Welcome, thank you for visiting our website. Here you can learn more about the Martsang Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism and discover what our London Centre offers.
The London centre was officially opened by His Holiness the twelfth Gangri Karma Rinpoche on June 19th 2016 which coincided with the 850th anniversary celebrating the founding of Martsang Kagyu. We believe the opening of this school in London is significant for the following three reasons.
Firstly, in the modern day of diluted Buddhism, here you have a truly authentic unbroken lineage based on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. Martsang Kagyu was founded 856 years ago by Choje Marpa, as a union of the scripture of Kadampa with the sutra and tantra of the Kagyu School, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Choje Marpa was not an ordinary practitioner; he was a disciple in an unbroken line from both Atisha, who is credited with bringing Buddhism from India to Tibet, and Gampopa, who was the founder of the Kagyu School. Choje Marpa brought these seminal teachings together to form a school that combined a strong foundational understanding of theory and philosophy, with the practical application of meditation.
Secondly why this is so special is that while Martsang Kagyu is based on traditional teachings, it includes a completely unique series of instructions and writings from its founder and subsequent lineage holders. While its teachings include established Kagyu practises such as the Six Yoga of Naropa, Deity Yoga and the Mahamudra, these teachings are enriched with direct oral instructions and commentaries that are distinctive to this lineage. H.H. Gangri Karma Rinpoche has dedicated his life, with much sacrifice, to painstakingly restoring these teachings. He has gone to extraordinary lengths to find and translate original Martsang Kagyu texts, which are often incomplete and written in outdated dialects. It is through his unflinching efforts that these teachings are now gradually available to the modern world.
Thirdly, not only is this school based on authentic and unique teachings, but the resident Master and patron is also the current lineage-holder, H.H. the twelfth Gangri Karma Rinpoche. His Holiness. Born in Markham in Tibet, from an early age Rinpoche was recognised to be the reincarnation of Drogon Rinchen, the primary disciple of Choje Marpa. As such His Holiness was taught the Martsang Kagyu teaching in detail when His Holiness was just a boy.
His Holiness is an exceptional Buddhist scholar and Dharma practitioner while His Holiness has extensively studied the four major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and has established Monastery & orphanages in Tibet, Buddhist school in Taiwan and the UK, where he now resides. His Holiness is recognized as the reincarnation of the eleventh Gangri Karma Rinpoche (1910-1960), by H.H. Fourteenth Dalai Lama and His Holiness Sakya Trizin.
You can access the official Martsang Kagyu website by clicking here.
The photos below are from the opening blessing that His Holiness Gangri Karma Rinpoche recently performed at the new centre.
