The Drikungpa, or more formally the Drikung Kyabgön, is the head of the Drikung Kagyu, a sub-school of the Kagyu (བཀའ་བརྒྱུད, Wylie: bka' brgyud), itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Like all other Kagyu lineages, the origins of Drikung Kagyu can be traced back to the Great Indian Master Tilopa who passed on his teachings to Mahasiddha Naropa who lived around the 10th and 11th century. The founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage was Jigten Sumgön (1143-1217) of the Kyura clan, who was the disciple of Phagmo Drupa. According to historical account from the time, Jigten Sumgön's teachings attracted more than 100,000 people at a time, with the highest number of attendance recorded at 130,000.
From the founding of Drikung Thil Monastery in 1179 to the present day, the Drikung Kagyu lineage has been led by a succession of spiritual heads ("throne-holders"). One of the two current heads of the lineage, Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche, Könchok Tenzin Kunzang Thinley Lhundrup (b. 1946), the 37th Drikungpa resides at Drikung Kagyu Institute at Dehra Dun, India. The other head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage, the 36th Drikungpa, Drikung Kyabgön Chungtsang Rinpoche, Könchok Tenzin Chökyi Nangwa (b. 1942) lives in Lhasa, Tibet.
Lineage timeline
According to The Great Kagyu Masters, the lineage succession is as follows:
| Name | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Year Lineage Holding Begun | Year Lineage Holding Relinquished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phagmodrupa | 1110 | 1170 | ||
| Lord Jigten Sumgon | 1143 | 1217 | 1179 | 1217 |
| Kenchen Gurawa Tsultrim Dorje | 1154 | 1221 | 1217 | 1221 |
| On Rinpoche Sonam Drakpa | 1187 | 1234 | 1221 | 1234 |
| Chen-nga Rinpoche Drakpa Jungne | 1175 | 1255 | 1234 | 1255 |
| Telo Dorje Drakpa | 1210 | 1278 | 1255 | 1278 |
| Thog-khawa Rinchen Senge | 1226 | 1284 | 1278 | 1284 |
| Chen-nga tsamchedpa Drakpa Sonam | 1238 | 1286 | 1284 | 1286 |
| Dorje Yeshe | 1223 | 1293 | 1286 | 1293 |
| Chu-nyipa Dorje Rinchen | 1278 | 1314 | 1293 | 1314 |
| Nyer-gyepa Dorje Gyalpo | 1283 | 1350 | 1314 | 1350 |
| Nyermyipa Chökyi Gyalpo | 1335 | 1407 | 1350 | 1395 |
| Shenyen Dondrup Gyalpo | 1369 | 1427 | 1395 | 1427 |
| Dakpo Wang | 1395 | 1427 | 1428 | |
| Chogyal Rinchen Pal Zangpo | 1421 | 1469 | 1428 | 1469 |
| Rinchen Chökyi Gyaltsen | 1449 | 1484 | 1469 | 1484 |
| Gyalwang Kunga Rinchen | 1475 | 1527 | 1484 | 1527 |
| Gyalwang Rinchen Phuntsok | 1509 | 1557 | 1527 | 1534 |
| Rinchen Namgyal Chodak Gyaltsen | 1527 | 1570 | 1565 | 1570 |
| Chokyi Namgyal | 1557 | 1579 | 1570 | 1579 |
| Tsungme Chogyal Phuntsok | 1547 | 1602 | 1579 | 1602 |
| Naro Nyipa Tashi Phuntsok | 1574 | 1628 | 1602 | 1615 |
| Jetsǖn Könchog Rinchen (1st Chetsang) | 1580 | 1654 | 1615 | 1626 |
| Kunkhyen Chökyi Dragpa (1st Chungtsang) | 1595 | 1659 | 1626 | 1659 |
| Könchog trinley Sangpo (Chetsang) | 1656 | 1718 | 1659 | 1718 |
| Trinley Dondrub Chogyal (Chungtsang) | 1704 | 1754 | 1704 | 1754 |
| Kônchog Tenzin Drodul (Chetsang) | 1724 | 1766 | 1724 | 1766 |
| Könchog Tenzin Chökyi Nyima (Chuntsang) | 1755 | 1792 | 1755 | 1792 |
| Tenzin Padme Gyaltsen (Chetsang) | 1770 | 1826 | 1770 | 1826 |
| Tenzin Chöwang Lodrô (Regent) | 1826 | 1827 | ||
| Jetsǖn Chonyi Norbu (Chungtsang) | 1827 | 1865 | 1827 | 1865 |
| Könchog Thukie Nyima (Chetsang) | 1828 | 1881 | 1828 | 1881 |
| Könchog Tenzin Chôkyi Lodrö (Chungtsang) | 1868 | 1906 | 1868 | 1906 |
| Könchog Tenzin Zhiwe Lodrö (Chetsang) | 1886 | 1943 | 1886 | 1943 |
| Tenzin Chökyi Jungme (Chungtsang) | 1909 | 1940 | 1909 | 1940 |
| Tenzin Thuben Wangpo (Regent) | 1940 | 1942 | ||
| Tenzin Chökyi Nangwa (Chungtsang) | 1942 | 1942 | ||
| Könchog Tenzin Kunzang Thinley Lhundrup (Chetsang) | 1946 | 1946 |
See also
Notes
- According to The Great Kagyu Masters (Gyaltsen (2006), p. 270), "he went to Five Peaked Mountain in China and achieved the state of immortality." Chetsang Rinpoche is considered an emanation of Chenrezig.
- They are not considered brothers by blood, but by lineage.
- Chungtsang Rinpoche is considered the emanation of both Padmasambhava and Manjushri. Also, one of the Drikung Kyabgŏns.
Citations
- ^ Drikung Kagyu Order (2005).
- Gyaltsen (2013).
- Weissman (2010).
- ^ Drikung Kagyu Order (2005a).
- Gruber (2010).
- Drikung Kagyu Order (2005b).
- Gyaltsen (2006).
References
- Drikung Kagyu Order (2005). "A Brief History of the Drikung Kagyu". Drikung.org.
A system of two lineage holders was established, that of the elder (Chetsang) and the younger (Chungtsang) brother.
- Drikung Kagyu Order (2005a). "His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang". Drikung.org.
- Drikung Kagyu Order (2005b). "His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgön Chungtsang". Drikung.org.
- Gruber, Elmar R. (2010). From the Heart of Tibet: The Biography of Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, the Holder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. Boston: Shambhala. ISBN 978-1-59030-765-6.
- Gyaltsen, Khenpo Könchog (2006). Huckenpahler, Victoria (ed.). The Great Kagyu Master: The Golden Lineage Treasury (2nd ed.). Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-244-4.
- Gyaltsen, Konchok (2013). "Chapter 10". Opening the Treasure of the Profound: Teachings on the Songs of Jigten Sumgon and Milarepa. Snow Lion. ISBN 978-1611800708.
- Weissman, Richard (September 8, 2010). "His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, Head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, will visit St. Petersburg September 14-15, 2010". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-13.