Karma Kagyu practice on the Six Yogas of Naropa. At the Anuttarayoga Tantra level of practice, the principal iṣṭadevatās of the lineage are Dorje Pakmo, Hevajra and Cakrasaṃvara. While one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Karma Kagyu is its emphasis on meditative practice, all forms and levels of Buddhist history and philosophy are also taught, most notably the shentong branch of Madhyamaka philosophy. The supreme lama of the Karma Kagyu is the Karmapa, who always presides as lineage holder once he has reached his majority and received all the necessary training and dharma transmissions. From the death of one Karmapa until
Nirjara only after, the Mohaniya karma are first destroyed, followed by Jnanavaraniya karma, Darsanavarana karma and Antaraya karma. However after attaining the "Kevala jnana", the causes of bandha, bondage end, thus the influx of Karma, asrava, ends as well, thus the person is freed from the Aghatiya karmas namely, Ayu karma, Nama karma, Gotra karma and Vedaniya karma, which cause worldly existence. Emptied of karma the person attains liberation. Nirjara Nirjara is one of the seven fundamental principles, or Tattva in Jain philosophy, and refers to the shedding or removal of accumulated karmas from the atma (soul), essential for breaking free