The lineage represented by TNG Centre is the Karma Kagyüd lineage, also known as the Karma Kamtshang lineage or else the Mahamudra lineage. It inscribes itself within one of the main tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, that of the Kagyüd that was brought into Tibet by Lord Marpa Lhodrakpa.

The tradition of the Kagyüd emphasizes the continuity of oral instructions passed on from master to student. This emphasis is reflected in the literal meaning of the word:

• The first syllable "Ka" refers to the scriptures of the Buddha and the oral instructions of the guru. "Ka" has the sense both of the enlightened meaning conveyed by the words of the teacher, as well as the force which such words of insight carries.
• The second syllable "gyüd" means lineage or tradition. Together, these syllables mean "the lineage of the oral instructions."

The Kagyüd lineage was initiated by Buddha Shakyamuni in his samboghakaya manifestation as the Buddha Vajradhara (Skt.) and passed down through the Indian Mahasiddha Tilopa, to the present days in a series of uninterrupted lineage of Gurus. (See menu: "The Kagyüd Lineages")