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Padmasambhava

Born

Pakistan

Genre

Religion & Spirituality

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According to tradition, Padmasambhava was incarnated as an eight-year-old child appearing in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha, in the kingdom of Uddiyana, traditionally identified with the Swat Valley in present-day Pakistan. His special nature was recognized by the local king who married him to one of his daughters, Mandarava. She and Padmasambhava's other main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal, developed into realised practitioners. Many thangkas and paintings show Padmasambhava in between them.
Padmasambhava's ability to memorize and comprehend esoteric texts in a single hearing established his reputation as a master above all others. Knowing that the life force of the wife and son of evil minister was about to end, he constructed an acci According to tradition, Padmasambhava was incarnated as an eight-year-old child appearing in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha, in the kingdom of Uddiyana, traditionally identified with the Swat Valley in present-day Pakistan. His special nature was recognized by the local king who married him to one of his daughters, Mandarava. She and Padmasambhava's other main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal, developed into realised practitioners. Many thangkas and paintings show Padmasambhava in between them.
Padmasambhava's ability to memorize and comprehend esoteric texts in a single hearing established his reputation as a master above all others. Knowing that the life force of the wife and son of evil minister was about to end, he constructed an accident which resulted in their death. As a result, Padmasambhava was banished from the court and exiled in a charnel ground. Transiting various heavens and hells, he developed the power to transcend the cycle of birth and death, accomplishing the so-called great transference.
His fame became known to Trisong Detsen, the 38th king of Tibet (742–797), whose kingdom was beset by evil mountain deities. The king invited Padmasambhava to Tibet where he used his tantric powers to subdue the evil deities he encountered along the way, eventually receiving the Emperor's wife, identified with the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, as a consort. This was in accordance with the tantric principle of not eliminating negative forces but redirecting them to fuel the journey toward spiritual awakening. In Tibet he founded the first monastery in the country, Samye Gompa, initiated the first monks, and introduced the people to the practice of Tantric Buddhism.
In Bhutan he is associated with the famous Taktshang or "Tiger's Nest" monastery built on a sheer cliff wall about 500m above the floor of Paro valley. He flew there from Tibet on the back of Yeshe Tsogyal, whom he transformed into a flying tigress for the purpose of the trip. Later he travelled to Bumthang district to subdue a powerful deity offended by a local king. Padmasambhava's body imprint can be found in the wall of a cave at nearby Kurje Lhakhang temple.
According to Tibetan tradition, the Bardo Thodol (commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book of the Dead) was among many treasures hidden by Padmasambhava, subsequently discovered by a Tibetan terton, Karma Lingpa. ...more

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Average rating: 4.08 · 17,709 ratings · 786 reviews · 62 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Tibetan Book of the Dead by Padmasambhava, Karma-glin-pa, Gyurme Dorje (Translator) 4.16 avg rating — 10,783 ratings — published 1350 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Liberation Through Understanding in the Between by Padmasambhava, Karma-glin-pa, Robert A.F. Thurman (Translator), Dalai Lama XIV (Foreword) 3.89 avg rating — 6,211 ratings — published 1350 — 328 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Liberation Through Understanding the Between by Padmasambhava, Huston Smith, Dalai Lama XIV (Foreword by) 4.09 avg rating — 1,048 ratings — published 1993 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dakini Teachings: A Collection of Padmasambhava's Advice to the Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal by Padmasambhava, Erik Pema Kunzang (Translator), Nyang-ral Nyima Ozer 4.50 avg rating — 123 ratings — published 1364 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Advice from the Lotus-Born: A Collection of Padmasambhava's Advice to the Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal and Other Close Disciples by Padmasambhava, Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator), Marcia Binder Schmidt (Editor) 4.65 avg rating — 97 ratings — published 2004 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos by Padmasambhava, Gyatrul Rinpoche (Contributor), B. Alan Wallace (Goodreads Author) (Translator) 4.45 avg rating — 86 ratings — published 1997 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Treasures from Juniper Ridge by Padmasambhava, Tulku Urgyen, Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator) 4.77 avg rating — 66 ratings — published 2008 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	THE LIGHT OF WISDOM by Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal (Recorder), Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (Commentary) 4.73 avg rating — 49 ratings — published 1870 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Secret Teachings of Padmasambhava: Essential Instructions on Mastering the Energies of Life by Padmasambhava, Padmasambhava 4.23 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	EL LIBRO TIBETANO DE LOS MUERTOS: Como es popularmente conocido en Occidente y conocido en el Tíbet como El gran libro de la liberación natural mediante ... intermedio (Clásicos) by Padmasambhava, Dalai Lama XIV (Contributor) 3.91 avg rating — 33 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava's Advice (3 books)
by

Padmasambhava,

Tulku Urgyen,

Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator),

Marcia Binder Schmidt (Translator),

Nyang Ral Nyima Öser,

Sangye Lingpa,

Rigdzin Godem,

Rinchen Lingpa,

more…
4.61 avg rating — 286 ratings

Quotes by Padmasambhava (?)

“If you want to know your past life, look at your present condition.
If you want to know your future life, look at your present actions.”
― Padmasambhava

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“Abandon your notions of the past, without attributing a temporal sequence! Cut off your mental associations regarding the future, without anticipation! Rest in a spacious modality, without clinging to [the thoughts of] the present. Do not meditate at all, since there is nothing upon which to meditate. Instead, revelation will come through undistracted mindfulness — Since there is nothing by which you can be distracted.”
― Padmasambhava, The Tibetan Book of the Dead. First Complete Translation

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“ Are you oblivious to the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death? There is no guarantee that you will survive, even past this very day! The time has come [for you] to develop perseverance in [your] practice. For, at this singular opportunity, you could attain the everlasting bliss [of nirvāṇa]. So now is [certainly] not the time to sit idly, But, starting with [the reflection on] death, you should bring your practice to completion!3 The moments of our life are not expendable, And the [possible] circumstances of death are beyond imagination. If you do not achieve an undaunted confident security now, What point is there in your being alive, O living creature?”
― Padmasambhava, The Tibetan Book of the Dead. First Complete Translation

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