Eight Chariots of Transmission

AKA "Chariots of Tibetan Buddhism", "Chariots of the Practice Lineages", "Great Practice lineages" and "Great Disciplines"

---

"The practice of Buddhism in Tibet is encompassed by the eight major practice traditions called in Tibet the Eight Chariots of the Practice Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The Eight Chariots, or conveyances, refer to the eight major practice lineages of Tibetan learning and attainment, traditions which can be traced directly back through the centuries of the history of Tibet and beyond that into India. These traditions encompass the major schools and lineages within Tibet."

• Nyingma Lineage
• Kadampa Lineage
• Sakya Lineage
• Marpa Kagyü Lineage
• Shangpa Kagyü Lineage
• Shije and Chö Lineages
• Jodruk Lineage
• Nyendrub Lineage

---

"The major practice traditions are often referred to in Tibetan literature as the Eight Chariots of the Practice Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The Eight Chariots refer to the eight major practice lineages of Tibetan learning and attainment, traditions which can be traced directly back through the centuries of the history of Tibet and beyond that into India. These traditions encompass the major schools and lineages within Tibet:

• The main doctrinal lineage of Kama, the Ancient Translation School known as Nyingmapa
• Atisha's lineage, the Old Kadampa School, and the New Kadampa
• The lineage of the glorious Sakyapa
• The Four Major Schools and Eight Minor Schools of the lineage of the Marpa Kagyü Tradition
• The Shangpa Kagyü 6. Phadampa Sangye's and Machik Lapdron's lineage
• Vajra Yoga Instruction Lineage
• The Great Yogi Orgyenpa Rinchenpal's Lineage

"Each of the Eight Chariots of the Practice Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism has developed its own individual terminology within the context of specific practices, oral explanations and regional understandings. An image of Padmasambhava, the originator of many of the oral traditions and written texts used by one of the Eight Chariots, the Nyingma schoolSimilar or identical terms are used differently within the contexts of each tradition's systems, and carry different meanings."

---

• Nyingma - (snga 'gyur rnying ma)
• Kadam - (bka' gdams)
• Kagyü - (bka' brgyud)
• Shangpa Kagyü - (shangs pa bka' brgyud)
• Sakya - (sa skya)
• Cho and Shijey (gcod and zhi byed)
• Kalachakra - (dus 'khor or sbyor drug)
• Orgyen Nyendrub - (o rgyan bsnyen sgrub).
  (RY)

---