A Brief History of the Great Nyingma Tradition

(The Great Secret Doctrines of Ngagyur Nyingma, Endowed With Six distinctive Qualities)

 

As the Union of the Sun and Moon Tantras states:

If the history is not mentioned meaningfully

It will become cause for disbelief

In the great secret tantra teachings. 

 

To clear this doubts, a brief history on the origin of the great secret teachings of Ngagyur Nyingma, it’s expounders and followers will be mentioned here: our great teacher; Siddhartha, the son of king Suddhodana had firstly generated the Bodhi mind; in the middle accumulated merits for three great countless eons and finally attained the ultimate state of Buddhahood. Then he had turned the wheel of dharma three times according to the beings’ disposition, capacity and interest which led them to the path of liberation. 

 

The Tantra texts called the King of all doings states:

As an antidote for the three poisons, respectively, Twenty one thousand teachings of fourth baskets each were expounded. 

 

The fourth basket of teachings, the Tantra teachings or the Pitaka of Awareness-holders, are taught as the antidote for the three poisons equally. It can be divided into four or six classes of Tantra in general and specifically the three classes of inner Tantra - the unique teachings of Ngagyur Nyingma. These three classes of inner Tantra are the ultimate culmination of the teachings of all the Buddhas. These teachings are transmitted to fortunate beings through three lineages: intentional lineage of Buddhas, symbolic lineage of awareness-holders, and aural lineage of mundane individuals. It didn’t become the object of experience for all beings other than some fortunate ones. Every fortunate practitioner who had practiced these profound teachings accordingly had accomplished the signs of common and ultimate accomplishments like turning into a rainbow body and so on. 

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According to Great Rongzompa, these secret teachings of Ngagyur Nyingma are endowed with six distinctive qualities or excellences which distinguish them from those of later translated teachings (Chi-gyur Sarma), viz, the excellence of the patron, the excellence of the place of the translation, the excellence of Lotsawas (the Tibetan trans- lators), the excellence of the panditas (the Indian translators), the excellence of the offerings,  and the excellence of the translated dharma. It was through the kindness and compassion of Khen-Lop-Chosum that these distinct teachings and traditions of Nyingma were introduced into the Land of Snow. Three baskets of teachings and the ocean of Tantra teachings were translated and propagated pervasively in Tibet. 

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In particular the teachings of Sutra, illusion and Mind (Do-gyud-Sem sum) with its four rivers of special transmissions are transmitted from the three pioneers of Tantra teachings in Tibet (Guru Rinpoche, Panchen Vimalamitra and Virocana) through Twenty-five Main Disciples of Padmasambhava, eighty Maha-sidhas of Yerpa, Hundred and eight great Meditators of Chuwori, Zur Meon-Namsum, Dam-Tsang-Jamsum and Kunkyhen Yabse. 

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Gradually, the two great streams of Kama and Terma lineages merged into single lineage through Kunkhen Longchen Rabjam which is upheld through teaching, learning and practicing of Do-Gyud-Semsum doctrines in the Institutes and retreat centres at the great seats of Nyingma. Thus these profound teachings have reached till our late Holinesses and those living great masters through an unbroken lineage and continue to benefit countless fortunate disciples. These are a brief introduction of the greatness of this dharma lineage without any exaggeration and denigration. 

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Information sourced from The Nyingma World Peace Ceremony, Silver Jubilee Souvenir, Bodhgaya 2014