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The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism
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Nyingma is one of four principle schools in the Tibetan
Buddhist tradition. Most of these uniquely Nyingma teachings can be traced
back to the earliest spreading of Buddhism in Tibet starting in the eighth
century. Buddhism was brought into Tibet at that time by Padmasambhava
and the monks Vimilimitra and Shanktarakshita at the request of King Trisong
Deutsen. For some time after this Nyingma was the only Buddhism in Tibet.
It wasn’t until the emergence of newer schools of Tibetan Buddhism
that the Nyingmapas adopted their name and designated themselves as the
“School of the Ancients”. Up until the seventeenth century Nyingma
teachings were practiced and taught primarily in non-monastic settings
by laypeople and forest yogins in small hermitages and retreat centers
scattered throughout eastern Tibet.
Padmasambhava is known to Nyingma practitioners as the “Second Buddha” and he is venerated as Guru Rinpoche or the “Precious Guru”. It was Padmasambhava who Shanktarakshita enlisted to aid the spreading of Buddhism in Tibet by having him tame the anger of Tibet’s local deities and spirits. His teachings provide the foundation of Nyingma practice and he is the originator of many of Nyingma’s various traditions. The Kama and Terma traditions are two types of lineages that firmly ground the Nyingma school in its original historical foundations while continuing to provide fresh context and renewed energy to its place in contemporary times. Kama represents textual lineages transmitted in an unbroken chain from Padmasambhava down to modern teachers thus maintaining the integrity of the teachings. Terma refers to spiritual “treasures” hidden during the early spreading of Buddhism in Tibet by Padmasambhava and his followers. Terma are discovered and revealed at later times by highly attained bodhisattvas (tertons) when the meaning and aim of the Terma are most relevant to that generation. It is in this way that the Nyingma tradition maintains close and continual contact with Padmasambhava and retains its vital and energetic character. |
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Guru Padmasambhava
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"The Nyingma are not the only ones who practice
on Padmasambhava. He is the Buddha or Guru for all schools of Tibetan
Buddhism such as the Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelugpa. If we read the books,
the biographies and lives of the great masters of the different lineages
there is hardly anyone who didn't receive teachings and blessings from
Guru Padmasambhava in their visions, dreams or in the state of direct
perception. Nearly every one was blessed by him and thereby came to realization.
In Tibetan history Guru Padmasambhava is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. He established the first schools of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet and blessed every part of the land. It is said in the teachings that there is not even one square inch of ground that was not blessed by Guru Padmasambhava. With the assistance of Wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, he hid termas, lineage teachings, and ritual objects throughout Tibet - in rocky mountains, in lakes rivers, trees, in the sky, and many other places. He gave many prophecies and explained how to use the termas to benefit all sentient beings from generation to generation until now. Guru Padmasambhava is not only for Tibetans. He worked
for all sentient beings. For example, among the eight emanations of Guru
Padmasambhava only two occur in Tibet. The rest happen in different parts
of the world. He has - Venerable Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche |