The Glorious Sakya Tradition
The Glorious Sakya tradition derives its name from the color of the pale earth (i.e. sa kya in Tibetan) found at the site where the first monastery of the tradition—Sakya Monastery—was founded by Khön Gönchok Gyalpo (1034-1102) in 1073. The Indian master Jowo Atisha (982-1054), on his way to Central Tibet, passed by the area that would later become known as Sakya and prophesied that two forms of Mahakala would perform enlightened activities at the site, and that manifestations of Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and Vajrapani would also engage in activities for the welfare of living beings there as well.
A view of Sakya Monastery and the surrounding town and mountains. The three colors of the monastery’s walls represent Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and Vajrapani.
Along with the Nyingma, Kagyü, and Gelug, it is one of the principal Buddhist traditions in Tibet. Over its long history the Sakya tradition has wielded both a profound spiritual as well as political influence in the Himalayan region and beyond. A number of the early heads of the tradition functioned as religious teachers to the Mongol emperors and their court and even ruled Tibet in their stead. One unique feature of the tradition is that its leadership has traditionally been transmitted in a hereditary fashion by a family lineage that is descended from celestial beings.
The Sakya tradition is known for both its focus on study and scholarship as well as practice. At the heart of the lineage’s teachings is a special transmission known as Lamdré—the Path and Result. This teaching, centered around the tantric deity Hevajra, contains a complete path to enlightenment encompassing both sutra and tantra.
The Lamdré was transmitted to Tibet by the Indian master Gayadhara, who in turn passed it on to Drokmi Shakya Yéshé. Drokmi transmitted the cycle to a number of disciples, including Khön Gönchok Gyalpo and thus to the other illustrious founding figures of the Sakya lineage, whose enlightened activities and scholarship are too vast to be explored here: Sachen Künga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Sönam Tsémo (1142-1182), Jétsün Drakpa Gyeltsen (1147-1216), Sakya Pandita Künga Gyeltsen, and Chögyel Pakpa (1235-1280).
In 1253, Chögyel Pakpa was given control of Tibet by Kublai Khan (1215-1292), the Mongol emperor of the Yuan Dynasty who had taken the teacher as his guru and received the Hevajra initiation from him. Chögyel Pakpa was also the founder of Serjong Monastery, the monastery of Khenpo Appey Rinpoche.
Apart from the Lamdré, the Sakya tradition is rich with a number of teachings and texts that are popular throughout Tibet and all Tibetan traditions. This includes works such as Sakya Pandita’s Treasury of Good Advice and Sachen Kunga Nyingpo’s Parting from the Four Attachments. Later Sakya scholars such as Rongtön, Réndawa, and Gorampa also profoundly impacted the philosophical landscape of Tibetan Buddhism in general and their works and writings continue to be studied and practiced today.
A wall at Sakya Monastery in Tibet.