The Treasury of Lives

The Drigung Kagyu tradition was initiated by Jikten Gonpo, a disciple of Pakmodrupa, upon the establishment of Drigung Til Monastery in 1179. One of the largest and most influential Kagyu sub-traditions, it briefly vied with the Sakya for control of Tibet during the thirteenth century. Originally led by the Kyura clan, since the seventeenth century it has been headed by the Drigung Chungtsang and Drigung Chetsang incarnation lines. The tradition is particularly strong in Ladakh.

 

Incarnation Lines

Institutions

Images

Cakrasamvara with the footprints of Drigungpa Rinchen Pel.

Chakrasamvara, Sahaja Heruka, with the footprints of Drigungpa Rinchen Pel.

Jikten Gonpo with the First Chungtsang and the Second Chetsang

This sixteenth century painting shows the Drigung founder, Jikten Gonpo, with two men who stood at the beginning of the two main incarnation lines at monastery, the Drigung Chetsang and the Drigung Chungtsang.

Padmasambhava with Drigung Kagyu Refuge Field

This late eighteenth or early twentieth century Drigung Kagyu painting of Padmasambhava and the Drigung Kagyu refuge field is associated with a terma tradition of Rinchen Puntsok. Drigung Monastery is pictured along the bottom of the painting along with Terdrom on the left edge. A nearby treasure site is shown adjacent to Terdrom.

Biographies

There are 77 related biographies