{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/tib/driknghs.htm","path":"bud/tib/driknghs.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/driknghs.htm","text":"BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DRIKUNG KAGYU ORDER OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM\nThe Drikung Kayu Order of Tibetan Buddhism is a unique tradition\nof study and practice transmitted through an unbroken line of\nenlightened teachers. As the precious teachings of Lord Shakyamuni\nBuddha were brought into Tibet from the sacred land of India,\ncountless saints and yogis were realized by the perfect understanding\nand meditation of the precious teachings.\nFrom these innumerable saints, there gradually developed eight\ngreat lineages: Nyingma, Kadam, Lamdre, Kagyupa, Shenpa Dhege, Jordru,\nand Choeyul. From these, the Dhagpo Kagyupa lineage arose from the\ngreat Indian saint Tilopa (988-1069 C.E.) who received a direct\ntransmission of the teachings from Vajradhara (Dorje Chang). Tilopa\nalso received the teachings of Mahamudra and the Six Doctrines from\nArya Nagarjuna, Charyapa, Lawapa, and Khelwa Sangpo. This particular\ntransmission is known as the Kagyupa Lineage.\nThe chief disciple of Tilopa was Pandita Naropa (1016-ll00 C.E.)\nhead of the illustrious Nalanda University. Marpa the Translator\n(1012-1097 C.E.) was Naropa's leading disciple. Maria journeyed\nextensively, going three times to India and four times to Nepal to\nbring back the teachings to Tibet. All in all, Marpa received\ninstruction from 108 tantric masters as well as Naropa and Maitreya.\nPandita Naropa designated Marpa as his Vajra Regent in Tibet and\nprophesized that the Mahamudra teachings would greatly flourish there.\nMarpa's foremost disciple was Milarepa (1052-1135 CUE.) who is\nconsidered the greatest yogi of Tibet. Jetsun Milarepa attained\nenlightenment in one lifetime. His life's story and 100,000 songs are\nhigh points of Tibetan literature and spiritual thought. Milarepa's\nchief disciple was Gampopa (1079-1153 C.E.). In the Samadhi and Nyinge\nPema Karpa Sutras are prophecies concerning Gampopa's coming by Lord\nShakyamuni himself. Gampopa embodied the three great lineages of\nNagarjuna (Profound View Lineage), Asanga (All-Encompassing Action\nLineage) and Tilopa (Blessed Meditation Lineage.) As a result of this\nphenomenal achievement, the Dhagpo Kagyu Lineage came into being as\nwell as the Phagdru Kagyu, Kamtsang Kagyu, and Barong Kagyu Lineages.\nFrom among Gampopa's numerous disciples, there came forth Phagdru\nDorje Gyalpo.\nFrom him came the eight Kagyu lineages: Drikung Kagyu, Talung\nKagyu, Trubo, Lingre, Maerpa, Yelpa, Yasang, and Shugsib. Among\nPhagdru Dorje Gyalpo's disciples. the chief disciple was Kyobpa Jigten\nSumgon Ratnashri (1143-1217 C.E.), known also as \"Drikung Kyobpa.\"\nKyobpa Jigten Sumgon Ratnashri was the Vajra Regent of the Buddha\nhimself in the Northern Hemisphere. Of him the Buddha once said:\n\"In the Northern Hemisphere, amongst the snowy ranges,\na Ratnashri will come forth. This extraordinary being.\nacquiring world-wide fame, will greatly further my\nTeachings.\" (Yeshe Yongsukyepa Sutra)\n\"The fountain-head place of Dharma names Drikung will\nproduce Ratnashri born in the hog year. He will be\nsurrounded by a million-strong host of disciples and upon\nhis death he will enter the Ngongai Buddha Fields. There\nhe will be called the \"Perfect White Buddha.\"\n(Ghongdhu Sutra)\nIn twenty Sutras and Tantras there occur similar prophecies about\nKyobpa Jigten Sumgon Ratnashri. Among Lord Buddha Shakyamuni's\ncontemporaries was Letsabe who incarnated four hundred years later as\nArya Nagarjuna and later still as Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon Ratnashri. The\nSingalese Arahata Bhikshu and Green Tara told Mahapandita Sakya Shri\nBapara that Ratnashri was the reincarnation of Arya Nagarjuna.\nSo it came to pass that in Eastern Tibet in the 12th century\n(C.E.) Ratnashri was born to Naljor Dorje and Rakshesatsun. At the age\nof 25 he met Phagmo Drupa and received all the teachings of Sutras and\nTantras. At the time of Phagmo Drupa's death, a congregation of\ndisciples witnessed a miraculous transference of a golden dorje of\nlight from the heart of Phagmo Drupa to the heart of Ratnashri. After\n7 years meditation in the Achung cave in central Tibet, Ratnashri\nattained enlightenment at the age of 35. He then received the Bhikshu\nordination and his fame began to spread throughout Tibet.\nAt the age of 37 he established the main seat of Drikung, which\nhe named Changchubling . Here he emphasized the importance of moral\ndiscipline and Bodhicitta as the basis of Buddha's teachings. Since\nhis mind was one with the mind of all Buddhas, he was able to guide\nall Bodhisattvas and sentient beings according to the degree of their\nreceptivity and understanding.\nWhen the first Karmapa, Dusum Khenpa, visited Drikung, he saw\nKyobpa Jigten Sumgon Ratnashri as the Buddha himself and, developing\ngreat faith in him, received his teachings. The kings of India, China.\nand Tibet all recognized him and Maldrozichen, a king of the Nagas,\noffered to maintain the growing number of disciples at Drikung. Thus\nDrikung reached to the heights of spiritual and academic excellence.\nKyobpa Jigten Sumgon sent many disciples to the sacred places such as\nMount Kailas, Lache (near Nepal), and Tsari (near Arunachal Pradesh).\nThus the Drikung Kagyu became the keepers of these holy places. It was\nin his 76th year that he experienced Mahaparinirana.\nNow over eight hundred years have passed since the establishment\nof the Drikung Kagyu order. From the great Abbot, Khenchen Gurawa\nTsultrim Dorje until the present, there have been 37 successive\nteachers who comprise the golden chain of the Drikung Kagyu lamas.","title":"Brief History Of The Drikung Kagyu Order Of Tibetan Buddhism","type":"page"}