Drukpa Kagyu

Drugpa Kagyu ('brug pa bka' brgyud)
The Drugpa Kagyu lineage (’brug pa) was established by Lingje Repa Pema Dorje (gling rje ras pa padma rdo rje), (1128-1188) and Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje (gtsang pa rgya ras ye shes rdo rje), (1161-1211). Two of its most famous masters were the yogi Drugpa Kunleg (’brug pa kun legs), (1455-1529), a disciple of the 2nd Drugchen Kunga Paljor (rgyal dbang ’brug chen kun dga’ dpal ’byor), (1428-1476), and the 4th Drugchen Pema Karpo (kun mkhyen pad ma dkar po), (1527-1592), an exceptional scholar, realised master and great historian. As with some of the other Kagyu schools, a number of sub-sects were established within the Drugpa Kagyu lineage. There are the Tö Drug (stod ‘brug), established by Götsangpa Gönpo Dorje (rgod gtsang pa mgon po rdo rje), (1189-1258); the Mä Drug (smad 'brug), established by Lorepa Wangchuk Tsöndru (lo ras pa dbang phyug brtson ’grus, 1187-1250); and several others. Even within these sub-sects further sub-sects came into being, like the Barawa Kagyu lineage ('ba' ra ba). One of the two incarnations of the 4th Drugchen Pema Karpo, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgyal), (1594-1651) went to Bhutan and established his lineage there. He was the first to unify Bhutan and became the founder of the Kingdom of Bhutan as we know it today.