In Tibet, when "Guru Rinpoche" is mentioned, no one does not know who he is referring to. Padmasambhava (Padmasambhava, Tibetan པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་) is the person who brought the secret dharma into the snowy land, and is revered as the "Second Buddha" by Nyingma. Together with Master Shantarakshita and King Trisong Detsen, he is known as the "Three Masters" and is the core of the Nyingma lineage.

To understand Nyingma, you cannot avoid this person; to understand why Tibetan Buddhism can take root on this plateau, you cannot avoid him.

Padmasambhava was born in Oḍḍiyāna (Oḍḍiyāna, present-day Swat Valley in Pakistan) in the northwest of ancient India. He was not born in the womb, but - according to Nyingma's narrative - he was born in a lotus flower in the sea. He was discovered by King Indra Bodhi of Ugyen and brought back to the palace to be raised, hence the name "Lotus Birth" (Pema Sambava).

This kind of "transmutation" narrative is common in the biographies of Indian great siddhas. Its significance is to explain that this guru is not bound by karma and fetal obstacles. His appearance is to save sentient beings, rather than being pulled by karma.

He grew up, studied, and practiced in the Kingdom of Wu Jin. It is said that he went to the Corpse Forest to practice hard in the cold forest and cemetery, and finally achieved the achievements of Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen. This experience also explains why skull implements, heavenly staffs, and bone ornaments are so common among Nyingma's magical artifacts - They come from a yogi who achieved enlightenment in the corpse forest.

In the eighth century, Trisong Detsen wanted to promote Buddhism in Tibet and first invited Shantarakshita Guru from Nalanda Temple. Shantarakshita was a master of teachings and precepts, but legend has it that after he entered Tibet, the proposed monastery was repeatedly built and destroyed. The local gods were displeased and the project could not proceed.

Shantarakshita then suggested that we should invite a great achiever who can tame non-human beings with tantric methods. Trisong Detsen then sent people to India to welcome Padmasambhava.

The key to this plot lies in the division of labor: doctrines and precepts are the skeleton, but for Buddhism to take root in Tibet, it is also necessary to deal with the original beliefs and power in this land. Guru Rinpoche does exactly this. Along the way north, it is said that he met the mountain gods, lake gods, and earth creatures along the way, and either subdued them, controlled them, or made them swear an oath to protect the Dharma.

Nyingma often says that behind every mountain peak and every lake in Tibet, there is a god who has dealt with Guru Rinpoche. This sentence is not a metaphor, but a realistic description of Tibetan religious geography.

The main achievements of Guru Rinpoche after entering Tibet are: first, to build Samye Monastery - the first monastery in Tibet that houses Buddhism, Dharma and Sangha. It was built in the late eighth century, laying the institutional foundation of Tibetan Buddhism; second, to bury Terma.

He foresaw that Buddhism would encounter legal difficulties (later Langdama destroyed the Buddha), and also foresaw the fate of all sentient beings in the future, so he buried a large number of teachings, rituals, instruments and sacred objects in mountains, lakes, and voids, either entrusting them to protectors, or hiding them directly in the hearts of his disciples. He also left a prophecy explaining when, by whom, and for what reason they would be taken out.

The far-sightedness of this arrangement was confirmed in the middle of the ninth century: Langdama destroyed the Buddha, the temples were destroyed and the monks dispersed, and the Dharma lineage was cut off. It was those Termas buried in the mountains that were taken out one by one after a hundred years, making the teachings complete again.

Among the disciples of Guru Rinpoche, the most important ones are the twenty-five great disciples and the Buddha Mother Yeshe Tsogyal. The latter is not only his partner, but also the main organizer of his teachings and the co-buryer of Nyingma. His status in Nyingma is extremely high.

In thangka and Vajra Dance of Nyingma, the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche (གུ་རུ་མཚན་བརྒྱད་) are commonly seen, corresponding to the causes and conditions of the eight stages of his life: Haisheng Vajra, Sakyamuni Lion, Lotus King, Love Wisdom Guru, Sunlight Guru, Wrathful Vajra, Lion Roar, Padmasambhava Guru.

The coexistence of eight transformations does not mean that "he has eight clones", but that the same guru will appear in different faces for different sentient beings: a monk appears to those who need teachings, an angry person appears to those who need intimidation, and a scholar appears to those who need wisdom.

This also explains why Guru Rinpoche's image in Tibet is so diverse and friendly - he is not a fixed face, but a kind of compassion that can be transformed at any time.

Guru Rinpoche stayed in Tibet for decades and then left. Legend has it that he left a large number of prophecies before leaving and promised:

He also said that he would return to Tibet on the tenth day of every month in the Tibetan calendar. Therefore, Nyingma Temple holds a ceremony (ཚོགས་འཁོར་) and Vajra Dance on the tenth day of every month. This tradition continues for 1,200 years.

Guru Rinpoche mantra - Om Ah Hum Panza Guru Pema Siddhi Hum - is the most commonly recited mantra of Nyingma. It is regarded as the most direct way to correspond to Guru Rinpoche, and almost everyone in Tibet can pronounce it.

For today’s readers, the weight of this promise lies in the fact that it leaves the survival of the Dharma lineage to the question of “whether there are still people who pray with faith.” As long as it exists, the Fa will still exist.

Q: Was Padmasambhava a real historical figure?

A: Yes. He was a genuinely historical tantric adept of the 8th century, from the land of Oddiyana (present-day Swat Valley, Pakistan). Both the Tibetan manuscripts from Dunhuang and Tibetan historical records attest to his existence; the miraculous episodes in his biographies belong to devotional narrative.

Q: How is the Padmasambhava mantra pronounced?

A: Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum. In the Nyingma tradition, reciting this mantra is held to connect one with the blessing of Guru Rinpoche and to remove obstacles.

Q: Why is he called the "Second Buddha"?

A: Because he brought the complete system of Vajrayana to Tibet and rooted it there. The Nyingma tradition holds that his kindness and the completeness of the teachings he transmitted are comparable to the Buddha's own work of teaching in India, and so he is honored as the "Second Buddha".

• Padmasambhava with Rainbow Body - 19th century Tibetan thangka.jpg · Unknown painter, 19th century Tibetan thangka / Public domain
• Padmasambhava (Orgyen Dorje Chang), with Yeshe Tsogyal, emanations, Nyingma gurus and Samantabhadra - 17th century Tibetan thangka.jpg · Unknown painter, 17th century Tibetan thangka / Public domain

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