gang zag snyan khung brgyud pa

the whispered lineage of (ordinary) individuals, the aural lineage of (ordinary) individuals, the hearing lineage of (ordinary) individuals, the auditory lineage of (ordinary) individuals. (snyan khung is literally 'ear hole', 'ear passage', 'ear canal', and often implies that this lineage is 'whispered'. The 'individuals' in this context may be 'ordinary' in contradistinction to the lineages of the Vidyādharas and so forth; and 'ordinary' individuals receive the teachings of this lineage orally, from another 'individual' who is superior or extraordinary by virtue of holding the lineage. Hence 'whispered etc. lineage of individuals' without a qualifier of either 'ordinary' or 'superior' etc. may possibly be appropriate in some contexts, but a qualifying adjective may also be necessary.) See also gang zag snyan khung gi brgyud pa [Erick Tsiknopoulos]