About Shangpa Kagyu

The Shangpa Kagyu is known as the "secret lineage" of the Kagyu school of Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism and differs in origin from the better known Dagpo schools. The Dagpo Kagyu are the lineage of Tilopa through his student Naropa while the Shangpa lineage descends from Tilopa's student Niguma, who was Naropa's sister, as well as from the teachings of Sukhasiddhi. Its founder was Khyungpo Neljor, the student of both women, whose monastery in the Shang Valley gave its name to the tradition.