Tertön: Difference between revisions

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*[[Rigdzin Gödem]] (1337–1403), discoverer of the ''[[Northern Treasures]]'';  
*[[Rigdzin Gödem]] (1337–1403), discoverer of the ''[[Northern Treasures]]'';  
*[[Sangyé Lingpa]] (1340–1396), who revealed the ''[[Lama Gongdü]]'' cycle;  
*[[Sangyé Lingpa]] (1340–1396), who revealed the ''[[Lama Gongdü]]'' cycle;  
*[[Karma Lingpa]] (14th. century), the discoverer of the ''[[Shyi Tro Gongpa Rang Drol]]'' cycle, from which come the teachings on the ‘[[Six bardos|Six Bardos]]’ and the ''[[Tibetan Book of the Dead|Bardo Thödrol Chenmo]]'';  
*[[Karma Lingpa]] (14th. century), the discoverer of the ''[[Shyitro Gongpa Rangdrol]]'' cycle, from which come the teachings on the ‘[[Six bardos|Six Bardos]]’ and the ''[[Tibetan Book of the Dead|Bardo Thödrol Chenmo]]'';  
*[[Ratna Lingpa]] (1403–1478) who compiled the ''[[Nyingma Gyübum]]'';  
*[[Ratna Lingpa]] (1403–1478) who compiled the ''[[Nyingma Gyübum]]'';  
*[[Thangtong Gyalpo]] (1385–1510), the extraordinary mystic and engineer who lived to the age of one hundred and twenty five;  
*[[Thangtong Gyalpo]] (1385–1510), the extraordinary mystic and engineer who lived to the age of one hundred and twenty five;  

Revision as of 13:56, 26 January 2011

Tertön (Wyl. gter ston) — a revealer of spiritual treasures (terma) hidden by Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal for the benefit of future generations.

Major Tertöns

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Starting with the first tertön, Sangyé Lama (1000–1080) and Drapa Ngönshé (1012–90), discoverer of the Four Medical Tantras, there have been hundreds of masters who specialized in the discovery of terma, continuing up until the present day with Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche and Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

There are said to be one hundred great tertöns and one thousand minor ones, of whom five in particular are known as the ‘Five Sovereigns’:

Other famous terma masters were:

Rigdzin Gödem, revealer of the Northern Treasures

Teachings on Tertöns

Further Reading

  • Jamgön Kongtrul, Life Stories of the Hundred Tertöns, Wyl. gter ston brgya rtsa'i rnam thar
  • Tulku Thondup, Hidden Teachings of Tibet: An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism (Boston: Wisdom, reprint edition 1997)