Among the four major sects of Tibetan Buddhism, Kagyu is the most difficult to point out "who is the founder." Nyingma can be promoted to Padmasambhava, Gelug can be promoted to Tsongkhapa, and Sakya can be promoted to the the Khön family - only Kagyu regards "heritage itself" as its core. Its dharma lineage does not start with someone's enlightenment, but is a "golden chain of mouth and ears" that spreads from the Ganges River in India to the snowy mountains of Tibet, stick by stick. This chain is called the "Golden Rosary" within Kagyu: Tilopa-Naropa-Marpa-Milarepa-Gampopa, all interlocking and indispensable.

Each of the ancestors on this golden chain has its own detailed description.

• Tilopa (Tilopa, ca. 988–1069): Indian Mahasiddha, regarded as the emanation of Vajradhara, the primordial Buddha. He brought together the "four teaching traditions" and was the original source of the name Kagyu "oral transmission".
• Naropa (Naropa, 1016–1100): The gatekeeper scholar of Nalanda Temple. In order to seek confirmation, he followed Tilopa, went through twelve major ascetic practices, and finally compiled "the Six Yogas of Naropa". He was the architect of the Kagyu practice system.
• Marpa (Marpa Chökyi Lödrö, 1012–1097): Tibetan translator, who went to India three times to retrieve the secret teachings and translate them into Tibetan. He was a lay yogi and farm owner, but he achieved great achievements through hard practice, breaking the stereotype that "you must become a monk to practice".
• Milarepa (Milarepa, 1052–1135): An ascetic poet monk who turned from black curse repentance to white dharma. He ate nettles and his body glowed green. He attained Mahāmudrā and left behind "One Hundred Thousand songs of realization". He is the most popular patriarch in Tibet.
• Gampopa (Gampopa, 1079–1153): He was a physician. He integrated the Kadampa precepts and Milarepa formulas. He wrote "The Ornament of Liberation" and established the monastic system and order of the monastery. He was revered as the "Father of Dakpo Kagyu".

Many sects are accustomed to respecting a single founder, but Kagyu regards "continuous inheritance" as its core. The reason is: Kagyu's teachings (especially the Six Yogas of Naropa and Mahāmudrā) emphasize "oral transmission and heart-to-heart communication." If the inheritance from master is interrupted, the blessing of the Dharma will be difficult to continue. Therefore, remembering the entire gold chain is more important than remembering a specific name.

This is why in the Kagyu refuge realm, the guru is always at the top, commanding all yidams and protectors - for Kagyu practitioners, the "guru" is not a certain person, but the living embodiment of the entire golden chain. Any bit of Dharma you read or practice today is not the invention of some smart person, but a gift that has been passed down from the banks of the Ganges and from the snowy areas of Tibet for thousands of years. This "being delivered" itself is a blessing.

Kagyu practice takes "Guru Yoga" as the core practice. It is not only a ritual, but also an attitude: treating the teacher as a Buddha, indistinguishable from the Dharma Realm, and transforming the utmost sincerity towards the guru into a direct channel for receiving the flow of Dharma. Tilopa used the shoe soles to make Naropa realize it, and Marpa used the hard labor of repeatedly building and demolishing towers to wear away Milarepa's ego - these koans all say the same thing: the transmission of the Dharma relies on unreserved delivery and trust between master and disciple. After understanding Guru Yoga, you understand why Kagyu values ​​"inheritance" so much.

For today's readers, the practical significance of Guru Yoga is this: it reminds us that real change rarely comes from the accumulation of information, but more from a real relationship - someone is willing to take responsibility for you, and you are willing to hand yourself over.

In Kagyu's dharma lineage, female siddhas (dakinis) occupy a special and crucial position. Vajrayana is the most important yidam and "Keeper of Oaths" of Kagyu; Niguma and Sukhasiddhi of Shangpa Kagyu are both female great achievers, and their mantras (such as the Six Methods of Niguma) are passed down alongside the Six Yogas of Naropa; in the biographies of past ancestors, dakinis often appear as mortal women or in different appearances, granting key mantras, prophecies or protections.

This shows that the path to enlightenment is not limited to the Sangha. Wisdom comes in various forms to help people. In the next single article, we will write a special article "Female Siddhas and Dakini" to complete this often overlooked clue - it is not the decoration of the gold chain, but the bearing that allows the gold chain to rotate.

In addition to the main line of "Dakpo Kagyu" derived from Gampopa, Kagyu also has a parallel clue-"Shangpa Kagyu" (Shangpa Kagyu). The founder, Khyungpo Naljor, studied under the female siddhas Niguma and Suka Siddhi, built a temple in Xiangdi, Tibet, and spread the Dharma. He is famous for his pure contemplation practice. Although the Shangpa lineage has not formed a large sect, it is secretly spread among yogis and complements Dakpo Kagyu.

To understand the ancestral lineage of Kagyu, this parallel tributary should not be ignored. It reminds us that the so-called "inheritance" is never a single line, but a network - the same source can branch into many rivers, each of which leads to the same sea.

Eight hundred years have passed, and the "golden beaded garland" has not only not rusted, but has sprouted new branches in cities all over the world. Today, when you walk into any Kagyu center, you will still see the same logic: disciples seeking Dharma, guru oral transmission, and heart to heart. Modern science talks about "information fidelity", while Kagyu talks about "inheritance fidelity" - relying on the personal testimonies of generations of living people, Tilopa's "mind is essentially empty" is handed over to today's people intact.

This is the most counterintuitive and precious thing about Kagyu: it believes that "people" are more reliable than "books" because enlightenment is a living experience that cannot be preserved by words alone. Contemporary leaders such as the 17th the Gyalwa Karmapathe Karmapa are still retelling this ancient golden chain in modern language, allowing it to continue to rotate in urban meditation centers.

There are three levels of reading when reading biographies of Tibetan ancestors: the historical level, looking at where and when the person lived and what he did, this level can be used for research; the belief level, looking at the divine transformations and prophecies in the biography, this level is suitable to be read as a faith narrative; the practice level, looking at what inspiration this record has for my current practice, this level is the real use of the biography. The three levels go hand in hand, and there is no need to unify them into one reading - the same record has different values ​​for scholars and practitioners.

Q: Who is the "founder" of Kagyu?

Answer: Strictly speaking there is no single founder. Kagyu respects Tilopa as the origin of India, Marpa as the ancestor of Tibet, and Gampopa as the founder of the Dakpo Kagyu system; it is a "golden beaded train" rather than a person.

Q: Why should I write it in several articles?

Answer: Because the life, teachings and koans of each patriarch are enough to form an independent chapter. Writing them separately not only ensures the depth of each article, but also allows the content to be continuously added - if there is new information or new images in the future, just add an article to it without having to overturn it and start over.

Q: Does Milarepa really exist?

Answer: Milarepa is a real person in the 11th century. His biography ("Milarepa Biography") and "One Hundred Thousand songs of realization" are widely circulated in Tibet. He is the most popular ancestor of Kagyu.

Q: Does Dakini really exist?

Answer: In the Kagyu tradition, dakinis are not only enlightened female achievers, but also symbols of wisdom in the dharma world; they prophesy, protect, and grant formulas in the inheritance, which is the secret power that allows the golden chain to continue.

▶WatchLiving Buddha — Kagyu Tekchen ChölingKagyu Tekchen Chöling Argentina · Watch on YouTube

Image source: YouTube (Kagyu lineage masters documentary), verified by oEmbed and can be embedded.

This article is compiled based on public Buddhist historical data, aiming at cultural and faith exchanges, and is not a final conclusion of religious authority. If there is any discrepancy with the inheritance received by readers, please refer to their respective masters and classics.

Images (all from Wikimedia Commons, see notes for licensing):

• Translator Marpa·Karshu Gonpo Dorje, Public domain
• Painting of His Holiness Marpa — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
• Marpa·Cheji Luozhuo (Treasury of Lives) — treasuryoflives.org, Public domain
• Image: YouTube documentary (can be embedded after oEmbed verification)

Q: Who exactly founded Kagyu?

A: Strictly speaking, there is no single founder. Kagyu reveres Tilopa as the Indian source, Marpa as the Tibetan progenitor, and Gampopa as the systematizer of the Dagpo Kagyu. It is a 'Golden Rosary' of masters rather than the work of one person.

Q: Why is the material split across several articles?

A: Because each master's life, teachings, and koans are substantial enough to stand on their own. Writing them separately preserves depth in every piece and lets the content keep growing; when new sources or images appear, we simply add another article rather than rewriting from scratch.

Q: Did Milarepa really exist?

A: Milarepa was a real historical figure of the 11th century. His biography (The Life of Milarepa) and the Hundred Thousand Songs are immensely popular across the Tibetan cultural sphere, making him the most beloved master of the Kagyu lineage.

Q: Do dakinis really exist?

A: In the Kagyu tradition, dakinis are both realized female adepts and symbols of the wisdom of reality itself. Through prophecy, protection, and the transmission of pith instructions, they are the hidden force that keeps the golden lineage unbroken.