The
Drukpa Lineage was founded in the
Tsang region of
Tibet by
Tsangpa Gyare (1161–1211), a disciple of
Ling Repa. He mastered the
Vajrayana practices of
mahamudra and the
Six Yogas of Naropa at an early age. As a
tertön (finder of spiritual treasures), Tsangpa Gyare is said to have discovered the text of the
Six Equal Tastes, which had been concealed by
Rechung Dorje Drakpa, a principal disciple of
Milarepa. According to traditional accounts, while Tsangpa Gyare and his disciples were on a pilgrimage, nine
dragons () emerged from the earth and soared into the sky as flowers rained down. This event was interpreted as an auspicious sign, and the lineage was thereafter named
Drukpa, meaning “Lineage of the Dragon.” Important teachers in the early transmission of the lineage include Tsangpa Gyare’s root guru,
Ling Repa, and Ling Repa’s teacher,
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, who was a foremost disciple of
Gampopa. Some traditions also note the influence of Dampa Sumpa, regarded as one of Rechung Dorje Drakpa’s main disciples. A notable disciple of Onre Darma Sengye, nephew of Tsangpa Gyare, was
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo (1208–1276). In 1222, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo journeyed to western
Bhutan, where he established the Drukpa Kagyu teachings and laid the foundations for the later spread of the lineage in the region.
Branches The disciples of Tsangpa Gyare Yeshi Dorje (1161–1211), the first
Gyalwang Drukpa, may be divided into two categories: blood relatives and spiritual sons. His nephew, Onre Darma Sengye (1177–1237), ascended the throne at
Ralung, the main seat of the Drukpa lineage. Darma Sengye guided the later disciples of Tsangpa Gyare, such as Gotsangpa Gonpo Dorje (1189–1258), onto the path of realization, thus becoming their guru as well. Darma Sengye's nephew and their descendants held the seat at Ralung and continued the lineage. Gyalwa Lorepa, Gyalwa Gotsangpa and his disciple Gyalwa Yang Gonpa, are known as Gyalwa Namsum or the Three Victorious Ones in recognition of their spiritual realization. The followers of Gyalwa Lorepa came to be called the 'Lower Drukpas'. The followers of Gyalwa Gotsangpa came to be called the 'Upper Drukpas'. And the followers of Onre Darma Sengye came to be called the 'Middle Drukpas'. After the death of 4th
Gyalwang Drukpa,
Kunkhyen Pema Karpo, in 1592, there were two rival candidates for his reincarnation.
Gyalwang Pagsam Wangpo, one of the candidates, was favored by the King of
Tsang and prevailed. His rival,
Ngawang Namgyal, was then invited to Western Bhutan and eventually he unified the entire country and established Drukpa as the preeminent Buddhist school from
Haa all the way to
Trongsa. The Drukpa lineage was divided from that time on into the Northern Drukpa (, ) branch in Tibet headed by the
Gyalwang Drukpa and the Southern Drukpa (, ) Ever since Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal appointed Pekar Jungne as the 1st
Je Khenpo, the spiritual head of all monasteries in Bhutan, successive Je Khenpos have acted to date as spiritual regents of Bhutan.
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 Gyalwang Drukpa Tsangpa Gyare passed to his nephew, Önre Darma Senge, at Ralung Monastery; this lineage was known as the Central Drukpa. This lineage of hereditary "prince-abbots" of Ralung continued until 1616, when
Ngawang Namgyal, the
Zhabdrung Rinpoche, 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 led by the Zhabdrung and his successors in Bhutan and the Northern Drukpa led by
Gyalwang Pagsam Wangpo and the successive Gyalwang Drukpa tulkus in Tibet.
Lower Drukpa The Lower Drukpa () was founded by Tsangpa Gyare's disciple Loré Wangchuk Tsöndrü (, 1187–1250). Lorepa built the Üri () and Sengeri () monasteries and visited Bhutan, where he founded
Tharpaling Monastery () in
Jakar. A special transmission of the Lower Drukpa lineage is known as The Five Capabilities (), which are: • Being capable of [facing] death: capability of Mahāmudrā () • Being capable of [wearing only] the cotton cloth: capability of
tummo () • Being capable of the tantric activities done in seclusion () • Being capable of [facing] the disturbances of '
don spirits: sickness () • Being capable of [facing] circumstances: capability of [applying] antidotes ()
Upper Drukpa The Upper Drukpa () was founded Tsangpa Gyare's disciple Götsangpa Gönpo Dorjé (, 1189–1258), a highly realized
yogi who had many disciples. His main disciples were Orgyenpa Rinchenpel (, 1230—1309), Yanggönpa (), Chilkarpa () and Neringpa. Orgyenpa, who was also a disciple of
Karma Pakshi, 2nd Karmapa Lama, 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
Kalachakra system known as the "Approach and Attainment of the Three Adamantine States" () and, after returning to Tibet, founded the Orgyen Nyendrup tradition and wrote many works including a famous guide to the land of Oddiyana. Ogyenpa had many disciples including
Rangjung Dorje, 3rd Karmapa Lama, Kharchupa (, 1284—1339) and Tokden Daseng (). Barawa Gyeltsen Pelzang (1255–1343) was a great scholar of the Upper Drukpa succession of Yanggönpa. He established the Barawa 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.
Central Drukpa The Middle Drukpa () was the hereditary lineage of Tsangpa Gyare centered at Ralung. Following Tsangpa Gyare, the next holder of this lineage was his nephew Darma Sengge (, 1177–1237), son of Tsangpa Gyare's brother Lhanyen (). Darma Sengge was succeeded by his own nephew Zhönnu Sengge (, 1200–66) and he by his nephew Nyima Sengge (, 1251–1287). The lineage then went to his cousin Dorje Lingpa Sengge Sherap (, 1238–1287), son of Wöntak (), a member of the branch of the Drukpa lineage descended from Tsangpa Gyare's brother Lhambum ). The lineage passed to Sengge Sherap's brother Sengge Rinchen (, 1258–1313), who was succeeded in turn by his son Sengge Gyelpo (, 1289–1326), grandson Jamyang Künga Senggé (, 1289–1326), great-grandson Lodrö Sengge (, 1345–90) and great-great-grandson Sherap Sengge (, 1371–92). These first nine holders of Tsangpa Gyare's lineage were known as the "Incomparable Nine Lions" (). Sherap Sengge, who died at the age of 21, was succeeded on the throne of Ralung by his elder brother Yeshe Rinchen (, 1364–1413) and he by his sons Namkha Pelzang (, 1398–1425) and Sherap Zangpo (, 1400–38). These three were considered the emanations of the three
mahāsattvas
Manjusri,
Vajrapani and
Avalokiteśvara, respectively. Sherap Zangpo's son was the second Gyalwang Drukpa, Gyelwang Jé Künga Penjor (, 1428–76), who received teachings from the most renowned lamas of his age and became a great author and teacher. From the 2nd Gyalwang Drukpa, the lineage passed to his nephew Ngakwang Chögyel (, 1465–1540), then successively in turns from father to son to Ngak gi Wangchuk Drakpa Gyeltsen (, 1517–1554), Mipham Chögyal (, 1543–1604), Mipham Tenpa'i Nyima (, 1567–1619) and Ngawang Namgyal, who was the great-great-grandson of Ngawang Chögyal. In the Middle Drukpa tradition many great scholars appeared including the fourth Gyalwang Drukpa,
Kunkhyen Pema 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. His collected works fill over twenty volumes in modern editions. He founded
Sangngak Chö Monastery () in 1571 to "subdue the klo pa", the inhabitants of southeastern Tibet. This monastery, which is located in modern
Lhoka Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region near the border with
Arunachal Pradesh, India, became the seat of the successive Gyalwang Drukpa incarnations in Tibet and thus the center of the Northern Drukpa. Three great siddhas of Middle Drukpa school were
Tsangnyön Heruka (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;
Drukpa Kunley (1455–1529); and
Ünyön Künga Zangpo (, 1458–1532). All three were disciples of the 4th Gyalwang Drukpa. Following the death of the 4th Gyalwang Drukpa, two incarnations were recognized: Paksam Wangpo (), who was the offspring of the Chongje Depa, and Ngawang Namgyal, who was also the heir to Drukpa lineage of Ralung. Paksam Wangpo gained the backing of the powerful Tsangpa Desi, who was a patron of the Karma Kagyu and hostile to Ngawang Namgyal. The latter subsequently fled to Bhutan, where his lineage already had many followers, established the Southern Drukpa, and became both the spiritual and temporal head of the country, after which the country became known as
Drukyül in
Standard Tibetan and
Dzongkha. ==Contemporary organisation==