Pamo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo

Pamo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo was one of Gampopa’s three main disciples and founder of the Phagdru Kagyü school, one of the four major Kagyü branches.

Growing up in poverty, he became a monk through the support of his uncle, also a monk, who was employed outside a small monastery. After studying within the Kadampa tradition and spending 12 years of his life with a tantric master of the Sakya school learning Lamdre, he in the end became one of Gampopa’s main students and reached full realization through his teachings of Mahamudra.