Hidden Teachings of Tibet: An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism

312 Pages·1994·15.992 MB·English

by  Tulku Thondup Rinpoche

HIDDEN TEACHINGS OF TIBET

HIDDEN
TEACHINGS
OF TIBET
An Explanation of the
Terma Tradition of 1ibetan Buddhism
TULKU THONDUP RINPOCHE
Edited &, Harold Talbott
Wisdom Publications • Bos1on
Wisdom Publications
361 Newbury Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
©Tulku Thondup Rinpochc 1986, 1997
All rights reserved.
No part of thi1 book may be zeproduced in an~· form or by any means, electronic or me<hank:al,
including photography, recording, or by any infor1Ntion sforaS" and retn.:nl ~'f>tma
or technolosies now known or klrr deveqx.d. withuut permit~~ian in writing from the pub!ishrr.
Libnny ofC ongress Catalogi1rg-i11-Publicntion Data
Thondup, Tulku.
Hidden Teachings of Tibet: an explanation of the Te rma tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism I Tulku Thondup Rinpoche: edited by Harold Talbott.
P· em.
Originally published: London: Wisdom Publications, 1986.
includes index.
ISBN 0-86171-122-X (alk. paper)
1. Ri\iii-rna-pa (Sect)-Sacred books-History. 2. Buddhist literature,
Tibetan-History and aitidsm. 3. Padmasambhava, ca. 717-ca. 762.
L Talbott, Harold. U. Title.
BQ7662.2.T48 1997
294.3'923--dc21 96-51599
ISBN 0-8617-122-X
02 01 00 99 98
6 5 4 3 2
CWtr Art: Padmasambhava, courtesy of Harold Talbott
Cot:er Plroto: courtesy of john Cochran
Cover dr:sigrr: LJSAWLir
parer me
Willdom Pubhcatrons' books aze printed on add-freor and meet guideW.C. for tl-.&"
p!nnanen~ and durability of dll! Committl'f' on Productior. CwdeUne. for
Bonk Longe\'lly of ~ CCiur.al on Library R..osources..
Printed in Smga~.
Contents
Acknowledgements 7
Some Key Terms 8
Note on Transliteration 9
PART ONE: BUDDHISM AND THE TERMA
"mADITION
Tennas 13
1
2 Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana 15
3 Basic Philosophy of Siitra 19
4 Basic Philosophy of Tantra 32
5 Nyingma School 37
6 Sangha 40
PART lWO: TRANSMISSION OF ESOTERIC
TEACHINGS
t Transmission 45
2 Guru Padmasambhava 50
PART THREE: TERMAS: PURPOSE,
CONCEALMENT AND DISCOVERY
Tennas: Purpose and Transmission 57
1
2 Concealment of Termas 67
3 Discovery of Tennas 71
PART FOUR: THE TEXT OF WONDER OCEAN
The Author of Wonder Ocean 97
t Authenticity and Transmission 101
~ Script, Concealment and Protection 111
3 Terma Texts and Scripts 115
4 Classification and Transcription
of Tenna Saipts 12.6
5 Discovery and Reconcealment of Tennas t 37
6 Purpose and Greatness of Concealment 145
7 FaJseTermas 154
8 Tertons and Doctrine-holders 157
9 Mind and Earth Tennas 164
to Terma System in the New Tantric Tradition 167
11 Purpose of this Text, and Colophon 1.68
APPENDICES
1 Bon Rituals inTer Teachings 173
2 Description of Empowerment
of Rig dzin Du pa 177
3 Categories of Texts in The Collection
of Ancient Tantras
182.
4 Categories of Texts in The Colleclion
of Canonical Literature 184
5 Categories of Texts in The Precious Treasury of
Discovered Tennas t86
6 Names of Earth, Mind and Pure Vision Tertons 189
Key to Abbreviations 2.05
Bibliography of Works Cited 2.09
Notes 219
Glossary 2.65
Index 281
Acknowledgements
I am thankful to Harold Talbott for his energy and wisdom
in editing this book. I am grateful to Michael Baldwin and
the patrons of Buddhayana, under whose sponsorship I
have been able to work on my schoiarly projects for the past
number of years. I am in debt to the kindness of Professor
M. Nagatomi and the Department of Sanskrit and Indian
Studies, Harvard University, under whose auspices I have
done my academic work in recent years. I am highly
grateful to the perpetual Refuges Dudjom Rinpoche, Dilgo
.Khyentse Rinpoche and Dodrup Chen Rinpoche for their
precious clarifications of a number of difficult points that I
encountered during my work on this book. I appreciate
being able to have discussions with Lama Jig tshe of Golok,
a real hidden yogi, whenever I need illumination and
recharging while in the process of thinking, writing, and
doing my research. Thanks are also due to Hany Winter
and Vivian Kurz for preparing the index, to all those who
provided the illustrations, and to John Cochran who kindly
photographed the thangkas. Finally I wish to thank Lynn
McDaid and Robina Courtin of Wisdom for their efforts in
preparing and publishing this book.
Some Key Terms
GuTU Padmasamblrav.z (Lotus Born Master) or Guru Rinpoche
(the Precious Master): one of the greatest Buddhist adepts,
from India. He established Buddhism in Tibet in the ninth
century and with his consort Ye shey Tsho gyal (Ye Shes
mTsho rGyal) concealed numerous texts, relics and trans
missions of teachings in Tibet. He is the founder of the
Nyingma, the original Buddhist school in Tibet.
Ter, Terma, Tercho (gTer, gTer Ma, gTer Ch'os; Dharma
Treasure, Hidden Treasure): treasures of texts, relics and
the transmissions of teachings concealed by Guru Padma
sambhava and Ye shey Tsho gyal.
Terton (gTer sTon; Dharma Treasure Discoverer): the rein
carnations of the realized disciples of Guru Rinpoche who
discovered Tenna in the form of texts, relics and/or trans·
missions of teachings concealed by Guru Rinpoche and
entrusted to them by him.