The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud () school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of four main schools (chos lugs) of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being the Nyingma, Sakya , and Gelug. Along with the later two the Kagyu is classified as one of the Sarma or "New Transmission" schools since it primarily follows the Vajrayāna or Tantric teachings based on the so-called "New Tantras" i.e. those which were translated during the second diffusion of the Buddha Dharma in Tibet.
Like all schools of Tibetan Buddhism the Kagyu consider their practices and teachings to be inclusive of the full range of Buddha's teachings (or three yāna) since they follow the fundamental teachings and vows of individual liberation & monastic discipline (Pratimoksha) which accord with the Mulasarvastivada tradition of the Śrāvakayāna (sometimes called Nikāya Buddhism or "Hīnayāna" ); the Bodhisattva teachings, vows of universal liberation and philosophy of the Mahāyāna; and the profound means and samaya pledges of the Secret Mantra Vajrayāna.
What differentiates the Kagyu from the other schools of Himalayan Buddhism are primarily the particular esoteric instructions and tantras they emphasize and the lineages of transmission which they follow.
Due to the Kagyu tradition's particularly strong emphasis on guru devotion and guru yoga, and the personal transmission of esoteric instructions (dam ngag or man ngag) from master to disciple, the early Kagyu tradition soon gave rise to a bewildering number of independent sub-schools or sub-sects centered round individual charismatic Kagyu teachers and the hereditary lineages as well as mindstream emanation lineages.
Nomenclature, orthography and etymology
Strictly speaking, the term Kagyu () (“Oral Lineage” or “Precept Transmission”) applies to any line of transmission of an esoteric teaching from teacher to disciple. We sometimes see references to the "Atisha Kagyu" (“the precept transmission from Atiśa”) for the early
Kadampa, or to "Jonang Kagyu" for the
Jonangpa and "Ganden Kagyu" for the
Gelugpa sects.
Today the term Kagyu is almost always used to refer to the Marpa Kagyu or Dagpo Kagyu and its off-shoots, which developed from the teachings transmitted by the translator Marpa Chökyi Lodrö and his successors. It is also applied to the separate lesser-known Shangpa Kagyu tradition which developed from the teachings independently transmitted by Khyungpo Naljor.
“Kagyu” & “Kargyu”
In his 1970 article
"Golden Rosaries of the Bka' brgyud schools" E. Gene Smith, discusses the two forms of the name —
Kagyu and
Kargyu :
One source indicates "the term 'Kagyu' derives from the Tibetan phrase meaning 'Lineage of the Four Commissioners' (Ka-bab-shi-gyu-pa). This four-fold lineage is 1) the illusory body and transference yogas of the Guhyasamaja and Chatushpitha Tantra, transmitted through Tilopa, Nagarjuna, Indrabhuti, and Saraha; 2) the dream yoga practice of the Mahamaya from Tilopa, Charyapa, and Kukuripa; 3) the clear-light yoga of the Chakrasamvara, Hevajra, and other Mother Tantras, as transmitted from Hevajra, Dombipa, and Lavapa; and 4) the inner-heat yoga, Kamadevavajra, Padmavajra, Dakini, Kalpabhadra, and Tilopa."
Shangpa Kagyu
The
Shangpa Kagyu ཤངས་པ་བཀའ་བརྒྱུད (shangs pa bka' brgyud) differs in origin from the better known Marpa Kagyu or Dagpo Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism which is the source of all present day Kagyu schools. The Dagpo Kagyu and its branches primarily came from the lineage of the Indian siddhas
Tilopa and
Naropa transmitted in Tibet through Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa and their succssors; whereas the Shangpa lineage descended from two female siddhas Naropa's consort
Niguma and
Virupa's disciple
Sukhasiddhi transmitted in Tibet in the 11th century through
Kedrub Khyungpo Naljor. The tradition takes its name from the valley of Shang (ཤངས) where Khyungpo Naljor established the monastery of Zhong Zhong ཞོང་ཞོང or Zhang Zhong.
For seven generations the Shangpa Kagyu lineage remained a one-to-one transmission. Although there were a few temples and retreat centres in Tibet and Bhutan associated with the Shangpa transmission, the Shangpa Kagyu never really became established there as an independent religious institution or sect, but rather it's teachings were transmitted down through the centuries by lamas belonging to many different schools.
In the 20th century the Shangpa Kagyu teachings were transmitted by the first Kalu Rinpoche, who had many disciples in Tibet, India and the West.
Marpa Kagyu & Dagpo Kagyu
The Kagyu begins in Tibet with
Marpa Chökyi Lodrö (1012–1097) who trained as a translator with
Drogmi Lotsawa Shākya Yeshe ('brog mi lo ts'a ba sh'akya ye shes) (993–1050), and then traveled three times to India and four times to Nepal in search of religious teachings. His principal gurus were the siddhas
Nāropa - from whom he received the "close lineage" of
Mahāmudrā and Tantric teachings, and
Maitripa - from whom he received the "distant lineage" of
Mahāmudrā.
Indian Origins
Marpa's guru
Nāropa (1016–1100) was the principal disciple of
Tilopa (988-1089) from East Bengal. From his own teachers Tilopa had received the Four Lineages of Instructions (bka' babs bzhi) which he passed on to Nāropa who codified them into what became known as the Six Doctrines or
Six Yogas of Nāropa. These instructions consist a combination of the
completion stage (Skt.
sampannakrama; Tib.
rdzogs rim) practices of different Buddhist highest yoga tantras (Skt.
anuttarayoga tantra; Tib.
bla-med rgyud) which utilize the energy-winds (Skt.vāyu, Tib. rlung; ), energy-channels (Skt.
nāḍi, Tib.
rtsa; ) and energy-drops (Tib. ) of the subtle vajra-body in order to achieve the four types of bliss, the clear-light mind and realize the state of Mahāmudrā.
The Mahāmudrā lineage of Tilopa and Nāropa is called the "direct lineage" or "close lineage" as it is said that Tilopa received this Mahāmudrā realisation directly from the Dharmakaya Buddha Vajradhara and this was transmitted only through Nāropa to Marpa.
The "distant lineage" of Mahāmudrā is said to have come from the Buddha in the form of Vajradara through incarnations of the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Manjusri to Saraha, then from him through Nagarjuna, Shavaripa, and Maitripa to Marpa. The Mahāmudrā teachings coming from Saraha which Maitripa transmitted to Marpa include the "Essence Mahāmudrā" (snying po'i phyag chen) where Mahāmudrā is introduced directly without relying on philosophical reasoning or yogic practices.
According to some accounts, on his third journey to India Marpa also met Atiśa (982–1054) who later came to Tibet and helped found the Kadampa lineage
Marpa and his successors
Marpa established his "seat" at Drowolung
(gro bo lung) in
Lhodrak (lho brag) in Southern Tibet just north of Bhutan. Marpa married the lady Dagmema, and took eight other concubines as mudras. Collectively they embodied the main consort and eight wisdom dakini in the mandala of his
yidam Hevajra.
Marpa's four most outstanding students were known as the "Four Great Pillars" (ka chen bzhi):
#Milarepa (1040–1123), born in Gungthang province of western Tibet, the most celebrated and accomplished of Tibet's yogis, who achieved the ultimate goal of enlightenment in one lifetime became the holder of Marpa's meditation or practice lineage.
#Ngok Choku Dorje (rngog chos sku rdo rje) (1036–1102)- Was the principal recipient of Marpa's explanatory lineages and particularly important in Marpa's transmission of the Hevajra Tantra. Ngok Choku Dorje founded the Langmalung temple in the Tang valley of Bumthang district, Bhutan - which is still standing today. The Ngok branch of the Marpa Kagyu was an independent lineage carried on by his descendants at least up to the time of the Second Drukchen Gyalwang Kunga Paljor ('brug chen kun dga' dpal 'byor) 1428-1476 who received this transmission, and 1476 when Go Lotsawa composed the Blue Annals.
#Tshurton Wangi Dorje (mtshur ston dbang gi rdo rje) - (or Tshurton Wangdor) was the principal recipient of Marpa's transmission of the teachings of the Guhyasamāja tantra. Tshurton's lineage eventually merged with the Zhalu tradition and subsequently passed down to Tsongkhapa who wrote extensive commentaries on Guhyasamāja.
#Meton Tsonpo (mes ston tshon po)
Marpa had wanted to pass his lineage through his son Darma Dode following the usual Tibetan practice of the time to transmit of lineages of esoteric teachings via hereditary lineage (father-son or uncle-nephew), but his son died at an early age and consequently he passed his main lineage on through Milarepa.
Other important students of Marpa include:
Marpa Dowa Chokyi Wangchuck (mar pa do ba chos kyi dbang phyug).
Marpa Goleg (mar pa mgo legs) who along with Tshurton Wangdor received the Guhyasamāja teachings.
Barang Bawacen (ba rang lba ba can) - who received lineage of the explanatory teachings of the Mahāmāyā Tantra.
In the 19th Century Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813–1899) collected the initiations and sadhanas of surviving transmissions of Marpa's teachings together in the collection known as the Kagyu Ngak Dzö () ("Treasury of Kagyu Tantras").
Milarepa and his disciples
Among Milarepa's many students were Gampopa Sonam Rinchen (sgam po pa bsod nams rin chen) (1079–1153), a great scholar, and the great yogi Rechung Dorje Drakpa, also known as Rechungpa.
Gampopa
Gampopa combined the stages of the path tradition of the
Kadampa order with teaching and practice of the Great Seal (Mahamudra) and the Six Yogas of Naropa he received from Milarepa synthesizing them into one lineage which came to be known as
Dagpo Kagyu - the main lineage of the Kagyu tradition as we know it today.
Following Gampopa's teachings, there evolved the so-called "Four Major and Eight Minor" lineages of the Dagpo (sometimes rendered "Tagpo" or "Dakpo") Kagyu School. This phrase is descriptive of the generation or order in which the schools were founded, not of their importance.
Together Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa are known as "Mar Mi Dag Sum" (mar mi dwags gsum) and together these three are considered to be the founders of the Kagyu school of Buddhism in Tibet.
Twelve Dagpo Kagyu Lineages
Although few survive as independent linages today, there were originally twelve main Kagyu lineages derived from
Gampopa and his disciples. Four primary ones stemmed from direct disciples of Gampopa and his nephew; and eight secondary ones branched from Gampopa's disciple Phagmo Drupa. Several of these Kagyu lineages in turn developed their own branches or sub-schools. It must be said, though, that the terminology "primary and secondary" (che chung) for the Kagyu schools can only be traced back as far as Kongtrul's writings (19th c.). The Tibetan terminology "che chung", literally "large (and) small," does not reflect the size or influence of the schools, as for instance the Drikung school was in the 13th century probably the largest and most influential of them, although it is, according to Kongtrul, "secondary".
The abbatal throne of Gampopa's own monastery of Daglha Gampo, passed to his own nephew Dagpo Gomtsul.
Four primary schools of the Dagpo Kagyu
Karma Kamtsang
The
Drubgyu Karma Kamtsang, often known simply as the
Karma Kagyu, was founded by one of Gampopa's main disciples
Düsum Khyenpa (1110–1193), later designated as the first
Karmapa.
Sub-schools
The Karma Kagyu itself has three subschools in addition to the main branch:
:*
Surmang Kagyu, founded by
Trungmase, a student of Karmapa
Deshin Shekpa, this sub-sect was centered on Surmang monastery now in the Qinghai province of China.
:*
Nendo Kagyu, founded by
Karma Chagme (
kar ma chags med) (1613–1678), a disciple of the 6th Shamarpa (
zhwa dmar chos kyi dbang phyug) (1584-1630)
:*
Gyaltön Kagyu
Karmapa controversy
: Following the death of the 16th
Karmapa,
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje in 1981, followers came to disagree over the identity of his successor. In the early 1990's two main candidates,
Ogyen Trinley Dorje and
Trinley Thaye Dorje, were publicly identified. The 14th
Shamarpa, and nephew of the 16th Karmapa, recognized Trinley Thaye Dorje as the 17th Karmapa; while other senior Karma Kagyu incarnates, including the 13th
Palpung Situ and 12th
Goshir Gyaltsab, recognized Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the 17th Karmapa, as did the Dalai Lama. Both of these candidates underwent enthronement ceremonies and each is now considered by his respective followers to be
the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. A minority of Karma Kagyu adherents recognize
both candidates as legitimate incarnations of the previous Karmapa.
Barom Kagyu
The
Barom Kagyu was founded by Gampopa's disciple
Barompa Darma Wangchug ('ba' rom pa dar ma dbang phyug) (1127–1199/1200) who established Barom Riwoche monastery (
nag chu 'ba' rom ri bo che) in 1160.
An important early master of this school was Tishri Repa Sherab Senge ('gro mgon ti shri ras pa rab sengge ) (1164–1236).
This school was popular in the
Nangchen principality of Khams (now
Nangqên, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Qinghai province) where it has survived in one or two pockets to the present day.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (1920–1996) was a holder of the Barom Kagyu Lineage.
Tshalpa Kagyu
The
Tshalpa Kagyu was established by
Zhang Yudrakpa Tsöndru Drak (zhang g.yu brag pa brtson 'gru brags pa) (1123–1193) or
Lama Zhang who founded the monastery of Tsal Gungtang
(tshal gung thang). Lama Zhang was a disciple of Gampopa's nephew
Dagpo Gomtsul (dwags sgom tshul khrims snying po) (1116–1169).
The Tshalpa Kagyu tradition continued to function independently until the 15th century when it was absorbed by the Gelugpa, who still maintain many of its transmissions. All of the former Tshalpa properties became Gelugpa possessions under the administration of Sera monastery.
Phagdru Kagyu
The
Phagmo Drupa Kagyu () or
Phagdru Kagyu (ཕག་གྲུ་བཀའ་བརྒྱུད) was founded by
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo (), (1110–1170) who was the elder brother of the famous Nyingma Lama
Ka Dampa Deshek (1122–1192) founder of
Katok Monastery. Before meeting
Gampopa, Dorje Gyalpo studied with
Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (sa chen kun dga' snying po) (1092–1158) from whom he received whole
Lamdré transmission.
In 1158 Dorje Gyalpo built a reed-hut hermitage at Phagmo Drupa ("Sow's Ferry Crossing") in a juniper forest in Nedong () high above the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river. Later, as his fame spread and disciples gathered, this site developed into the major monastic seat of Dentsa Thel ( ). Following his death the monastery declined and his disciple Jigten Sumgon sent Chenga Drakpa Jungne () (1175–1255), a member of the Lang (rlang) family, to become abbot and look after the monastery. "Chenga Drakpa Jungne was abbot for 21 years and restored the monastery to its former grandeur. In 1253 when the Sakyapas came to power they appointed Dorje Pel [()] the brother of Chenga Drakpa Jungne as Tripon [hereditary myriarch] of Nedon. From that time on the Tripon who as a monk, assumed the seat of government of Nedon and also ruled as abbot at Dentsa Thel and his brothers married in order to perpetuate the family line. This tie with the monastery founded by Phagmo Drupa led to the Tripons of Nedong to become known as Phagdru (short of Phagmo Drupa) Tripon and their period of rule in Tibet as the Phagmo Drupa period (or Phagmodrupa dynasty).”
Changchub Gyaltsen (1302–1364) was born into this Lang family. In 1322, he was appointed by the Sakyapa's as the Pagmodru Myriarch of Nedong and given the title “Tai Situ” in the name of the Yuan emperor. Soon he fought with a neighboring myriarchy trying to recover land lost in earlier times. This quarrel displeased the Sakya ruler (dpon chen) Gyalwa Zangpo () who dismissed him as myriach. Following a split between Gyalwa Zangpo and his minister Nangchen Wangtson (), the former restored Changchub Gyaltsen to his position in 1352. Taking advantage of the situation, Changchub Gyaltsen immediately went on the offensive and soon controlled the whole of the Central Tibetan province of U (dbus). Gyalwa Zanpo and Changchub Gyaltsen were reconciled at a meeting with the Sakya Lama Kunpangpa (). This angered Nangchen Wangtson who usurped Gyalwa Zanpo as Sakya ruler and imprisoned him.
In 1351 Changchub Gyaltsen established an important Kagyu monastery at the ancient Tibetan capital of Tsetang. This was later dismantled during the time of the 7th Dalai Lama Kelzang Gyatso (18th Century) and replaced by a Gelugpa Monastery, Gaden Chokhorling.
In 1358, Wangtson assassinated Lama Kunpangpa. Learning of this, Changchub Gyaltsen then took his forces to Sakya, imprisoned Wangtson, and replaced four hundred court officials and the newly appointed ruling lama. The Pagmodrupa rule of Central Tibet (U, Tsang and Ngari) dates from this coup in 1358.
As ruler Changchub Gyaltsen was keen to revive the glories of the Tibetan Empire of Songtsen Gampo and assert Tibetan independence from the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and from Ming Dynasty China. He took the Tibetan title “Desi” (sde-srid), re-organized the thirteen myriarchies of the Yuan-Shakya rulers into numerous districts (rdzong), abolished Mongol law in favour of the old Tibetan legal code, and Mongol court dress in favur of traditional Tibetan dress.
Tai Situ Changchub Gyaltsen died in 1364 and was succeeded as by his nephew Jamyang Shakya Gyaltsen () (1340–1373), who was also a monk. The subsequent rule of the Phagmodrupa dynasty lasted until 1435 followed by the Rinpungpa kings who ruled for four generations from 1435–1565 and the three Tsangpa kings 1566-1641.
In 1406 the ruling Phagmodrupa prince, Drakpa Gyaltsen, turned down the imperial
invitation to him to visit China.
From 1435 to 1481 the power of the Phagmodrupa declined and they were eclipsed by the Rinpungpa (Rin spungs pa) of Tsang, who patronized the Karma Kagyu school.
The Phagmo Drupa monastery of Dentsa Thel "was completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in 1966-1978"
Eight Secondary schools of the Dagpo Kagyu
The eight secondary lineages (
zung bzhi ya brgyad or
chung brgyad) of the Dagpo Kagyu all trace themselves to disciples of Phagmo Drupa.
Drikung Kagyu
One of the most important of the Kagyu sects still remaining today, the Drikung Kagyu (འབྲི་གུང་བཀའ་པརྒྱུད་པ) takes its name from Drikung Thil Monastery founded by Jigten Gonpo Rinchen Pal (‘Jig-rten dgon-po rin-chen dpal) (1143-1217) also known as Drikung Kyopa.
The special Kagyu teachings of the Drikung tradition include the "Single Intention" (dgongs gcig), the "The Essence of Mahāyāna Teachings" (theg chen bstan pa'i snying po), and the "Fivefold Profound Path of Mahāmudrā" (lam zab mo phyag chen lnga ldan).
Since the 15th Century the Drikung Kagyupa received influence from the "northern terma" (byang gter) teachings of the Nyingma tradition.
Sub-schools
Several sub-schools branched off from the Drikung Kagyu including the Lhapa or Lhanangpa Kagyu, founded by
Gyalwa Lhanangpa (1164–1224) who came to
Bhutan in 1194. This school was at one time important in Western Bhutan, particularly in the
Thimphu and
Paro regions where they were rivals of the Drukpa Kagyu. The Lhapa first came into conflict with the early Drukpa teacher,
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo (b. 12th cent.) and finally with
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594–1651). In 1640 the remaining followers of the Lhapa Kagyu were expelled from Bhutan together with the Nenyingpa followers as both had sided with the attacking
Tsangpa forces against the Drukpa during their three invasions of Bhutan and continued to refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Shabdrung.
Lingre Kagyu & Drukpa Kagyu
Lingre Kagyu
Lingre Kagyu refers to the lineages founded by
Lingrepa Pema Dorje () [1128-1188] also known as Nephupa after Nephu monastery
(sna phu dgon) he founded near Dorje Drak
(rdo rje brag) in Central Tibet
(dbus). Lingrepa's teachers were
Gampopa's disciple
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo;
Rechungpa's disciple Sumpa Repa; and Ra Yeshe Senge, a lineage holder of
Ra Lotsawa.
Drukpa Kagyu
The Drukpa Lineage was established by Ling Repa's main disciple Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje (1161–1211) who established monasteries at Longbol (klong rbol) and Ralung (rwa lung). Later Tsangpa Gyare went to a place called Nam Phu where, legend has it, nine roaring dragons rose from the ground and soared into the sky. The Tibetan word for dragon is 'brug which is pronounced as 'Druk' and so Tsangpa Gyare's lineage and the monastery he established at the place became known as the Drukpa and he became known as the Gyalwang Drukpa. This school became widespread in Tibet and in surrounding regions. Today the Southern Drukpa Lineage is the state religion of Bhutan; and, in the western Himalayas, Drukpa Lineage monasteries are found in Ladakh, Zanskar, Lahul, and Kinnaur.
Along with the Mahamudra teachings inherited from Gampopa and Pagmodrupa, particular teachings of the Drukpa Lineage include the "Six Cycles of Equal Taste" (ro snyom skor drug), a cycle of instructions said to have been hidden by Rechungpa discovered by Tsangpa Gyare; and the "Seven Auspicious Teachings" (rten 'brel rab bdun) revealed to Tsangpa Gyare by seven Buddhas who appeared to him in a vision at Tsari.
Sub-schools
Several of Tsangpa Gyare's students started sub-schools, the most important of which were the Lower Drukpa founded by Gyalwa Lorepa Wangchug Tsondru and the Upper Drukpa founded by Gyalwa Gotsangpa Gonpo Dorje. This branch further gave rise to several important sub-schools. However the chief monasteries and succession of the First Gyalwang Drukpa Tsangpa Gyare passed to his nephew Önre Darma Senge at Ralung and this lineage was known as The Middle or Central Drukpa. This lineage of the hereditary "prince-abbots" of Ralung continued to 1616 when Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal fled to Bhutan due to a dispute over the incarnation of the 4th Gyalwang Drukpa and the enmity of the Tsangpa ruler. Due to those events the Central Drukpa split into the Southern Drukpa branch led by the Shabdrung and his successors in Bhutan, and the Northern Drukpa branch led by Pagsam Wangpo and the successive Drukchen incarnations in Tibet.
(a) The Lower Drukpa
The Medruk (smad 'brug) or Lower Drukpa sub-school was founded by the First Gyalwang Drukpa Tsangpa Gyare's disciple Gyalwa Lorepa Wangchuk Tsondru (lo ras dbang phyug brtson 'grus) [1187-1250] who lived a simple life. Lorepa built the Üri (dbu ri) and Sengeri (seng ge ri) monasteries and visited Bhutan where he founded Tharpaling (thar pa gling) monastery in Bumthang. A special transmission of the Lower Drukpa Lineage is known as The Five Capabilities (thub pa lnga) which are:
#Being capable of [facing] death: capability of Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen-po 'chi thub).
#Being capable of [wearing only] the cotton cloth: capability of psychic heat (gtum mo ras thub).
#Being capable of the tantric activities done in seclusion (gsang spyod kyi ri thub)
#Being capable of [facing] the disturbances of 'don spirits: sickness (nad 'don gyi 'khrug thub).
#Being capable of [facing] circumstances: capability of [applying] antidotes (gnyen-po rkyen thub-pa).
(b) The Upper Drukpa
The Toddruk (stod 'brug) or Upper Drukpa sub-school was founded Tsangpa Gyare's disciple Gotsangpa Gonpo Dorje (rgod tshang pa mgon po rdo rje) [1189—1258] a highly realized yogin who had many disciples. His main disciples were Ogyenpa Rinchenpal (0 rgyan pa), Yangonpa (yang dgon pa), Chilkarpa (spyil dkar pa) and Neringpa.
Gotsangpa's disciple Ogyenpa Rinchenpal (1230—1309), who was also a disciple of Karma Pakshi, became a great siddha who traveled to Bodhgaya, Jalandhar, Oddiyana and China. In Oddiyana he received teachings related to the Six Branch Yoga of the Kālacakra system known as Approach and Attainment of the Three Adamantine States (rdo rje gsum gyi bsnyen sgrub) and, after returning to Tibet, founded the Ogyen Nyendrub tradition and wrote many works including a famous guide to the land of Oddiyana. Ogyenpa had many disciples including the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (rang byung rdo rje), Kharchupa (mkhar chu pa) [1284—1339] and Togden Daseng (rtogs dan zla seng).
Barawa Gyaltshen Palzang ('ba' ra ba rgyal mtshan dpal bzang) [1255—1343] was a great scholar of the upper Drukpa Kagyu succession of Yangonpa. He established the Barawa Kagyu sub-school which for a time was widespread in Tibet, and survived as an independent lineage until 1959. For a time this lineage was also important in Bhutan
(c) The Middle or Central Drukpa
The Middle Drukpa (bar 'brug) was the hereditary lineage (dung rgyud) of Tsangpa Gyare centered at Ralung. Following Tsangpa Gyare the next holder of this lineage was his nephew Önre Darma Senge (dar ma sengge) [1177—1237] - son of Tsangpa Gyare's brother Lhanyen (lha gnyan). Darma Senge was succeeded by his own nephew Zhonnu Senge (gzhon nu seng ge) [1200—1266], and he by his nephew Nyima Senge (nyi ma seng ge) [1251—1287]. The lineage then went to his cousin Dorje Lingpa Senge Sherab (rdo rje gling pa seng ge shes rab) [1238—1287], son of Lopon Öntag (dbon stag) a member of the branch of the Drukpa lineage descended from Tsangpa Gyare's brother Lhabum (lha 'bum). The lineage passed to Senge Sherab's brother Senge Rinchen (seng ge rin chen) [1258—1313] who was succeeded in turn by his son Senge Gyalpo (seng ge rgyal po) [1289—1326], grandson Jamyang Kunga Senge ('jam dbyangs kun dga' seng ge) [1289—1326], great-grandson Lodro Senge (blo gros seng ge) [1345—1390], and great-great-grandson Sherab Senge (shes rab seng ge) [1371—1392]. These first nine holders of Tsangpa Gyare's lineage were known as the "Incomparible Nine Lions" (mnyam med seng ge dgu).
Sherab Senge, who died at the age of 21, was succeeded on the throne of Ralung by his elder brother Yeshe Rinchen (ye shes rin chen) [1364—1413] and he by his sons Namkha Palzang (nam mkha' dpal bzang) [1398—1425] and Sherab Zangpo (shes rab bzang po) [1400—1438]. These three were considered to be the emanations of the three great Bodhisattvas Manjusri, Vajrapani and Avalokiteshvara respectively. Sherab Zangpo's son was the first incarnation of Tsangpa Gyare (i.e. the second Gyalwang Drukpa), Gyalwang Je Kunga Paljor (rgyal dbang rje kun dga' dpal 'byor) [1428-1476] who received teachings from the most renowned lamas of his age and became a great author and teacher.
From Kunga Paljor the lineage passed to his nephew Ngawang Chögyal (ngag dbang chos rgyal) [1465—1540], then successively in turns from father to son to Ngakyi Wangchug (ngag gi dbang phyug grags pa rgyal mtshan) [1517—1554), Mipham Chögyal (mi pham chos rgyal) [1543—1604], Mipham Tenpai Nyima (mi pham bstan pa'i nyi ma) [1567—1619] and Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgyal) [1594—1651] who was the great-great-grandson of Ngawang Chögyal.
In the Middle Drukpa tradition many great scholars appeared including
the fourth Gyalwang Drukpa,
Kunkhyen Padma Karpo (kun mkhyen padma dkar po) [1527—1592], Khewang Sangay Dorji
(mkhas dbang sangs rgyas rdo rje) [1569—1645] and Bod Khepa Mipham Geleg Namgyal
(bod mkhas pa mi pham dge legs rnam rgyal) [1618—1685] who was famed for his knowledge of poetics, grammar and medicine.
Three great siddhas of Middle Drukpa school were Tsangnyon Heruka (gtsang snyon) [1452 1507)- author of the Life of Milarepa, the Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, the Life of Rechungpa, and compiler of the Demchog Khandro Nyengyud; Druknyon Kunga Legpa ('brug smyon kun legs) [1455-1529] also known as Drukpa Kunleg; and Unyon Kunga Zangpo (dbus smyon kun dga' bzang po) [1458-1532]. All three were disciples of Drukchen Gyalwang Je Kunga Paljor.
The fourth Gyalwang Drukpa incarnation of Tsangpa Gyare, "The Omisient" Padma Karpa, whose collected works fill over twenty volumes in modern editions, was the most famous scholar of the tradition and among the Drukpa practitioners as he is known as Kunkhyen Pekar (kun mkhyen pad dkar) or Druk Tamche Khyenpa. He founded the Sangngag Chöling (gsang sngags chos gling) monastery in Jaryul (byar yul) southern Tibet in 1571 which became the seat of the successive Gyalwang Drukpaincarnations in Tibet and so the center of the Northern Drukpa lineage.
Following the death of Kunkhyen Padma Karpo two incarnations were recognized: 1.) Pagsam Wangpo (dpag bsam dbang po) who was the offspring of the Chongje Depa and 2) Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal [1594 1651) who was also the heir to Drukpa lineage of Ralung. Pagsam Wangpo gained the backing of the powerful Tsangpa Desi who was a patron of the Karma Kagyu school and hostile to Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The latter subsequently fled to Bhutan, where his lineage already had many followers, and established the Southern Drukpa Kagyu (lho 'brug pa dka' brgyud) and became both the spiritual and temporal head of the country after which the country became known as 'Druk Yul' or 'Country of the Drukpas' in the Tibetan and Dzongkha (Bhutanese) languages.
Martsang Kagyu
The
Martsang Kagyu (སྨར་ཚང་བཀའ་བརྒྱུད) was founded by Marpa Drupthob Sherab Yeshe (སྨར་པ་ཤེས་རབ་ཡེ་ཤེས) who established Sho Monastery (ཤོ་དགོན) in E. Tibet.
This Kagyu sub-sect was eventually absorbed by the Palyul branch of the Nyingma school.
Shugseb Kagyu
The
Shugseb Kagyu (
shug gseb bka' brgyud) was established by Gyergom Chenpo Zhonnu Drakpa (gyer sgom chen po gzhon nu grags pa) (1090–1171) who founded the Shugseb monastery in Nyiphu. The Shugseb Kagyu emphasised the Mahamudra teachings of the Dohas, spiritual songs of realisation by Indian masters such as Saraha, Shavaripa, Tilopa, Naropa and Maitripa etc.
Taklung Kagyu
Taklung Kagyu (stag lungs bka' brgyud) named after Taklung monastery established in 1180 by Taklung Tangpa Tashi Pal (stag lung thang pa bkra shis dpal) (1142–1210).
Trophu Kagyu
The
Trophu Kagyu (
khro phu bka' brgyud) was established by Gyal Tsha Rinchen Gon (
rgyal tsha rin chen mgon) (1118–1195) and Kunden Repa (
kun ldan ras pa) (1148–1217). The tradition was developed by their nephew, Thropu Lotsawa who invited Pandit Shakysri of Kashmir, Buddhasri and Mitrayogin to Tibet.
The most renowned adherent of this lineage was Buton Rinchen Drub (bu ston rin chen grub) (1290–1364) of Zhalu who was a student of Trophupa Sonam Senge (khro phu ba bsod nams sengge) and Trophu Khenchen Rinchen Senge (khro phu mkhan chen rin chen sengge). Other notable teachers of this tradition include Chegompa Sherab Dorje (1130?-1200)
Yabzang Kagyu
Yabzang Kagyu (
g.ya' bzang bka' brgyud) founded by Sharawa Kalden Yeshe Senge (d. 1207). His foremost disciple was Yabzang Chöje Chö Monlam (1169–1233) who in 1206 established the monastery of Yabzang, also known as Nedong Dzong, in Yarlung. The Yabzang Kagyu survived as an independent school at least until the 16th century.
Yelpa Kagyu
The
Yelpa Kagyu (yel pa bka' rgyud) was established by Drubthob Yeshe Tsegpa (drub thob ye shes brtsegs pa, b. 1134). He established two monasteries, Shar Yelphuk (shar yel phug) and Jang Tana (byang rta rna dgon).
Dagpo Kagyu Lineages Today
The principle Dagpo Kagyu lineages existing today as organized schools are the
Karma Kagyu,
Drikung Kagyu and the
Drukpa Kagyu. For the most part, the teachings and main esoteric transmissions of the other Dagpo Kagyu lineages have been absorbed into one or another of these three independent schools. Periodic attempts are made to reestablish the institutional independence of some of the other lineages, such as the
Taklung Kagyu and
Barom Kagyu, but these have met with very modest success to date.
Kagyu Doctrines
Mahāmudrā
The central teaching of Kagyu is the doctrine of Mahamudra, "the Great Seal", as elucidated by Gampopa in his various works. This doctrine focuses on four principal stages of meditative practice (the Four Yogas of Mahamudra), namely:
#The development of single-pointedness of mind,
#The transcendence of all conceptual elaboration,
#The cultivation of the perspective that all phenomena are of a "single taste",
#The fruition of the path, which is beyond any contrived acts of meditation.
It is through these four stages of development that the practitioner is said to attain the perfect realization of Mahamudra.
The Six Yogas of Naropa
Important practices in all Kagyu schools are the tantric practices of Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini, and particularly the Six Yogas of Naropa.
Kagyu Literature
In terms of view, the Kagyu (particularly the Karma Kagyu) emphasize the
Hevajra tantra with commentaries by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, the
Uttaratantra with commentaries by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and another by Gölo Shönu Pal as a basis for studying buddha nature, and the Third
Karmapa Rangjung Dorje's
Profound Inner Reality (Tib.
Zabmo Nangdon) with commentaries by Rangjung Dorje and
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye as a basis for tantra.
See also
References
Sources
Dargye, Yonten and Sørensen, P.K. (2001); The Biography of Pha 'Brug-sgom Zhig-po called The Current of Compassion. Thumphu: National Library of Bhutan. ISBN 99936-17-00-8
Dorje, Gyurme. Tibet Handbook: The Travel Guide. Footprint 1999. ISBN 1-900949-33-4
Roerich, George N. (Translator) The Blue Annals. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1988. [reprint of Calcutta, 1949]
Further reading
Kapstein, Matthew. “The Shangs-pa bKa'-brgyud: an unknown school of Tibetan Buddhism” in M. Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi (eds.), Studies in Honor of Hugh Richardson Warminster: Aris and Phillips, 1980, pp. 138–44.
Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen. The Great Kagyu Masters: The Golden Lineage Treasury. Ithica: Snow Lion Publicaions, 1990. [A translation of part of the Bka' brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo- a collection of 'Bri gung Bka' brgyud hagiographies by Rdo rje mdzes 'od]
Quintman, Andrew, transl. The Life of Milarepa. Penguin Classics, 2010. ISBN 978-0143106227
Roberts, Peter Alan. The Biographies of Rechungpa: The Evolution of a Tibetan hagiography. London: Routledge, 2007. ISBN 0-415-76995-7
Smith, E. Gene. "Golden Rosaries of the Bka' brgyud Schools." in Among Tibetan Texts: History and Literature of the Himalayan Plateau, ed. Kurtis R. Schaeffer, 39-52. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-86171-179-3
Smith, E. Gene. "The Shangs pa Bka' brgyud Tradition." in Among Tibetan Texts: History and Literature of the Himalayan Plateau, ed. Kurtis R. Schaeffer, 53-57. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-86171-179-3
Smith, E. Gene. "Padma dkar po and His History of Buddhism" in Among Tibetan Texts: History and Literature of the Himalayan Plateau, ed. Kurtis R. Schaeffer, 81-86. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-86171-179-3
Thaye, Jampa A Garland of Gold. Bristol: Ganesha Press, 1990. ISBN 0-9509119-3-3
Thinley, Karma. The History of the Sixteen Karmapas of Tibet (1980) ISBN 1-57062-644-8
Brunnholzl, Karl. Luminous Heart: The Third Karmapa on Consciousness, Wisdom, and Buddha Nature Snow Lion Publications, 2009.
Rinpoche, Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. The Practice of Mahamudra Snow Lion Publications 2009.
Rinpoche, Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen. The Great Kagyu Masters: The Golden Lineage Treasury Snow Lion Publications 2006.
External links
The Kagyu Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
Kagyu Lineage Chart
Barom Kagyu
Barom Kagyu Chodrak Pende Ling
Drikung Kagyu sites
The Drikung Kagyu Official Site
Drukpa Kagyu
Site of His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa
Drukpa Kagyu Lineage - Dorzong Rinpoche
Drukpa Mila Center ~ a Bhutanese Drukpa Kagyu Center
Karma (Kamtsang) Kagyu
Sites associated with Trinlay Thaye Dorje
Karmapa the Black Hat Lama of Tibet - official homepage
Karma Kagyu Tradition - official website
Sites associated with Urgyen Trinley Dorje
Kagyu Office
Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery, Woodstock, NY, USA
Kagyu Thubten Choling Monastery, Wappingers Falls, NY, USA
Kagyu Dzamling Kunchab, New York City, NY, USA
Other Karma Kagyu sites
(Note: Karma Kagyu related sites that apparently do not take sides on the so called “
Karmapa controversy”).
Khenkong Tharjay Buddhist Charitable Society
Karma Thinley Rinpoche
Taklung Kagyu
Riwoche Tibetan Buddhist Temple
Shangpa Kagyu
Samdrup Dhargay Chuling Monastery
Shangpa Kagyu Network
Kagyu Dzamling Kunchab (Founded by Kyabje Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche), New York, NY, USA
Category:Buddhism in Bhutan
Category:Religion in Tibet
Category:Schools of Tibetan Buddhism
