THE RISE OF ESOTERIC BUDDHISM IN TIBET

In most Asian countries esoteric Buddhism (Tantrayana) declined in the past, while the Tibetans alone preserved the full richness of tantric traditions to our times. Thus this study is based on several Tibetan sources never presented in any modern language - some of them were translated, some were given as a summary.

The main concern of this study is to exhibit and analyse the traditions of the Old School of Tibetan Buddhism i.e., the mying-ma-pa. For the first time there is shown that the history of the Old Schools goes far beyond the Padmasambhava; some sources hint at a non-Indian origin of some tantric cycles. The whole tradition of the Old School is divided into two lineages: one of the Pronouncements and the other of the Concealed Treasures. Each lineage is discussed in detail - more than twenty biographies of the famous masters of the Old School are on these facts and events aims at giving an impression of the spiritual life within the Old School and links the results of this study with the hitherto existing knowledge of esoteric Buddhism. This study exhibits a great deal of so far unknown facts and events that indispensable for understanding thought and history of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet.

About the Author:

The author Dr. (Mrs.) Eva Dargyay, is Reader in Tibetology at the University of Munich (West Germany). Being a German specialist in Tibetan and Buddhist studies, she is married to a Tibetan Geshay.

Foreword by Alex Wayman
Foreword by H.V. Guenther
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations

1. THE OLD SCHOOL IN ITS HISTORICAL STARTING POSITION
   1.1. The Geographical Zone of Tibet
   1.2. Tibet's First Contacts with the Buddhist World
   1.3. The Intellectual Tendencies of Tibetan Buddhism from the 7th to the 9th century
   1.4. The Consequences for the Old School

2. THE OLD TRANSMISSION OF THE PRONOUNCEMENTS
   2.1. The Foundation in the Transcendental
   2.2. The Transmission of the Pronouncements through the Intermediators of the Spiritual World
   2.3. The Principal Tradition of the "Great Perfection" Doctrine
   2.4. The Transmission of the Mahayoga of the Development
   2.4.1. The Section of the Tantra Cycles
   2.4.2. The Section of Meditative Realization
   2.4.3. The Dissemination of the Teachings of the Eight Pronouncements in Tibet
   2.5. The Transmission of the Anuyoga of Accomplished Meditation
   2.6. The Transmission of the Atiyoga of the Great Perfection
   2.6.1. The Transmission of the Section of Mind and Unending Dynamic of Being
   2.6.2. The Transmission of the Section of Instructions
   2.6.2.1. The Line of Transmission traced back to Padmasambhava
   2.6.2.2. The Line of Transmission traced back to Vimalamitra
   2.7. Summary

3. THE NEW TRANSMISSION OF THE CONCEALED TEACHINGS AND THEIR DISCOVERERS
   3.1. The Nature of the Concealed Teachings
   3.2. The Discoverers of Concealed Teachings
   3.3. The Report of Thu'u-bkvan Rin-po-che bLo-bsang-chos-kyi-nyi-ma concerning the Tradition of the Concealed Teachings
   3.4. Literary Works of the Tradition of the Pronouncements merge with the Tradition of the Concealed Books
   3.5. The Earlier and Later Concealed Books
   3.6. The Newly Concealed Books and the Revival of the Old School
   3.7. Collection of the Concealed Books

   Notes to Part I

1. Introduction
2. Hagiography of Sangs-rgyas-bla-ma, the First Discoverer of Concealed Treasures
3. Hagiography of Grva-pa-mngon-ses, the Discoverer of the famous Medical Works rGyud-bzi
4. Hagiography of Nyang-ral Nyi-ma-od-zer, the First of the Five Discoverer Kings
5. Hagiography of Guru Chos-kyi-dbang-phyug, the Second of the Five Discoverer Kings
6. Hagiography of the Female Discoverer Jo-mo-sman-mo, the Consecrated Consort of Guru Chos-dbang
7. Hagiography of O-rgyan-gling-pa, the Famous Discoverer of Padmasambhava's Hagiography and the bKa'-thang-sdelnga
8. Hagiography of Rig-'dsin-chen-porGod-Idem-can, the Discoverer of the Northern Teachings
9. Hagiography of Sangs-rgyas-gling-pa, the Discoverer of the bLa-ma-dgongs-'dus Cycle
10. Hagiography of rDo-rje-gling-pa, the Third Discoverer King
11. Hagiography of Ratna-gling-pa, the Collector of the rNying-ma-rgyud-'bum
12. Hagiography of O-rgyan-padma-gling-pa, the Fourth Discoverer King
13. Hagiography of Karma-gling-pa, the Author of the Bar-do-thos-grol
14. Hagiography of Thang-stong-rgyal-po, the Great Engineer
15. Hagiography of mNga'-ris Pan-chen Padma-dbang-rgyal-rdo-rje, a Scholar-Saint and Revivor of Buddhism in Tibet
16. Summary of the Hagiography of the Discoverer Lasphro-gling-pa
17. Summary of the Hagiography of the Discoverer bDud-dul-rdo-rje
18. Hagiography of Lha-btsun Nam-mkha'-'jigs-med, the Great Yogi
19. Hagiography of rDo-rje-thog-med-rtsal, the Fifth Dalai Lama
20. Hagiography of gTer-bdag-gling-pa, Disciple and later Teacher of the Fifth Dalai Lama
21. Summary of the Hagiography of Jigs-med-gling-pa, the Master of the sNying-thig and Editor of the rNying-ma-pa Tantras
22. Summary of the Hagiography of mChog-gyur-bde-chen Zig-po-gling-pa, the Famous Disciple of mKhyen-brtse'i-dbang-po and the Master of the Seven Currents of Pronouncements
23. Hagiography of 'Jam-dbyangs mKhyen-brtse'i-dbang-po Padma-'od-gsal-mdo-sngaga-gling-pa, the Fifth Discoverer King

    Notes to Part II

List of the Discoverers of Concealed Treasures
Chronological Tables
Masters of the old School
Political and Religious Events in Tibet
Chinese Buddhism and its relation to Tibet