Drigung-Kagyu

The Drigung Kagyu School ( Tib . : 'bri gung bka' brgyud ) is one of the so-called "eight smaller schools" of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism ( Vajrayana ). It is one of the schools that emerged from the lineage of Marpa the Translator (1012-1097).

Emergence

The Drigung School was called by Drigung Juchten Gönpo (Tib .: 'bri gung' jig rten mgon po ; 1143–1217), also Jigen Sumgön (Tib .: 'jig rten gsum mgon ), a student of Phagmo Drupa , with the Establishment of the Drigung Thil Monastery in Tibet in 1179 . According to tradition, the first Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa and the Indian Maha pandita Shakya Shribhadra (based on the reference of a Sinhala Arhat and his vision of Tara ) regarded Jigen Gönpo as the reincarnation of the great Mahayana scholar Nagarjuna . In the beginning, the Drigung School was probably the most widespread Kagyu sub-school. Tsongkhapa , the founder of the Gelug school tradition, received in Drigung Thil in 1373 from the eleventh Drigungpa Chökyi Gyalpo (1334–1407) the traditions of the "fivefold path of mahamudra " (Tib .: Phyag chen lnga ldan ), the "Great Drigung ritual for production of bodhicitta "(Tib .: 'Bri gung sems bskyed chen mo ) and a yoga for longevity. The school still has a special weight in Ladakh . It has been led by the incarnations of the "two brothers" since the 17th century, currently the 37th holder of the throne " Drigung Chetsang Rinpoche " (Tib .: 'bri gung che tshang rin po che ) and the 36th holder of the throne " Drigung Chungtsang Rinpoche " (Tib .: 'bri gung chung tshang rin po che ). These two go back to two of the most important abbots Drigung Thils, namely Könchog Ratna (1590-1654) and his younger brother Rigdzin Chökyi Dragpa (1595-1659). Before that, this tradition was mainly led by ordained members of the Kyura (Tib .: sKyu ra ) family.

to teach

The most important teachings of Jigen Gönpo include the dGongs gcig ("the one intention"), a text in which (as the title of the text says) he addresses the core of the Buddha's teaching with regard to the point of view, behavior and practice - his an intention ”- tries to connect. In the eight chapters of the book, the teachings, which have been subdivided further and further by the scholarly tradition over time, are brought back to the “one core point”. For example, it is shown that the three forms of vows (the listener, the bodhisattvas, and the tantric) actually have a single core point, namely the avoidance of unwholesome acts ( dGongs gcig 1.24), or that the three "rotations of the wheel of doctrine “Are basically designed in such a way that each one contains the other. Another important work is Theg chen bstan pa'i snying po ("Essence of Mahayana Teachings"), which belongs to the "Levels of Teaching" ( bstan rim ) texts and provides an overview of all topics of Mahayana (including Tantra) gives. The main practice of Drigungpa is the Phyag chen lnga ldan ( "five-membered path of Mahamudra ") with the members (1) Bodhichitta , (2) tantrische deity (Tib. Yi dam ), (3) Guru yoga of the four kayas (Nirmana- , Sambhoga, Dharma and Svabhavikakaya (see also Trikaya )), (4) Mahamudra, and (5) Dedication of the wholesome mental impressions. Jigen Gönpo taught that the five limbs of this practice must be maintained at all times and must be fully included in every practice session ( dGongs gcig 2.14.). Jigen Gönpo also transmitted the classical Kagyu practices such as the “ Six Yogas of Naropa ” and Gampopa's special Mahamudra transmission of “innate unity” (Tib. Lhan cig skyes sbyor ) and the “Four Yogas of Mahamudra”. In later times, termas of the northern tradition of treasures ( byang gter ) were also transmitted by the Drigungpas, of which the practice of "Yangzab" Dzogchen is the most important. The special Drigung practice of the transmission of consciousness " Phowa " is of particular importance .

distribution

In addition to the classic ancestral areas in Tibet and Ladakh, Drigung Kagyu communities can also be found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Malaysia, in South America, North America and Europe. Some communities have also developed in Germany.

Buddhist music

The Buddhist music of the Drigung Kagyu School in Maizhokunggar County (Tibet Autonomous Region) is on the list of the intangible cultural heritage of the People's Republic of China (637 II-138 Zhikong Gaju pai yinyue 直孔噶举派音乐).

Web links

Drigung-Kagyü (alternative names of the lemma)
Drigung-Kagyü, 'bri gung bka' brgyud, Chinese Zhigong Gaju 止贡噶举, Brigung Gagyu, 直孔噶举