As a result, the esoteric Buddhism practiced in Tibet broke into many sects, the four largest of which are the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug.
密宗在西藏長期發展之後，也因地域的遼闊，修持研習與師承的不同，而流派分支，其中以寧瑪、噶居、格魯、薩迦等四派為主流。