Some people have special books.
These books tell old stories. They help people learn to think. They teach how to be kind. These books matter to many. Do you like stories?
Some people follow special teachings.
These are called the Seventeen Tantras. They are important to the Nyingma school. Many believe these texts came from a monk. His name was Vimalamitra.
These books teach people how to meditate. They also teach how to act. One person found them as hidden treasures. This person was named Zhangton Tashi Dorje. These stories help people understand the world. They are very special to many followers.
The Seventeen Tantras are a group of holy books. They are very important to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.
These books teach the ways of Dzogchen. They explain how to meditate and how to act. One main text is called the Reverberation of Sound Tantra. It is the root text for the whole group. It says that all teachings come from a special sound.
Many people believe these texts came from an Indian monk named Vimalamitra. Traditional stories say he brought them to Tibet. Another story says they were hidden treasures. A man named Zhangton Tashi Dorje found them. He lived a long time ago. Some scholars think the texts were made by many people over time. They might have been put together by different hands. A famous writer named Longchenpa wrote many things about these books. His work helps people understand them today. The books talk about many things. They discuss the body and the mind. They also talk about what happens after death.
The Seventeen Tantras are a very special collection of holy books. They are core scriptures for the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. These texts belong to the Vima Nyingthig, which means the "Inner Essence of Vimalamitra."
They are the most important books for a set of teachings called Dzogchen. These teachings explain a special way of seeing the world. They also teach two main ways to meditate. One way is called "the cutting through of primordial purity." The other way is called "the direct crossing of spontaneous presence." These books guide how a person should act and live.
Each tantra in the collection is written in a unique way. Most of them look like a conversation between a Buddha and others. These dialogues happen in many different settings. Some take place in open space or near volcanoes. Others happen in charnel grounds, which are special places for the dead.
The books cover many deep topics for the reader. They discuss the subtle body and the nature of the mind. They also talk about things like mandalas and what happens after death. One very important text is the Reverberation of Sound Tantra. It is the root text for the whole group. It says all spiritual teachings come from an original sound.
There are many stories about where these books came from. Traditional Nyingma history says they were translated from Indian texts. An 8th-century Indian monk named Vimalamitra is a key figure here. He is said to have brought them to Tibet. Some traditions say the texts were divine revelations. They say they were received from the Buddha Kuntu Zangpo. These teachings were then passed down through many teachers. One famous teacher was Garab Dorje. He is said to have compiled millions of tantras. He gave them to his student, Manjushrimitra.
History shows many different names and dates for these books. A treasure discoverer named Zhangton Tashi Dorje lived from about 1097 to 1127. He is linked to the Vima Nyingthig cycle. Some modern scholars have different ideas about the history. They think the texts might have been written by many people over a long time. One scholar named Chetsün Sengé Wangchuk lived in the 11th century. He is sometimes linked to the very first historical records of these tantras. A long line of teachers followed him. This line includes people like Nyima Bum and Melong Dorje. These teachers helped keep the traditions alive through the centuries.
Today, people still study these ancient texts to understand Buddhism. A famous writer named Longchenpa lived from 1308 to 1364. He wrote many books to explain these tantras. His work is still very influential for many people. You can even find English translations of some of these books today. For example, Malcolm Smith translated the Self-Arising Rigpa Tantra. Other scholars like H. V. Guenther and Janet Gyatso have also translated parts. These books help connect ancient ideas to the modern world. They show how people have wondered about the mind for a very long time.
The Seventeen Tantras are a foundational collection of scriptures within the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. They serve as the core texts for the "esoteric instruction series," known as Menngagde, which is the most authoritative part of the Dzogchen teachings. These tantras belong to a larger cycle called the Vima Nyingthig, or the "Inner Essence of Vimalamitra."
The collection provides a framework for understanding the Dzogchen view, which is a specific way of perceiving reality. It also outlines two primary forms of meditation: kadag trekchö, meaning "the cutting through of primordial purity," and lhündrub tögal, meaning "the direct crossing of spontaneous presence." Beyond meditation, these texts guide the conduct of a practitioner in their daily life.
To understand how these teachings function, one must look at the specific subjects they cover. The tantras are often structured as dialogues between a Buddha and a group of followers. These conversations occur in diverse settings, ranging from open space and volcanoes to charnel grounds. Through these dialogues, the texts explain complex concepts such as cosmogony, which is the study of the origins of the universe. They also explore the subtle body, buddha-nature, and the use of mandalas. Additionally, the scriptures address post-death states, known as bardos, and include specific funerary and subjugation rituals. The Reverberation of Sound Tantra acts as the root text for the entire series. It teaches that all spiritual instructions are manifestations of an original, primordial sound.
The collection is composed of seventeen distinct tantras, each with its own specific focus. Some examples include the Mind Mirror of Samantabhadra Tantra and the Blazing Lamp Tantra. Other important texts are the Self-Arising Rigpa Tantra and the Self-liberated Rigpa Tantra. The list also includes the Lion's Perfect Expressive Power Tantra and the Union of the Sun and Moon Tantra. Sometimes, these seventeen texts are grouped into larger sets. When the Troma Tantra is added, the collection is referred to as the Eighteen Tantras. If the Tantra of the Lucid Expanse is also included, it is known as the Nineteen Tantras. These variations show how the scriptures can be organized for different study purposes.
History and tradition offer different perspectives on how these texts reached Tibet. According to traditional Nyingma accounts, the tantras were originally Indian texts. They were translated by 8th-century Indian monks, most notably Vimalamitra, who worked under the teacher Shri Singha. The lineage is traced back to a quasi-historical figure named Garab Dorje. It is said he received the teachings from the Buddha Kuntu Zangpo. Garab Dorje reportedly compiled 6,400,000 tantras of the Great Perfection before passing them to his disciple, Manjushrimitra. This teacher then classified the teachings into the Mind, Space, and Instruction sections.
Modern scholars provide a different historical view of the collection. Some Tibetologists, such as David Germano and Christopher Hatchell, suggest the Vima Nyingthig may have been composed by its discoverer, Zhangton Tashi Dorje. Zhangton Tashi Dorje lived from approximately 1097 to 1127. Other scholars, like Bryan J. Cuevas, suggest the texts were compiled over a long period by multiple people. This would mean the collection contains several layers of history and diverse influences. While the traditional view emphasizes divine revelation, historical records show a clear lineage of human teachers. This lineage includes figures like Chetsün Sengé Wangchuk from the 11th century and Kumaradza, who lived from 1266 to 1343.
The significance of these texts is maintained through centuries of scholarship and preservation. One of the most influential figures in this history was Longchen Rabjampa, who lived from 1308 to 1363. He wrote numerous works, such as the Seven Treasuries, to comment on the Seventeen Tantras. Longchenpa helped integrate these ancient doctrines into the broader philosophical discourses of his time. He connected the practices to traditions like Madhyamaka and Yogacara. Today, the texts are preserved in the Nyingma Gyubum, specifically in volumes 9 and 10. This preservation ensures that the specific instructions of the Vima Nyingthig remain available to students.
Finally, the Seventeen Tantras connect deeply to the wider field of Buddhist philosophy. They are not isolated ideas but are part of a complex system of esoteric instructions. The texts interact with other tantric traditions and help define the unique identity of the Nyingma school. Modern researchers continue to study them through various translations. For instance, Malcolm Smith has translated several volumes of the Rigpa tantras into English. Other scholars like H. V. Guenther and Janet Gyatso have also provided English excerpts. Through these efforts, the ancient questions regarding the mind and existence continue to be explored by people around the world.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (2)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.