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China / Tibet: Drenpa Namkha, Bon master who is said to have converted to Buddhism, c. 11th century CE

China / Tibet: Drenpa Namkha, Bon master who is said to have converted to Buddhism, c. 11th century CE

Drenpa Namkha is claimed by both the Buddhist and Bon traditions as an important religious figure. The sources discussing Drenpa Namkha’s life vary widely, even within a single tradition: within Bon sources there is thought to be one master with the name Drenpa Namkha in Zhang Zhung and one in Tibet, though his existence is never questioned. Little can be known for certain.

According to Buddhist sources Drenpa Namkha was initially a Bon master who converted to Buddhism. He later became one of the twenty-five disciples of Padmasambhava, and is said to have gained the yogic power of being able to tame wild yak with the wave of a hand.

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