Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition
Ngagyur Nyingma, the pinnacle of all the dharma traditions, is considered to be the foremost tradition that prevailed in Tibet. An enormous effort was made to bring the teachings from India to Tibet by the dharma king Trisong Deutsen. He invited many scholars from India including Guru Padmasambhava and Abbot Shantarakshita. Since then, Nyingma teachings have been studied and practiced extensively throughout the country. With its complete scriptures and testaments, the doctrine survived through ages.
All the collected works such as the translation of sutras, tantras and secret mantra teachings that were carried out between 790 AD-958 AD, from the time of Khen-lop-Choesum till Rongzom Maha Pandita is known as Ngagyur Nyingma. That period is also known to be the era of ancient Nyingma.
The extraordinary secret teachings that have been translated include kama teachings, the root tantra of Anu yoga teachings (Duepa-do), the magical net, the eighteen great tantrapitaka, the eight transmitted precepts (Kagyed), the eighteen mother and child texts of themind class (Sem-de Mabu Chopgyed), the space-class (Long-de) and the category of pith instructions (Men Ngyag-de).
The masters who expounded these sacred teachings were Guru Padmasambhava, pundit Vimalamitra, Vairocana, Nubchen Sangye Yeshe, Ngyag Janakumara, Zur Shakya Jungne, the great omniscient Longchen Rabjam, Mipham Rinpoche and many other Nyingma masters up to our present root guru. These teachings have been transmitted through an unbroken lineage passed down from teacher to disciple in an uninterrupted way for generations.
Kadampa Tradition
In the Water-Horse year 1042, corresponding to the first Rabjung of the Tibetan calendar, Shri Atisha Dipamkara was first invited to Tibet by Nagtso Lotsawa. Shri Atisha composed a commentary on an Illuminating Lamp to the Path to Buddhahood (Jangchub Lam Dron). The successors to the Kadampa tradition are: Lochen Rinchen Zangpo, Ngok Lekpei Sherab, Nagtso Tsultrim Gyelwa, Mra Gyelwai Lodroe, Khu-Ngog- Dromsum, Three Heart-Sons, Lang and Shar. In particular, Dromtoen Gyelwai Jungne classified these teachings into seven categories – teaching of the four exalted devas and three baskets of teachings. These masters or the practitioners of the ‘‘Jangchub Lam Droen” are known as ‘‘the Kadam Nyingma” or the Ancient Kadampas.
The Kadampa Tradition once flourished widely in Tibet, yet with the passage of time it slowly approached extinction. In the seventh century when Je Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa, having kept the true principle of the kadampa tradition composed a commentary entitled ‘Jangchub Lamrim Chenmo’, (The great treatise of the stages to enlightenment) that the Kadampa Tradition flourished once again.
This reformed tradition and its followers are known as the new Kadampas or the” Kadam Sarma”. Gyeltsab Dharma Rinchen, Khedrub Gyelek Palzang and Gyelwang Gedun Dukpa are the successive holders of the Kadam Sarma.
The Lamdrey Tradition (Path and Fruition)
Lamdrey Tradition is the main teaching of the Sakya school, where one practices the advanced meditation and the esoteric instructions of the great Virupa. Based upon the principles of Hevajra tantra teachings, Virupa composed the Lamdrey teachings and a short text explaining the brief meaning of the Hevajra tantra. Lamdrey teaching was brought to Tibet by Drog Mi Lotsa (993-1074). He traveled to India and received these teachings from the great mahasiddha Gaya Dhara and Paow Dorje. He then transmitted these teachings to Khoen Kenchok Gyalpo and successively to Sachen Kunga Nyingpo and so on. Another lineage of the Lamdrey Tradition was transmitted from the great Lama Sachapa Chenpo who received these teachings from the great Virupa. It is said that Virupa himself came in his pure vision and gave the direct transmission. The lineage was passed on to Sonam Tsemo, Drakpa Gyeltsen, Sakya Pendita Kuenga Gyeltsen, Drogoen Choegyel Phakpa and so on to the descendants of the great Sakya Clan.
The Marpa Kagyud Tradition
The great scholar and translator Marpa Choekyi Lodroe travelled extensively to India three times and met many accomplished masters. He received “Chag-chen” or Maha Mudra teachings from Naropa, the great Indian maha siddha. This sacred teaching was directly passed down from Buddha Vajradhara to Tilopa and then to Naropa and Marpa Choekyi Lodre respectively. Marpa was the first one to bring the Maha Mudra teachings to Tibet. He taught it to the fortunate disciples and later transmitted to Milarepa and other disciples, popularly known as four heart sons. Through an uninterrupted lineage, it passed down through Rechung DorjeDrakpa, Drakpa Dayoed Zhoenu, the first Karmapa Duesum Khenpa, Phagdu DorjeGyalpo, Barom Dharma Wangchuk, Zhangtselpa Tsondrue Drakpa, Taklung Tashi Pelwa, Gyeltsab Kunden Repa, Lingre Pedma Dorje, Marpa Sherab Yeshe, Yelpa Yeshe Tsekpa, Zarwa Yeshe Singye and many other Kagyud masters. Today, we can see the glorious Kagyud tradition being divided into eight major and minor schools where they equally enjoy the sublime teachings of glorious Marpa Kagyud.
Shangpa Kagyud Tradition
Shangpa Kagyud Tradition was first introduced to Tibet by the highly learned and accomplished master Chungpo Neljorpa (978-1126). He traveled many times to India and Nepal during the early and later years of his life. He relied upon many realized masters and received teachings. Two wisdom dakinis, Mani Guma and Sukha Siddhi, thirteen magnificent lamas and four root teachers were among those realized masters from whom he received these teachings.
He learned and practised the teachings of Hevajra tantra, Chakra Samvara,Guhya Samja tantra, Maha Maya mantra teachings and five other Maha Yoga tantras. He then went to Shang Zhong Zhong Dorje-den and built a monastery.The name Shangpa Kagyud was derived from the name of that place and gradually it became the permanent seat of the Shangpa Kagyud. The successor to the lineage who received these sacred teachings were the early five heart sons, one later heart son, the great yogi Thangtong Gyelpo, Jetsun Kuenga Drolchog and many more eminent and realized masters.
Zhijed Tradition (The Tantra of pacification)
The great Indian master Phadampa Sangye, a Siddha who visited Tibet in 1092 A.D (corresponding to the Water Monkey year of the second Rabjung according to the Tibetan calendar) initiated teachings based on the essence of principles of Prajaparamita and a tantric treatise (Ali Kali Chulung Rolpai Gyud). This tradition is known as ‘‘Zhijed’’ or the tantra of Pacifying. Gyana Guhya, Ma Choekyi Shae Ngyen, Sochung Gedun Bar, Karma Yeshe Gyeltshen, Geshe Drakpa, Chandra kriti, Jang Kadampa and Machi Labkyi Dolma were some of the eminent disciples of Phadampa Sangye and lineage holders of the Zhijed Tradition.
The Six limbs practice of Vajra Yoga
According to the source and the record it is said that Buddha Sakyamuni gave the kalachakra initiation in Drepung (at present in Andra Pradesh) to the dharma king Dawa Zangpo of Shambala (the western land of paradise). The teaching flourished widely in Shambala through seven successive dharma kings.Rigden Jampel Drakpa composed a summarized version of the Root tantra (i.e, Kalchakra tantra) and later Rigden Pema Karpo composed a detailed commentary on it. In India, these sacred teachings were widely spread by the great Duezhab and in Tibet these teachings were brought by Shri Badra on an invitation from Jo Lotsawa Dawai Yoedzer in the year 1026. The Kalachakra text had been translated into Tibetan scriptures in the year 1028 just two years after Shri Badra came to Tibet, so the teachings could be transmitted to the worthy disciples.
Later one of the most prominent master, the proficient scholar Jonangpa Thuje Tsondrue received the entire teaching — both old and new tradition — from various masters and then passed it on to Kuenkhen Toenpa Zhiden Sherab Gyeltsen and Jetsun Dolma Goen. Since then the teaching has again flourished through an unbroken lineage until the present day.
Tri Vajra Sadhana (Threefold Vajra approach to the accomplishment of the three indestructible realities)
The basis of purification derive from the inseparable attributes of the ground, the path and the fruition or the pure intrinsic aspects of the primordial dimension of the body, speech and mind. The aspects to be purified are the defilements of body, speech and mind. The means to purify these defilements comprises three branches of practices or the threefold Vajra methods – the branch of recitation or familiarization of the deity, the branch of attainment through wind yoga and the branch of great attainment through mindfulness and concentration. The result of purification is to attain the state of three Kayas within a single lifetime.
These quintessential instructions to attain the state of three Kayas within a single lifetime through these three branches of practices have been directly instructed to the great Mahasiddha Ogyen Rinchen Pel (1230-1309) by Vajra Yogini (secret diety) herself. Later, at the request of Kharchu Rinpoche, he wrote a commentary on threefold vajra methods. Togden Dawa Singye, Golungpa Zhonu Pel, Zurphugpa Rinchen Pel, Khepa Shangton and Ngae Do Kuenga Dondup were some of the masters who further elaborated the concept and composed more commentaries on it.
The lineage which descended from Gyalwang Rangjung Dorje who directly received this teaching from the great Maha Siddha Ogyen Rinpoche continues to flourish till now.
By Sherab Younten
5th Year, NNI
