Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche

Part of the personal collection of Sogyal Rinpoche. Painted by Salga. ©Tertön Sogyal Trust

Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche (Tib. guru tsen gyé; Wyl. gu ru mtshan brgyad) are the eight principal forms assumed by Guru Rinpoche at different points in his life:

1. Tsokyé Dorje (birth)
2. Shakya Sengé (ordination)
3. Nyima Özer (subjugating demonic spirits)
4. Padmasambhava (establishing Buddhism in Tibet)
5. Loden Choksé (mastery of the teachings)
6. Pema Gyalpo (kingship)
7. Sengé Dradrok (subjugation of non-buddhists)
8. Dorje Drolö (concealing terma, binding spirits under oath)

The Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava do not depict different Padmasambhavas, but reflect his ability to appear according to different needs and demands. In fact, they are called in Tibetan Guru Tsen Gyé, the eight ‘names’ of the Guru; each manifestation demonstrates a different principle that unveils the innermost nature of mind. As Guru Rinpoche said: “Mind itself is Padmasambhava; there is no practice or meditation apart from that.”

Gallery

Sets of thangkas of the Eight Manifestations include a central image of Guru Pema Jungné.

• 

  Pema Jungné

• Tsokyé Dorje

  Tsokyé Dorje

• 

  Shakya Sengé

• 

  Nyima Özer

• 

  Padmasambhava

• 

  Loden Choksé

• 

  Pema Gyalpo

• 

  Sengé Dradok

• 

  Dorje Drolö

The Empowerment of Padmasambhava and his Eight Manifestations

• Tukdrup Yang Nying Kundü (Tib.), the empowerment of Padmasambhava and his Eight Manifestations according to the Sangwa Gyachen (Tib.), the Pure Visions of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, has been given to the Rigpa sangha by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at:
  • the Pagode de Vincennes in Paris, 1982,
  • San Jose 1989 and
  • Lerab Gar 2000.

Further Reading

• Chögyam Trungpa, Crazy Wisdom, The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume Five (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2004).
• Yeshe Tsogyal, Padmasambhava Comes to Tibet: 25 Disciples - Vajra Guru Mantra - Prayers, Dharma Publishing, 2008.