Atiśa

The Kagyu (Wylie transliteration: Bka'-brgyud) school (known as the "Oral Lineage" and "the Spotless Practice Lineage" school) is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being Nyingma (Rnying-ma), Sakya (Sa-skya), and Gelug (Dge-lugs). Kagyu - Origins. The Kagyu school traces its origins to the teachings of the Indian mystics Tilopa (988-1089) and Naropa (1016-1100), whose lineage was transmitted in Tibet by the great translator Marpa (1012-10 ...

Including:

• Kagyu - Origins
• Kagyu - Four Major Schools
• Kagyu - Eight Sub-Schools
• Kagyu - Teachings

Read more here: » Kagyu: Encyclopedia - Kagyu

The Geluk or Gelug (Wylie transliteration: Dge-lugs, Tibetan: དགེ་ལུགས་པ་) school of Buddhism was founded by Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader. The first monastery he established was at Ganden, and to this day the Ganden Tripa (Dga'-ldan Khri-pa) is the nominal head of the school, though its most influential figure is the Dalai Lama. A great admirer of the Kadampa (Bka'-gdams-pa) teachings, Tsongkhapa was an enthusiastic promoter of the Kadam School's emphasis ...

Read more here: » Geluk: Encyclopedia - Geluk

The Kagyu school traces its origins to the teachings of the Indian mystics Tilopa (988-1089) and Naropa (1016-1100), whose lineage was transmitted in Tibet by the great translator Marpa (1012-1097). He took over the mahamudra (great seal)-transmission lineage from Naropa. Moreover Marpa studied with the Indian Masters Maitripa and Kukuripa. On his third journey to India he met Atiśa (982-1054) and studied the teachings of the Kadampa masters (both Kagyu and Gelug schools trace their roots to the earlier Kadampa school). Marpa spent 17 years ...

See also:

Kagyu, Kagyu - Origins, Kagyu - Four Major Schools, Kagyu - Eight Sub-Schools, Kagyu - Teachings

Read more here: » Kagyu: Encyclopedia II - Kagyu - Origins

Tsongkhapa would go on to found the Geluk (Dge-lugs-pa) order, built on the foundations of the Kadampa (Bka'-gdams-pa) tradition, with an emphasis on the Vinaya and scholarly pursuits. He had studied at Sakya (Sa-skya), Kadam (Bka'-gdams) and Drikung-Kagyue monasteries, built up his knowledge, received many empowerments, and was one of the foremost authorities of Tibetan Buddhism at the time. Further, it is said that the Buddha Sakyamuni spoke of his coming as an eman ...

See also:

Je Tsongkhapa, Je Tsongkhapa - Early years, Je Tsongkhapa - Tsongkhapa's legacy

Read more here: » Je Tsongkhapa: Encyclopedia II - Je Tsongkhapa - Tsongkhapa's legacy

The central teaching of Kagyu is the doctrine of Mahamudra, or "the Great Seal", as elucidated by Gampopa in his various works. This doctrine focuses on four principal stages of meditative practice (the Four Yogas of Mahamudra), namely: The development of single-pointedness of mind, The transcendence of all conceptual elaboration, The cultivation of the perspective that all phenomena are of a "single taste", The fruition of the path, which is beyond any c ...

See also:

Kagyu, Kagyu - Origins, Kagyu - Four Major Schools, Kagyu - Eight Sub-Schools, Kagyu - Teachings

Read more here: » Kagyu: Encyclopedia II - Kagyu - Teachings

Born in Amdo province of Tibet during 1357, Tsongkhapa received full lay ordination at the age of three from the 4th Karmapa Rolpey Dorje (Rol-pa'i Rdo-rje) and entitled Kunga Nyingpo (Kun-dga' Snying-po). Then later, at seven, he took a second set of vows from Chöjey Dhondup Rinchen (Chos-rje Don-'grub Rin-chen) and was entitled Lobsang Drakpa (Slob-bsang Graks-pa). It was to his credit then, that at such an early age, he was able to receive the empowerments of Heruka Chakrasamvara, Hevajra, and Yamantaka, three of the most prominent wrath ...

See also:

Je Tsongkhapa, Je Tsongkhapa - Early years, Je Tsongkhapa - Tsongkhapa's legacy

Read more here: » Je Tsongkhapa: Encyclopedia II - Je Tsongkhapa - Early years