The Drukpa Kagyu tradition traces its origin to the great master Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje, whose life spanned from 1161 to 1211. Within the broader Kagyu stream, his role stands out as the foundational source of this particular lineage. To speak of the Drukpa Kagyu is therefore to speak of the spiritual legacy that crystallized around Tsangpa Gyare’s realization and activity. His name has become synonymous with the emergence of this distinct current within the Kagyu tradition.

Understanding Tsangpa Gyare’s founding role also illuminates how lineages in the Kagyu world often coalesce around a single realized master. The Drukpa Kagyu, ascribed to him, reflects not only a doctrinal transmission but also a living example of how a teacher’s realization can give rise to a unique spiritual family. In this sense, the attribution of the tradition’s founding to Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje points to the centrality of realized masters in shaping the map of Tibetan Buddhist lineages.