Tertön

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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

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’: Nyang Ral Nyima Özer (1124–1192), Guru Chöwang (1212–70), Dorje Lingpa (1346–1405), Pema Lingpa (b.1450) and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892).

Other famous terma masters were:

Further Reading

  • Tulku Thondup, Hidden Teachings of Tibet: An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism, Boston: Wisdom, reprint edition 1997