The Nyingma School is the oldest of The Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism, tracing its origins back to the 8th century. It was founded by the Indian tantric master Padmasambhava, also known as , who played a pivotal role in establishing Buddhism in Tibet. The Nyingma tradition is known for its rich tantric teachings and practices, particularly the Great Perfection (རྫོགས་ཆེན Dzogchen) doctrine, which emphasizes the innate, pure nature of the mind and the realization of enlightenment within one's lifetime.
Key aspects of the Nyingma school:
King Trisong Detsen
. Padmasambhava, alongside other Indian masters such as Shantarakshita
, helped establish the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, Samye
, and propagated the Vajrayana teachings.yanas
(vehicles), with the ninth and most advanced being Dzogchen. Dzogchen practice focuses on recognizing and abiding in the natural state of the mind, free from conceptual elaboration.terma
(treasure teachings
). These are hidden teachings believed to have been concealed by Padmasambhava and later discovered by tertons (treasure revealers) at appropriate times. This ensures the continual renewal and relevance of the teachings.The Nyingma school continues to be a vital and dynamic tradition within Tibetan Buddhism, offering profound insights and practices for the attainment of enlightenment.
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The Buddhist Scriptures originated in India in the 6th century before Christ, then spread throughout Asia - including Nepal , Sri Lanka , Myanmar , Thailand , Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Tibet , China
, Japan
, Korea, Mongolia, Bhutan, Indonesia, Taiwan & Singapore — giving rise to various sacred traditions and texts.