Sakya

Sakya (Wyl. sa skya) - one of the four main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, the Sakya school has its origins in the ancient Khön family of Tibet. Khön Luyi Wangpo was a disciple of Guru Rinpoche and one of the first seven Tibetan monks. In 1073 Khön Könchok Gyalpo founded the monastery of Sakya ('Grey Earth') in Central Tibet.

The Sakya tradition was established and spread by five great masters, the 'Sakya Gongma Nam Nga': Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), his two sons Sönam Tsemo (1142-1182) and Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), his grandson Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) and the latter's nephew Chögyal Pakpa (1235-1280). The Sakya lamas attracted the patronage of the Mongol emperors of China, and in 1253 Kublai Khan conferred the rulership fo the whole of Tibet upon his teacher, Chögyal Pakpa. This political ascendancy of Sakya lasted about a century, but Sakya itself remained an autonomous principality.

The Sakya tradition follows the complete Buddhist teaching of Sutras, Tantras and the outer sciences, the special teaching of the Sakya school being the Lamdré ('The Path and its Fruits'), which emphasizes the Hevajra Tantra and derives from the great Indian mahasiddha Virupa. Always stressing study as well as practice, the Sakya school has a reputation for scholarship and has produced a large number of outstanding scholars, such as: Yaktön Sangye Pal, Rongtön Sheja Kunrig, Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, Gorampa Sönam Senge, Rendawa and Shakya Chokden.

During the last century, the Sakya school enjoyed a new wave of creative activity under the inspiration of the great figures of the Rimé movement, such as Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Loter Wangpo and Gatön Ngawang Lekpa.

His Holiness Sakya Trizin, born in 1945, is the present head of the Sakya school, and the 41st in succession.

In exile in India, H.H. Sakya Trizin has initiated various projects to preserve and promote the great living tradition of the Sakya school. The Sakya Institute, the main seat of the Sakya school, offers a thorough training in the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Sakya tradition. The Sakya College is a school of higher philosophical studies where teaching methods are based on those of the Dzongsar shedra in East Tibet established by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. Dzongsar attracted many of the best scholars throughout Tibet, including Khenpo Appey, the former principal of Sakya College. The main Sakya retreat centre, which was under the direction of the late Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, is located in Nepal.

Among the Sakya centres established in the West is that directed by Sakya Dakchen Rinpoche, the head of the Phuntsok Podrang Palace of the royal Sakya lineage, whose seat is in Seattle.

Subschools

There are two important subschools: Ngorpa, founded by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382-1456) and Tsarpa, founded by Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502-1566).