Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava, commonly known as Guru Rinpoche, is a central figure in Tibetan Buddhism renowned as the Lotus-Born Guru who introduced Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. He is traditionally regarded as the second Buddha in Tibet and the founder of the Nyingma school, the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Traditional accounts place his birthplace in Oddiyana (present-day the Swat Valley region). He is said to have been born from a lotus and to have studied widely across the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas, mastering tantric practices. Invited by King Trisong Detsen and the scholar Shantarakshita to Tibet, Padmasambhava helped establish Buddhism there, subduing local spirits and obstacles and aiding the construction of the monastery at Samye. He transmitted teachings that later formed the core of Tibetan tantric practice, and, according to tradition, concealed many teachings as terma for later discovery by tertons. Yeshe Tsogyal, regarded as his chief disciple (and in some accounts as his consort), played a prominent role in the early Tibetan tradition.

Legacy: Padmasambhava's influence is most strongly felt in the Nyingma school's emphasis on tantric transmission and the terma tradition. He is depicted in Tibetan art in multiple manifestations and remains a central figure in monasteries, liturgies, and annual rituals across the Himalayan region. His legacy continues through lineages and practices associated with his teachings, shaping Tibetan Buddhist practice well into the present.