Nyingma (lit. “Ancient”) school of Buddhist teachings are brought from India during 8th Century to introduce Buddhism in Tibet. When a king of Tibet, Trisong Deutsan (742-797), was not able to establish Buddhism due to obstacles from harmful spirits and sorcerers, Pandita Shantarakshita advised him to invites Guru Padmasambhava to overcome the negative forces. After which, the establishment of Buddhism were laid with joined effort of Pandita Shantarakshita and Indian master Padmasambhava. Guru Padmasambhava, who arrived in Tibet in 817 C.E. at King Trisong Deutsan’s invitation to subdue evil spirits, changed the negative energies in order to prepare the path for Buddhism to be established in Tibet. He is the founder of Nyingma School. It is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Nyingma school’s Vajrayana or Tantra traces its origins back to Guru Padmasambhava, an emanation of Amitaba and Avalokitesvara, whose arrival and activity were foreseen by Buddha Shakyamuni, supporting the school’s belief that Padmasambhava is the second Buddha. The Nyingma lineage can also be traced back to Garab Dorje and Yeshe Tsogyal.

When Buddha Shakyamuni was about to pass away, his devotees grieved the fact that he had only taught the Hinayana and Mahayana but not the Vajrayana tantric teachings. Shakyamuni replied that since he was a womb-born, his current body was not appropriate for introducing the tantric teachings but he would come back in a miraculously-born form to reveal those teachings. As predicted, after 25 years he was born from a lotus in the form of Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). Despite the fact that Guru Rinpoche was a fully enlightened manifestation, he went through and completed all stages of training as a model for others to follow. He not only reached realization and mastered all of the teachings, but he also accomplished the Vajrayana techniques of skillful means, enabling him to perform miracles.

Guru Rinpoche also gave widespread teachings from the highest classes of tantra and in particular to his twenty-five principal disciples. These first Tibetan adepts are renowned for their spiritual accomplishments.

The most important characteristic of Nyingma Tradition is that the class of texts called terma (treasure scriptures) is recognized by terma revealers. These treasures were written by Padmasambhava and made hidden as spiritual treasures to be re-discovered by blessed lineage master or terma revealers when time is ripe for revelation. The Dzogchen or “The Great Perfection” is the core practice of Nyingmapa. Longchen Nyingthig (klong-chen snying-thig) – The Heart Essence of The Vast Expanse becomes one of the most widespread sets of teachings in the Nyingma tradition.

In collaboration with the great Bodhisattva Abbot Shantarakshita and Guru Rinpoche then built Samye monastery, which became a principal center of learning and the site where many of the texts that would make up Tibet’s vast Buddhist literature were first translated into Tibetan. The translations formed the base of Dharma teachings in Tibet.

Many teachings can be found in the Collection of a Hundred Thousand Nyingma Tantras, compiled in the thirteenth century by Terton Ratna Lingpa (1403-1473) and organised by Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363). Besides this, numerous works such as the sixty volumes of the Rinchen Terzod compiled by Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso (1813-1899) and the writings of Rongzom, Dodrupchen, Paltrul Rinpoche, Mepham Rinpoche and many others have added to the rich collection of Nyingma literature.

Lineage Transmission

Acccording to the history of the origin of tantras, there are three lineages:

The Lineage of Buddha’s Intention, which refers to the teachings of the Truth Body originating from the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, who is said to have taught tantras to an assembly of completely enlightened beings emanated from the Truth Body itself. Therefore, this level of teaching is considered as being completely beyond the reach of ordinary human beings.

The Lineage of Knowledge Holders corresponds to the teachings of the Enjoyment Body originating from Vajrasattva and Vajrapani, whose human lineage begins with Garab Dorje of the Ogyen Dakini land. From him the lineage passed to Manjushrimitra, Shrisimha and then to Guru Rinpoche, Jyanasutra, Vimalamitra and Vairochana who disseminated it in Tibet.

Lastly, the Human Whispered Lineage corresponds to the teaching of the Emanation Body, originating from the Five Buddha Families. They were passed on to Shrisimha, who transmitted them to Guru Rinpoche, who in giving them to Vimalamitra started the lineage which has continued in Tibet until the present day.

The last mode of transmission is most commonly employed for ordinary people. However, the former two lineages may still exist amongst the highly realised Dzogchen masters.

Six different lineages of transmission (Gyud Pa Drug).

Lineage of General Tantric

1. Enlightened mind to enlightened mind among the Buddhas (Gyal Ba Gong Gyud).
2. Indications among the knowledge holders (Rigzin Da Gyud).
3. Oral transmission among ordinary beings (Gand Zag Nyan Gyud).

Lineage of Ter Transmission

1. Transmission of aspirational empowerment (Monlam Wang Kur).
2. Transmission through prophetic authorization (Lung Tan Ka Babs).
3. Entrustment to the Ḍākinīs (Khadro Tad Gya).

The Buddhist path is divided into nine yanas by Nyingmapas.

Sutrayana

1. Sravakayana – This is the vehicle of listening and hearing.
2. Pratyekabuddhayana – This is the vehicle of solitary realizer, the way of solitary meditation.
3. Bodhisattvayana – This is the vehicle of a bodhisattva seeking buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings

Vajrayana (Outer Tantra)

1. Kriya tantra – Tantra of Action. Concerned mainly with external conduct, the practices of ritual purification and cleanliness and so on.
2. Ubhaya/Charya tantra – Tantra of Conduct. Places an equal emphasis on the outer actions of body and speech and the inner cultivation of samadhi.
3. Yoga tantra – Tantra of Union. Emphasizes the inner yogic meditation upon reality, combining skilful means and wisdom.

Vajrayana (Inner Tantra)

1. Mahayoga – Great Yoga. Focuses mainly on the development stage (Tib. kyérim), and emphasizes the clarity and precision of visualization as skillful means.
2. Anuyoga – Subsequent Yoga. Focuses mainly on the completion stage (Tib. dzogrim), and emphasizes the inner yoga of channels, winds-energies and essences (Tib. tsa lung tiklé). Visualization of the deities is generated instantly, rather than through a gradual process as in Mahayoga
3. Atiyoga (Dzogchen) – Ultimate Yoga. The Great Perfection. The highest of all vehicles. It involves the realization that all phenomena are nothing other than the appearances of the naturally arising primordial wisdom which has always been beyond arising and ceasing.

The oldest Nyingma institution is Samye Monastery and subsequently no big monasteries were built until the 12th century, when Kathok Monastery were built in 1159. This is an indication that unlike the other Buddhist traditions the Nyingmapas did not become institutionalized until much later in history.

From the 15th century onwards, great monastic universities were built such as;

In Eastern Tibet:

1. Dzogchen Monastery (founded in 1685) by Dzogchen Pema Rigzin.
2. Shechen Monastery (founded in 1735) by Shechen Rabjampa.

In Central Tibet:

1. Mindroling Monastery (founded in 1676) by Rigzin Terdag Lingpa, known as Minling Terchen Gyurmed Dorje.
2. Dorje Drak Monastery (founded in 1632) Rigzin Ngaggi Wangpo.

In Lower Eastern Tibet:

1. Kathok Monastery (founded in 1159) by Ka Dampa Desheg.
2. Palyul Monastery (founded in 1665) by Rigzin Kunsang Sherab.

Principal monastic institutions re-established in exile are Thekchok Namdrol Shedrub Dargye Ling in Bylakuppe, Karnataka State; Ngedon Gatsal Ling in Clementown, Dehradun; Palyul Chokhor Ling and E-Vam Dorjey Drag at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, India.

The Nyingma traditionally had no centralized authority or Nyingma-wide hierarchy. There was never a single “head of the lineage”. After the Tibetan diaspora following the Chinese invasion of Tibet, the Nyingma temporarily had a head of the school. The position was largely administrative, but the Rinpoches who have served in this role are among the most universally highly regarded. They include:

• Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche, served from the 1960s until his death.
• Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, served from 1987 until his death.
• Penor Rinpoche, served from 1991 until retirement in 2003.
• Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche, served from 2003 until his death.
• Trulshik Rinpoche, served from 2010 until his death on September 2, 2011. Selected after Chatral Rinpoche declined the position.
• Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche , served from 2012 until his death.

Afterwards, it was unanimously decided that the internal administration would revolve between the head lamas of the six principle Nyingma monasteries – Kathok, Dzogchen, Shechen, Mindrolling, Dorje Drak and Palyul. The representatives were appointed for three-year terms at the annual Nyingma Monlam. They include:

• Katok Getse Rinpoche (1954-2018), appointed during the 29th Nyingma Monlam in Bodh Gaya in January 2018, served until his death in November 2018.
• Dzogchen Rinpoche (born 1964) appointed during the 30th Nyingma Monlam in Bodh Gaya, India on 15 January 2019. Rinpoche declined the position, owing to his health concerns.

The internal administration is changing. During the 31st Nyingma Monlam in 2020, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche was requested to accept the position. Rinpoche did not accept, and expressed his concerns about how the continued appointment of a “head of the tradition” would be problematic. Upon his suggestion, the representatives of major Nyingma monasteries decided that the position of “head of Nyingma tradition” would thenceforth not be selected. Instead, representatives would be selected for the Nyingma Monlam Committee, which would look after the welfare of the tradition.

Out of many, some of the great masters of Nyingmapa were:

• Longchen Rabjam (1308-1368), who first systematizes the theory and practice of the Great Perfection.
• Rigzin Jigme Lingpa (1729-1798), the great revealer of the treasure texts of Longchen Nyingthig.
• Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887), the great elucidator of the Nyingma meditative practices.
• Ju Mipham (1846-1912), the great commentator of the perspectives of the Indian Mahayana classics.