History and Features of the Lam-rim Textual Tradition

Non-Gelug Texts

Three lineages of the paths and their results (lam-’bras, Skt. mārgaphala, lamdre) evolved and were recombined in Tibet in the mid-twelfth century by Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (Sa-chen Kun-dga’ snying-po) (1092–1158) of the Sakya tradition. This master wrote Parting from the Four Clingings (Zhen-pa bzhi-bral), based on a pure vision he received of the Buddha-figure Manjushri. The four clingings are: 

• To this life
• To samsaric rebirth in any of the three realms 
• To one’s own selfish purposes
• To true unimputed existence.

This work stresses at its beginning the powers of listening to, thinking about and meditating on the instructions. 

Later texts of the Sakya tradition on the graded stages of the path expand on these two root texts of Virupa and Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, for instance A Key to the Essential Profound Points: Discourse Notes on the Attitude-Training “Parting from the Four Clingings” (Blo-sbyong zhen-pa bzhi-bral-gyi khrid-yig zab-mo gnad-kyi lde’u-mig), written at the end of the fifteenth century by Gorampa (Go-bo rab-’byams-pa bSod-nams seng-ge) (1429–1489), an eminent disciple of the erudite Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (Ngor-chen Kun-dga’ bzang-po) (1382–1456). 

The graded stages of the path have a prominent place in the works of the masters of the Nyingma tradition, such as in Longchenpa’s (Klong-chen Rab-’byams-pa Dri-med ’od-zer) (1308–1363) Three Cycles for Easing Weariness of the Mind (Ngal-gso skor-gsum). In A Precious Garland for the Four Themes (of Gampopa) (Chos-bzhi rin-po-che’i phreng-ba) as well, Longchenpa discusses the stages of the path in terms of the nine vehicles of mind, but this time organized according to the four themes of Gampopa (dvags-po chos-bzhi). As with his former text, the presentation is within the context of tantra practice as culminating in dzogchen. The four themes of Gampopa are: 

• Having the Dharma function as Dharma 
• Having the Dharma function as a pathway mind 
• Having the pathway minds eliminate confusion
• Having confusion dawn as deep awareness. 

These four are another way of discussing how to part from the four clingings as elaborated in the Sakya tradition. 

The main text in the Nyingma tradition on the equivalent of lam-rim is Personal Instructions from My Totally Excellent Guru (Kun-bzang bla-ma’i zhal-lung, The Words of My Perfect Teacher) by Dza Patrul (rDza dPal-sprul O-rgyan ’jigs-med chos-kyi dbang-po) (1808–1887). It is presented as a preliminary for Longchenpa’s Heart Essence Teachings (Klong-chen sNying-thig, Longchen Nyingtig) and includes within its structure the uncommon preparatory practices for tantra practice as presented in Longchenpa’s text.

Earlier Gelug Texts

In the Gelug tradition, which recombined the three lineages of Atisha’s Kadam tradition, there are eight major lam-rim texts (lam-rim khrid-chen brgyad). Three were composed in the late fourteenth century by Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa Blo-bzang grags-pa) (1357–1419), namely:

[1] A Grand Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Path (Lam-rim chen-mo) 

[2] A Short Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Path (Lam-rim chung-ngu, The Middle-Length Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Path) 

[3] Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path (Lam-rim bsdus-don). 

They follow the tradition of Geshe Potowa (dGe-bshes Po-to-ba Rin-chen-gsal) (1027–1105) in structuring the graded course within the context of a whole-hearted commitment to one’s spiritual mentor. Tsongkhapa also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the object to be negated when meditating on voidness (emptiness). A Grand Presentation gives more scriptural references, elaborate explanation and detail than A Short Presentation, while his Abbreviated Points is a summary in verse of the major points. 

[4] The Third Dalai Lama (rGyal-dbang bSod-nams rgya-mtsho) (1543–1588) wrote Refined Gold (Lam-rim gser zhun-ma) as a short commentary to Tsongkhapa’s Abbreviated Points. 

[5] The Fifth Dalai Lama (rGyal-mchog lnga-pa chen-po Ngag-dbang blo-bzang rgya-mtsho) (1617–1682) wrote Personal Instructions from Manjushri (Lam-rim ’jam-dpal zhal-lung). It presents practical ways to ponder the stages of the path, techniques for how to meditate on them, as well as other aids such as visualizations. Both these texts discuss the material exclusively in terms of sutra.

[6] The First Panchen Lama (Pan-chen Blo-bzang chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan) (1569–1662), the tutor of the Fifth Dalai Lama, composed A Blissful Path (Lam-rim bde-lam). Although this short work includes an outline, it is basically a text for recitation during meditation on the stages of the path. After each point, requests are made for the spiritual masters’ inspiration to gain realization of these paths. The text has few quotations. 

[7] In A Speedy Path (Lam-rim myur-lam), the Second Panchen Lama (Pan-chen Blo-bzang ye-shes) (1663–1737) fills in and expands his predecessor’s text with scriptural quotations and several anecdotes. The section on developing absorbed concentration (ting-nge-’dzin, Skt. samādhi) and a stilled and settled state of mind (zhi-gnas, Skt. śamatha, calm abiding) draws on the techniques found in the First Panchen Lama’s A Root Text for Mahamudra (Phyag-chen rtsa-ba), which combined the mahamudra methods of the Kagyu tradition with the ways to understand voidness as presented by Tsongkhapa and the Gelug tradition. Both texts on lam-rim by the first two Panchen Lamas provide visualization techniques particular to tantra practice, and the latter text has many quotations and references to the sutras on these subjects.

[8] The eighth major lam-rim text in the Gelug tradition is The Essence of Well-Spoken Advice (Lam-rim legs-gsung nying-khu) by Ngawang Dragpa from Dagpo (Dvags-po Ngag-dbang grags-pa), written sometime during the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. 

Later Gelug Texts

Following this is Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand (rNam-grol lag-bcangs) by Pabongka Rinpoche (Pha-bon-kha-pa Byams-pa bstan-’dzin ’phrin-las rgya-mtsho) (1878–1943). It was compiled by his disciple, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche (Khri-byang Blo-bzang ye-shes bstan-’dzin rgya-mtsho) (1901–1981), the late Junior Tutor to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama (rGyal-dbang bsTan-’dzin rgya-mtsho) (b. 1935). It is based primarily on a discourse given in 1921 at the mountain retreat of Chuzang above Sera Monastic University near Lhasa, Tibet.

• This root discourse by Pabongka was a combined explanation of the Second Panchen Lama’s Speedy Path and the extensive central (rgyas-pa dbus-brgyud) and abbreviated southern (bsdus-pa’i lho-brgyud) lineages of the Fifth Dalai Lama’s Personal Instructions from Manjushri. 

• The explanation of the preparatory practices is in accordance with A Ritual Text of Preparatory Practices (Byang-chub lam-gyi-rim-pa’i dmar-khrid myur-lam-gyi sngon-’gro’i ngag-’don-gyi rim-pa khyer bde-bklag chog bskal-bzang mgrin-rgyan, sByor-chos; Jorcho: The Lam-rim Puja), an offering ritual in conjunction with the Second Panchen Lama’s text, written by Pabongka’s root guru, Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub (Dvags-po Blo-bzang ’Jam-dpal lhun-grub) (19th century). 
• In the section on developing bodhichitta, an explanation is added of Kadampa Geshe Chekawa’s (dGe-bshes mChad-kha-ba) (1101–1175) Seven-Point Attitude Training (Blo-sbyong don-bdun-ma). 
• Precedents for combining lam-rim with these seven points are Attitude Training Like the Rays of the Sun (Blo-sbyong nyi-ma’i ’od-zer) by Tsongkhapa’s disciple Namkapel (Hor-ston Nam-mkha’ dpal-bzang) (15th century) and the Lama Chopa (Bla-ma mchod-pa, The Guru Puja) by the First Panchen Lama.

Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand shares much in common with A Sun to Shine Rays of Light of Positive Goodness (Byang-chub bde-lam-gyi khrid-dmigs skyong-tshul shin-tu gsal-bar bkod-pa dge-legs ’od-snang ’gyed-pa’i nyin-byed, Zhwa-dmar lam-rim), a commentary on the Second Panchen Lama’s Speedy Path written in 1889 by Zhamar from Amdo (A-mdo Zhwa-dmar dGe-’dun bstan-’dzin rgya-mtsho) (1852–1912), a teacher of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama (rGyal-dbang Thub-bstan rgya-mtsho) (1876–1933). Both largely follow the outline of the Second Panchen Lama’s text and have a similar presentation of the way to develop an exceptionally perceptive state of mind (lhag-mthong, Skt. vipaśyanā). Unlike the Second Panchen Lama’s tradition, however, Pabongka does not refer to mahamudra methods for achieving a stilled and settled state of mind.

When Pabongka delivered his discourse, notes were taken by Dongkong Rinpoche (Rva-stod Brag-g.yab gDong-kong Rin-po-che). Later, encouraged by many, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche used them as a basis for preparing Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, which he completed in 1957. Checking these notes with those taken by others and comparing them with further discourses Pabongka had given on similar topics, he chose appropriate material to be included and reconstructed certain portions where necessary. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche showed others his draft, considered it for a long time and eliminated what was not in accord with his master’s words or manner of explanation. He added many of Pabongka’s guideline instructions, which were not in the original set of notes, and also quotations Pabongka had given of his own root guru, Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub. 

A precedent for this type of compilation is Some Notes of Advice (dMar-khrid thams-cad mkhyen-par bgrod-pa’i myur-lam bzhin-khrid skyong-ba-la nye-bar mkho-ba’i zhal-shes ’ga’-zhig-gi brjed-thog) in which Lozang Togme (rGyal-rong Chos-mdzad Blo-bzang thogs-med) presents edited notes of his spiritual mentor Purchog Ngawang Jampa’s discourses on the Second Panchen Lama’s Speedy Path. Purchog (Phur-cog Ngag-dbang byams-pa rgya-mtsho) (1682–1762) was a disciple of the Second Panchen Lama and frequently quotes the guideline instructions of his own root guru Drubkang Geleg Gyatso (sGrub-khang dGe-legs rgya-mtsho) (1641–1713).

It is a common feature of most texts on the graded stages of the path, in each of the Tibetan traditions, to cite the sutras and later Indian commentators in order to substantiate various points. Precedents for this in India are:

• Nagarjuna’s (mGon-po Klu-sgrub) (ca. 150–250 CE) Anthology of Sutras (mDo kun-las btus-pa, Skt. Sūtrasamuccaya)
• Shantideva’s (Zhi-ba lha) (eighth century) Compendium of Trainings (bsLab-btus, Skt. Śikṣāsamuccaya)
• Atisha’s An (Auto)Commentary on the Difficult Points of A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment.

In Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Gampopa cites Atisha and other Indian sources, while in A Grand Presentation Tsongkhapa quotes as well many sayings of the Kadampa geshes. He draws on such sources as:

• Potowa’s Teachings by Example (Po-to-ba’i dpe-chos)
• Miscellaneous Sayings from the Kadam Tradition (bKa’-gdams gsung thor-bu) compiled by Tsunpa Chegom (bTsun-pa lce-sgom)
• The Blue Pamphlet (Be’u-bum sngon-po) by Potowa’s disciple, Geshe Dolpa (dGe-bshes Dol-pa dMar zhur-pa Shes-rab rgya-mtsho) (1059–1131). 

In A Grand Presentation, Tsongkhapa also gives examples from the life accounts of previous masters and makes reference to or relates in brief several classic anecdotes. This feature is found to a certain extent in the Second Panchen Lama’s A Speedy Path and Zhamar’s A Sun to Shine Rays of Light. It plays a prominent role, however, in Pabongka’s Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. A good percentage of the quotations and examples given in this latter text, particularly from Indian sources and the Kadampa geshes, are also found in A Grand Presentation, while others are located exclusively in one or the other. There is a basic body of standard quotations and anecdotes, which is repeated to a varying extent in most lam-rim texts. Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, however, also quotes from other Tibetan authors and works not cited in previous major texts. 

An Anthology of Well-Spoken Advice on the Graded Stages of the Path (Lam-rim legs-gsung kun-btus) has been compiled by the present editor, Dr. Alexander Berzin, from lam-rim discourses delivered in Tibetan by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey (dGe-bshes Ngag-dbang dar-rgyas) (1925–1995), a disciple of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.

There are four types of discourse (khrid).

• In an explanatory one (bshad-khrid), the teacher goes through a text word by word.
• A revealing discourse (dmar-khrid) is likened to a surgeon’s cutting open a body to expose the innards to a group of medical students. Similarly, the spiritual mentor uses guideline instructions to open the teachings and reveal their essence.
• An experiential discourse (nyams-khrid) is couched in terms of the teacher’s personal insight.
• A discourse with feedback (myong-khrid) has the disciples explore each point for themselves and report back before the next is taught.

In his text, Geshe Dhargyey presents an experiential discourse primarily on Pabongka’s Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand but combining as well certain material from Tsongkhapa’s Grand Presentation, which is not found in common in the former text. Many guideline instructions are given from his root guru, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. 

The outline followed is based, with slight variations, on that of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. Its fundamental structure is in accordance with the discourse style of Vikramashila. During the first millennium of the Common Era, the great Indian monastic universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila had their traditional discourse styles. The masters of the former would start by explaining three purities:

• Purity of the teacher’s speech
• Purity of the disciple’s mental continuum
• Purity the Dharma to be indicated.

Those of the latter began with the preeminent qualities of the compilers and of the particular Dharma teaching they were about to give, as well as the way in which it should be studied and taught. Both Tsongkhapa and Pabongka have followed the Vikramashila style in the organization of their outlines, and this presentation follows suit.

The text by Geshe Dhargyey begins, as does Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, with a brief survey of the entire course of the graded stages of the path. This is to set the motivation before beginning. Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub has explained this as one of the special features of the Gelug tradition that has followed from Tsongkhapa. A teacher must begin any spiritual discourse by leading the disciples through the proper and complete stages for building up their motivation. It is not sufficient to start with merely a verse of prayer, but actually to go briefly through the entire course. This makes a deeper impression on the audience so that they will have a strong and proper motivation throughout the teaching and thus derive the most benefit.

The text is written in a conversational, colloquial style, as is Pabongka’s Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. Unlike the latter text, however, the preparatory practices are given in a much-simplified form designed for beginners and no presentation is made of the seven-point attitude training. Similar to the Third Dalai Lama’s Refined Gold, the entire text of Tsongkhapa’s Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path is included, each verse in its appropriate section. Many of the quotations given are also found in the standard lam-rim texts, but Geshe Dhargyey draws as well from a much wider range of sources than are usually cited.

In northern India, over two and a half thousand years ago, Buddha Shakyamuni set flowing three rounds of transmission of the Dharma (chos-skor gsum, Skt. tridharmacakra).

• The first round of transmission the Buddha set flowing at the Deer Park in Varanasi, the present-day Sarnath. There, to his first five disciples, he imparted the Wheel of Dharma Sutra (Chos-kyi ’khor-lo’i mdo, Skt. Dharmacakra Sūtra), in which he introduced the four noble truths, or the four facts seen as true by aryas.
• He set the second round flowing at Vulture’s Peak near the Royal City of Rajagriha, present-day Rajgir, by delivering his Sutras on Far-Reaching Discriminating Awareness (Sher-phyin mdo, Skt. Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras).
• The third was begun at Vaishali with the seventh chapter of The Sutra Unraveling What Is Intended (dGongs-pa nges-par ’grel-ba’i mdo, Skt. Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra).

These three rounds of transmission form a classification system for only the sutras, which were later written down and codified in The Three Baskets (sDe-snod gsum, Skt. Tripiṭaka). They do not include the tantras. Although these latter expositions were delivered at the same time as the second round of transmission, they are not included in that category. 

In The Essence of Excellent Explanation of Interpretable and Definitive Meanings (Drang-nges legs-bshad snying-po, Sarnath ed., 87), Tsongkhapa has asserted that although the three rounds of transmission were initiated in a certain temporal sequence, specific passages from the Buddha’s words are to be assigned amongst the three exclusively on the criteria of their content. The Buddha’s direct and indirect statements that all phenomena are truly established constitute the first round of what has been transmitted, those that none exist in that way form the second, while those that some exist like that and others do not constitute the third. Thus, the Buddha presented the Vaibhashika and Sautrantika tenet systems in his first round of transmission, Madhyamaka in the second and Chittamatra in his third.

With these three rounds of transmission of the Dharma, Buddha Shakyamuni explained 84,000 measures to be taken to prevent and eliminate all suffering and to bring about the two desirable spiritual aims. Such aims are either some higher rebirth as a human or some divine being, or the definite goodness of either liberation from our own suffering or full enlightenment, a state of perfect and total clear evolvement whereby we can help free all others as well.

These two superlative states include three purified states (byang-chub gsum, Skt. tribodhi, three states of perfection): 

• To become a shravaka arhat who has overcome internal enemies and gained nirvana, a release from troubles
• To become a pratyekabuddha arhat who has likewise overcome and gained this much
• The highest is to become someone who has overcome and gained all, a Buddha. 

The first two levels are achieved through the measures of the Hinayana, while the latter through those of the Mahayana. 

Thus, the Buddha’s 84,000 teachings cover many different approaches and means. Although there is no difference in quality amongst them, the most effective methods for reaching the supreme goal are found in the second round of transmission. There, in the various Prajnaparamita Sutras, the Buddha explained directly the profound view of voidness and indirectly indicated the extensive behavior to be followed with bodhichitta, a heart totally dedicated to others and to the highest level of purified growth. Since awareness of reality gives birth to enlightenment, these sutras are also known as Mother of the Triumphant (rGyal ba’i yum).

The Prajnaparamita Sutras are preserved in three major recensions: 

• One Hundred Thousand (Shes-rab-kyi pha-rol-tu phyin-pa stong-phrag brgya-pa’i mdo, Skt. Śatasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra)
• Twenty-Five Thousand (Shes-rab-kyi pha-rol-tu phyin-pa stong-phrag nyi-shu lnga-pa dum-bu dang-po, Skt. Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra) 
• Eight Thousand Verses (’Phags-pa brgyad stong-pa, Skt. Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra). 

Although the middle version has 20,000 stanzas in the Tibetan translation and 25,000 in the original Sanskrit, the discrepancy is merely in the system of counting and not in the content.

Two lineages, the extensive and the profound, evolved and were transmitted through the Buddha’s chief spiritual sons, the bodhisattvas Maitreya and Manjushri respectively. Both included measures concerning extensive behavior and the profound view, and differed only in terms of which of the two received the emphasis. The extensive lineage was clarified and propagated by Asanga (’Phags-pa Thogs-med) (4th or 5th century) and the profound by Nagarjuna (mGon-po Klu-sgrub) (ca. 150–250 CE), both of whom were known as the great pioneers of the Mahayana tradition (shing-rta chen-po gnyis, Skt. mahāratha, two great charioteers).

After many generations of outstanding teachers, these two themes were recombined in the early eleventh century and brought to Tibet by Atisha. He received the extensive lineage of Maitreya and Asanga from Serlingpa (gSer-gling-pa Chos-kyi blo-gros, Skt. Suvarṇadvīpa Dharmapāla), while the profound lineage of Manjushri and Nagarjuna he obtained from Avadhutipa (Rigs-pa’i khu-byug chung-ba, Sangs-rgyas dgongs-skyong, Vidyakokila the Younger).

The extensive lineage passed from Buddha Shakyamuni to Maitreya, then to: 

• Asanga
• His brother Vasubandhu (dByig-gnyen) (4th or 5th century)
• Vimuktisena (rNam-grol sde) (6th century)
• Vimuktisenagomin (bTsun-pa rnam-grol sde)
• Paramasena (mChog-sde)
• Vinitasena (Dul-ba’i sde)
• Shantarakshita (Zhi-ba ’tsho) (mid-8th century)
• Haribhadra (Seng-ge bzang-po) (late 8th century)
• Kusali the Elder (Ku-sa-li che-ba, Rin-chen bzang-po, Ratnabhadra)
• Maitriyogi (Byams-pa rnal-’byor, Ratnasena, Kusali the Younger)
• Serlingpa 
• Atisha.

The profound lineage went from Buddha Shakyamuni to Manjushri, then to: 

• Nagarjuna (Klu-grub)
• Chandrakirti (Zla-ba grags-pa) (6th century)
• Vidyakokila the Elder (Rig-pa’i khu-byug che-ba)
• Avadhutipa
• Atisha.

Atisha organized and compiled all the teachings found in these lineages into a brief text, A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, the prototype for all texts on lam-rim, the graded stages of the path.

The Kadam tradition evolved in Tibet from Atisha and his main disciple Dromtonpa (’Brom-ston rGyal-ba’i ’byung-gnas) (1004–1064). It had three main lineages:

• The lineage that of the textual explanations (bKa’-gdams gzhung-pa-ba)
• The lineage of the quintessence teachings (bKa’-gdams man-ngag-pa)
• The lineage of lam-rim (bKa’-gdams lam-rim-pa).

Plus, a fourth lineage of the oral teachings recorded in The Book of Kadam (bKa’-gdams glegs-bam), consisting of The Father Teachings (Pha-chos-kyi skor) and The Son Teachings (Bu-chos-ky skor). 

These were transmitted by the three brothers of the Kadam tradition (bKa’-gdams sku-mched gsum):

• Potowa (dGe-bshes Po-to-ba Rin-chen gsal) (1031–1105) – the lineage of the textual explanations
• Chengawa (dGe-bshes sPyan-snga-ba Tshul-khrims ’bar) (1033–1103) – the lineage of the quintessence teachings 
• Phuchungwa (dGe-bshes Phu-chung-ba gZhon-nu rgyal-mtshan) (1031–1106) – the lineage of the oral teachings recorded in The Book of Kadam.

And by Gonpawa (dGon-pa-ba dBang-phyug rgyal-mtshan) (1016-1082) – the lineage of lam-rim.

The six texts studied by the Kadam textual explanations tradition were: 

• The Shravaka (Listener) Stages of Mind (Nyan-sa, Skt. Śrāvakabhūmi) by Asanga
• A Filigree for the Mahayana Sutras (mDo-sde rgyan, Skt. Mahāyāna Sūtrālamkāra) by Maitreya
• Compendium of Trainings (bsLab-btus, Skt. Śikṣā Samuccaya) by Shantideva
• Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior (sPyod-’jug, Skt. Bodhicaryāvatāra) by Shantideva 
• A Rosary of Previous Life Accounts (sKyes-rabs ’phreng-ba, Skt. Jātakamālā) by Aryashura (sLob-dpon dPa’-bo) (2nd century)
• Special Verses Grouped by Topic (Ched-du brjod-pa’i tshoms, Skt. Udānavarga, The Tibetan Dhammapada).

The three Kadam lineages were recombined in the late fourteenth century by Tsongkhapa who composed A Grand Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Path. He had received the first of these three from Chokyob Zangpo (Grva-’khor mkhan-chen Chos-skyob bzang-po), a learned teacher of the Kagyu tradition, and the latter two from Namkha Gyeltsen (lHo-brag Nam-mkha’ rgyal-mtshan) (1326–1401) of the Nyingma tradition.

Potowa transmitted the tradition of textual explanations to Sharawa (dGe-bshes Sha-ra-ba) (1070–1130), from whom it passed to: 

• Chekawa (dGe-bshes mChad-kha-ba) (1101–1175)
• Chilbupa (sPyil-bu-pa Chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan) (1121–1189)
• Lhalung Wangchug (lHa-lung dbang-phyug) (1158–1232)
• Gonpo Rinpoche (mGon-po Rin-po-che)
• Zangchenpa (Zang-chen-pa)
• Tsonawa (mTsho-sna-ba Shes-rab bzang-po) (13th century)
• Mondrapa (Mon grva-pa)
• Chokyob Zangpo
• Tsongkhapa. 

The tradition of the quintessence teachings was transmitted from Chengawa to Jayulwa (dGe-bshes Bya-yul-ba gZhon-nu ’od) (1075–1138), then to:

• Gyergampa (dGe-bshes dGyer-sgam-pa gZhon-nu grags) (1090–1171)
• Sanggye Wonton (Sangs-rgyas dbon-ston Rin-po-che) (1138–1210)
• Namkha Gyelpo (mKhan-chen Nam-mkha’ rgyal-po)
• Sengge Zangpo (mKhan-chen Seng-ge bzang-po)
• Togme Zangpo (rGyal-sras Thogs-med bzang-po) (1245–1369)
• Namkha Gyeltsen
• Tsongkhapa.

The lam-rim tradition went from Gonpawa to Neuzurpa (dGe-bshes sNe’u zur-pa Ye-shes ’bar) (1062–1138)

• Thagmapa (dGe-bshes Thag-ma-pa)
• Namkha Sengge (lHo-brag Nam-mkha’ seng-ge)
• Namkha Gyelpo from whom it passed, recombined with the tradition of the quintessence teachings, down through the same above line to Tsongkhapa.

Tsongkhapa has paid homage to some of these outstanding figures in his Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path:

(1) (Bowing my) head, I prostrate to you, foremost One from the Shakya (Clan): your body is born with a host of splendid, constructive and excellent (signs); your speech grants the wishes of limitless wandering beings; your mind sees all knowables just as they are.

(2) I prostrate to you, Maitreya and Manjushri, supreme spiritual sons of that peerless Teacher: accepting the mantle (to enact) the full set of Triumphant Ones’ deeds, you display emanations in countless worlds.

(3) At your feet, I prostrate, Nagarjuna and Asanga, celebrated throughout the Three Realms as (gems) adorning the Southern Continent: you have commented on the most difficult to fathom (Prajnaparamita), Mother of the Triumphant, in accord with its intended meaning.

The “Three Realms” refer either to the subterranean (sa-’og), surface (sa-steng) and aerial realms (sa-bla) or to the three planes of existence (khams-gsum, Skt. tridhātu, three realms), namely the plane of sensory desires (’dod-khams, Skt. kāmadhātu, desire realm), that of ethereal forms (gzugs-khams, Skt. rūpadhātu, form realm) and the plane of formless beings (gzugs-med khams, Skt. arūpadhātu, formless realm). 

The “Southern Continent” refers to Jambudvipa, Rose-Apple Island, the world of humans as we commonly know them. The name derives from the fact that rose-apple trees grow on this island-world by the side of a large mountain lake and the falling of its fruit in the water makes the sound “jambu,” which means rose-apple (Eugenia Jambolana, a tree that grows to fairly great proportions and yields a small roundish fruit with purple pulp enclosing a stone).

(4) I bow to you, Dipamkara (Atisha), holder of a fortune of instructions, which encapsulate in full and without a mistake the essential points of the paths of profound view and extensive behavior, in excellent lineage from these two outstanding pioneers.

(5) Respectfully, I prostrate to you, my spiritual mentors, eyes for beholding all the infinite scriptures, superlative ford for the fortunate to cross to liberation. You clarify (everything), through using skillful means, driven by loving-concern.

These first five verses also appear as the homage in Tsongkhapa’s Grand Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Path.

(6) The stages of the path to enlightenment have passed down intact through successive generations from both Nagarjuna and Asanga, the crown jewels of all erudite masters of the Southern Continent, and the banner of whose fame flies above the wandering masses. As (following the stages) can fulfill, without an exception, the desired spiritual aims of the nine types of rebirth, they constitute a power-granting king of precious instruction. Because they gather within them the streams of myriad excellent classics, they comprise, as well, an ocean of all-around perfect, correct explanation.

The “nine types of rebirth” are derived from the fact that beings from each of the three planes of existence may be reborn into each of them. For example, those from the plane of sensory desires may be reborn into either the plane of sensory desires, the plane of ethereal forms or the plane of formless beings.

The “power-granting king” is an epithet of the wish-granting gem, a fabulous jewel that can fulfill all worldly wishes.

Since Tsongkhapa, the line of these Dharma teachings has continued down through the masters of the Gelug tradition that has descended from him. Most recently it has been transmitted from Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub to Pabongka Rinpoche, whose discourses on these graded stages of the path have been compiled into Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by my own peerless teacher, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the late Junior Tutor of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

In particular, Tsongkhapa transmitted the three recombined Kadam traditions to Togden Jampel Gyatso (rTogs-ldan ’Jam-dpal rgya-mtsho) (1356–1428). The line then passed to Khedrub Je (mKhas-grub rJe dGe-legs dpal-bzang) (1385–1438)

• Baso Choje (Ba-so Chos-rje Chos-kyi rgyal-msthan) (1402–1475)
• Dharmavajra (Grub-chen Chos-kyi rdo-rje) (late 15th century)
• Ensapa (rGyal-ba dBen-sa-pa Blo-bzang don-grub) (b. 1445)
• Sanggye Yeshe (mKhas-grub Sangs-rgyas ye-shes) (1525–1591)
• The First Panchen Lama (Pan-chen Blo-bzang chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan) (1570–1662)
• Konchog Gyeltsen (rDo-rje ’dzin-pa dKon-mchog rgyal-mtshan) (1612–1687)
• The Second Panchen Lama (Pan-chen Blo-bzang ye-shes) (1663–1737)
• Lozang Nyendrag (Blo-bzang snyan-grags) (1718–1800)
• Gyatso Thaye (rGya-mtsho mtha’-yas)
• The Second Radreng Rinpoche (Blo-bzang ye-shes bstan-pa rab-rgyas) (1759–1815)
• Lodro Zangpo (bLo-gros bzang-po)
• Lozang Jinpa (Dvags-po Blo-bzang sbyin-pa)
• Kelzang Tendzin (Dvags-po bsKal-bzang bstan-’dzin)
• Tendzin Khedrub (Dvags-po bsTan-’dzin mkhas-grub)
• Dagpo Jampel Lhundrub
• Pabongka
• Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.

The complete biographies of these masters can be found in Tibetan in The Enlightening Biographies of the Lineage Masters of the Graded Stages of the Path (Byang-chub lam-gyi rim-pa’i bla ma brgyud-pa’i rnam-par thar-pa rgyal-bstan mdzes-pa’i rgyan-mchog phul-byung nor-bu’i phreng-ba) by Yeshey Gyeltsen (Yongs-’dzin dKa’-chen Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan) (1713–1793), the tutor of the Eighth Dalai Lama.