| The Sakya school is one of four major | | | | Pandita, was notable for his exceptional |
| schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others | | | | scholarship and composed many important |
| being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug. It | | | | and influential texts on sutra and |
| is one of the Red Hat sects along with | | | | tantra, including, Clarifying the |
| the Nyingma and Kagyu. | | | | Thought of the Sage and Discriminating |
| Origins | | | | the Three Vows. |
| The name Sakya (literally, Pale Earth) | | | | The main difference with the other |
| derives from the unique grey landscape | | | | schools is that there are two distinct |
| of Ponpori Hills in southern Tibet near | | | | forms of teaching. One form is meant for |
| Shigatse, where Sakya Monastery, the | | | | a generic audience which is mainly based |
| first monastery of this tradition, and | | | | on sutra and private education which is |
| the seat of the Sakya School was built | | | | mainly tantric. Many Tibetan masters |
| by Khon Konchog Gyalpo (1034-1102) in | | | | from other schools have received the |
| 1073. | | | | private teaching of the Sakya in |
| The Sakya tradition developed during the | | | | addition to the teachings of their own |
| second period of translation of Buddhist | | | | schools. Unlike monks of most Tibetan |
| scripture from Sanskrit into Tibetan in | | | | sects, Sakya monks are allowed to marry. |
| the late eleventh century. It was | | | | Subschools |
| founded by Drogmi, a famous scholar and | | | | In due course, two subsects emerged from |
| translator who had studied at the | | | | the main Sakya lineage, |
| Vikramashila University in India for | | | | Ngor, founded by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo |
| some years, rejected the old tantras and | | | | (b.1382) |
| followed the teachings of Atisha. | | | | Tshar, founded by Tsarchen Losal Gyamtso |
| Konchog Gyalpo, who had become | | | | (1496 - 1560) |
| dissatisfied with the lax discipline of | | | | Feudal lordship over Tibet |
| the Nyingmapa teachers, became Drogmi's | | | | In 1264 the feudal lordship over Tibet |
| disciple. | | | | was given to Phagpa by the Mongolian |
| The tradition was founded by the "Five | | | | emperor, Kublai Khan. Sakya lamas |
| Venerable Supreme Masters" starting with | | | | continued to serve as viceroys of Tibet |
| the grandson of Khonchog Gyalpo, Kunga | | | | on behalf of the Mongol emperors for |
| Gyaltsen, who became known as Sakya | | | | nearly 75 years after Phagpa’s demise |
| Pandita: | | | | (1280), until the Emperor of China |
| Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092 - 1158) | | | | subjugated the Mongols. |
| Sonam Tsemo (1142 - 1182) | | | | Sakya today |
| Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147 - 1216) | | | | The head of the Sakya school, known as |
| Sakya Pandita (1182 - 1251) | | | | Sakya Trizin ("holder of the Sakya |
| Chogyal Pakpa (1235 - 1280) | | | | throne"), is always drawn from the male |
| Teachings | | | | line of the Khön family. The present |
| Sachen, the first of the five supreme | | | | Sakya Trizin, His Holiness Ngawang Kunga |
| Masters, received a wealth of tantric | | | | Tegchen Palbar Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo, |
| doctrines from numerous Tibetan | | | | born in Tsedong in 1945, is the |
| translators or "lotsawas" who had | | | | forty-first to hold that office. He |
| visited India, most importantly Drokmi | | | | resides in Rajpur, India. |
| Lotsawa, Bari Lotsawa and Mal Lotsawa. | | | | The Rimé movement |
| From Drokmi comes the supreme teaching | | | | During the 19th century the great Sakya |
| of Sakya, the system of Lamdre (lam | | | | master and terton Jamyang Khyentse |
| 'bras) or "Path and its Fruit", deriving | | | | Wangpo, the famous Kagyu master Jamgon |
| from the siddha Virupa (Birwapa/Birupa) | | | | Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and the important |
| and based upon the Hevajra Tantra. Mal | | | | Nyingma terton Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa |
| Lotsawa introduced to Sakya the esoteric | | | | founded the Rime movement, an ecumenical |
| Vajrayogini lineage known as "Naro | | | | attempt to incorporate all teachings of |
| Khachoma." From Bari Lotsawa came | | | | all schools, to overcome the separation |
| innumerable tantric practices, foremost | | | | of Buddhist transmission in different |
| of which was the cycle of practices | | | | traditions. |
| known as the One Hundred Sadhanas. Other | | | | This movement still influences modern |
| key transmissions that form part of the | | | | Tibetan Buddhist practice through the |
| Sakya spiritual curriculum include the | | | | "five great treasures" of Jamgon |
| cycles of Vajrakilaya, Mahakala and | | | | Kongtrul and the treasure of |
| Guhyasamaja. | | | | rediscovered teachings (Rinchen |
| The fourth Sakya patriarch, Sakya | | | | Terdzöd). |