Guru, The Lineage

ॐ Primordial Buddha (Vajradhara, Dorje Chang) > Historical Buddha (Gautama, Shakyamuni) (5th to 4th century BC) > Padmasambhava (Lotus Born, Guru Rinpoche) (8th century CE) > Tilopa (988-1069) > Naropa (1016-1100) > Marpa (The Translator) (1012-1097) > Milarepa (1052-1135) > Gampopa (1079–1153) > Rechungpa (1083/4-1161) > 1st Karmapa (Dusum Khyenpa) (1110-1193) > 2nd Karmapa (Karma Pakshi) (1204-1283) > 3rd Karmapa (Rangjung Dorje) (1284-1339) >> 16th Karmapa (Rangjung Rigpe Dorje) (1924-1981) > 17th Karmapa (Thaye Dorje) (Now)

Vajradhara Buddha

Vajradhara (Dorje Chang, Tib: rdo rje 'chang, Samantabhadra, Kuntuzangpo, "Ruler of the Vajra Beings") — celestial, primordial, Adi-Buddha, the Dharmakaya (Sanskrit: "truth/reality body", unmanifested, "inconceivable"), the quintessence of buddhahood itself, the ultimate.

Vajra means diamond (indestructible), as well as the thunderbolt, and the Dharmakaya/Vajradhara Buddha is the source of all the manifestations, and enlightenment.

Buddha Vajradhara is the supreme essence of all (male) Buddhas, and the prime Buddha of the Father Tantras.

The Buddha (Prince Siddhartha, Gautama, Shakyamuni) (5th to 4th century BC) — the historic Buddha, was a king who had everything but was not satisfied. He left his kingdom in search of enlightenment, wandered, struggled, and attained full realization meditating under the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India over 2,500 years ago. After that, for about 45 years he taught Dharma (the teaching), to both monastic and lay disciples, and established the foundation of what we know today as Buddhism.

Among the Buddha's realizations was an insight into the true nature of reality. His teaching is based on his insight into suffering, cause of it — desire, and the end of suffering — Nirvana, as well as The Middle Way, or The Noble Eightfold Path, that leads to liberation.

Padmasambhava (an emanation of Buddha Shakyamuni, "Lotus Born", Guru Rinpoche, "Precious Guru") (8th century CE) — legendary Indian Buddhist mystic who brought Tantra to Tibet, and established the first Buddhist monastery there.

Legend says a boy was found sitting on a lotus, he said: "My father is the wisdom of spontaneous awareness. My mother is the space of all things. I sustain myself by consuming the concepts of duality. My purpose is the act of erasing disturbing emotions".

Padmasambhava is the buddha for the dark age, the one who works most powerfully with negativity of this eon — kali yuga.

Tilopa (Talika, Tilopada) (988–1069) — known as Prajna Bhadra, Indian mahasiddha (Sanskrit: "great adept"), was born into the Brahmin caste; master of Mahamudra ("Great Seal", wisdom and emptiness inseparable) and Tantra, which he unified and transmitted.

Tilopa received many teachings and transmissions from a variety of great Indian tantric masters, taught for many years, had many followers, became renowned as the Siddha Tillipa, and is one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas of India. His two most well known students were Naropa (Golden Rosary lineage heir), and Lalitavajra.

Naropa (1016-1100) — known as Abhayakirti (Tib: ‘jig med grags pa), was born into the Brahmin caste, a scholar of non-buddhist teachings, got inspired by a book on Buddhism and became an ordained monk. Naropa taught at the universities, became one of the most well-known abbots of the time, and was honored by being made the "Northern Gatekeeper" (faced toward China and Tibet) of Nalanda university.

Naropa systematized the meditations he got from Tilopa into the famous Six Yogas of Naropa. He held the Oral Instructions lineage and had many students.

Tibetan Marpa (principal student and lineage heir), the great translator, brought the lineage to Tibet.

Marpa ("The Translator") (1012-1097) — Marpa Chokyi Lodro (Tib: mar pa chos kyi blo gros) was an enlightened master layman, a householder and a businessman. He is the first Tibetan master in this lineage, and the founder of the Kagyu school.

Marpa was born to a well-to-do family, began studying at a young age, and mastered the Sanskrit language. During his life Marpa travelled to Nepal and India three times, on foot over the Himalayas, to seek gurus and teachings. He converted his entire inheritance and collected gold all over Tibet to make offerings to his Indian gurus for the priceless teachings.

Upon his return to Tibet, Marpa spent many years translating important Buddhist scriptures, continued to practice and give teachings, abhishekas (empowerments), and transmissions to many students in Tibet. After his third visit to India, famous yogi Milarepa became his disciple, and became Marpa's principal student and a lineage holder.

Milarepa (Mila, Jetsun Milarepa, rje btsun mi la ras pa) (1052-1135) — the most renowned and accomplished of Tibet’s tantric yogis, who achieved enlightenment in one lifetime. Milarepa held Marpa's lineage and tradition of the Practice Lineage.

Early Milarepa had a very difficult life, lost his father and inheritance, and was enslaved by his relatives. By request of his mother he turned to avenge his family's suffering, killed many people and caused great damage. After realising what he had done, and the bad karma he created, Milarepa searched for salvation.

At the age of forty-five, directed by his guru, Milarepa left to start life of a wandering yogin, meditated in caves for twelve years, practiced tantra and attained the complete state of enlightenment.

Gampopa (1079–1153) — Sönam Rinchen, Dharma Drak, Dhagpo Lhaje "Doctor from Dhagpo", "the Physician from Gampo", "the Incomparable Dharma Lord of Tibet", was Milarepa’s most renowned student prophesied in the sutras by Buddha. Gampopa was a doctor, and a tantric master that established the monastic foundation of the Kagyu lineage, and codified the teachings which form the foundation of the Kagyu educational tradition.

Since childhood Gampopa studied medical sciences, received training as a physician and became one of the best doctors of the time. Tragically, his wife and children died in an epidemic, after which he became a monk. Later, he began to dream of a "green" yogi. Gampopa met Milarepa, practiced with great diligence and endured many hardships under his guru. As Milarepa’s foremost disciple, Gampopa marked the transition from the independent yogis of early Tibetan Buddhism to the monastic tradition that exists to this day.

Gampopa had three heart disciples: Phakmo Drupa, Saltong Shogom, and Düsum Khyenpa (the First Karmapa).

Rechungpa (1083/4-1161) — Rechung Dorje Drakpa, Dorje Drak "Vajra-Glory", "moon-like“ disciple, foremost heart son of Milarepa, and a patriarch of the Kagyu lineage.

Rechungpa met Milarepa at the age of eleven, and spent many years studying and practicing under the guidance of his master. Like Milarepa he was a Repa (ras pa, cotton-clad yogi, ascetic), unlike Gampopa, who was a fully ordained monk.

He was prophesied by Naropa, who said to Marpa that a descendant of his lineage would eventually come to receive more instructions on certain teachings. Milarepa sent Rechungpa to India three times to obtain teachings and transmissions which Marpa had not managed to receive in his time.

Karmapa — Buddha Shakyamuni predicted the coming of the Karmapas. Karmapa means “the one who carries out buddha-activity” or “the embodiment of the activities of the buddhas”.

Düsum Khyenpa (1110-1193), also known as Khampa Usey (literally, the “white-haired Khampa”), became known as the First Karmapa, who established the Karma Kagyu lineage.

The line of transmission after the 1st Karmapa is known as the Karma Kagyu, which the Karmapas have led ever since. There are also other branches of the Kagyu that have survived until today. The Karmapas head the Karma Kagyu lineage, and have incarnated in this form for 17 lifetimes.

Lama Ole Nydahl (born 19 March 1941), also known as Lama Ole, under the spiritual direction of The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, together with his wife Hannah Nydahl founded Diamond Way Buddhism, a Buddhist organization for lay practitioners within the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

https://lama-ole-nydahl.org/teaching-schedule/

The four schools: Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug, are the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. They preserved the Hinayana, Mahayana, and the Vajrayana level of Buddha’s teachings for centuries.