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"Drenpa Namkha, "Recollection-Sky", is beyond doubt the most important and, in some respects, complex figure in the history of Bon during the reign of the great Tibetan kings. He is, above all, the chief protagonist of Bon during the eight century in the bitter struggle with the Buddhist faith, introduced into tibet under royal patronage; when Bon finally fell out of favor with the king of Tibet, Drenpa Namkha allowed himself to be converted to the new faith. According to the historical tradition of the Bonpos, he did so with an impressive gesture: he cut of his hair himself, in immitation of Buddha Shakyamuni, and then proceeded to ordain himself, scornfully refusing the assistance of the Buddhist monks and justifying his actions by stating that Bon and Buddhism are distinct only on the plane of relative truth.
There can be little doubt as to the historical reality of Drenpa Namkha. He is also mentioned in Buddhist sources." (...)
According to the tradition of Bon, Drenpa Namkha is the father of another important sage, Tsewang Rigzin, to whom he transmitted Tantric teachings. In addition, a strong (but not universally accepted) tradition asserts that Drenpa Namkha was also the father of Padmasambhava"

(Zit. Nach Per Kvaerne, The Bon Religion of Tibet, p.119)

He was a great master and Siddha and is the source of the teachings of the Yetri Thasel (one of the four bonpo Dzogchen-lineages)















(Thangka: in possesion of Yungdrung Wangden Kreuzer)