The Lineage of Do Gongpa Dupa

When Lord Buddha was asked about why he had not given teachings on the ultimate vehicle, he prophesied that in the near future they would come into existence. Accordingly, twenty-eight years after his demise, five beings of supreme nobility—the god Yashasvi Varapala, the naga king Takshaka, the yaksha Ulkamukha, the rakshasa Matyaupayika, and the human being Licchavi Vimalakirti—gathered on Mount Mayala in Sri Lanka. They were grief stricken…

The Nyingthig Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

The Nyingthig Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

Nyingthig (Skt. Chitta-tilaka), the Innermost Unexcelled Cycle of the Heart Essence teaching, is one of the most important teachings in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It is the essence of all tantras, the pinnacle of all yanas, the mother of all scriptural transmissions, and the quintessential combination of the innumerable Clear Light Dzogchen teachings. The origin of the Nyingthig…

The Namchö Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

The Namchö Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

The Namchö teachings are the mind treasure revealed by Tertön Migyur Dorje. They were initially transmitted to Tertön Migyur Dorje by Dharmakaya Samantabhadra in a dream, through signs such as receiving a long-life empowerment and the empowerment of the six clairvoyances. Later, in a meditative experience, Avalokiteshvara conferred upon him the most extensive empowerment of Thugje Chenpo (a form of…

The Rinchen Terzod Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

The Rinchen Terzod, the Precious Treasure Collection, is one of the five great treasures compiled mainly by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813-1899)—also known as Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso—in the late 19th century. It contains all the essential teachings of the Buddhas of the three times. So, this compilation is like the core of the life of the vidyadaras, dakinis and the…

The Pratimoksha Precept Lineage in the Palyul Tradition

In Buddhism, precepts are the most significant, basic aspect of practising dharma. There is immense benefit in accumulating virtue with purely-observed vows and so these precepts are the ground of all sources of knowledge. They have been passed down from the Buddha to our own root guru in an unbroken lineage. The precepts are of three kinds, namely: pratimokshasamvara, bodhisattvasamvara…

Brief Introduction to the Eight Great Schools that Flourished in Tibet

Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition Ngagyur Nyingma, the pinnacle of all the dharma traditions, is considered to be the foremost tradition that prevailed in Tibet. An enormous effort was made to bring the teachings from India to Tibet by the dharma king Trisong Deutsen. He invited many scholars from India including Guru Padmasambhava and Abbot Shantarakshita. Since then, Nyingma teachings have been…