Yumo Mikyō Dorje—a vibrant figure born in 1136—sparked the Jonang lineage in mid-12th-century Tibet. Deeply influenced by Kadampa and Sakya teachings, he wove together sutra and tantra practices around 1160, laying the groundwork for a school that highlights the innate luminosity of mind, or buddha-nature.

A few decades later, Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (1292–1361) stepped onto the scene and gave Jonang its unmistakable philosophical flair, championing the “zhentong” view—that ultimate reality is empty of everything but brimming with its own radiant essence. His writings, especially The Mountain Peak, became the heartbeat of Jonang thought.

After centuries of ups and downs—closure under the Gelug regime in the 17th century, followed by quiet survival in remote valleys—the tradition has enjoyed a revival. A 2023 exhibition at New York’s Rubin Museum showcased Jonang thangkas, and in 2024 UNESCO added several Jonang manuscripts to its Memory of the World register.

The story of Jonang is like a river that carved its way through solid rock: its early spark by Yumo Mikyō Dorje still sends ripples into modern dialogues on mind, consciousness, and the very nature of reality.