Lion's Roar

  • Meditation
  • Buddhist Wisdom
  • Life & Culture
  • The Magazine
  • Buddhadharma
  • Store

Lion's Roar

DONATE SUBSCRIBE
  • Meditation
  • Buddhist Wisdom
  • Life & Culture
  • The Magazine
  • Buddhadharma
  • Store
LR

What Are the Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism?

by Lion's Roar Staff| January 9, 2020

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Illustration by Ray Fenwick.

With so many lineages, practices, and unique terms, the world of Tibetan Buddhism can be confusing. Here is a short primer on the four main schools and some of their key practices.

Gelugpa: Established in the fifteenth century, the Gelugpas are the newest and largest school. The Dalai Lama is always a Gelugpa (although not technically its head). Key practices include the Madhyamika (Middle Way) logics and the Lam Rim (Stages of the Path) system.

Nyingma: The Nyingmas (Ancient Ones) are the original Buddhists of Tibet. Their founder was the legendary Vajrayana master Padmasambhava, who is said to have first brought Buddhism to Tibet. The nine-step (yana) Nyingma path culminates in the renowned practice of Dzogchen.

Kagyu: The Kagyu (Ear-Whispered Lineage) specializes in Vajrayana practices passed orally from teacher to student. The lineage traces its origins to the Indian scholar–yogi Naropa, his Tibetan student Marpa, and the celebrated poet–yogi Milarepa. Key practices include Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa.

Sakya: The Sakya is the smallest of the four major schools. The lineage was founded in the eleventh century by Drogmi, a scholar and translator who studied with Indian masters, including Naropa. A key practice is Lamdre (“Path and Its Fruit”).

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Can you help us at a critical time?

COVID-19 has brought tremendous suffering, uncertainty, fear, and strain to the world.

Our sincere wish is that these Buddhist teachings, guided practices, and stories can be a balm in these difficult times. Over the past month, over 400,000 readers like you have visited our site, reading almost a million pages and streaming over 120,000 hours of video teachings. We want to provide even more Buddhist wisdom but our resources are strained. Can you help us?

No one is free from the pandemic’s impact, including Lion’s Roar. We rely significantly on advertising and newsstand sales to support our work — both of which have dropped precipitously this year. Can you lend your support to Lion’s Roar at this critical time?

SUPPORT LION’S ROAR

Lion's Roar Staff

About Lion's Roar Staff

Lion's Roar is the website of Lion's Roar magazine (formerly the Shambhala Sun) and Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly, with exclusive Buddhist news, teachings, art, and commentary. Sign up for the Lion's Roar weekly newsletter and follow Lion's Roar on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Topics: Beginner's Mind, Buddhism by the Numbers, Gelug, Kagyu, Lion's Roar - May '19, Nyingma, Sakya, Teachings, Tibet, Vajrayana / Tibetan Buddhism

Related Posts...

How to Practice Bowing
by Brother Phap Hai
How to Be a Bodhisattva
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Woman floating over the earth.This Floating World
by Joan Sutherland

Welcome to LionsRoar.com

By Lion's Roar Staff

We’re glad to have you here. But first: who are “we”? You may very well know us as the publishers of two Buddhist magazines, the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma. Then again, you may not know us at all. Either way, please allow us to re-introduce ourselves: We’re the Shambhala Sun Foundation. We [...]

  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscriber Services
  • Privacy
  • BUDDHIST DIRECTORY
  • About Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
TEACHINGS
  • Chan & Zen
  • Nichiren
  • Pure Land
  • Shin
  • Theravada & Insight
  • Vajrayana & Tibetan
  • More…
LIFE
  • Death & Dying
  • Difficult Times
  • Everyday Life
  • Food & Eating
  • Love & Relationships
  • Wellness & Psychology
  • More…
EXPLORE BUDDHISM
  • By the Numbers
  • FAQs
  • For Beginners
  • Glossary
  • How to Meditate
  • The Buddha
  • More…
NEWS
  • Breaking News
  • Climate Change
  • Contemporary Art
  • Current Events
  • Politics & Society
  • Teachers & Centers
  • More…

© 2021 Lion's Roar | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 902.422.8404 | Published by Lion's Roar Foundation