Himalayan Art Resources

Tradition: Sakya Fact Sheet

Sakya Main Page

Name:
Sakya (Tibetan: sa skya, English: grey, whitish earth) - named after a patch of white chalky earth in the shape of a lion's face on the side of Ponpori Mountain in South Western Tibet [see map].

Nominal Founder:
Khon Konchog Gyalpo (1034-1102) constructed the first temple-hermitage called the Gorum Zimchi Karpo in 1073 on the white patch of earth marking the beginning of the Sakya lineage. His main teachers were Drogmi Lotsawa, Go Khugpa Lhatse, Khache Pandita Hangdu Karpo, Ma Lotsawa Rinchen Chog, Dzinpa Lotsawa and Mal Lotsawa.

Founding Date: 1073 AD.

Founding Location:
Sakya Town, Sakya County, Tsang Province, Tibet, China [see map].

Family Association:
Khon Family - the hereditary line known as the 'Khon' (to quarrel) descended from the 'Heavenly Realms' approximately eight generations before the time of King Trisong Detsen. They were known as the 'Lharig' - Divine Race. At the time of Padamsambhava, Khon Lui Wangpo Srungwa recieved the early Nyingmapa transmissions. Passing unbroken through the family line the practices of Vajrakilaya and Samputa (Yangdag Tug) have continued unbroken to the present day and are famous as the 'Khon Lug Dorje Phurba,' - the only Kama lineage of these practices to survive. (See Khon Family Lineage).

Head of Sakya:
The Khon Family descendants are the hereditary heirs to the leadership of Sakya. The 41st Throne Holder of Sakya, Khyabgon Sakya Tridzin Ngagwang Kunga (b.1945) of the Drolma Podrang. Since the time of Sakya Trizin Wangdu Nyingpo the leadership of Sakya has alternated each generation between the Drolma and Phuntsok Podrang (Palaces) of the Khon family. The present head of the Phuntsok Podrang is Jigdral Gongma Rinpoche.

Religious Doctrine:
Mahayana Buddhism: Sutrayana & Tantrayana (Vajrayana).

Philosophical School:
Middle Way - Madyamaka School.

Principal Tantric Teachings:
1) Margapala (Hevajra instructions known as the Path together with the Result - Lamdre) from Mahasiddha Virupa,
2) Guhyasamaja from Arya Nagarjuna,
3) Vajrakila from Acharya Padmasambhava,
4) Vajrayogini from Mahasiddha Naropa
5) Mahakala from Pandita Vararuchi, along with the Thirteen Golden Dharmas, Four Tantras, Bari Gyatsa, Collection of All Methods, Collection of All Tantras, etc.

Principal Protectors:
Panjarnata Mahakala, Chaturmukha Mahakala and Shri Devi.

Early Teachers:
The Five Superior Ones: (Jetsun Gongma Nga) Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182), Dragpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) and Chogyal Pagpa (1235-1280).

Later Teachers:
Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen (1312-1375), Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, Rendawa, Rongton, Bodong Panchen Chogle Namgyal, Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub, Tsarchen Losal Gyatso, Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429-1489), Tagtsang Lotsawa, Shakya Chogden, Ngagchang Kunga Lodro (1729-1783), Thartse Panchen Namkha Chime (1765-1820), Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892) and Loter Wangpo, etc.

Sub-Schools:
1) Ngorpa - Ngor Evam Monastery was founded in 1430 by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382-1456).
2) Tsarpa - the Dar Drongmoche Monastery was founded by Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502-1567).
3) Dzongpa - Gongkar Chode Monastery founded by Gonkar Dorje Denpa

Head of Ngor:
The leadership of Ngor monastery traditionally rotates between four monastic houses every three years; the Luding Labrang, Thartse Lhabrang, Khangsar Lhabrang and Phende Lhabrang.

Head of Tsar:
the head of Dar Drangmoche Monastery is traditionally the head of the Tsar Tradition, however the Nalendra Monastery of Central Tibet has provided much of the leadership in the 20th century.

Head of Dzongpa:
Gongkar Dorje Den Rinpoche, a reincarnation lineage.

Tibetan Temples & Monasteries:
In Sakya Tibet, the North Monastery (no longer extant) was for Tantric studies and the famous South Monastery (brief history), Lhakang Chenmo was for Sutrayana studies. The Southern Monastery now serves both fields of study; Zhalu, Ngor Evam, Nalanda founded by Rongton (1367-1449), Gongkar Dorje Den, Tanag founded by Gorampa, Dagpo Dratsang by Tashi Namgyal, Gyantse Kumbum, Dar Drangmoche founded by Tsarchen, Lhagang, Wara Gonpa, Dzongsar Tashi Lhatse founded by Chogyal Pagpa, Dege Gonchen by Tang Tong Gyalpo, Gigu Gonpa, Gotse Gon, Drogon Gonpa, Dongtog and Dzongsar monastery. This is a selection of the more important, most of which are still standing, or in the process of re-construction.

Associated Traditions & Schools:
Shalu/Bulug, Jonang and Bodong are all very close and share much of the same doctinal points of view and transmission lineages. Administratively these three are independent of Sakya. Dzongsar Kyentse Chokyi Lodro referred to the three as sub-schools of Sakya.

Special Symbols: White Conch Shell, the sword and book, the bodhisattva Manjushri, the Sakya hat with the lappets folded over the crown of the hat. (See Sakya Hats Page).

Jeff Watt 1-2010 [from the Sakya Resource Guide website]

Quick Links to Sakya Art Subjects
Sakya Tradition Main Page | Sakya Outline Page | Khon Lineage | Ngor | Tsar | Dzongpa | Lamdre Lineage Sets Outline | Monasteries & Branch Schools Outline | Thirteen Golden Dharmas Outline | Protectors Outline | Panjarnata Outline | Blue Annals: Lamdre | Blue Annals: Zhama

Teachers Commonly Represented in Art
Sachen Kunga Nyingpo | Sonam Tsemo | Dragpa Gyaltsen | Sakya Pandita | Chogyal Pagpa | Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo | Wangdu Nyingpo