One of the most reclusive and unknown schools of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism is the Shangpa Kagyü. Although the name Kagyü suggests that it is one of the many Kagyü traditions originating with Marpa, the Shangpa Kagyü has a different origin.

The Shangpa Kagyü originates with Khyungpo Naljor (984-1139?) a Tibetan who traveled seven times to India and studied under about one-hundred and fifty accomplished masters. Among the most accomplished masters were the two Kashmiri female masters Niguma and Sukhasiddhi, both of whom (like Tilopa) received pure vision realizations from the Buddha Vajradhara. Some report Niguma to be the ex-wife/consort of Nāropa others report her to be his sister. In any case both Nāropa and Niguma spent years together in separate neighboring caves in Pulahari, just north of the present day Srinagar.