Nyingma Gyübum

The Nyingma Gyübum is a collection of Nyingma tantras. It was first compiled by the great tertön Ratna Lingpa after the collections of translated text gathered in the 14th century such as the Kangyur and the Tengyur left out most of the Nyingma tantras. It is only in the last years of the 18th century that it was first published under the guidance of the Omniscient Jikmé Lingpa, in Dergue thanks to the patronage of the regent queen Tsewang Lhamo.

It now exists in various editions with differing contents and organizations, though a common core set of texts is shared as well as the overall organization into the three Nyingma tantra traditions of Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga. It is composed of both termas and kama texts. Therefore another canon called the Nyingma Kama was compiled in order to bring together the Nyingma texts that were not transmitted as termas.

Editions of the Nyingma Gyübum

• Bai ro'i rgyud 'bum compiled and translated by the eighth century Tibetan master Vairochana. Reproduced from the rare manuscript belonging to Tokden Rimpoche of Gangon by Tashi Y. Tashigangpa. The 8 volume Bairo Gyubum is a collection of Nyingmapa tantra material found among the nomads of northern Ladakh. The lineage of transmission of these teachings has disappeared.
• sDe dge Edition First published under the direction of Jikme Lingpa and the patronage of the queen of Dergue at the end the 18th century. 26 vol.
• Rig 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu Edition, manuscript with enluminure late 18th century, 33 vol. Only 30 vol. available. See http://ngb.csac.anthropology.ac.uk/Title_page_main.html
• gTing skyes Edition and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Edition (1974, New Delhi;1975, Thimpu). The later was reproduced from the manuscripts preserved at Tingkye monastery in Tibet under the direction of Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoche. 36 vol.
• mTshams brag Edition, National Library of Bhutan (1982, Thimpu) [The manuscript from which this collection was printed was found at the monastery of Tsamdrag in western Bhutan and comprises 46 volumes. It was probably calligraphed in the 18th century. It is the largest version of the Nyingma Gyübum. For a catalog see http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu:6060/ntrp/tibet/tb.ed