Among Milarepa's disciples there were seven who departed to celestial realms at the end of their life, eight who became great repa-yogis, as well as innumerable others. Of his two chief disciples, one was the moon-like Rechung Dorje Drakpa from whom the Rechung Kagyu lineage sprung. The other was the sun-like Dakpo Dawo Zhonno who is also known as the great matchless Gampopa, extolled in prophecies by the Victorious One, and who was equal to Buddha coming back into the world.

Gampopa had an untold number of disciple which he brought to maturity and liberation, but his principal lineage-holders were Barom Darma Wangchuk who originated the Barom Kagyu; Pagdru Dorje Gyalpo who began the Pagdru Kagyu; the illustrious Dusum Khyenpa who founded the Karma Kagyu; the disciple of Öngom Tsultrim Nyingpo by the name Zhang Tsalpa Tsondru Drakpa who founded Tsalpa Kagyu. These are renowned as the Four Greater Kagyu traditions. In addition there is the Dakpo Kagyu which originated from succession of masters, the Three Uncles and Nephews of Dakpo at the seat of Dakpo Tsalmi.

The Eight Lesser Kagyu schools sprung the five hundred parasol-bearing disciples of Pagdru: the Drigung Kagyu from Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon; the Taklung Kagyu from Tangpa Tashi Pal; the Trophu Kagyu from Drogon Gyaltsab, uncles and nephews; the Lingrey (Drukpa) Kagyu from Lingje Repa Pema Dorje; the Martsang Kagyu from Marpa Rinchen Lodro; the Yelpa Kagyu from Yelpa Yeshe Tsek; the Yabzang Kagyu from Gyalwa Yabzang; and the Shugseb Kagyu from Nyepu Gyergom Chokyi Senge. Over time, each of these schools had innumerable chief and subsidiary monasteries.

Among these schools, today the Karma Kagyu among the four greater and among the eight lesser the Drukpa, Drigung and Taklung still exist independently.

From among all these masters, the one known as the matchless and precious lord of Dharma, the great Taklungpa Tashi Pal, who was the identity of the fivefold inexhaustible adornment-wheel of the Body, Speech and Mind of all victorious ones, was someone whose banner of renown became clearly visible throughout the three levels of existence. This is just as Padmasambhava, the Second Buddha, proclaimed in the terma predictions:

When Dharmatala nurtures the Buddha's teachings,
The monk known as Taklungpa will appear.

In accordance with this prophesy, two principal monasteries of the glorious Taklung Kagyu appeared through the aspirations of this master, the upper and lower. Of these two, here is an explanation of the vajra-holder Phakchok of Taklung Martang, the Riwoche Monastery in Dokham.
Phakchok Rinpoche's emanation-basis is the Lord of Secrets Dharmevajra, the compiler of the teachings of the Great Secrets (Vajrayana) of all buddhas; the arhat Ananda, the foremost disciple of our teacher (Buddha Shakyamuni); Lhalung Palgyi Dorje, the direct disciple of the Second Buddha of Uddiyana (Padmasambhava); (Rechung) Dorje Drakpa, the lord of siddhas; and many others.

Having manifested an inconceivable display of magical emanations to influence beings in accordance with their needs, the first Phakchok incarnation was the thirteenth throne-holder at glorious Riwoche whose full name was Tashi Wangyal Ngawang Drakpa Damcho Puntsok. He was born in the Year of the Earth Dragon in the twelfth cycle (1688) into the Taklung Gazi family among the six original family-clans of Tibet.
The moment this master was born he recited the Six Syllable mantra. Possessed insight and wisdom from former training. The dakinis and guardians of the Dharma accompanied him day and night. When he grew up he was ordained by Taksham Nuden Dorje. While following numerous learned and accomplished masters, including Jedrung Drakpa Lekdrub, he completed his studies and training and became a great pandita and siddha who had visions of infinite deities.

After he had been enthroned at Yang-Gon, his activity expanded tremendously, both in secular and spiritual ways. The first Phakchok was bestowed special honors due to the kindness of Kalsang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama. The Emperor Yutrig conferred the Golden Credential upon him, and he was offered the Nomihan rank with the associated seal, palanquin, and parasol, as well as documents written in Tibetan, Chinese and Mongolian.

In the scripture shrine room within the Grand Temple of Riwoche, he had statues of the sixteen arhats, Padmasambhava's eight manifestations, and many other sacred representations of Body, Speech and Mind built and installed. After accomplishing an immense benefit for the teachings and beings through his mastery in miraculous powers and clairvoyance, he passed into nirvana.

The second Phakchok incarnation was Tashi Drakpa Gyaltsen, the fifteenth throne-holder (of Riwoche), born into the Lho Dasho Meru Ponyo family of the Lhugpo clan. Having been recognized as the rebirth of the previous Phakchok, he was brought to Yang-Gon at the age of five where he identified shrine objects belonging to his predecessor. From his early years onwards he had visions of his yidam deity. The ordination as a monk he received from Yizhin Trinley Chokdrub, the supreme Martang incarnation, and from Jedrung Rinchen Sherab. They also bestowed upon him the lineage of the ripening empowerments and liberating instructions of the profound Dharma.

After Jedrung Rinpoche passed on, he took the position of throne-holder of Yang-Gon and kept a very strict discipline for the monks at the monastery. In the Grand Temple he supervised the building of new statues of Maitreya, the Eight Close Bodhisattvas, Padmasambhava, and others. As representations of enlightened Speech, he provided a new set of the Kangyur, the collected words of the Buddha's true meaning. He also renovated the accommodations for monks.

This Phakchok Rinpoche was highly respected by the dignitaries and influential people of both Tibet and China, but without prejudice he cared for people of every standing and helped them in accordance with the Dharma. Through his inexhaustible fourfold activity to propagate the Dharma traditions of teaching and practice, he helped to establish everyone, both clergy and laity, in the happiness of pursuing the ten virtuous actions. In short, up until the time of Phakchok Jigten Wangchuk, it is renowned that there has been no other throne-holder of Riwoche who developed the monastery more and kept a stricter discipline than this sublime master.

Numerous monasteries of all traditions in both Ü, Tsang and Kham he provided with donations and assistance. To all their sublime masters, headed by Drigung, Taklung, Kamtsang, and Drukpa, he made offerings and paid respect to their shrine objects. He also gave alms to the poor and thus manifested a life of goodness. At the age of sixty-two he passed into nirvana accompanied by wondrous signs.

The third Phakchok incarnation was Choying Lhundrub, the seventeenth throne-holder (of Riwoche), born into the Bechen Khardru family during the thirteenth year cycle. In Lhasa he was opproved by the official divination and the installed in the seat of his predecessor. He became a great master endowed with the sublime qualities of learnedness, integrity and noble-mindedness through which he accomplished the welfare of the teachings and beings. In the Year of the Earth OX, 1829, the he dissolved his manifestation of the form-body.

The fourth Phakchok incarnation was Rinchen Lhundrub Drakpa Kunsel Nyima, the nineteenth throne-holder (of Riwoche), born into the Rongko Longa Dzom family in Chamdo in the Year of the Iron Horse (1830). Having been opproved by the official divination, he was installed in the seat of his predecessor. After completing his studies and training with numerous learned and accomplished tutors he became a great pandita and accomplished master himself.

In Lhasa he received the rank of a Nomihan after which he worked immensely for the benefit of the Buddhadharma and sentient beings in both spiritual and secular ways until his passing.

The fifth Phakchok incarnation was Ngawang Kunga Namgyal, the twenty-first throne-holder (of Riwoche), born into the Sedor Bongkar family in the Year of the Water Ox (1913). After being installed on the golden throne of his predecessor, he studied with numerous tutors and spiritual teachers the ocean-like Dharma topics of Sutra and Tantra. On completing his studies and training he became both learned and accomplished as well as bring forth the realization of the true transmission.

He then went to Lhasa where he in an audience with the thirteenth Dalai Lama at the Potala Palace was bestowed the official rank of his predecessor. Having benefited vastly the teachings and beings through his learned and accomplished qualities, he passed into nirvana.

The sixth Phakchok incarnation was Ngawang Jigmey Drakpa Tubten Namgyal, the twenty-second throne-holder (of Riwoche), born into the same Sedor Bongkar family, and then placed on the Dharma throne at Yang-Gon Monastery. From Jedrung Trinley Jampey Jungney, the lord of a hundred buddha families, and from many other tutors and spiritual masters, he completed the general studies of the graded path of Sutra and Tantra. In particular, he received the scriptures and teachings for the ripening empowerments and liberating instructions of the incomparable Taklung tradition. He spent long periods of time in retreat and became a crest-ornament among all learned and accomplished masters. He also erected innumerable sacred representations of Body, Speech and Mind.

In particular, in the Year of the Water Dragon, 1952, he invited Tendzin Drakpa of Katok, also known as Pema Rangdrol, a master possessing the threefold qualities of being learned, upright and noble, to establish a new Shedra for the Taklung and Drukpa Kagyu traditions. Due to the unspeakable destructiveness of the savage invaders, he passed away in Chamdo in the Year of the Earth Sheep, 1979.

This was written by The Riwoche Society for the purpose of adorning a publication celebrating the tenth anniversary of Ka-Nying Ling in Kuala Lumpur, and according to the wish of H. E. the Fourth Tsikey Chokgyur Lingpa, this was translated by Erik Pema Kunsang, at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, February, 2000.