Background of the Lineage

Nalandra Buddhist Institute belongs to Tsarpa, one of four major sub-sects of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Since its inception, Tsarpa has held and preserved the uncommon lineages of Yogatantra and we practice with respect for all lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, past and present.

The Sakya school, one of the four pillars of Himalayan Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, was formed from the old Kadampa tradition through the vision of the great master, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. Sachen was an emanation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and had direct visions of Arya Tara and of Manjushri who famously wrote “Parting from the Four Attachments”. During the 11th century, Sachen clarified the Mahayana and Vajrayana systems of Buddhism that were arriving gradually from the Indian subcontinent into the "Land of Snows.”

Great Sachen was the third in the lineage of the royal Khön clan and first of the five eminent founders of Sakya. Since that time right up to the present, there have continued to be oceans of outstanding masters among the Sakya pa.

Although the noble Sachen had received Lamdre teachings from his human root guru, he kept them secret until he witness a pure vision of the Mahasiddha Virupa. In the third quarter of his life, out of the blue, Sachen saw Virupa in the sky above the White Wall Mountain. He received directly from Virupa the Lamdre teaching of the tantra of alaya ground, the path tantra of body mandala, and the result tantra of five kayas of five wisdoms - the innermost Tantra (the Path that is the Result). At the conclusion, in dedication and appreciation, he recited an ecstatic Vajra song—spontaneous words of joy, happiness and tears. Thereafter Sachen declared the birth of "One Flavour”, a view of the inseparability of Samsara and Nirvana.

This was an era of new beginnings for Buddhism in Tibet. At this time, Marpa brought forth the Mahamudra lineage of Naropa and Tilopa which provided the ground for the Kagyu school, the Oral lineage holder. Great Atisha from India with the help of the Tibetan Dromtonpa reaffirmed the stamp of the original New Kadampa, paving a path for the rise of Lama Tsongkhapa in the 14th century. The Sakya tradition preserved the profound "whispered" lineages, marking the final, formal transfer of Buddhism from the monastic universities Nalanda and Vikramashila in India.

His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin

His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin is the reincarnation of Apong Tertön, fulfilling the master's wish to be reborn in the human world before passing into Nirvana. Apong Tertön (1895–1945) explicitly stated his intention to be reborn into the Khön bloodline of the Sakya family to help uphold their doctrine.

When Apong Tertön’s son visited the Sakya family in 1949, he identified the young 41st Sakya Trizin as his father's reincarnation, confirming that the Tertön had purposely chosen this birth to serve the Sakya lineage. From his extensive and extraordinary biography, the most vital point is that Apong Tertön is regarded as a high-level emanation of Vajrapāṇi and the fierce aspect of Tārā.

You are encouraged to familiarise yourself with His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin's Long Life Prayer prior to meeting His Holiness. This will be chanted at Nalandra during the initiation days.

His Holiness’s Australian tour is being coordinated by Sakya Chokhor Lhunpo Victoria. Nalandra Buddhist Institute is honoured to host his visit from 12–17 March 2026.  We are deeply privileged to showcase the visit of His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin, the illustrious descendant of that great Sachen, to our centre in Healesville in the year of the fire horse. This exceptional combination of fire and horse promises profound transformation and swift progression on the path. 

We have requested the transmission of three essential empowerments for the sake of genuine practitioners to experience flawless compassion without compromise. His Holiness has kindly accepted our prayer to bestow the initiations of Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, and in particular the tantra of 21 Taras initiations in a single bundle, and will point out the verse and mantra of each Tara. This includes Red Tara, Saraswati, Norgyun ma, Kurukulle, White Umbrella, Marici etc. 

The three deities are of the same family. One fills the heart with compassion to raise wisdom, another fills with hero-heartedness, while the 21 manifestations of great Green Tara fully fills it with a rain of blossom and reproductive energy. Together they are stems of glory, outer, inner and the innermost. Whether we are new to Buddhism or a seasoned practitioner, these blessings allow the mind to reach deeper into realisation of emptiness. 

What makes these initiations great are the fire of the horse and the master from an unbroken lineage since Vajradhara. By receiving the initiations of these three lords, the power of the their mantras multiply naturally.

These are mantras of perfection.

Taking Refuge: If you need to take Refuge in order to receive the initiations, or if you simply wish to take your Refuge vows at this time, please let us know by completing the Enquiry & Feedback form below.