The Path of Compassion: A Biography of Hor shul Khenpo Gelek Palsang Rinpoche — Part One: An Introduction to the Lineage of the Nyingma Tradition — The Transmission of Sūtra and Tantra in Tibet

On the snow-covered Tibetan plateau, through the immeasurable compassionate aspirations of the three great ancestral Dharma kings and the maturation of the Tibetan people’s roots of virtue, Bodhisattva Sarvanivāraṇaviṣkambhin emanated as Nyatri Tsenpo and came to Tibet as its first king. The Buddhadharma began to enter Tibet during the reign of Tibet’s twenty-eighth king, Lha Thothori Nyantsen, who was an emanation of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Five generations later, during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo, an emanation of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, the Indian scholar Kusara was invited to Tibet. He translated many Mahāyāna scriptures and esoteric tantras into Tibetan, laying a foundation for penetrating the profound meaning of the esoteric teachings. Another five generations later, King Trisong Detsen, an emanation of Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, invited Vimalamitra and many other Indian scholars. These scholars were all manifestations of noble beings, and they translated numerous scriptures, tantras, and Dharma teachings.

Master Śāntarakṣita and the great master Padmasambhava together established a new institution—the monastic community. Master Śāntarakṣita transmitted the sūtras and monastic discipline and led the red-robed ordained community, while the great master Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra transmitted the Vajrayana and led the white-robed, long-haired mantra practitioners. In this way they promoted the spread and flourishing of the Buddha’s teaching.

Tri Ralpachen was the forty-first Tibetan king and a grandson of Trisong Detsen. He ensured the development of the doctrinal lineage. Sūtra and tantra gradually merged into a single whole, bright as the sun and moon. As the teachings appeared and were practiced, and as circumstances ripened, the Buddhadharma spread completely throughout the country. The great master Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra turned the Dharma wheel extensively, spreading the three inner tantric yogas, including the Atiyoga of Dzogchen. Distinguishing, directly seeing, and self-liberation were the three essential points they indicated. Their recipients were the three great heart-sons who were suitable vessels for the Dharma: the king, Trisong Detsen; the minister, Vairotsana; and the companion, Yeshe Tsogyal, as well as Nyak Jñānakumāra and others.

In this lineage, the omniscient Longchen Rabjam Drimé Özer composed the Heart-Essence texts of the Kama and Terma sections and bestowed their lineage upon the omniscient Jigme Lingpa. They were then transmitted successively to Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu, Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo, Longdo Tenpe Nyima, the omniscient Khenpo Ngaga, and finally our gracious teacher Mingse Rinpoche.