Naropa’s presence in modern Buddhism is felt less as a separate school and more as a living current running through Vajrayāna, especially the Kagyu tradition. His role in transmitting Mahāmudrā and tantric instructions to Marpa, then to Milarepa and Gampopa, helped shape a lineage that now spans many Kagyu branches. These lineages, active in diverse cultural settings, look back to Naropa as a principal Indian forefather whose influence colors their style of meditation, their emphasis on direct experience of mind’s nature, and their characteristic blend of monastic discipline with yogic practice. In this way, his impact is woven into the very fabric of how many practitioners understand the path, rather than standing as a separate historical relic.

The Six Yogas of Naropa form perhaps the most visible expression of this legacy. As an advanced tantric system, these practices—such as inner heat (tummo), dream yoga, and related subtle-body disciplines—occupy a central place in the training of many Kagyu practitioners and are widely taught in retreat settings. Through them, Naropa’s approach to transforming subtle energies and working directly with states of consciousness continues to shape how modern Buddhists engage with Vajrayāna methods. For many, these yogas serve as a concrete bridge between philosophical understanding and the intimate, experiential work of meditation.

Naropa’s life story also exerts a powerful, if more symbolic, influence on contemporary Buddhist discourse. His journey from renowned scholar at Nālandā to tantric adept under Tilopa stands as a paradigm of uniting rigorous intellectual training with profound experiential realization. The narratives of his trials under Tilopa have become emblematic of the guru-disciple relationship, highlighting both the transformative potential and the demanding nature of such devotion. These stories continue to inform how practitioners and teachers alike reflect on authority, surrender, and the sometimes unsettling methods associated with “crazy wisdom.”

Through these intertwined strands—lineage, practice, and example—Naropa’s teachings continue to shape how many modern Buddhists understand the integration of study and contemplation, the role of direct experience, and the possibilities of the tantric path. His influence endures not as a distant memory, but as a living orientation toward the path: one that values both clear understanding and fearless engagement with the depths of mind.