What is Drikung Kagyu?
Drikung Kagyu is one of the eight “minor” sub-lineages of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, distinguished by its emphasis on Mahamudra meditation, intensive retreat practice, and the phowa tradition of consciousness transference at death. The term “minor” refers to lineages founded by disciples of Phagmo Drupa (1110-1170), Gampopa’s main disciple, rather than by Gampopa’s immediate students. The Drikung Kagyu is sometimes called the “Practice Lineage” due to its intense commitment to meditation practice. The lineage preserves the complete Kagyu transmission from Buddha Vajradhara through Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa, while adding distinctive teachings developed by its founder.
Origins & Lineage
Jigten Sumgön (1143-1217) founded the Drikung Kagyu lineage and Drikung Thil Monastery in 1179. He was considered the head of Phagmo Drupa’s 500 closest disciples. Historical accounts record that Jigten Sumgön’s teachings attracted more than 100,000 people at a time, with the highest number of attendance recorded at 130,000—an extraordinary gathering for 12th-century Tibet.
The main seat of the lineage is Drikung Thil monastery in Central Tibet, located northeast of Lhasa. The unique doctrines of Drikung Kagyu are preserved in the “Gongchig” (Single Intention) and “The Essence of Mahāyāna Teachings”. The Gongchig was written out by Jigten Sumgön’s heart disciple Won Sherab Jungne (1187-1241).
Two masters head the Drikung Kagyu school: the Drikung Chetsang and Drikung Chungtsang Rinpoches. The lineage is currently jointly headed by the 36th Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang Konchok Tenzin Chokyi Nangwa (1942-) who resides in Tibet, and the 37th Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Konchok Tenzin Kunzang Trinley Lhundrup (1946-) who resides in India.
How It’s Practiced
The main practices of Drikung Kagyu are “The Five-fold Profound Path of Mahamudrā” and “The Six Dharmas of Nāropa”. The Five-fold Mahamudrā (phyag chen lnga ldan) represents Jigten Sumgön’s distinctive systematization of the meditation path, integrating bodhicitta motivation, guru devotion, yidam deity practice, Mahamudra meditation, and dedication of merit.
The Drikung lineage is popularly known for its development of the practice of phowa, in which a practitioner learns how to expel consciousness through the posterior fontanelle at the top of the skull at the moment of death. It became a tradition in Tibet to have a Drikung Phowa Chen-mo ceremony every twelve years at Dro-ngor Sum-dho at Drikung in central Tibet. During these mass gatherings, thousands of participants would experience the signs of phowa during the blessing transmission given by a head Lama of Drikung Kagyu—physical signs including warmth at the crown of the head, itching, or swelling that indicate successful opening of the crown aperture.
The Drikung Kagyu also maintains a tradition of Dzogchen teachings called Yangzab Dzogchen, based on termas revealed by the Drikung Tertön Rinchen Phuntsog in the sixteenth century.
Drikung Kagyu Today
Contemporary practitioners encounter Drikung Kagyu through authorized teachers worldwide, particularly through centers established by the two throne-holders. The lineage maintains active monasteries in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the West. Major teachers include Garchen Rinpoche and the late Ayang Rinpoche, both recognized phowa masters who brought these teachings to international audiences.
The tradition offers structured paths for both monastic and lay practitioners. Retreats focus on ngöndro (preliminary practices), Mahamudra meditation, and deity yoga. The phowa transmission remains central: ten-day intensives allow qualified practitioners to receive the blessing transmission and develop signs of accomplishment. Annual teachings occur at centers in North America, Europe, and Asia, with the Drikung Kagyu lineage maintaining strong representation among Tibetan Buddhist schools in exile.
Scholarly engagement with Drikung texts has increased, with translations of the Gongchig and Five-fold Mahamudrā commentaries becoming available in English. The lineage emphasizes continuity: the Drikung Kagyu practice lineage has been transmitted in an unbroken line through thirty-five enlightened masters since its founding.
Common Misconceptions
Drikung Kagyu is not a “minor” lineage in terms of influence or practitioners—the designation refers only to its historical relationship to Phagmo Drupa rather than directly to Gampopa. The school has been a major force in Tibetan Buddhism for eight centuries.
Phowa is not automatic enlightenment at death. It requires proper transmission, sincere practice, and development of recognizable signs during one’s lifetime. The practice aims to transfer consciousness to Amitabha’s pure land (Dewachen), where conditions favor completing the path to enlightenment—it is a skillful method for those unable to achieve full realization in this life, not a shortcut bypassing genuine practice.
Drikung Kagyu is not exclusively focused on phowa. The Five-fold Mahamudrā represents a complete path to enlightenment, and the lineage transmits the full range of Kagyu teachings including the Six Yogas of Naropa, tantric empowerments, and philosophical study.
How to Begin
Those interested in Drikung Kagyu should seek authorized teachers connected to either of the two throne-holders. Begin by attending public teachings or introductory meditation sessions at a Drikung center. Read The Gongchig: The Single Intention for foundational philosophy, or introductory texts on Mahamudra from the lineage.
For formal practice, request refuge and bodhisattva vows from a qualified lama, then undertake the ngöndro preliminary practices. Phowa transmission requires attendance at a specific empowerment ceremony led by a lineage-authorized teacher—it cannot be learned from books alone. Most Drikung centers offer annual or biennial phowa courses lasting 7-10 days.
Connect with official Drikung Kagyu centers through the lineage websites maintained by the Chetsang and Chungtsang offices, which list authorized teachers, practice schedules, and upcoming empowerments worldwide.