Drikungpa

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.

Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, the thirty-seventh and current Drikung Kyabgon, the head of the Drikung order

Like all other Kagyu lineages, 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 10th and 11th century. The founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage was Jigten Sumgön (1143-1217) of the Kyura clan,[1] 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.[2]

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,[3][4] Könchok Tenzin Kunzang Thinley Lhundrup (b. 1946),[5] the 37th Drikungpa resides at Drikung Kagyu Institute at Dehra Dun, India.[4] 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.[6]

Lineage timeline

According to The Great Kagyu Masters, the lineage succession is as follows:[7]

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 [note 1] 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)[1][note 2] 1580 1654 1615 1626
Kunkhyen Chökyi Dragpa (1st Chungtsang)[note 3] 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
  1. 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.
  2. They are not considered brothers by blood, but by lineage.
  3. Chungtsang Rinpoche is considered the emanation of both Padmasambhava and Manjushri. Also, one of the Drikung Kyabgŏns.

Citations
  1. Drikung Kagyu Order (2005).
  2. Gyaltsen (2013).
  3. Weissman (2010).
  4. Drikung Kagyu Order (2005a).
  5. Gruber (2010).
  6. Drikung Kagyu Order (2005b).
  7. 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.
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