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(Created page with " thumb|[[Yeshe Tsogyal who concealed terma together with Guru Rinpoche]] '''Terma''' (Tib. གཏེར་མ་, Wyl. ''gter ma'')...") |
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| − | [[Image:Yeshe Tsogyal.JPG|thumb|[[Yeshe Tsogyal]] who concealed terma together with [[Guru Rinpoche]]]] | + | [[Image:Yeshe Tsogyal.JPG|thumb|[[Yeshe Tsogyal]] who concealed [[terma]] together with [[Guru Rinpoche]]]] |
| − | '''Terma''' (Tib. [[གཏེར་མ་]], [[Wyl.]] ''gter ma'') — spiritual '''treasures''' hidden by [[Guru Rinpoche]] and [[Yeshe Tsogyal]] in the earth and in the minds of disciples to be revealed at the appropriate time by | + | '''[[Terma]]''' (Tib. {{BigTibetan|[[གཏེར་མ་]]}}, [[Wyl.]] ''[[gter ma]]'') — [[spiritual]] '''[[treasures]]''' hidden by [[Guru Rinpoche]] and [[Yeshe Tsogyal]] in the [[earth]] and in the [[minds]] of [[disciples]] to be revealed at the appropriate time by ‘[[treasure revealers]]’ or [[tertön]]s. Many of these {{BigTibetan|[[གཏེར་]]}}, ''ter'' were collected by [[Jamgön Kongtrul]] and [[Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo]] into more than sixty volumes, the ''[[Rinchen Terdzö]]'', or ''[[Treasury of Precious Termas]]''. The [[Terma lineage]], together with the [[Nyingma Kama]], are the [[two modes of transmission]] of the teachings of the [[Nyingma]] School. |
[[Tulku Thondup]] writes: | [[Tulku Thondup]] writes: | ||
| − | :“In order to prevent the deep teachings and sacred objects of [[tantra]] from becoming mixed, diluted, or lost in the distant future, and in order to maintain their [[blessing]] powers afresh for future followers, [[Guru Rinpoche]] and [[Yeshe Tsogyal]] concealed them. They are discovered at the appropriate time by realized masters through their enlightened power.”<ref>[[Tulku Thondup Rinpoche]], ''Masters of Meditation and Miracles'', edited by Harold Talbott (Boston: Shambhala, 1996).</ref><ref>That's why translator B. Allan Wallace refers to termas as 'spiritual time-capsules'.</ref> | + | :“In order to prevent the deep teachings and [[sacred]] [[objects]] of [[tantra]] from becoming mixed, diluted, or lost in the distant {{Wiki|future}}, and in order to maintain their [[blessing]] [[powers]] afresh for {{Wiki|future}} followers, [[Guru Rinpoche]] and [[Yeshe Tsogyal]] concealed them. They are discovered at the appropriate time by [[realized]] [[masters]] through their [[enlightened]] power.”<ref>[[Tulku Thondup Rinpoche]], ''[[Masters of Meditation and Miracles]]'', edited by [[Harold Talbott]] (Boston: Shambhala, 1996).</ref><ref>That's why [[translator]] [[B. Allan Wallace]] refers to [[termas]] as '[[spiritual]] time-capsules'.</ref> |
| − | ==Categories of Terma== | + | ==[[Categories of Terma]]== |
| − | [[Image:Guru dewachen statue.JPG|thumb|Termas discovered by [[Chokgyur Lingpa]]. The golden image at the centre is a [[kutsab]] known as Ngödrup Palbar and was discovered from ''Tsiké Norbu Punsum''.<ref>[[Tulku Thondup Rinpoche]], ''Hidden Teachings of Tibet'', central pictures.</ref>]]Termas are divided into two categories, according to the manner in which they were concealed and discovered: | + | [[Image:Guru dewachen statue.JPG|thumb|Termas discovered by [[Chokgyur Lingpa]]. The golden image at the centre is a [[kutsab]] known as [[Ngödrup Palbar]] and was discovered from ''[[Tsiké Norbu Punsum]]''.<ref>[[Tulku Thondup Rinpoche]], ''[[Hidden Teachings of Tibet]]'', central pictures.</ref>]][[Termas]] are divided into two categories, according to the manner in which they were concealed and discovered: |
| − | *[[earth terma]]s (Tib. [[ས་གཏེར་]], ''sa ter''), which employ physical objects, and | + | *[[earth terma]]s (Tib. {{BigTibetan|[[ས་གཏེར་]]}}, ''[[sa ter]]''), which employ [[physical objects]], and |
| − | *[[mind terma]]s (Tib. [[དགོངས་གཏེར་]], ''gong ter''), discovered within the mindstream of the tertön. | + | *[[mind terma]]s (Tib. {{BigTibetan|[[དགོངས་གཏེར་]]}}, ''[[gong ter]]''), discovered within the [[mindstream]] of the [[tertön]]. |
| − | In the discovery of earth termas, earthly materials such as symbolic script written on yellow scroll are used to awaken the terma in the mind of the tertön. In the discovery of mind termas, no external earthly objects are relied on. In many instances of mind terma, seeing or hearing symbolic words or sounds in visions causes the discovery of the terma. | + | In the discovery of [[earth termas]], [[earthly]] materials such as [[symbolic]] [[script]] written on [[yellow]] scroll are used to [[awaken]] the [[terma]] in the [[mind]] of the [[tertön]]. In the discovery of [[mind termas]], no external [[earthly]] [[objects]] are relied on. In many instances of [[mind terma]], [[seeing]] or hearing [[symbolic]] words or {{Wiki|sounds}} in [[visions]] [[causes]] the discovery of the [[terma]]. |
| − | *Another type of terma in the Nyingma tradition are [[pure vision]] (Tib. [[དག་སྣང་]], ''dak nang'') teachings. | + | *Another type of [[terma]] in the [[Nyingma tradition]] are [[pure vision]] (Tib. {{BigTibetan|[[དག་སྣང་]]}}, ''[[dak nang]]'') teachings. |
*[[Sogyal Rinpoche]] writes: | *[[Sogyal Rinpoche]] writes: | ||
| − | : | + | :‘[[Terchö’ literature]] can be in three parts: [[Lama]], [[Dzogchen]] & [[Tukjé Chenpo]] (Tib. {{BigTibetan|བླ་རྫོགས་ཐུགས་གསུམ་}}, ''[[la dzog tuk sum]]''), i.e. |
| − | :*the peaceful and wrathful [[sadhana]]s on the Guru (Tib. Lama), | + | :*the [[peaceful]] and [[wrathful]] [[sadhana]]s on the [[Guru]] (Tib. [[Lama]]), |
| − | :*teachings on Dzogchen, and | + | :*teachings on [[Dzogchen]], and |
| − | :*sadhana cycle on [[Avalokiteshvara]] (Tib. Tukjé Chenpo). | + | :*[[sadhana]] cycle on [[Avalokiteshvara]] (Tib. [[Tukjé Chenpo]]). |
| − | :Another division is into [[Kagyé]], [[Lama Gongdü|Gongdü]] and [[Vajrakilaya|Phurba]].<ref>Sogyal Rinpoche, ''[[Dzogchen and Padmasambhava]]'', page 74.</ref> | + | :Another [[division]] is into [[Kagyé]], [[Lama Gongdü|Gongdü]] and [[Vajrakilaya|Phurba]].<ref>[[Sogyal Rinpoche]], ''[[Dzogchen and Padmasambhava]]'', page 74.</ref> |
| − | ==The Terma Tradition== | + | ==The [[Terma Tradition]]== |
| − | [[Image:3rddodrupchen.jpg|thumb|[[Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima]] wrote a treatise on the terma tradition]] | + | [[Image:3rddodrupchen.jpg|thumb|[[Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima]] wrote a treatise on the [[terma tradition]]]] |
| − | [[Tulku Thondup]] explains the Terma tradition of Tibet as follows: | + | [[Tulku Thondup]] explains the [[Terma tradition]] of [[Tibet]] as follows: |
| − | :In a number of spiritual traditions of the world there are many instances of the discovery of teachings and objects through mystical power. Similarly, in various traditions and lineages of Buddhism, in India as well as Tibet, numerous mystical discoveries of teachings and objects have taken place. | + | :In a number of [[spiritual traditions]] of the [[world]] there are many instances of the discovery of teachings and [[objects]] through [[mystical]] power. Similarly, in various [[traditions]] and [[lineages]] of [[Buddhism]], in [[India]] as well as [[Tibet]], numerous [[mystical]] discoveries of teachings and [[objects]] have taken place. |
| − | :In the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, the tradition of concealment and revelation of teachings and materials of religious value through the mystical power of enlightened beings is most prevalent by far. This tradition of mystical discovery is known in Tibetan as Ter ('Treasures'), Terma ('Treasured Ones'), or Terchö ('Dharma Treasures' or 'Treasured Teachings').<ref>Tulku Thondup, ''Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life'', pages 93-94.</ref> | + | :In the [[Nyingma school]] of [[Tibetan Buddhism]], the [[tradition]] of [[concealment]] and [[revelation]] of teachings and materials of [[religious]] value through the [[mystical]] power of [[enlightened beings]] is most prevalent by far. This [[tradition]] of [[mystical]] discovery is known in [[Tibetan]] as Ter ('[[Treasures]]'), [[Terma]] ('[[Treasured Ones]]'), or [[Terchö]] ('[[Dharma Treasures]]' or '[[Treasured Teachings]]').<ref>[[Tulku Thondup]], ''[[Enlightened Journey]]: [[Buddhist Practice]] as Daily [[Life]]'', pages 93-94.</ref> |
| − | :The main source of the Terma tradition of the Nyingma school is [[Guru Padmasambhava]]. <ref>Ibid, page 95.</ref> | + | :The main source of the [[Terma tradition]] of the [[Nyingma school]] is [[Guru Padmasambhava]]. <ref>Ibid, page 95.</ref> |
| − | :While transmitting esoteric teachings to his realized disciples in Tibet, Guru Padmasambhava concealed many teachings with the [[blessings]] of his enlightened mind stream in the nature of the intrinsic awareness of the minds of his disciples through the power of | + | :While transmitting [[esoteric teachings]] to his [[realized]] [[disciples]] [[in Tibet]], [[Guru Padmasambhava]] concealed many teachings with the [[blessings]] of his [[enlightened mind]] {{Wiki|stream}} in the [[nature]] of the [[intrinsic awareness]] of the [[minds]] of his [[disciples]] through the power of “[[mind-mandated transmission]]” (Tib. {{BigTibetan|[[གཏད་རྒྱ་]]}}, [[Wyl.]] ''[[gtad rgya]]''); thereby the [[master]] and [[disciple]] became united as one in the teachings and [[realization]]. Here, the [[master]] has concealed the teachings and [[blessings]], the [[esoteric]] [[attainments]], as ter in the [[pure]] [[nature]] of the [[minds]] of his [[disciples]] through his [[enlightened]] power, and he has made [[aspirations]] that the ter may be discovered for the [[sake]] of [[beings]] when the appropriate time comes.<ref>Ibid, page 96.</ref> |
[[Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche]] writes: | [[Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche]] writes: | ||
| − | :In propagating the [[Buddha]]’s teachings amid the shamanistic society that dominated Tibet at that time, Padmasambhava saw clearly that some teachings would have to wait for a more appropriate time to take root. He concealed them until certain great practitioners…would reveal them and bring them to fruition.<ref>Chagdud Tulku, ''Lord of the Dance'' (Junction City: Padma Publishing, 1992), page 11.</ref> | + | :In {{Wiki|propagating}} the [[Buddha]]’s teachings amid the {{Wiki|shamanistic}} [[society]] that dominated [[Tibet]] at that time, [[Padmasambhava]] saw clearly that some teachings would have to wait for a more appropriate time to take [[root]]. He concealed them until certain great practitioners…would reveal them and bring them to [[fruition]].<ref>[[Chagdud Tulku]], ''Lord of the [[Dance]]'' ([[Junction City]]: [[Padma Publishing]], 1992), page 11.</ref> |
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| Line 59: | Line 59: | ||
| − | *Andreas Doctor, ''Tibetan Treasure Literature: Revelation, Tradition and Accomplishment in Visionary Buddhism'' (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2005). | + | *[[Andreas Doctor]], ''[[Tibetan]] [[Treasure]] {{Wiki|Literature}}: [[Revelation]], [[Tradition]] and [[Accomplishment]] in [[Visionary]] [[Buddhism]]'' (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2005). |
| − | *[[Dudjom Rinpoche]], ''The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism'' (Boston: Wisdom, revised edition 2002). | + | *[[Dudjom Rinpoche]], ''[[The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism]]'' (Boston: Wisdom, revised edition 2002). |
| − | *Janet B. Gyatso, 'Drawn from the Tibetan Treasury: The gTer ma Literature' in Cabezón and Jackson, ed., ''Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre'' (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1996). | + | *Janet B. Gyatso, 'Drawn from the [[Tibetan]] Treasury: The [[gTer ma]] {{Wiki|Literature}}' in [[Cabezón]] and Jackson, ed., ''[[Tibetan]] {{Wiki|Literature}}: Studies in Genre'' (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1996). |
| − | *Michael Aris, ''Hidden Treasures and Secret Lives'', Motilal Banarsidass, 1988. | + | *{{Wiki|Michael Aris}}, ''[[Hidden Treasures]] and [[Secret Lives]]'', {{Wiki|Motilal Banarsidass}}, 1988. |
| − | *[[Ringu Tulku]], ''The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great'' (Boston & London: Shambhala Publications, 2006), pages 117-121 & 159-160. | + | *[[Ringu Tulku]], ''The [[Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great]]'' ([[Boston]] & [[London]]: [[Shambhala Publications]], 2006), pages 117-121 & 159-160. |
| − | *[[Thinley Norbu]], ''The Small Golden Key'' (Shambhala Publications, 1999), ‘4. Nyingmapa Kama and Terma'. | + | *[[Thinley Norbu]], ''[[The Small Golden Key]]'' ([[Shambhala Publications]], 1999), ‘4. [[Nyingmapa]] [[Kama]] and [[Terma]]'. |
| − | *[[Tulku Thondup]], ''Hidden Teachings of Tibet: An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism'' (London & Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1986, reprint edition 1997). | + | *[[Tulku Thondup]], ''[[Hidden Teachings of Tibet: An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism]]'' ([[London]] & [[Boston]]: [[Wisdom Publications]], 1986, reprint edition 1997). |
Latest revision as of 04:39, 25 April 2020
Terma (Tib. གཏེར་མ་, Wyl. gter ma) — spiritual treasures hidden by Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal in the earth and in the minds of disciples to be revealed at the appropriate time by ‘treasure revealers’ or tertöns. Many of these གཏེར་, ter were collected by Jamgön Kongtrul and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo into more than sixty volumes, the Rinchen Terdzö, or Treasury of Precious Termas. The Terma lineage, together with the Nyingma Kama, are the two modes of transmission of the teachings of the Nyingma School.
Tulku Thondup writes:
- “In order to prevent the deep teachings and sacred objects of tantra from becoming mixed, diluted, or lost in the distant future, and in order to maintain their blessing powers afresh for future followers, Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal concealed them. They are discovered at the appropriate time by realized masters through their enlightened power.”[1][2]
Categories of Terma
Termas discovered by Chokgyur Lingpa. The golden image at the centre is a kutsab known as Ngödrup Palbar and was discovered from Tsiké Norbu Punsum.[3]
Termas are divided into two categories, according to the manner in which they were concealed and discovered:
- earth termas (Tib. ས་གཏེར་, sa ter), which employ physical objects, and
- mind termas (Tib. དགོངས་གཏེར་, gong ter), discovered within the mindstream of the tertön.
In the discovery of earth termas, earthly materials such as symbolic script written on yellow scroll are used to awaken the terma in the mind of the tertön. In the discovery of mind termas, no external earthly objects are relied on. In many instances of mind terma, seeing or hearing symbolic words or sounds in visions causes the discovery of the terma.
- Another type of terma in the Nyingma tradition are pure vision (Tib. དག་སྣང་, dak nang) teachings.
- Sogyal Rinpoche writes:
- ‘Terchö’ literature can be in three parts: Lama, Dzogchen & Tukjé Chenpo (Tib. བླ་རྫོགས་ཐུགས་གསུམ་, la dzog tuk sum), i.e.
- the peaceful and wrathful sadhanas on the Guru (Tib. Lama),
- teachings on Dzogchen, and
- sadhana cycle on Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Tukjé Chenpo).
The Terma Tradition
Tulku Thondup explains the Terma tradition of Tibet as follows:
- In a number of spiritual traditions of the world there are many instances of the discovery of teachings and objects through mystical power. Similarly, in various traditions and lineages of Buddhism, in India as well as Tibet, numerous mystical discoveries of teachings and objects have taken place.
- In the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, the tradition of concealment and revelation of teachings and materials of religious value through the mystical power of enlightened beings is most prevalent by far. This tradition of mystical discovery is known in Tibetan as Ter ('Treasures'), Terma ('Treasured Ones'), or Terchö ('Dharma Treasures' or 'Treasured Teachings').[5]
- The main source of the Terma tradition of the Nyingma school is Guru Padmasambhava. [6]
- While transmitting esoteric teachings to his realized disciples in Tibet, Guru Padmasambhava concealed many teachings with the blessings of his enlightened mind stream in the nature of the intrinsic awareness of the minds of his disciples through the power of “mind-mandated transmission” (Tib. གཏད་རྒྱ་, Wyl. gtad rgya); thereby the master and disciple became united as one in the teachings and realization. Here, the master has concealed the teachings and blessings, the esoteric attainments, as ter in the pure nature of the minds of his disciples through his enlightened power, and he has made aspirations that the ter may be discovered for the sake of beings when the appropriate time comes.[7]
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche writes:
- In propagating the Buddha’s teachings amid the shamanistic society that dominated Tibet at that time, Padmasambhava saw clearly that some teachings would have to wait for a more appropriate time to take root. He concealed them until certain great practitioners…would reveal them and bring them to fruition.[8]
Notes
- ↑ Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, Masters of Meditation and Miracles, edited by Harold Talbott (Boston: Shambhala, 1996).
- ↑ That's why translator B. Allan Wallace refers to termas as 'spiritual time-capsules'.
- ↑ Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, Hidden Teachings of Tibet, central pictures.
- ↑ Sogyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen and Padmasambhava, page 74.
- ↑ Tulku Thondup, Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life, pages 93-94.
- ↑ Ibid, page 95.
- ↑ Ibid, page 96.
- ↑ Chagdud Tulku, Lord of the Dance (Junction City: Padma Publishing, 1992), page 11.
Further Reading
- Andreas Doctor, Tibetan Treasure Literature: Revelation, Tradition and Accomplishment in Visionary Buddhism (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2005).
- Dudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism (Boston: Wisdom, revised edition 2002).
- Janet B. Gyatso, 'Drawn from the Tibetan Treasury: The gTer ma Literature' in Cabezón and Jackson, ed., Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1996).
- Michael Aris, Hidden Treasures and Secret Lives, Motilal Banarsidass, 1988.
- Ringu Tulku, The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great (Boston & London: Shambhala Publications, 2006), pages 117-121 & 159-160.
- Thinley Norbu, The Small Golden Key (Shambhala Publications, 1999), ‘4. Nyingmapa Kama and Terma'.
- Tulku Thondup, Hidden Teachings of Tibet: An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism (London & Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1986, reprint edition 1997).
