15. Gampopa Sönam Rinchen (Dagpo Kagyu)

Gampopa (1079–1153) was the physician-monk who merged the Kadam monastic discipline with Milarepa’s Mahāmudra instructions. Following the tragic death of his family, he entered the monastery and later became Milarepa’s heart disciple. By organizing the Kagyu teachings into a systematic monastic framework, he founded the Dagpo Kagyu lineage. His masterpiece, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, remains the primary textbook for students of the Kagyu school, bridging the gap between monkhood and yogic practice.