The Four Main Kagyu Schools
and the Eight Branches

Four disciples of Gampopa founded the four main Kagyu schools:

• Babrom Kagyu founded by Babrom Dharma Wangchuk
• Pagdru Kagyu founded by Phagmo Drubpa Dorje Gyalpo
• Tsalpa Kagyu founded by Shang Tsalpa Tsondru Drag
• Kamtsang Kagyu, also known as the Karma Kagyu School founded by Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa.

The eight branches of the Kagyu lineage originated from Gampopa's disciple, Phagmo Drubpa:

• Taglung Kagyu
• Trophu Kagyu
• Drukpa Kagyu
• Martsang Kagyu
• Yerpa Kagyu
• Yazang Kagyu
• Shugseb Kagyu
• Drikung Kagyu
  

The four main lineages are sometimes known as major in that they originate with Gampopa himself, whereas the branches are sometimes referred to as minor lineages because they originate from Gampopa's disciple Phagmo Drubpa. This does not reflect on the instructions they contain-- they are equal in that respect.

Nowadays, among the four main Kagyu lineages, only the Karma Kagyu remains prevalent. Among the eight branches of the Kagyu lineage only the Taglung, Drukpa and Drikung Kagyu still exist as independent lineages.

One can distinguish several transmissions within each lineage. However, all major buddhist traditions in Tibet have a lineage of the Pratimoksha-vows and a lineage of the Bodhisattva-vows

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