The History of the Taklung Kagyu Lineage
The teaching of the Buddha arrived in Tibet, the cool land of
the Snowy Ranges, during two periods known as the Early and the
Later Translations. The well-known Kagyupa, the protectors of
beings, are among the latter of these, the New Schools of the
Later Translations, and the possessed the mandate for its Practice
Lineage. The great master by the name of Tilopa received four
such transmissions, from Vajradhara and Vajra Yogini, who appeared
to him in person to entrust him with the treasury of the four
sections of Tantra.
Naropa, the great pandita, was the next in the lineage. He followed
Tilopa by undertaking twelve major trials. At the end of these,
he understood the complete meaning simply through a gesture and
a few words, and reached accomplishment.
Marpa Chokyi Lodro of Lhodrak went to India four times where
he met many learned and accomplished masters, headed by Naropa
and Maitripa, from whom he received all the teachings on Sutra
and Tantra. In particular, he followed Naropa for a combined length
of sixteen years and under his guidance Marpa integrated his learning,
reflection and meditation training. He received the special Hearing
Lineage of Chakrasamvara with consort in its completeness.
Back in Tibet, Marpa had four chief disciples who propagated
his profound teachings. Three of them, Mey, Ngog and Tsur, propagated
the Teaching Lineage, while Jetsun Milarepa became the one who
received the mandate for the Practice Lineage.
Among Milarepa's disciples, seven departed to celestial realms
at the end of their lives, eight became great Repa-yogis, and
there were innumerable others. Of his two chief disciples, one
was the moon-like Rechung Dorje Drakpa from whom the Rechung Kagyu
lineage sprung. The other was the sun-like Dakpo Dawo Zhonnu,
also known as the great matchless Gampopa, who was prophesized
by the Victorious One, and was equal to the Buddha coming back
into the world.
Gampopa had an untold number of disciples which he brought to
maturity and liberation. His principal lineage-holders were Barom
Darma Wangchuk who originated the Barom Kagyu; Pagdru Dorje Gyalpo
who began the Pagdru Kagyu; the illustrious Dusum Khyenpa who
founded the Karma Kagyu; and the disciple of Öngom Tsultrim
Nyingpo by the name Zhang Tsalpa Tsondru Drakpa who founded Tsalpa
Kagyu. These are known as the Four Great Kagyu traditions.
In addition, the Dakpo Kagyu originated from a succession of
masters, the Three Uncles and Nephews of Dakpo at the seat of
Dakpo Tsalmi.
The Eight Lesser Kagyu schools originated from the five hundred
parasol-bearing disciples of Pagdru. They were the Drigung Kagyu
from Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon; the Taklung Kagyu from Thangpa Tashi
Pal; the Trophu Kagyu from Drogon Gyaltsab; the Lingrey (Drukpa)
Kagyu from Lingje Repa Pema Dorje; the Martsang Kagyu from Marpa
Rinchen Lodro; the Yelpa Kagyu from Yelpa Yeshe Tsek; the Yabzang
Kagyu from Gyalwa Yabzang; and the Shugseb Kagyu from Nyepu Gyergom
Chokyi Senge. Over time, each of these schools had innumerable
chief and subsidiary monasteries.
The Biography of Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal, Founder of the Taklung
Kagyu Lineage
The Taklung Kagyu lineage remains unbroken to this day, since
its founding by the Great Lord Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal (1142-1210),
who also founded the Taklung Yarthang Monastery.
He was the unequalled Lord of Dharma, and was the protector of
sentient beings of the entire three world systems, and the embodiment
of the enlightened body, speech, mind, quality, and activity of
all the Buddhas of the three times and ten directions. Having
achieved perfection in devotion and respect towards his root teacher
and his teachings, Tashi Pal is considered as one of the many
immediate students of the great Lord of Dharma, Pal Phagmo Drubpa,
the protector of beings.
With many auspicious signs, Tashi Pal was born in the Water Dog
Royal Tibetan Year, 1142 AD, to the Taklung Gazi family, one of
the six main ancestral Tibetan lineages. He embraced monkhood
in Pal Thang-kya Monastery, where he studied and mastered the
general and distinct Buddhist teachings. Owing to his vast and
profound knowledge of Buddhist doctrine, he was renowned as the
great sovereign and accomplished master scholar.
He gradually travelled towards Central Tibet where he met his
destined root teacher, Phagmo Drubpa. Phagmo Drubpa said to him,
·Now that you have newly arrived, you should put these
new robes on your new body, and you will be absorbed into my heart.
Also, if I am in Bodh Gaya, then you must follow after me.·
For six years, Tashi Pal served his master as his personal attendant
during which time he received the entire teachings of Sutra and
Tantra that includes the ripening empowerment and liberating instructions
of the great Mahamudra and the six yogic teachings of Naropa.
Later, he spent many years in six different solitary places staying
in extremely strict retreat practice by sealing off his retreat
room. As a result, he achieved the supreme siddhi of enlightenment.
He later constructed temples at the monastic seat of his master,
Phagmo Drubpa. In the year 1180 AD, he established the seat and
the distinct tradition of Taklung Kagyu at Taklung Thang Dorje
Den, the sacred place which was prophesied by Lord Buddha himself.
Since then, his name came to be known as Taklung Thangpa and his
distinct tradition renowned as the unequalled lineage of accomplishment,
the Taklung Kagyu. The main teaching of Taklung Kagyu is Guru
Yoga and the main practice devotion and reverence towards one's
root teacher.
Specifically Vinaya practice was greatly emphasized. As such,
Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal, the fully ordained monk who held the
Vajrayana doctrine, came to be famously known for his pure morality
that made meaningful the life of everyone who met him, heard of
him or remembered him. He devoted the first half of every month
to bless and teach students, and the second half to strict retreat
practice. Generally, there were more than three thousand six hundred
resident monks in Taklung Monastery during his time, and his disciples
came from different places in India, China, Mongolia, and the
three provinces of Tibet. Thus, his spiritual activities reached
far and wide.
Many renowned scholars and accomplished masters who preserved
and disseminated the essential teachings of the Taklung Kagyu
came after him. Not only did they benefit the general doctrine
of Shakyamuni Buddha but also the distinct tradition of the Taklung
Kagyu. In this way, the Taklung Kagyu School flourished throughout
Tibet and its neighboring countries.
After giving final advice to his followers, Taklung Thangpa achieved
the non-dual state of Vajradhara and passed away into nirvana,
dissolving his body and mind into the Dharmakaya in the year 1210,
the Iron Horse Year, in the 4th Rabjung Cycle. This was displayed
to allow beings to realize the impermanent nature of life.
Taklung Choeje Sangye Won Dakpa Pal Ozer Zangpo, Founder of
Taklung Marthang Riwoche Monastery
Sangye Won was a descendent of the Taklung Gazi Family, the same
auspicious family lineage in which many great noble masters including
Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal, the guide of all beings of the three
worlds, were born. He was born in 1251, and displayed many wonderful
and extraordinary signs during his birth and childhood. Even while
playing, he showed many inconceivable miracles.
In the Wood Tiger Year of 1254, he travelled to Central Tibet,
where he met many teachers from whom he received empowerments,
transmissions and instructions. Particularly, he was taken care
of by his root teacher Choeje Sangye Yarjon who conferred upon
him the authority to hold the secret treasures of teachings. Sangye
Yarjon appointed him as his spiritual heir after bestowing him
his entire teachings.
In the Water Bird Year of 1263, he gave the responsibility of
looking after his monastery to his younger brother Tashi Lama,
and went to Yishod Riwoche in Do-Kham province, East Tibet. In
the Fire Rat Year of 1276, during the 5th Rabjung Cycle, he established
Taklung Kagyu Riwoche Monasteries. In particular, he displayed
an unequalled prowess in miracles and clairvoyance, and even the
Indian Pandita Gyanatapa and his consort the wisdom dakini Kundali
came to his door to offer Upara's treasure teachings. Gradually,
he achieved the state of ultimate union, which is the state of
Vajradhara in this lifetime.
One evening on the third day of the ninth Tibetan month of the
Fire Monkey year, 1297 AD, in the Fifth Rabjung Cycle, he said,
"I came to this world in the form of Heruka and I will pass
away in the same way." He wore the six bone ornaments, and
holding a vajra and a bell in his hands, he crossed his two hands
upon his chest. He sat in the posture of Vajradhara, dissolving
his body into the Dharmakaya.
Due to his enlightened activities, his disciples reached far
and wide. After him, the two main monasteries came to be known
as the two main seats of Taklung Kagyu. His students consisted
of many scholars and accomplished masters in the two main monasteries
of Taklung Kagyu and many other branch monasteries and centers
in the three provinces of Tibet as well as in China.
Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal·s main seat came to be known
as Taklung Yarthang, and Choje Sangye Won Drakpa Pal Ozer Zangpo's
seat came to be known as Taklung Marthang.
In each of these two main seats of the Taklung tradition, there
were three main masters known as the Three Kyabgons (Refuge and
Protector). In Taklung Yarthang, the three Kyabgons were: H.H.
Taklung Kyabgon Shabdung Rinpoche, H.H. Taklung Kyabgon Matul
Rinpoche, and H.H. Taklung Kyabgon Tsetul Rinpoche.
In Taklung Marthang, the three Kyabgons were: H.H.Taklung Kyabgon
Phakchok Rinpoche, H.H.Taklung Kyabgon Jedrung Rinpoche, and H.H.Taklung
Kyabgon Shabdung Rinpoche. The detailed history of these masters
can be found in their respective biographies.
