Origin

The name Sakya ("pale earth") derives from the unique grey landscape ofPonpori Hillsin southernTibetnearShigatse, whereSakya Monastery, the first monastery of this tradition, and the seat of the Sakya School was built by KhonKonchog Gyalpo(1034–1102) in 1073.

The Sakya tradition developed during the second period of translation of Buddhist scripture fromSanskritinto Tibetan in the late 11th century. It was founded byDrogmi, a famous scholar and translator who had studied at theVikramashila Universitydirectly underNaropa,Ratnākaraśānti, Vagishvakirti and other great panditas fromIndiafor twelve years.

Konchog Gyalpobecame Drogmi's disciple on the advice of his elder brother.

The tradition was established by the "Five Venerable Supreme Masters" starting with the grandson of Khonchog Gyalpo,Kunga Nyingpo, who became known as Sachen, or "Great Sakyapa":

• Sachen Kunga Nyingpo(1092–1158)
• Sonam Tsemo(1142–1182)
• Drakpa Gyaltsen(1147–1216)
• Sakya Pandita(1182–1251)
• Chogyal Pakpa(1235–1280)

Buton Rinchen Drub(1290–1364) was an important scholar and writer and one of Tibet's most celebrated historians. Other notable scholars of the Sakya tradition are the so called "Six Ornaments of Tibet:"

• Yaktuk Sangyey Pal
• Rongton Sheja Kunrig(1367–1449)[6]
• Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo[7]
• Zongpa Kunga Namgyel
• Gorampa Sonam Senge(1429–1489)
• Shakya Chogden(1428–1507)

The leadership of the Sakya School is passed down through a hereditary system between the male members of the Sakya branch of the Khon family.

Teachings

Sakya Pandita

Sachen, the first of the five supreme masters, inherited a wealth oftantricdoctrines from numerousTibetantranslators or "lotsawas" who had visitedIndia: most importantlyDrokmi Lotsawa[3],Bari LotsawaandMal Lotsawa.[8]From Drokmi comes the supreme teaching of Sakya, the system ofLamdré(lam 'bras) or "Path and its Fruit", deriving from themahasiddhaVirupa, based upon theHevajraTantra. Mal Lotsawa introduced to Sakya the esotericVajrayoginilineage known as "Naro Khachoma." From Bari Lotsawa came innumerable tantric practices, foremost of which was the cycle of practices known as theOne Hundred Sadhanas. Other key transmissions that form part of the Sakya spiritual curriculum include the cycles ofVajrakilaya,MahakalaandGuhyasamaja.

The fourth Sakya patriarch, Sakya Pandita, was notable for his exceptional scholarship and composed many important and influential texts onsutraand tantra, including,Means of Valid Cognition: A Treasury of Reasoning(tshad ma rigs gter),Clarifying the Sage's Intent(thub pa dgongs gsal) andDiscriminating the Three Vows(sdom gsum rab dbye).

"Lam Dre"

The main Dharma system of the Sakya school is the Path with Its Result (lam dang 'bras bu bcas), which is split into two main lineages, Explanation for the Assembly (tshogs bshad) and the Explanation for Close Disciples (slobs bshad).The other major of the Sakya school is theNaropaKhechari Explanation For Disciples (Naro mkha spyod slob bshad).

Subschools

In due course, two subsects emerged from the main Sakya lineage,

• Ngor, founded in Tsang by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382–1457).[7]The Ngor school is centered around Ngor Evam Choden monastery. It represents 85% of the Sakyapa school[citation needed] and most if not all the monasteries in India are Ngorpa, apart from Sakya Trizin's monastery.
• Tshar, founded by Tsarchen Losal Gyamtso (1496 - 1560 or 1502–1556).[9]

There were three "mother" monasteries of the Sakya school:Sakya Monastery, founded in 1073,Ngor Evam Choden, founded in 1429, and Phanyul Nalendra in Phanyul, north of Lhasa, founded in 1435 by Kuntchen Rongten. Nalendra became the home of the 'whispered-lineage' of the Tsar school.

Feudal lordship over Tibet

The Mongolsinvaded Tibetafter the foundation oftheir empirein the early 13th century. In 1264 the feudal reign over Tibet was given to Phagpa by the Mongolian emperorKublai Khan. Sakya lamas continued to serve as viceroys of Tibet on behalf ofYuan emperorsfor nearly 75 years after Phagpa’s death (1280), until theYuan Dynastywas greatly weakened by theRed Turban Rebellionin the 1350s, a decade before theMing Dynastyfounded by native Chinese overthrew Mongol rule in China. The leaders of the Sakya regime were as follows.

• Phagpa1253-1280
• Dharmapala Raksita 1280-1282, d. 1287
• Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen 1286-1303
• Zangpo Pal 1306-1323
• Khatsun Namka Lekpa Gyaltsen 1325-1341
• Jamyang Donyo Gyaltsen 1341-1344
• Lama Dampa Sonam Lotro Gyaltsen 1344-1347
• Lotro Gyaltsen 1347-1365

Sakya today

The head of the Sakya school, known asSakya Trizin("holder of the Sakya throne"), is always drawn from the male line of the Khön family. The present Sakya Trizin,Ngawang Kunga Tegchen Palbar Trinley Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo, born in Tsedong in 1945, is the forty-first to hold that office. 41st Sakya Trizin is the reincarnation of two great Tibetan masters: a Nyingmapa lama known as Apong Terton (Orgyen Thrinley Lingpa), who is famous for his Red Tara cycle, and his grandfather, the 39th Kyabgon Sakya Trizin Dhagtshul Thrinley Rinchen (1871–1936).[12]Today, he resides in Rajpur, India along with his wife, Gyalyum Kushok Tashi Lhakyi, and two sonsRatna Vajra RinpocheandGyana Vajra Rinpoche. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche being the older son, is the lineage holder and is married toDagmo Kalden Dunkyi Sakyaand Gyana Vajra Rinpoche is married to Dagmo Sonam Palkyi Sakya.

Traditionally hereditary succession alternates between the two Sakya palaces since Khon Könchok Gyelpo's (1034–1102) reign. The Ducho sub-dynasty of Sakya survives split into two palaces, the Dolma Phodrang and Phuntsok Phodrang. Sakya Trizin is head of the Dolma Phodrang.H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya(b. 1929) is the head of the Phuntsok Phodrang, and lives in Seattle, Washington, where he co-founded Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism withDezhung Rinpoche III, and constructed the first Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in the United States. Dagchen Sakya's father was the previous Sakya Trizin, Trichen Ngawang Thutop Wangchuk, throne holder of Sakya, and his mother Dechen Drolma. Dagchen Sakya is married to Her Eminence Dagmo Jamyang Kusho Sakya; they have five sons, and several grandchildren.

The Rimé movement

During the 19th century the great Sakya master andtertonJamyang Khyentse Wangpo, the famousKagyumasterJamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thayeand the importantNyingmaterton OrgyenChokgyur Lingpafounded theRime movement, an alleged ecumenical attempt to incorporate all teachings of all schools, to overcome the separation of Buddhist transmission in different traditions.

This movement still influences modern Tibetan Buddhist practice through the "five great treasures" ofJamgon Kongtruland the treasure of rediscovered teachings (Rinchen Terdzöd).