The ''Sakya'' (, 'pale earth') school is one of four major schools of

Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...

, the others being the

Nyingma Nyingma (, ), also referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Nyingma school was founded by PadmasambhavaClaude Arpi, ''A Glimpse of the History of Tibet'', Dharamsala: Tibet Museum, 2013. ...

Kagyu The ''Kagyu'' school, also transliterated as ''Kagyü'', or ''Kagyud'' (), which translates to "Oral Lineage" or "Whispered Transmission" school, is one of the main schools (''chos lugs'') of Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan (or Himalayan) Buddhism. ...

, and

Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India) The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...

. It is one of the

Red Hat Order ''Red Hat sects'' is the English language translation of the Tibetic languages term ''shamar'' ( uchen Tibetan script: ཞྭ་དམར)—"red hat" or "red hats"—collectively denoting the three oldest of the four primary sects of Tibetan Buddh ...

s along with the Nyingma and Kagyu.

Origins

Virūpa, 16th century. It depicts a famous episode in his hagiography when he stopped the sun in the sky. The name ''Sakya'' ("pale earth") derives from the unique grey landscape of the Ponpori Hills in southern

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...

near Shigatse, where

Sakya Monastery Sakya Monastery (), also known as Pel Sakya (; "White Earth" or "Pale Earth"), is a Buddhist monastery situated in Sa'gya Town (ས་སྐྱ་), Sa'gya County, about west of Shigatse in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The monastery ...

, the first monastery of this tradition, and the seat of the Sakya School was built by Khon Konchog Gyalpo (1034–1102) in 1073. The Sakya tradition developed during the second period of translation of Buddhist scripture from

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

into Tibetan in the late 11th century. It was founded by

Drogmi Drogmi (Drogmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshe) (c. 992–1064) transmitted the tantric system "Path and Fruit" (Lamdré) which came to be the central esoteric tradition of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. Drogmi was a famous scholar and translator who ...

, a famous scholar and translator who had studied at the

Vikramashila Vikramashila ( IAST: ) was a Buddhist monastery situated in what is now modern-day Bihar in India. It was founded by King Dharmapala between the late eighth and early ninth century. It was one of the three most important Buddhist Mahaviharas ...

directly under

Naropa Nāropā (Prakrit; , Naḍapāda or Abhayakirti) was an Indian Buddhism, Buddhist Mahasiddha. He was the disciple of Tilopa and brother, or some sources say partner and pupil, of Niguma. As an Indian Mahasiddha, Naropa's instructions inform ...

Ratnākaraśānti Ratnākaraśānti (also known as Ratnākara, Śāntipa, and Śānti) (late 10th-century CE to mid 11th-century CE) was an influential Buddhist philosopher and vajrayana tantric adept and scholar. He was the "gate scholar" of Vikramaśilā unive ...

Vāgīśvarakīrti Vāgīśvarakīrti (also known by the monastic name of Śīlakīrti) was an 11th-century Indian Buddhist monk and scholar at the monastery of Vikramashila in the modern-day state of Bihar. He played a significant role in the development of esoteric ...

and other great panditas from

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

for twelve years. Khon Konchog Gyalpo became 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,

Sachen Kunga Nyingpo Sachen Kunga Nyingpo () (1092–1158) was a Tibetan spiritual leader and the first of the Five Venerable Supreme Sakya Masters of Tibet. Sachen Kunga Nyinpo was the 3rd Sakya Trizin and son of Khon Konchok Gyalpo (1034–1102) who was the firs ...

, who became known as Sachen, or "Great Sakyapa": *

(1092–1158) *

Sonam Tsemo Sonam Tsemo (; 1142–1182) (or Lobpon Rinpoche Sonam Tsemo), an important Tibetan sprititual leader and Buddhist scholar, was the second of the so-called Five Venerable Supreme Sakya Masters of Tibet, the founding fathers of the Sakya traditio ...

(1142–1182) *

Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen () (1147–1216) was a Tibetan people, Tibetan spiritual leader and the third of the Five Sakya (tribe), Sakya Patriarchs (''sa skya gong ma rnam lnga'') of Tibet. He was also the guru of the famous Sakya Pandita. See also ...

(1147–1216) *

Sakya Pandita Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen (Tibetan: ས་སྐྱ་པཎ་ཌི་ཏ་ཀུན་དགའ་རྒྱལ་མཚན, ) who lived from (1 April 1182 – 28 December 1251) was a Tibetan spiritual leader and Buddhist scholar and t ...

(1182–1251) *

Drogön Chögyal Phagpa Drogön Chogyal Phagpa (), who lived from (26 March 1235 – 15 December 1280), was the fifth leader of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also the first Imperial Preceptor of the Yuan dynasty and was concurrently named the director o ...

(1235–1280)

Buton Rinchen Drub Butön Rinchen Drup (), (1290–1364), 11th Abbot of Shalu Monastery, was a 14th-century Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school), Sakya master and Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhist leader. Shalu was the first of the major monasteries to be built by nob ...

(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 (1367–1449) * Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo * Zongpa Kunga Namgyel *

Gorampa Gorampa Sonam Senge (, 1429–1489Dreyfus (2003) p.301) was an important philosopher in the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the author of a vast collection of commentaries on sutra and tantra whose work was influential throughout Tibetan ...

(1429–1489) *

Sakya Chokden Serdok Penchen Sakya Chokden (gser mdog pan chen shakya mchog ldan, 1428–1507) (also transliterated as ''Shakya Chogden'') was one of the most important religious thinkers of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a student of Rongtön Sh ...

(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

Sachen, the first of the five supreme masters, inherited a wealth of tantric doctrines from numerous

an translators or "

lotsawa Lotsawa () is a Tibetan title used to refer to the Nyingma's ''Ancient Translation School'' of 108 Tibetan translators, which include Vairotsana, Rinchen Zangpo, Marpa Lotsawa, Tropu Lotsawa Jampa Pel and many others. They worked alongside In ...

s" who had visited

: most importantly Drokmi Lotsawa,

Bari Lotsawa This is a chronological list of important Tibetan writers. 7th-10th century 11th century 12th century 13th century 14th century 15th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 20th century (cont ...

and

Mal Lotsawa Mal or MAL may refer to: Places * Mal (community development block), in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India * Mal (Vidhan Sabha constituency), an assembly constituency in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India * Malbazar or Mal, a to ...

. From Drokmi comes the supreme teaching of Sakya, the system of

Lamdre Lamdré is a meditative system in Tibetan Buddhism rooted in the view that the result of its practice is contained within the path. The name "lamdré" means the "path" () with its fruit ). In Tibet, the lamdré teachings are considered the ''summu ...

"Path and its Fruit" deriving from the

mahasiddha Mahasiddha (Sanskrit: ''mahāsiddha'' "great adept; ) is a term for someone who embodies and cultivates the "siddhi of perfection". A siddha is an individual who, through the practice of sādhanā, attains the realization of siddhis, psychic and ...

Virūpa Virupa (; Tib. ''bi ru pa'' or ''bir wa pa, ''), also known as Virupaksa and Tutop Wangchuk, was an 8th–9th century Indian mahasiddha and yogi, and the source of important cycles of teachings in Vajrayana Buddhism. Origin of Virupa/Birubapa ...

based upon the

Hevajra Hevajra ( Tibetan: kye'i rdo rje / kye rdo rje; Chinese: 喜金剛 Xǐ jīngāng / 呼金剛 Hū jīngāng;) is one of the main yidams (enlightened beings) in Tantric, or Vajrayana Buddhism. Hevajra's consort is Nairātmyā ( Tibetan: bdag ...

Tantra. Mal Lotsawa introduced to Sakya the esoteric

Vajrayogini Vajrayoginī (; , Dorjé Naljorma) is an important figure in Buddhism, especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism. In Vajrayana she is considered a female Buddhahood, Buddha and a . Vajrayoginī is often described with the epithet ''sarvabuddhaḍā ...

lineage known as "Naro Khachoma." From Bari Lotsawa came innumerable tantric practices, foremost of which was the cycle of practices known as the ''One Hundred Sadhanas''. Other key transmissions that form part of the Sakya spiritual curriculum include the cycles of

Vajrakilaya In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrakilaya (, also ; or Vajrakumara (; ) is a wrathful heruka yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the Buddhas. His practice is known for being the most powerful for removing obstacles and destroying th ...

Mahākāla Mahākāla (, ) is a deity common to Hinduism and Buddhism. In Buddhism, Mahākāla is regarded as a '' Dharmapāla'' ("Protector of the Dharma") and a wrathful manifestation of a Buddha, while in Hinduism, Mahākāla is a fierce manifestatio ...

and Guhyasamāja tantras. The fourth Sakya patriarch,

, was notable for his exceptional scholarship and composed many important and influential texts on

sutra ''Sutra'' ()Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a ...

and tantra, including "Means of Valid Cognition: A Treasury of Reasoning" (), "Clarifying the Sage's Intent" () and "Discriminating the Three Vows" (). The main Dharma system of the Sakya school is the "Path with its Result" (), which is split into two main lineages, "Explanation for the Assembly" () and the "Explanation for Close Disciples" (). The other major system of the Sakya school is the "

Explanation For Disciples" (). Another important series of teachings is based on verses of Günga Nyingpo (1092–1158) called "separating from the four attachments" which is the subject of commentaries by numerous Sakya masters like Drakpa Gyeltsen, Sakya Pandita, Ngorchen Günga Sangpo, and

Sönam Senggé. The verses are:

If you cling to this life, then you are not a dharma practitioner.

If you cling to existence, then you do not have renunciation.

If you are attached to your own interests, then you do not have the mind of awakening.

If you hold to a position, then you do not have the correct view.

Subschools

In due course, two subsects emerged from the main Sakya lineage, * Ngor, founded in Tsang by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382–1457). The Ngor school is centered on Ngor Evam Choden monastery. It represents 85% of the Sakyapa school 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). There were three "mother" monasteries of the Sakya school:

, 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. The Bodongpa tradition, founded by Bodong Panchen Chögle Namgyel

376 1451 __NOTOC__ Year 376 ( CCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valens and Augustus (or, less frequently, year 1129 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 376 ...

is considered by some scholars to be a sub-sect of the Sakya tradition.

Feudal lordship over Tibet

The

Mongol conquest of Tibet There were several Mongol invasions of Tibet. The earliest is the alleged plot to invade Tibet by Genghis Khan in 1206, which is considered anachronistic; there is no evidence of Mongol-Tibetan encounters prior to the military campaign in 1240 ...

began after the foundation of the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...

in the early 13th century. In 1264, the feudal reign over Tibet was given to

Kublai Khan Kublai Khan (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder and first emperor of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China. He proclaimed the ...

, founder of the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...

. Sakya lamas, along with Sakya

Imperial Preceptor The Imperial Preceptor, or Dishi (; ), was a high title and powerful post in the Yuan dynasty. It was created by Kublai Khan as part of Mongol patronage of Tibetan Buddhism and the Yuan administrative rule of Tibet. The title was originally cre ...

s and

dpon-chen The ''dpon-chen'' or ''pönchen'' (), literally the "great authority" or "great administrator", was the chief administrator or governor of Tibet based at the Sakya Monastery during the Yuan dynasty. The office was established in the 1260s and fun ...

s continued to serve as viceroys or administrators of Tibet on behalf of Yuan emperors for nearly 75 years after Phagpa’s death in 1280, until the Yuan dynasty was greatly weakened by the

Red Turban Rebellion The Red Turban Rebellions () were uprisings against the Yuan dynasty between 1351 and 1368, eventually leading to its collapse. Remnants of the Yuan imperial court retreated northwards and is thereafter known as the Northern Yuan in historiogr ...

in the 1350s, a decade before the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

founded by the

Han people The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 17.5% of the worl ...

overthrew the Yuan dynasty. The leaders of the Sakya regime were as follows. *

1253-1280 *

Dharmapala Raksita Dharmapala Raksita (), who lived from (1268 – December 1287) was the head of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, which was the most powerful school in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty from 1280 to 1282. He also held the title of Imperial Preceptor ...

1280-1282, d. 1287 *

Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen (), who lived from (1257 - 5 February 1305), was the ruler of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, which had precedence in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty, in 1286–1303. He also held the title of Imperial Preceptor ( ''Di ...

1286-1303 *

Zangpo Pal Zangpo Pal or Danyi Chenpo Zangpo Pal (), who lived from (1261-1323) was the ruler of Sakya, which held a precedence position in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty. He also held the title of Imperial Preceptor (Dishi) from 1298, to his demise in 1323. F ...

1306-1323 *

Khatsun Namkha Lekpa Gyaltsen Khatsun Namkha Lekpa Gyaltsen , orthographic spelling, , who lived from (1305-1343) was a ruler of Sakya, which had a precedence position in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty. He also held the title of guoshi from 1325 to his dethronement in 1341. Sinc ...

1325-1341 *

Jamyang Donyo Gyaltsen Jamyang Donyo Gyaltsen , in orthographic spelling, ''Jam dbyangs don yod rgyal mts'an'', who lived from (1310-1344) was a ruler of Sakya which had a precedence position in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty. He reigned from 1341 until his death in 1344. ...

1341-1344 *

Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen Sönam Gyaltsen, the Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school), Sakya Lama Dampa () was a ruler of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, who lived from (1312-1323) which had a precedence position in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty. He is considered the greatest ...

1344-1347 *

Lotro Gyaltsen Lotro Gyaltsen in orthographic spelling, ''bLo gros rgyal mts'an'', was a ruler of Sakya, who lived from (1332-1365), his tribe had an important position of precedence in Tibet as an Imperial Preceptor under the Yuan dynasty. He reigned from 1347 t ...

1347-1365

Sakya today

The head of the Sakya school, known as

Sakya Trizin Sakya Trizin ( "Sakya Throne-Holder") is the traditional title of the head of the Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school), Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism.''Holy Biographies of the Great Founders of the Glorious Sakya Order'', translated by Venerable ...

("holder of the Sakya throne"), is always drawn from the male line of the Khön family. The present Sakya Trizin,

Gyana Vajra Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the country's largest cit ...

is the forty-third to hold that office. 41st Sakya Trizin is thought to be the reincarnation of two great Tibetan masters: a

Nyingmapa Nyingma (, ), also referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Nyingma school was founded by PadmasambhavaClaude Arpi, ''A Glimpse of the History of Tibet'', Dharamsala: Tibet Museum, 2013. ...

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). Traditionally, hereditary succession has alternated 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. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya (1929–2016) was the head of the Phuntsok Phodrang, and lived in Seattle, Washington, where he co-founded Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism with Dezhung 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 was married to Dagmo Jamyang Kusho Sakya; they have five sons, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The Rimé movement

Having seen how the

institutions pushed the other traditions into the corners of Tibet's cultural life,

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (, 1820–1892), also known by his tertön title, Pema Ösel Dongak Lingpa, was a teacher, scholar and tertön of 19th-century Tibet. He was a leading figure in the Rimé movement. Having seen how the Gelug institutions p ...

and

Jamgön Kongtrül Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thayé (, 1813–1899), also known as Jamgön Kongtrül the Great, was a Tibetan Buddhist scholar, poet, artist, physician, tertön and polymath. He is credited as one of the founders of the Rimé movement (non-sectari ...

compiled together the teachings of the Sakya,

and

, including many near-extinct teachings. Without Khyentse and Kongtrul's collecting and printing of rare works, the suppression of Buddhism by the Communists would have been much more final.Schaik, Sam van. ''Tibet: A History''. Yale University Press 2011, page 169.

Notes

References

*Davidson, Ronald (1992). "Preliminary Studies on Hevajra's Abhisamaya and the Lam 'bras Tshogs bshad." In Davidson, Ronald M. & Goodman, Steven D. ''Tibetan Buddhism: reason and revelation''. State University of New York Press: Albany, N.Y. pp. 107–132. * *Trichen, Chogyay. ''History of the Sakya Tradition'', Ganesha Press, 1993

External links

His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, Official Website.

Chödung Karmo, Sakya Translation Group

Sakya Library

Sachen Foundation

Sakya Tradition

Sakya History

Dechen Buddhist Centre

The French Ngorpa temple.

Palden Sakya - Website of Sakya Trizin's Monastery in Rajpur, India

Tsechen Kunchab Ling - Sakya Trizin's seat in the United States

Sakya Tsechen Thubten Ling - Canada

Sakya Foundation - Canada

Sakya Dechenling - Canada

Sakya Kachöd Chöling - Canada

International Buddhist Academy (IBA) in Kathmandu, Nepal

Sakya Foundation - USA

Sakya Monastery in Seattle, Washington
* SAKYA TRADITION: DROGON CHOGYAL PHAGPA- ''Holy Biography of the Fifth Founder of the Sakya Order Synthesized from a biography written by Sakyapa Ngawang Kunga Sodnam'' {{Authority control Schools of Tibetan Buddhism