The Nyingmapa School of Tibetan Buddhism
The Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism stems from the Indian adept Padmasambhava who came to Tibet in 817 CE at the invitation of King Trisong Deutsan (742-797). He is believed to have subdued many harmful spirits and made them pledge to help, and not hinder the spread of Buddhism in Tibet. Together with the great Bodhisattva Shantarakshita he built Samyey monastery, which became a principal centre of learning and the place where many fundamental translations into Tibetan of the Buddhist canon were made.
Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born is more popularly known as Guru Rinpoche. He is renowned as the second Buddha throughout the Himalayan region. His legacy is found throughout the region and in many caves he used for meditation one can still see handprints and footprints he impressed into solid rock, graphic testimony to the extraordinary psychic power of this Tantric yogi.
Padmasambhava said of his own birth;
"Some people believe that I revealed myself upon the pollen bed of a lotus in the Dhanakosha Lake in the country of Orgyen, some people believe I was born as Prince of Orgyen, and others believe that I came in the flash of a thunderbolt to the Nainchak hilltop. There are many distinct beliefs held by different individuals and peoples, for I have appeared in many forms.""However, twenty-four years after the parinirvana of the Buddha Shakyamuni, the Adibuddha of Boundless Light, Amitabha, conceived the Thought of Enlightenment in the form of the Great Compassionate One, Avalokiteshvara, and from the heart of the Great Compassionate One, I, Padma, the Lotus Born Guru, was emanated as the syllable 'HRI'. I came like rain throughout the world in innumerable billions of forms to those who were ready to receive me. The actions of the Enlightened Ones are incomprehensible! Who is to define or measure them!"
Padmasambhava widely propagated the teachings of the highest school of Buddhist Tantra and his twenty-five main disciples were renowned for their spiritual accomplishments. and through a succession of such great lineage holders as Longchen Rabjampa (I308-I363) and Jigme Lingpa (I729-I798) these teachings have been passed on and are still practised today. Indian masters Vimalamitra, Buddhaguhya, Shantipa and the Tantric adept Dharmakirti also came to Tibet and spread Tantric teachings, and the practice of Tantra in extreme secrecy was a Buddhist mainstay of that era.
The Nyingma tradition consolidates three lineages; the Oral, Pure Vision and Treasure Text traditions. The Oral is whatever was taught openly by Padmasambhava and the Bodhisattva Shantarakshita when they brought Buddhism to Tibet for the first time. The Pure Vision stems from visionary experiences of later masters who received instructions from Padmasambhava and the Treasure Texts are teachings hidden by Padmasambhava.
Padmasambhava realised that the time was not right to reveal all of the secret teachings, so he hid hundreds of these Treasures in the form of texts, images and ritual articles which could be used to benefit future generations. Some were hidden in the earth while others were planted directly into the minds of his major disciples. When the time is right, reincarnations of these same disciples appear and are inspired to reveal them. Since that time, more than one hundred masters have revealed these 'treasures' and taught them to their disciples. Due to the importance of these treasures the Nyingma tradition is sometimes referred to as the Treasure Text tradition.
