THE GOLDEN KAGYU GARLAND

Excerpts from The Garland of Moon Water Crystal by Situ Chokyi Jungnay and Belo Tsewang Kunkhyab

Drubtop Urgyenpa (1230-1312) was born at Lato in Northern Tibet. As a child he spontaneously knew how to meditate. However, he wanted to begin the Buddhist path by studying the teachings and then engage in meditation practice. He studied many texts between the ages of seven till sixteen. At that time he went to the well-known monastic college of Podong Er in the Tsang Province. He became an outstanding scholar of his time.
Not being satisfied with this achievement, he sought out the master Gotsangpa from whom he received all the Kagyu teachings. Drubtop Urgyenpa was a follower of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition. He travelled to Nepal, India, China and Pakistan. During these travels he met with many gurus with whom he studied and meditated.
At the age of fifty-three he met with Karma Pakshi, who imparted the ultimate Kagyu teachings to him and predicted that Urgyenpa would become the guru of the third Karmapa.

The Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339)