blue woman saying she was Dakini Ngadré Gyalmo, 'Drumbeat Queen', approached me. I asked her, 'What is this Chönnyön Drakpa like? Of what quality is he?' She answered: 'Hé! Hé! That holy hidden adept is an incarnation of the great Sakya Kunga Gyaltsen, and of the hidden adept Kong-nyön, Madman from Kongpo. In order to purify his remaining obscurations, he’s taken on a body like this for now. The auspicious connections of his meeting with your termas are that he’s given you this drum and bell. A portent [that your treasure teachings] will be as acclaimed as the profound Nyingtik, ‘Heart Essence’ teachings; as an indication of Chö practice, he’s given you this hand drum; These are signs that your name will be renowned. Excellent omen like these are so rare!