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Vajradhara Tillipa
(988-1069 AD), more commonly known as 'Tilopa', was the first human
teacher from who the Kagyud teachings can be traced. He is therefore
regarded as the founder of the Kagyudpa lineage in India. Tilopa
received many instructions directly from Vajradhara and other deities
through pure meditative visions. As his name suggests, prior to
becoming a Mahasiddha, Tilopa used to make his living by crushing
sesame seeds or performing other odd jobs. Tilopa
was succeeded by pandita Naropa (1016-1100 AD). Naropa became the most
important Indian Mahasiddha, conferrring the transmission of the Six
Yogas and Mahamudra to his great disciple Marpa (1012-1096 AD), the
first Tibetan teacher of the Kagyudpa lineage. Marpa's importance was
prophesied by Tilopa long before Marpa had met Naropa. In order to
familiarize with the teachings, Marpa took Sanskrit lessons for
several years from Drogmi Lotsawa (922-1073/4 AD) in Mugu-lung in
Mangkhar region, but then left saying that Drogmi's fees were too
expensive. However, it was Drogmi who influenced Marpa to go to India.
On his three trips there, Marpa received the complete teachings of
Mahamudra from Naropa and many others. Marpa, Drogmi and Ngok played a
very important role in reviving the teachings of the Buddha in Tibet. In
its early stages, the Kagyudpa lineage became known as 'Marpa Kagyud',
coined from Marpa's own name. Another early Kagyud school was founded
by Khyungpo Naljor Tshultrim Gompo (1002-1096 AD) from Shang in the
Tsang province of central Tibet. Khyungpo Naljor Tshultrim Gompo was a
disciple of both Naropa and his sister, Niguma. This school became
known as 'Shangpa Kagyud', after the region of its founder. It is
worthwhile to note that these two schools were the first to be
established in the Kagyudpa lineage. Marpa's
principal disciple was Milarepa (1052-1135 AD), who is renowned as the
'great yogi of Tibet', Milarepa's incomparable perseverance in the
practices he received from his teacher was and still is a source of
great inspiration. His spontaneous songs, known collectively as the
'Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa' (Tib. mila gurbum), have
served as a source of outstanding encouragement and motivation to all
those fortunate enough to read them. Milarepa
had many disciples, but there were two who particularly stood out:
Rechungpa Dorje Drak (1083-1161 AD) and Gampopa (1079-1153 AD). These
two masters created the shape of the whole Kagyudpa tradition.
Rechungpa Dorje Drak founded the 'Rechung Kagyud' school and Gampopa
founded the 'Dagpo Kagyud'. Gampopa was a native of the Dagpo region
(hence the name of the school) and a celebrated physician. He is also
therefore known as 'Dagpo Lhaje', which literally translates as the
'physician from Dagpo'. His full name is 'Dagpo Dawo Shonnu'. He is
the author of 'The Jewel Ornament of Liberation', and was largely
responsible for effectively establishing the Kagyud lineage in Tibet,
the Land of Snows. Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa are
known as the 'Five Founding Masters' of the Kagyudpa lineage. These
early Kagyud schools should not be confused with the schools that
followed, which became known as 'the four great and eight lesser
schools' of the Kagyud tradition. If only the later 'four great and
eight lesser' schools are considered, there is a danger of excluding
the Dagpo, Shangpa, Drukpa, Rechung and other schools that are not
included within these twelve. The
four 'great' Kagyud schools were founded by the four main disciples of
Gampopa. However, the Dagpo Kagyud maintained its own successive
abbots who formed a distinct lineage, separate from the lineages of
the other twelve schools. The
eight 'lesser' Kagyud schools were founded by the main disciples of
Phagmo Drupa, who briefly ruled Tibet after overthrowing the Sakya
rule. Phagmo Drupa studied for twelve years with Sachen Kunga Nyingpo
(1092-1158 AD), and received the teachings of Lam-Dre of the Sakyapa
school. Phagmo Drupa influenced the formation of the twelve
sub-schools by including the Lam-Dre teachings in the Dam-ngag-dzod of
the Kagyudpa tradition. Lingre
Pema Dorje (Ling Repa) played a pivotal role in propagating the
teachings of the Rechungpa lineage. Ling Repa was originally a
physician, a acreer that he learnt from his father, Gyalp Kyapo. Not
long after his father passed away, he took ordination as a monk from
Omthangpa. He also received the Yamantaka, Samvara and Vajravarahi
initiations from Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drak. Although Ling Repa terminated
his monastic vows after he met his wife Men-mo, the couple continued
to pursue the teachings of 'Rechung Nyengyud', the 'Whispered lineage
of Rechungpa'. After discovering that Rechungpa had passed away in
1161, the couple received many pith instructions of the lineage from
Dampa Sumpa (a senior student of Rechungpa). On Dampa Sumpa's
recommendation, Ling Repa finally met Phagmo Drupa. As a result of
Phagmo Drupa's influence, Ling Repa separated from his wife to
dedicate his life to spiritual practice. He later became one of the
eight most accomplished disciples of Phagmo Drupa, and founded the
Lingre Kagyud school. Ling Repa is also known as 'Naphu Choje', the
'Lord of Dharma of Naphu monastery'. Some
people consider Ling Repa to be the founder of the Drukpa lineage,
without mentioning the existence of the Lingre Kagyud school.
Consequently, the Drukpa lineage is sometimes regarded as one of the
twelve sub-schools. However, this is not the case. In fact, the Lingre
Kagyud school later evolved into the Drukpa lineage, which was founded
by Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje (1161-1211 AD), the first Gyalwang Drukpa. This
article has been reproduced in its entitrety with permission from H.H.
the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa's website (www.drukpa.org).
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