The Kadam school () of Tibetan Buddhism, or Kadampa was an 11th century Buddhist tradition founded by the great Bengali master Atiśa (982–1054) and his students including Dromtön (1005–1064), a Tibetan Buddhist lay master.Silk, Jonathan A; von Hinüber, Oskar; Eltschinger, Vincent; Bowring, Richard; Radich, Michael (2015). Brill's Encyclopedia of Buddhism: Vol. II Lives, pp. 1145–1158. Brill. The Kadampa stressed compassion, pure discipline and study.Chokyi Dragpa (2015). Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva, Glossary. Simon & Schuster. By the 15th century, Tsongkapa is credited with synthesizing and folding Kadampa lineages into the Gelug school.
The most evident teachings of that tradition were the graduated teachings on the Mahayana path. These special presentations became known as lojong (mind training) and lamrim (stages of the path).Buswell p. 123. Kadam masters like Atiśa also promoted the study of madhyamaka philosophy. According to Ronald M. Davidson, "Atiśa's coming to Tibet in 1042 was the threshold moment in the efflorescence of Buddhism and provided a stable foundation for monastic scholarship for the next thousand years."Davidson p. 108.
With the rise of new Tibetan Buddhist schools like Sakya and Gelug, Kadam ceased to exist as an independent school, and its monasteries, lineages and traditions were absorbed into all major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.Van Schaik, Sam (2016). The Spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, p. 33. Yale University Press. Because of this, Kadampa lineages remained strong long after the school disappeared.
History of the Kadam tradition The most important founding figure of the Kadam tradition is Atiśa Dīpankara Śrījñāna (982–1054), a Bengali Indian Buddhist master who was known as a great teacher at Vikramaśīla and traveled to Tibet in 1037 on the invitation of a princeling named Jangchub O.Van Schaik, Sam (2016). The Spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, pp. 30–31. Yale University Press. Atiśa's poem, the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Bodhipathapradīpa; Tib. Byang chub lam sgron) was an influential text which laid out the stages of the path to Buddhahood. He also helped translate some texts into Tibetan, taught Buddhism and wrote on Vajrayana practice.Van Schaik, Sam (2016). The Spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, pp. 31–32. Yale University Press. Atiśa's main teaching focus was on presenting a comprehensive Buddhist Mahayana system, and his numerous works explain basic topics such as bodhicitta, the six perfections, the two truths, dependent origination, karma, and Madhyamaka philosophy.
Over time he drew several students around him, including the influential Dromtönpa Gyelwé Jungné, who convinced Atiśa to stay in Tibet indefinitely. This Buddhist circle was part of the "later diffusion" of Buddhism in Tibet.Van Schaik, Sam (2016). The Spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, p. 32. Yale University Press. The tradition became known as Kadampa over time. The name means those who teach the Buddhist scriptures (bka) through personal instructions (gdams).
After the death of Atiśa in 1054, his main disciple Dromtön was the main leader of the Kadam tradition. He founded Radreng Monastery in 1056.Van Schaik, Sam (2016). The Spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, p. 33. Yale University Press. Another important student was Ngog Legpai Sherab, he founded Sangpu Neutog in 1071. According to Sam Van Schaik, "both monasteries followed Atiśa's principle of combining tantric meditation practice with a firm adherence to the monastic code and with rigorous scholarship." Reting Monastery was located in Reting Tsangpo valley north of Lhasa. The nearby Phenpo Chu and Gyama Valleys were also home to many large Kadampa monasteries.
Dromtön's three main students were Po to ba Rin chen gsal (Potowa), Spyan mnga’ ba Tshul khrims ’bar (Chen Ngawa), and Bu chung ba Gzhon nu rgyal mtshan (Bu chungwa). From these three come the main teaching lineages of Kadam: (1) the authoritative treatises (gzhung) lineage, (2) the essential instruction (gdams ngag) lineage, and (3) the oral instruction (man ngag) lineage, respectively.Buswell p. 123. These "three brothers" as they became known, traveled Central Tibet teaching and promoting the Kadampa order.Davidson pp. 278–79.
During the 11th and 12th centuries especially, the monastery at Sangpu became the dominant Kadampa institution, known for its scholarship. According to Van Schaik, "Sangpu became the centre of the renaissance in Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism." It maintained a curriculum which covered Prajñāpāramita, pramāṇa, vinaya and abhidharma. Another influential Kadam monastery for Buddhist scholarship was Narthang Monastery, which was established in 1153 by Tumtön Lodrö Drak (ca. 1106–66). According to Thupten Jinpa, these two scholastic centers "came to dominate the study of classical Indian Buddhist learning, especially in epistemology, abhidharma psychology and phenomenology, the scholastic inquiry into the perfection of wisdom literature, and the Middle Way philosophy of emptiness."Jinpa, Thupten (2014) The Book of Kadam: The Core Texts, p. 5. Simon & Schuster.
Due to influence and prominence of other Tibetan Buddhist schools like Sakya, Gelug and Kagyu, the Kadampa ceased to exist as an independent tradition by the end of the 16th century and their monasteries and lineages were absorbed into the other schools.
Teachings and study
Authoritative Treatises Lineage The Authoritative Treatises lineage of Putowa Rinchensél (1031–1106) emphasized the close study of six classic Indian Buddhist texts:Buswell Jr., Robert E.; Lopez Jr., Donald S. (2013). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 123. Princeton University Press. Asaṅga's "Bodhisattvabhūmi", a section of his Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra Maitreya-nātha's Mahāyāna-sūtrālamkāra-kārikā, a Yogacara work Shantideva's Śikṣāsamuccaya Shantideva's Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra The Jātakamālā of Aryaśura The Udānavarga Furthermore, according to Thupten Jinpa, "the studies of these treatises are complemented with further Indian Buddhist classics like Nagarjuna’s (second century) Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, his Seventy Stanzas on Emptiness, and Atiśa's Entry into the Two Truths and An Instruction on the Middle Way."Jinpa, Thupten (2014) The Book of Kadam: The Core Texts, p. 9. Simon & Schuster.
Scholarship Atiśa was a follower of the Madhyamaka school and he introduced the complementary study of the works of Candrakīrti and Bhāviveka.Apple, James B. (2019), Atisa Dipamkara: Illuminator of the Awakened Mind, p. 3. Shambhala Publications. Atiśa’s Madhyamaka philosophy was a synthesis which drew on the works of Bhāviveka and Candrakīrti. Atiśa taught Madhyamaka by using Bhāviveka's Tarkajvālā and Madhyamakaratnapradīpa as an introduction and then taught advanced students Candrakīrti’s Madhyamakāvatāra.Apple, James B. (2019), Jewels of the Middle Way: The Madhyamaka Legacy of Atiśa and His Early Tibetan Followers, Introduction, pp 1–62. Simon & Schuster.
Later Kadampas (especially at Sangpu) continued the scholastic study of Indian Buddhist philosophy. At Sangpu, Kadampas also studied Indian Buddhist pramāṇavāda philosophers like Dharmakirti. However, unlike Dharmakirti and other Tibetan Buddhists who followed the Yogacara-Madhyamaka of Śāntarakṣita (725–788), the Kadampas (following Candrakirti) instead defended a form of realism regarding conventional truth. Thus they accepted the existence of external objects conventionally.Emmanuel, Steven M. (2015) A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy, p. 405. John Wiley & Sons.
Kadam madhyamika philosopher-translators from Sangpu, like Ngog Loden Sherab (1059–1109) and Chaba Chokyi Senge (1109–1169) translated and produced works on madhyamaka and on epistemology (pramāṇa). These philosophical works were influential on later Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. Their work had a lasting impact on Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism and by the 12th century, their study curriculum had become part of mainstream Buddhist study in Central Tibet.Davidson p. 114. It was also at Sangpu that Sonam Tsemo (1142–1182), one of the founders of the Sakya tradition, studied under Chapa Chokyi Senge.Davidson pp. 339–40.
Another important commentator on madhyamaka, Patsab Nyima Drakpa (1055–1145?), was also a Sangpu monastery monk who had studied in Kashmir as well.Van Schaik, Sam (2016). The Spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, p. 79. Yale University Press.Davidson p. 279. Patsab's commentary on Nagarjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā seems to be the first Tibetan commentary on this work. His interpretation was based on Chandrakirti's method (which Patsab labeled thal 'gyur ba i.e. prāsaṅgika) and this differed from that of Ngog and Chaba's rang rgyud pa or svātantrika.Vose, Kevin A. (2015) Resurrecting Candrakirti: Disputes in the Tibetan Creation of Prasangika, p. 7 One of Patsab's students, Mabja Changchub Tsöndrü, became known for his influential commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika.Mabja Jangchub Tsöndrü, Ornament of Reason: The Great Commentary to Nagarjuna's Root of the Middle Way, Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2011
Oral transmissions and essential instructions Two other important early Kadampa lineages were the Kadam oral transmissions (man ngag) lineage entrusted to Phu-chungwa Shönu Gyaltsen (1031–1106) and the Kadam essential instructions (gdams ngag) lineage obtained by Chengawa Tsültrim Bar (1033–1103). According to Jinpa "Chengawa’s Kadam lineage of essential instructions emphasizes an approach whereby Atiśa's essential instructions, rather than classical treatises, are the key basis for practice. These instructions include the guide on the four truths as transmitted through Chengawa, the guide on the two truths as transmitted through Naljorpa, and the guide on dependent origination as transmitted through Phuchungwa."Jinpa, Thupten (2014) The Book of Kadam: The Core Texts, p. 9. Simon & Schuster.
Phu-chungwa's oral transmission lineage focused on studying the teachings found in The Book of Kadam.
These instructions were passed down only to one student in each generation in a single transmission until the secrecy was lifted at the time of Narthang Shönu Lodrö. Later these teachings were incorporated into the Karma Kamtsang Kagyu lineage by Pal Tsuglak Trengwa and into the Gelug lineage by the 1st Dalai Lama.
Lamrim The Kadam school was also known for their gradual step by step schema to the Mahayana Buddhist path, which are recorded in texts known as “steps of the path” (lam rim) or “stages of the doctrine” (bstan rim). They typically divided Buddhist practitioners into three types, culminating with tantra and Buddhahood. Atiśa’s Bodhipathapradīpa is the locus classicus for this genre, other works include the “Short Treatises of Atiśa” (Jo bo’i chos chung). Many later Kadampas composed various works on the graduated path.Roesler, Ulrike (2019). The Kadampa: A Formative Movement of Tibetan Buddhism. University of Oxford. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.013.568. These works usually begin with contemplations on the rarity of a human rebirth, impermanence, and karma.
This genre was extremely influential in Tibet, and all schools of Tibetan Buddhism eventually developed their own Lamrim texts based on Atiśa’s Bodhipathapradīpa, such as Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation and Tsongkhapa's three Lamrim works.Davidson p. 288.
Lojong lineage
The Kadampa lineage was also known for an oral tradition called lojong ("mind training") which focused on developing bodhicitta through various contemplations and mental techniques, such as contemplatively taking all beings' suffering and giving them all of one's happiness (a meditation known as Tonglen). One of the earliest examples of a lojong text is Atiśa's Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland.Jinpa, Thupten (2014) The Book of Kadam: The Core Texts, p. 4. Simon & Schuster.