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
Aranyaka however, neither are homogeneous in content nor in structure. "Aranyakas" are sometimes identified as "karma-kanda" (कर्मकाण्ड) / (कांड), ritualistic action/sacrifice section), while the Upanishads are identified as "jnana-kanda" (ज्ञानकाण्ड /कांड) knowledge/spirituality section). In an alternate classification, the early part of Vedas are called Samhitas and the ritualistic commentary on the mantras and rituals are called the Brahmanas which together are identified as the ceremonial "karma-kanda", while "Aranyakas" and "Upanishads" are referred to as the "jnana-kanda". In the immense volume of ancient Indian Vedic literature, there is no absolute universally true distinction between "Aranyakas" and "Brahmanas". Similarly, there is no absolute