Shangpa Lineages Outline

This outline is based on the research of E. Gene Smith, Nicole Riggs and Michael Pahlke, as well as some research of my own.

The Seven Shangpa Jewels:

• Vajradhara
  
• Niguma
  
• Khyungpo Naljor (11/12th century)
  
• Mokchokpa Rinchen Tsondrü (1110-1170?)
  
• Kyergangpa Chökyi Senge (1143-1216)
  
• Rigongpa Sangye Nyentön (1175-1247)
  
• Sangye Tönpa (1213-1285)
  
  

Until then the full Shangpa transmissions were given from the lineage holding master to only a single student. It fell then to Sangye Tönpa to disseminate the transmissions more widely, and he gave the full lineage transmission to his two main students:

• Shangtön Khedrub Tsangma (1234-1309), who originated the Jonang transmission of the Shangpa, the Thanglug and Jagpa lineages.
  
• Chöje Shönu Drub (d.1319), who originated the Nyangme Samding lineage.
  
  

Jonang transmission of the Shangpa - originated with Shangtön Khedrub Tsangma (1234-1309)

• Khyungpo Tsültrim Gön
• Ritrö Rechen Sangye Senge
• Shangkarwa Rinchen Gyaltsen (1353-1435)
• Nyame Sangye Palsang (1398-1465)
• Drubchen Namkha Gyaltsen
• Gyagom Legpa Gyaltsen
• Jetsün Kunga Drölchog (1507-1566)
• Chöku Lhawang Dragpa
• Jetsün Taranatha (1575-1635)
• Jetsün Yeshe Gyatso
• Jampa Yönten Gonpo
• Jalü Gönpo Paljor
• Drubchog Gönpo Dragpa
• Khyabdag Gönpo Namgyal
• Kathok Rigdzin Tshewang Dragpa (1698-1755)
• Gyalwang Drugpa Thrinle Shingta (1718-1766)
• Mokchok Kunga Geleg Palbar
• Kunga Lhündrub Gyatso
• Drubchog Kagyü Tendzin
• Chokzig Karma Lhagtong
• Karma Shenpen Öser
• Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye (1813-1899)
  
  

Thanglug - originated with Shangtön Khedrub Tsangma (1234-1309)

• Müchen Gyaltsen Palsang
• Khedrub Dorje Shönu
• Namkhe Naljor
• Jangsem Jinpa Sangpo
• Drubchen Thangtong Gyalpo
• Mangkar Gönsar Gyüdzin Lodrö Gyaltsen
• Khedrub Palden Karpo
• Jetsün Sönam Tsemo
• Kalsang Gyurme Dechen (b.1540)
• Dzongpa Khenchen Ngawang Chödrag
• Jamyang Sönam Gyaltsen
• Ngawang Tenpa Dargye
• Mangthö Sönam Chöpel
• Kunga Legpe Jungne
• Jamyang Sönam Palsang
• Phagchog Chönyi Yeshe
• Mü Yeshe Gyalchog
• Yongdzin Mati
• Jamgön Dorje Rinchen
• Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892)
• Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye (1813-1899)
  
  

Jagpa - originated with Shangtön Khedrub Tsangma (1234-1309)

• Jagpa Gyaltsen Bum (1261-1334)
• Jagchen Jampa Pal (1310-1391)
• Drubchen Rindzongpa Jangchub Gyaltsen (b.1317)
• Drubthob Chöjung Rinchen (1351-1408)
• Lapchi Namkha Gyaltsen (1372-1437)
  
  

Nyangme Samding - originated with Chöje Shönu Drub (d.1319)

• Serlingpa Tashi Pal (1292-1365)
• Dragpo Chewa Dorje Pal
• Chögowa Chöpal Sherab
  
  

We do not know how the Jagpa and Nyangme Samding lineages continued, whether they died out or were absorbed into the Jonang and Thanglug lineages or not. However that may be, the existing lineages were all received by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye and continue, as shown below, until the present day.

• Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye (1813-1899)
• Karma Tashi Chöpel
• Lama Norbu Döndrub
• Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche (1905-1989)
• Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche (1940-2004)
• Kyabje Tenga Rinpoche (b.1932)
• Kyabje Kalu Yangsi Rinpoche (b.1990)
  
  

Clearly there are extant Shangpa lineages in Tibet, such as the one maintained in Tshabtsha Monastery in Kham/Eastern Tibet. The master of that monastery had done a retreat focussing on the Shangpa practices under Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye, at his seat of Tsadra Rinchen Drak. Upon his return to his own monastery, he constructed another such retreat centre there. Apparently the previous Kalu Rinpoche went there in the 1940s and both masters exchanged Shangpa transmissions.

Yet another functioning Shangpa retreat centre can be found at Benchen monastery in Nangchen/Eastern Tibet, the seat of the Sangye Nyenpa, Tenga and Chime Tulku Rinpoches. This goes back to the previous, 2nd Tenga Rinpoche Tendzin Chögyal (d.1930), who had been a close disciple and attendant of Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye. He performed the Shangpa retreat under Jamgön Kongtrul's supervision and served as the retreat master, or Drubpön, for a number of retreats while Jamgön Kongtrul himself was obliged to travel to Central Tibet.

However, at the present moment, their exact transmission succession could not be fully researched. [TSD]