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Northern Treasures

The Beginning of the Northern Treasures

Padmasambhava and 25 disciples

In the 8th century, the influence of Kingdom of Tibet extended from what is now China and Iran to the Ganges River in India. Tibet was the military power of central Asia.

Buddhist teachers had been coming to Tibet for some time but their influence had been limited. According to tradition, the Khenpo Shantarakshita had been teaching there for some time but was unable to establish anything permanently.

He advised the king to invite Padmasambhava, an adept in the branch of Buddhism known as Mantrayana or Tantrayana.

The work of Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita and the King Trisong Detsen (790-858 CE) can easily be found elsewhere. Together they established Buddhism in Tibet setting the stage for the next twelve hundred years of Tibetan culture and life.

Before leaving, Padmasambhava was requested by his Nepali consort Shakya Devi to leave teachings for future generations. With the help of Lady Yeshe Tsogyal, Padmasambhava hid teachings in various places. Known as treasures (Tib. gter), they were intended to inspire future generations by providing both methods of meditation practice which are fresh and also objects of support to inspire and deepen practice.

Treasures as objects can include ritual implements, statues, paintings. Others are teachings found written on scrolls of yellow parchment written in a script which can only be comprehended by the one intended by Padmasambhava to receive it.

King Trisong Detsen

The revealers of these treasures are subsequent rebirths of the disciples of Padmasambhava during his time in Tibet. There are other teachings which might be treasures of other masters, but among the Buddhist schools in Tibet, the treasure traditions are almost exclusively attributed to Padmasambhava's intention.

Among the many great disciples of Padmasambhava who later appeared in the Northern Treasure lineage are: Nanam Dorje Dudjom, Namkhai Nyingpo, Nyag Jnanakumara, Gyalwa Choyang, and Princess Pemasal.

Nanam Dorje Dudjom was one of the messengers King Trisong Detsen had sent to India to invite Padmasambhava to Tibet. Upon his return from this trip, he became one of the King's close advisors and ministers as well as one of Padmasambhava's closest disciples. Practicing the sadhana of Vajrakilaya , his awakening was so complete that he could easily pass through solid rocks and transport himself from place to place instantly.

Padmasambhava gave many teachings to his disciples throughout his time in Tibet. The teachings received and destined to be discovered by Nanam Dorje Dudjom's future incarnation Rigdzin Godem were predicted to be important for future descendants of the King Trisong Detsen.

In addition, the teachings themselves contain many prophecies which explain their importance to the well-being of Tibet as a place of religious practice. They also contain many statements by Padmasambhava that the continuation of the Northern Treasures are vital to the well-being of Buddhism itself.

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