Virūpa

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Virūpa, 16th century. It depicts a famous episode in his hagiography when he stopped the sun in the sky.[1]

Virupa (Sanskrit: Virūpa; Tib. bi ru pa or bir wa pa,lit. 'ugly one'), also known as Virupaksa and Tutop Wangchuk, was born in Bengal, a 7-8th century Indian mahasiddha and yogi, and the source of important cycles of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism.

He is especially known as the source of the Lamdré ("path-fruit", Skt. mārga-phala) system held by the Sakya school and is thus seen as the Indian founder of their lineage.[2] A series of verses called the Vajra verses, which are pith instructions on the Hevajra tantra, are also attributed to him.[3][4]

Tibetan sources mention that he was born in Tripura in East India and studied at the Somapura Mahavihara as a monk and practiced tantra, particularly Cakrasamvara. The Tibetan historian Taranatha also says that he lived in Maharashtra.[2][5]

Tibetan sources further state that after years of tantric practice with no results, he gave up tantra and threw his mala in the toilet. Then he received a vision from the deity Nairatmya who became his main deity and he subsequently received teachings and empowerments from her.[6] He eventually left the monastery and traveled throughout India teaching tantra, performing various magical feats (siddhis) as well as "converting non-Buddhists (tirthikas), destroying their images and stopping their sanguinary rituals."[7]

According to Indologist James Mallinson, a text called the Amṛtasiddhi, which is the earliest confirmed text to teach Hatha yoga techniques, is attributed to Virupa.[2] He also appears as a mahasiddha in various non-Buddhist texts, especially Nath works.[2]

See also[]

  • Tilopa
  • Naropa
  • Mahasiddha
  • Sakya

References[]

  1. ^ Davidson, Ronald M. Indian Esoteric Buddhism: Social History of the Tantric Movement, p. 259
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Mallinson, James. Kalavañcana in the Konkan: How a Vajrayana Hathayoga Tradition Cheated Buddhism’s Death in India. 2019
  3. ^ Ringu Tulku (2007). The Ri-Me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet, Shambhala Publications, p. 127.
  4. ^ Davidson, Ronald M. Tibetan Renaissance: Tantric Buddhism in the Rebirth of Tibetan Culture, Motilal Banarsidass, 2008, pp. 49-50.
  5. ^ Powers, John. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Revised Edition (2007) Snow Lion Publications, p. 433.
  6. ^ Powers, John. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Revised Edition (2007) Snow Lion Publications, p. 434.
  7. ^ Davidson, Ronald M. Tibetan Renaissance: Tantric Buddhism in the Rebirth of Tibetan Culture, Motilal Banarsidass, 2008, pp. 49, 53.
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