Short History of the Sakya tradition
The Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism was founded by Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092 – 1158 A.D.). Since that time the tradition and its two principal sub-schools, the Ngorpas and the Tsharpas, have been adorned by the labours and spiritual blessings of numerous illustrious yogis and scholars. Many great Sakya masters have written precious commentaries to the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni of all three vehicles – the Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. The most important cycle of teachings and meditations of the Sakya tradition is the Lamdre – The Path and its Fruit, enunciated by the great 9th century Indian tantric master and saint, Mahasiddha Virupa. Lamdre is a system of knowledge of practicing the entire range of sutric and tantric teachings of the Buddha. The Lamdre lineage of transmission has been preserved to this day in an uninterrupted way and its practices are still upheld by many practitioners.
