Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo stands out as a figure whose relationships with other teachers were shaped by an unusually broad and non-sectarian vision. He received extensive teachings and transmissions from masters of all the major Tibetan Buddhist schools—Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, Geluk, and Jonang—so that his own practice and realization were nourished by a wide spectrum of lineages. Among his Nyingma sources were Jikme Gyalwe Nyugu, Patrul Rinpoche, Shechen Rabjam Tenpé Gyaltsen, Getse Mahapandita, and other scholars associated with Katok and Dzogchen. Through these and many other teachers, he became a major holder of Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and certain Geluk and Jonang transmissions, embodying in his own person a living meeting point of multiple traditions.

His closest collaborative relationships were with Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé and Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa, with whom he formed the core of the Rimé, or non-sectarian, movement. With Jamgön Kongtrul, there was a deep reciprocity: Khyentse Wangpo often served as the source-transmitter of vast cycles of teachings, while Kongtrul compiled and systematized them, as seen in collections such as the Rinchen Terdzö. With Chokgyur Lingpa, he shared a profound connection as a fellow tertön, authenticating and collaborating in treasure revelations and giving rise to the Khyentse–Chokling treasure traditions. These relationships were not merely institutional alliances but expressions of mutual respect and shared commitment to preserving the full breadth of Tibetan Buddhism.

The web of his influence extended through many disciples who themselves became prominent teachers and lineage holders. Jamgön Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa were also his students in a reciprocal teacher–student dynamic, and Mipham Rinpoche received important transmissions and encouragement from him, later emerging as a major Nyingma scholar. Other disciples, such as Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpe Nyima and Apong Terton, carried his non-sectarian vision into their own spheres of activity. Through these relationships, his emphasis on honoring all authentic lineages took root in multiple communities and schools.

His relationships also took on a doctrinal and symbolic dimension through recognition as an incarnation of earlier masters. He was regarded as a mind incarnation of Jigme Lingpa and as an emanation of Manjushri and Vimalamitra, linking him inwardly to the Nyingma heritage, and was also seen as connected to Sakya through recognition as an incarnation of Sakya Pandita. He held important Sakya lineages and maintained close connections with branches such as the Drolma Podrang and Pechok Podrang. Kagyu masters, including leading Karma and Drukpa Kagyu figures, turned to him for specific Nyingma and treasure transmissions, further illustrating how his presence served as a bridge rather than a boundary between traditions.

The continuity of these relationships can be seen in the line of his later incarnations and successors. Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö became a pivotal Nyingma–Sakya master and teacher to many influential modern lamas, while figures such as Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche upheld his Rimé spirit and transmissions. Through such connections, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s role was not limited to his own lifetime; it radiated outward as a network of teachers, students, and incarnations who continued to embody a vision of Tibetan Buddhism in which diverse lineages are preserved, honored, and allowed to illuminate one another.