Gods, Myths and Heroes - Part 36

 Drukpa Kunley, Bhutan

Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529) was a Tibetan Buddhist lama.  He introduced Buddhism to the remote kingdom of Bhutan in the Himalaya mountains.  He is counted among the Nyönpa (mad ones) due to his unconventional methods of enlightening people.  He blessed women in the form of sexual intercourse, which earned him the title "the saint of 5,000 women."

According to legend, three demons were terrorizing people on Dochula Pass.  Drukpa Kunley confronted them.  The lama had no weapons, so he did battle with his penis (above) and defeated the demons.  His penis became known as the "Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom."

Another story: Drukpa Kunley stopped to piss against a wall.  Some children were watching.

"What an enormous cock and balls he's got," they shouted.  The lama sang them this song:

     "In blue cuckoo summertime your cock is long and your balls hang low;

     In the purple stag wintertime the head of your penis grows long.

     Throughout the year it's a long hungry beast,

     But that is the difference between summer and winter!"

Due to Drukpa Kunley, the penis became an object of veneration in Bhutan.  To this day, in Bhutan, buildings are decorated with paintings of erect penises.

Another legend says that Drukpa was given a sacred thread to tie around his neck.  Instead, he tied it around his penis, hoping that it would give him luck with the ladies.  That's why the penis murals have a ribbon tied around the penis.

The penises are said to protect against evil.

This penis is over the door of a government building.

Penises are everywhere, like this water spout.

And penis souvenirs are sold in every village.

I thought it was interesting that the sign for this pool hall, flanked by penises, advertises it as a cum bar.  Hmmm, what do they serve there? 

And here's a restaurant and cum bar, complete with another penis cumming.  I'm sorry to report that the sign makers were using "cum" in its older, formal definition (derived from Latin) meaning "and" or "along with."  Too bad.  Cum bars could have been interesting!

We end with a quote from Jigme Singye Wangchuck, king of Bhutan (the father of the current king), meaning that happiness is more important than money.  The Constitution of Bhutan, enacted in 2008, is based on Buddhist philosophy, and it says that the State Policy is to promote conditions that will increase Gross National Happiness.