Drukpa Kagyu

Drukpa Kagyu ('brug pa bka' brgyud)
The Drukpa 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 Drukpa Kunleg (’brug pa kun legs), (1455-1529), a disciple of the 2nd Drukchen Kunga Paljor (rgyal dbang ’brug chen kun dga’ dpal ’byor), (1428-1476), and the 4th Drukchen 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 Drukpa Kagyu lineage. There are the Tö Druk (stod ‘brug), established by Götsangpa Gönpo Dorje (rgod gtsang pa mgon po rdo rje), (1189-1258); the Bar-Druk, established by Dharma Senge Sangye Ön (dhar ma seng ge sangs rgya ’on 1177-1237); the Mä Druk (smad 'brug), established by Lorepa Wangchuk Tsöndru (lo ras pa dbang phyug brtson ’grus, 1187-1250); the Lho-Druk established by Phajo Drukgom Shigpo (pha jo ’brug sgom zhig po, 1184-1251); 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.