 In the pre-classical period, the lineage of epistemology initiated by Ngok Loden Shérap at the Kadampa (bKaʼ gdams pa) monastery of Sangpu (gSang phu Neʼu thog) played the leading role. Ngok Loden Shérap himself and influential figures among his successors—notably Chapa Chökyi Senggé (Phya pa Chos kyi seng ge, 1109–1169) and Tsang Nakpa Tsöndrü Senggé (gTsang nag pa brTson ʼgrus seng ge, ?–after 1195)—set interpretative milestones. The “Ngok tradition” (rngog lugs) of epistemology represented the mainline interpretative stream up to the 13th century, when Sakya Pandita, advancing the need to treat the Indian sources more faithfully and more exhaustively, embarked on a generalized critique of his Tibetan predecessors and contemporaries, and initiated the “Sakya tradition” (sa lugs). The rupture was not total, as Sakya Pandita’s epistemological system retained many features developed in the Ngok tradition, but a dividing line was set on specific issues. These remain points of dissent between authors whose lineage goes back to Sakya Pandita and authors belonging to the Gandenpa (dGaʼ ldan pa) and subsequent Gelukpa (dGe lugs pa) traditions (both referred to as “Gelukpa” here for simplicity’s sake). The former includes thinkers such as Gorampa Sönam Senggé (Go rams pa bSod nams seng ge, 1429–1489) and Serdok Panchen Śākya Chokden (gSer mdog paṇ chen Śākya mchog ldan, 1428–1508). Representative for the Gelukpa tradition are the works of the disciples of Tsong Khapa Lobsang Drakpa (Tsong kha pa Blo bzang grags pa (1357–1419)—Khédrupjé (mKhas grub rje dGe legs dpal bzang, 1385–1438), Gyeltsapjé (rGyal tshab rje Dar ma rin chen, 1364–1432), Gedündrup (dGe ʼdun grub, 1391–1474)—as well as the “Collected topics” manuals used in monastic education. These prolonged, to some extent, ideas found in the Ngok tradition, although one should avoid hasty claims of continuity.