The Biographies of Rechungpa: The Evolution of a Tibetan ...

The biographies of Rechungpa 152
Ma Lotsawa confronts him, accusing him of being up to no good. Tipupa’s wife comes to
Rechungpa’s defence. The wife is otherwise not mentioned, and her narrative purpose is
unclear here. But it may be a remnant from an earlier version, for Tipupa shortly
thereafter initiates Rechungpa into sexual practice, to which Rechungpa applies himself
assiduously. It is not said with whom he is being so diligent, but during the formal
initiation, the pupil was meant to engage in sexual intercourse with the guru’s consort,
after the guru has done so. The initiation was only given to one pupil at a time in what is
known as a ‘single transmission’ (cig-brgyud) though this term has often been
misunderstood as the lama only ever transmitting it once to one person. There were such
instances, as are described in our sources, but there is also ample evidence of many
contemporary practitioners and teachers of ‘single transmissions’ in both India and Tibet.
In the Karma Kagyu, the second Shamarpa ended the tradition of single transmissions of
Vajravārāhī, citing the authorisation of prophecy, and thereafter initiation and instructions
were given to groups of people and the physical sex had been replaced by symbolism.
During Rechungpa’s time, however, the initiation was a secret experience. Tipupa would
have been advanced in years at this time, but his wife could still have been much
younger. There are accounts of both Indian and Tibetan masters, such as Ma Lotsawa and
Dampa Sang-gye (Dam-pa Sangs-rgyas) having temporary partnerships with very young
consorts. 51
Tipupa transmits to Rechungpa the Maitripa lineage of and
Vajravārāhī (which includes the bodiless teachings, which contain the sexual
practices). Rechungpa then holds a to thank Tipupa and sings to him, giving
a list of the eleven teachings he has received, 52 which includes only four of the
and omits the mahāmudrā, so that the song agrees with those
narratives that have Rechungpa going to India for only four dharmas.
After a brief song of farewell, Rechungpa returns to Nepal, where he meets Bharima
in the street. He pretends to have gained clairvoyance and sings a song in which he
‘realises’ from her physical features, etc., the information he has actually discovered in
India. For example, he sings that her bloodshot eyes reveal that she meditates on
Vajrayoginī, which is the very information she had previously refused to give him. 53
Bharima does not fall for the trick, realising that Rechungpa has become a pupil of
Tipupa and invites him to her home. But Rechungpa has already been invited to stay with
another patroness, so in accordance with local manners, Bharima sends a servant to
formally invite him. At her home, Bharima allows Rechungpa to copy out the texts she
possesses. And then he leaves for Tibet. 54
The Kagyu Garland of Wish-fulfilling Jewels
Unfortunately, The Kagyu Garland of Wish-fulfilling Jewels, which is closely related to
Gyadangpa and also to The Great Garland of Gold does not contain this part of the
narrative, principally because it does not have a separate biography dedicated to
Rechungpa.