Kagyu Sect

Kagyu Sect, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission School, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma Sect, Sakya Sect, Jonang Sect, Bon Sect and Gelug Sect.

Kagyu Sect – Origin

The Kagyu Sect of Tibetan Buddhism stems from the teachings of Marpa (1012-1099) and Khyungpo Nyaljor (978-1079). Marpa was a translator who traveled to India and also to Nepal in search of religious teachings. He studied with one hundred and eight spiritual adepts, the foremost of those being Maitripa, and received the lineage of Tantric teachings called the Four Commissioned Lineages directly from Naropa, who had been given them by the great Mahasiddha Tilopa.

Kagyu Sect – Branch

Kagyu Sect was founded in the 11 century by Marpa and Milarepa who always wearing white robes, and that's why we called Kagyu Sect White Sect. It is the third largest school of Tibetan Buddhism, which stresses the study of Tantra that needs to be imparted by oral teaching.

Kagyu Sect is characteristic of its several branches while the Shangpa Kagyu and Dagpo Kagyu are the main inheritance system.

Shangpa Kagyu

Shangpa Kagyu was founded by a wise Buddhist who learned the teaching of Bon and then traveled to Nepal with gold to learn Sanskrit and Tantra, at last to India for further study. After that, he began to come and go between India and Tibet Region.

When he finally back to Tibet, he built one hundred and eight temples in Namling country. It attracted many believers to impart the teachings. Because the name of the place was called Shangdi, the generations began to call the Sect as Shangpa Kagyu.

There are seven main generations of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage remained by one-to-one transmission, which are called "Seven Treasures" of Shangpa Kagyu. After that, the teachings of Shangpa Gagya have been recorded as a book by disciples dividing into two schools, Ja school and San School. The teachings of San school have been transmitted in Shannan Prefecture, Tsang and Kang region. Tsongkhapa who was the founder of Gelug Sect has learned the teachings of Shangpa Gagyu.

Dagpo Kagyu

Dagpo Kagyu was founded by Marpa firstly and then his disciple Milarepa inherited the teachings of Dagpo Kagyu, next succeeded by Milarepa's disciple, all of which are called the "Three Patriarchs". There were originally twelve main Kagyu lineages derived from Gampopa and his disciples. 

After the death of Gampopa, his nephew Dagpo Gomtsul took the abbot of the Monastery.

Kagyu Sect – Lineage

There are twelve lineages of Dagpo Kagyu such as Karma Kagyu, Phagdru Kagyu, and Drikung Kagyu and so on.

Karma Kagyu

Karma Kagyu was founded by one of Gampopa's main disciples Dusum Khyenpa (1110–1193), later designated as the first Karmapa.

Phagdru Kagyu

Phagdru Kagyu was founded by Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo (1110–1174). Before met with Gampopa, Dorje Gyalpo studied with Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158) from whom he received whole Lamdre transmission.

Drikung Kagyu

One of the most important of the Kagyu Sects still remaining today, the Drikung Kagyu takes its name from Drikung Thil Monastery founded by Jigten Gonpo Rinchen Pal (1143-1217).