The Gyalwang Drukpa

The lineage acquired the name Drukpa in the twelfth century when, assuming the human form, Avalokiteshvara - the Great Lord of Universal Compassion - manifested in Tibet as the outstanding disciple of Mahasiddha Lingchen Repa. This sublime being was called Drogon Tsangpa Gyare, the meaning being: Drogon - the Protector of Beings; Tsang - born in the land of Tsang; Gya - from the noble clan of Chinese (Gya) origin; Re - a cotton-clad yogi.

"Druk" in Tibetan means "Dragon" and it also refers to the sound of thunder. In 1206, exactly 800 years ago, Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje saw nine dragons flew up into the sky from the ground of Namdruk, and he named his lineage "Drukpa" or "lineage of the Dragons" after this auspicious event. In this way, Tsangpa Gyare became the founder of the lineage and was known as the First Gyalwang Drukpa.

Tsangpa Gyare was prophesized in many Sutras and Tantras and was recognized as the indisputable emanation of Naropa (1016-1100). In the Fundamental Tantra of Manjushri (Toh. 543), Buddha Shakyamuni spoke of the coming of Tsangpa Gyare:

Three thousands years after my nirvana,
Sonam Nyingpo will appear,
in his future incarnation in the land of snows.
He will be born in the Hwashang (Chinese) race
and given the name Gelong Yeshe Dorje.
He will renounce worldly existence
and voluntarily embrace the essential meaning.
He will establish sentient beings in liberation,
and while abiding in the essence free from the two extremes,
he will flourish my doctrine.

Tsangpa Gyare's great great grandfather was one of the two strong Chinese men who were selected to pull the royal chariot that carried the precious statue of Jowo Shakyamuni to Tibet when Chinese Princess Wencheng of the T'ang Dynasty married the famous Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo (617-650). In the early part of his life, Tsangpa Gyare was called 'Gyaton' which literally means 'Chinese teacher'.