The Nyingma School

THE OLD SCHOOL OF EARLY TRANSLATIONS
Our monastery belongs to the Nyingma lineage. The first of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the Nyingma School traces its origins back to Tibet’s imperial age (7-9th centuries CE) with its great Buddhist kings and accomplished masters like Padmakara, Vimalamitra and Bairotsana.
The precious teachings of the Nyingma School are transmitted through a long lineage of scripture (or kama), a short lineage of treasure revelations (or terma) and a profound lineage of pure visions.
The kama teachings are traditionally divided into three categories: The Discourse on Enlightened Intent, the Web of Magical Display and Mind, which correspond to the inner tantras of Anuyoga, Mahayoga and Atiyoga, respectively. The terma teachings are also divided into three, those that focus on the guru; the three classes of Dzogchen; and the Treasury of Compassion, which includes the Three Roots of lama, yidam and khandro. Pure visions are of three types; visions of a yidam deity; those in which one receives instructions and authorization; and the recollection of experiences from past lives.
Over the centuries, these teachings have been upheld at six monastic seats: Dorje Drak, Mindroling, Zhechen, Dzogchen, Kathok and Palyul. These six monasteries are regarded as the ancestors of all Nyingma lineage-holders. For Dorje Drak upholds the Jangter or Northern Treasure lineage, Mindroling upholds the Minling lineage, Zhechen unifies the kama and terma lineages, Dzogchen is the principal upholder of the Nyingthig or Heart Drop, Kathok is the principal upholder of Dudul Dorje’s and Longsal Nyingpo’s lineages while Palyul is the principal upholder of Ratna Lingpa’s lineage and that of the Sky Dharmas. For the most part, there is no Nyingma monastery that cannot be subsumed under one of these six seats.