History Series

A Concise History of Orgyen Padma’s Enlightened Deeds

by Orgyen Lingpa

This revelation of Orgyen Lingpa, discovered at Samye Chimphu, provides a brief account of Guru Padmasambhava's life and deeds. Each of its sixteen chapters describes eight features, beginning with Padmasambhava's eight manifestations, his eight life-giving fathers, eight mothers, and so on. The text concludes with a series of prophecies.

Biography Termas 18 Aug 2017

How Our Supreme Teacher Generated Bodhicitta and Other Topics

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Notes on a number of topics, including how Buddha Śākyamuni generated bodhicitta and completed the accumulation of merit over three incalculable aeons, the four kāyas, the twelve deeds, and the three councils. The text is undated and has no colophon, but it is possible that Jamyang Khyentse drew upon Zhuchen Tsultrim Rinchen's (1697–1774) catalogue (dkar chag) to the Derge Tengyur or a similar source.

Jātaka Bodhicitta Buddha Śākyamuni 8 Dec 2021

Direct Wisdom-Mind Transmission of the Victorious Ones from the Jewel Rosary History

by Longchen Rabjam

This opening section of Longchenpa's history of Lama Yangtik includes a discussion of the direct wisdom-mind transmission of the victorious ones from dharmakāya to sambhogakāya to nirmāṇakāya, the last of which includes the three supreme blessing emanations and the sublime wisdom emanations, such as the twelve Dzogchen teachers.

Lama Yangtik Dzogchen 9 Sep 2025

Symbolic Transmission of the Vidyādharas from The Jewel Rosary History

by Longchen Rabjam

The second section of Longchenpa's history of Lama Yangtik includes the stories of the vidyādharas Garab Dorje, Mañjuśrīmitra, Śrī Siṃha, Vimalamitra and Jñānasūtra.

Lama Yangtik Dzogchen 12 Sep 2025

A Brief History of the Lakar Family

by Mayum Tsering Wangmo

The Lakar matriarch Pema Tsering Wangmo tells the fascinating story of her family, renowned for its patronage of monasteries and teachers throughout Tibet. She recalls the legend of how the family received its name from the great Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa, and speaks about the most significant figures from the last few generations, including her own sister, Khandro Tsering Chödrön.

19 Jul 2005

A History of Dzongsar Monastery

by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Some notes on the history of Dzongsar Monastery, seat of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892), with emphasis on the sacred objects that the monastery housed during Khyentse Wangpo's time and thereafter.

Dzongsar 3 Sep 2020

The Sevenfold Authoritative Transmission (Kabab Dün)

by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

A simple guide to the seven types of authoritative transmission (bka' bab bdun) received by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892): oral teachings, earth treasures; rediscovered treasures; mind treasures; recollected treasures; pure visions and aural lineages.

Nonsectarianism Khyentse Kabab 1 Nov 2022

The History of the Hearing Lineage of the Profound and Secret Practice of Siṃhamukhā

by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo recounts the origin of the teachings of Siṃhamukhā and how they have been subsequently passed down to him. He closely follows the story associated with the lineage of Bari Lotsawa (ba ri lugs).

Siṃhamukhā Rinchen Terdzö 31 Dec 2018

The History of the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss

by Jigme Lingpa

Jigme Lingpa describes how the cycle of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo was first revealed to him by a ḍākinī, while he was on pilgrimage in Drakyi Yangdzong in 1773.

Yumka Dechen Gyalmo Termas Restricted 26 Jun 2020

The History of the Kīla of Lightning-Forged Meteoric Iron, the Material Treasure of the Blazing Hayagrīva and Garuḍa

by Jigme Lingpa

This letter relates the history of the kīla that Jigme Lingpa found as a material treasure at Mount Hepori. The text was written for Queen Tsewang Lhamo of Derge and offered to her together with the kīla itself. The letter is found only in the Lhasa edition of Jigme Lingpa's writings, which might indicate that it was initially kept secret and only discovered after her passing, too late to be included in the Derge edition.

Letters Takhyung Barwa Termas 24 Nov 2022

The Dudjom Tröma Nakmo Teachings of Profound Severance (Chöd)

by Pema Rigtsal Rinpoche

Extracted from A Garland of White Lotuses: An Account of the Teaching and Teaching Holders of the Pal Drakmar Namkha Khyungdzong Tradition, this is a brief historical overview of the Chöd practice of Tröma Nakmo (khros ma nag mo) that was received by Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904) in visionary encounters with Machik Labdrön and Padampa Sangye.

Chöd Dudjom Tersar 4 Mar 2024

Exquisite Melody of the Auspicious Tamboura: A Depiction of the Profound Treasure Revelations at Chimé Karmo Taktsang Rockface and Yumtso Lake with Brief Captions

by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

Chokgyur Lingpa's first-hand account of the treasure revelations of The Essential Sacred Dharma in Five Cycles (dam chos snying po skor lnga), The Gradual Path of Wisdom Essence (lam rim ye shes snying po), and The Magical Net of the Three Roots (rtsa gsum sgyu ’phrul drva ba) at Chimé Karmo Taktsang and Sengé Yumtsho in Kham in 1866. The account was inscribed on the back of a thangka depicting the revelation scene.

Chokling Tersar Inscriptions 2 Mar 2023

Melody to Delight the Fortunate: A Brief History of the Treasure Revelations of the Awakened Emanation, the Great Tertön Chokgyur Lingpa

by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

A brief history of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa's treasure (gter ma) revelations from when he was thirteen until he was thirty-three years old as recounted by the tertön himself in either 1860 or 1861.

Chokling Tersar Rinchen Terdzö 7 Feb 2023

A Survey of the Fourfold Heart-Essence (Nyingtik Yabzhi) and the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik)

by Dezhung Rinpoche

This brief explanation of the Fourfold Heart-Essence (Nyingtik Yabzhi) corpus and Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik) revelation was written in Seattle in the early 1960s in reply to a question from E. Gene Smith. Dezhung Rinpoche consulted Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who clarified some points and added further notes. The text is thus included among the collected writings of both masters.

Nyingtik Yabzhi Longchen Nyingtik 30 Apr 2023

On Pure Visions and Mind Treasures

by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

This brief explanation of pure visions (dag snang) and mind treasures (dgongs gter) is extracted from Kongtrul's historical introduction to the Rinchen Terdzö collection.

Termas Rinchen Terdzö 23 Jan 2025

History of the Lineage of Gurus of the Great Perfection’s Heart-Essence of the Ḍākinīs

revealed by Pema Ledrel Tsal

A brief account of the Khandro Nyingtik lineage from Samantabhadra and Samantabhadrī down to the treasure-revealer Pema Ledrel Tsal and beyond.

Khandro Nyingtik 22 Nov 2023

Genealogy of the Dharma Kings of Derge

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A list of the kings of Derge (sde dge) and their ancestors from the semi-divine progenitor Gar Namtsa Druk onwards, including numbered generations beginning with Gar Tongtsen, a minister to Songtsen Gampo.

Derge 1 Sep 2020

Royal Genealogy of Sikkim

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A concise summary of the history of Sikkim with a special focus on its royal genealogy, possibly notes taken when reading the original 'Bras ljongs rgyal rabs by the ninth Chogyal Thutob Namgyal and Maharani Yeshe Dolma.

Sikkim 8 Sep 2020

Liberation Upon Hearing: The History of the Great Jarung Kashor Stūpa

by Ngakchang Shakya Zangpo

In this famous history of the sacred stūpa of Boudha, Guru Padmasambhava recounts the stūpa's origins. In response to a request from King Tri Songdeutsen, he tells how a humble poultry-woman first extracted a promise from the king and then built the stūpa together with her four sons, who were all later reborn as prominent figures in the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet. Padmasambhava also describes the benefits to be gained from circumambulating the stūpa and making offerings before it, and concludes with a series of prophecies concerning the stūpa's restoration.

Pilgrimage Termas Prophecy Nepal Benefits 22 Dec 2017

A Brief History of the Sacred Image of White Tārā

by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

A brief history of the sacred image of Tārā, the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel (yid bzhin 'khor lo), in Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s residence, known as ‘The Garden of Immortality’ ('chi med grub pa'i dga' tshal), in Dzongsar Monastery, Derge, East Tibet.

Tārā Dzongsar 24 Jun 2005

A History of the 'Display of Awakened Activity' Samaya Substances That Liberate Upon Taste and the Two 'Representative' Statues That Liberate Upon Sight

by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo explains the history and benefits of some sacred substances and two statues of Guru Padmasambhava—the 'representative' (kutsab) images known as Tukjé Ötro and Ngödrup Palbar—that were revealed by Chokgyur Lingpa.

Chokling Tersar 5 Sep 2022

History Series

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Practice Origins

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