The Sakya school

The Sakya school is one of four major schools ofnotable for his exceptional scholarship and composed
Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma,many important and influential texts on sutra and
Kagyu, and Gelug. It is one of the Red Hat sects alongtantra, including, Clarifying the Thought of the Sage and
with the Nyingma and Kagyu.Discriminating the Three Vows.
OriginsThe main difference with the other schools is that
The name Sakya (literally, Pale Earth) derives from thethere are two distinct forms of teaching. One form is
unique grey landscape of Ponpori Hills in southern Tibetmeant for a generic audience which is mainly based
near Shigatse, where Sakya Monastery, the firston sutra and private education which is mainly tantric.
monastery of this tradition, and the seat of the SakyaMany Tibetan masters from other schools have
School was built by Khon Konchog Gyalpo (1034-1102)received the private teaching of the Sakya in addition
in 1073.to the teachings of their own schools. Unlike monks of
The Sakya tradition developed during the secondmost Tibetan sects, Sakya monks are allowed to
period of translation of Buddhist scripture from Sanskritmarry.
into Tibetan in the late eleventh century. It wasSubschools
founded by Drogmi, a famous scholar and translatorIn due course, two subsects emerged from the main
who had studied at the Vikramashila University in IndiaSakya lineage,
for some years, rejected the old tantras and followedNgor, founded by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (b.1382)
the teachings of Atisha. Konchog Gyalpo, who hadTshar, founded by Tsarchen Losal Gyamtso (1496 -
become dissatisfied with the lax discipline of the1560)
Nyingmapa teachers, became Drogmi's disciple.Feudal lordship over Tibet
The tradition was founded by the "Five VenerableIn 1264 the feudal lordship over Tibet was given to
Supreme Masters" starting with the grandson ofPhagpa by the Mongolian emperor, Kublai Khan. Sakya
Khonchog Gyalpo, Kunga Gyaltsen, who becamelamas continued to serve as viceroys of Tibet on
known as Sakya Pandita:behalf of the Mongol emperors for nearly 75 years
Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092 - 1158)after Phagpa’s demise (1280), until the
Sonam Tsemo (1142 - 1182)Emperor of China subjugated the Mongols.
Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147 - 1216)Sakya today
Sakya Pandita (1182 - 1251)The head of the Sakya school, known as Sakya Trizin
Chogyal Pakpa (1235 - 1280)("holder of the Sakya throne"), is always drawn from
Teachingsthe male line of the Khön family. The present
Sachen, the first of the five supreme Masters,Sakya Trizin, His Holiness Ngawang Kunga Tegchen
received a wealth of tantric doctrines from numerousPalbar Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo, born in Tsedong in
Tibetan translators or "lotsawas" who had visited India,1945, is the forty-first to hold that office. He resides in
most importantly Drokmi Lotsawa, Bari Lotsawa andRajpur, India.
Mal Lotsawa. From Drokmi comes the supremeThe Rimé movement
teaching of Sakya, the system of Lamdre (lam 'bras)During the 19th century the great Sakya master and
or "Path and its Fruit", deriving from the siddha Virupaterton Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, the famous
(Birwapa/Birupa) and based upon the Hevajra Tantra.Kagyu master Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and the
Mal Lotsawa introduced to Sakya the esotericimportant Nyingma terton Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa
Vajrayogini lineage known as "Naro Khachoma." Fromfounded the Rime movement, an ecumenical attempt
Bari Lotsawa came innumerable tantric practices,to incorporate all teachings of all schools, to overcome
foremost of which was the cycle of practices knownthe separation of Buddhist transmission in different
as the One Hundred Sadhanas. Other keytraditions.
transmissions that form part of the Sakya spiritualThis movement still influences modern Tibetan Buddhist
curriculum include the cycles of Vajrakilaya, Mahakalapractice through the "five great treasures" of Jamgon
and Guhyasamaja.Kongtrul and the treasure of rediscovered teachings
The fourth Sakya patriarch, Sakya Pandita, was(Rinchen Terdzöd).