Namtar (biography)

A namtar (Tibetan: རྣམ་ཐར་, Wylie: rNam-thar ), sometimes spelled namthar is a spiritual biography or hagiography in Tibetan Buddhism.

Namtar is a contraction of nampar tharpa (Tibetan: རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པ་, Wylie: rnam-par thar-pa ), which literally means 'complete liberation'. This name refers to the fact that the texts tell stories of yogis or Indo-Tibetan Mahasiddha who attained complete enlightenment. Namtars do not focus on a literal chronology of events, but rather function as a kind of learning example that hits the key points of the yogi's sprititual life. Such a text would serve as an example of buddhahood for any practitioner of Vajrayana and complement the tantras in imparting instructions on specific tantric practices. According to Janice D. Willis, the focus on practice forms an essential difference between Christian and Tibetan hagiography.

In her book Women of Wisdom, Tsultrim Allione voices it thus:

Western academic tradition often portrays this type of text in an unfavourable light. It mainly criticizes the Tibetan hagiography for its inclusion of miraculous events and repetition of the protagonist's sanctity. Some scholars have therefore proposed that the Namtar has no historical value whatsoever.

Lhamo

Lhamo, or Ache Lhamo (literally, "sister goddess") is a Tibetan folk opera. It is a combination of dances, chants and songs, with repertoire drawn from Buddhist stories and Tibetan folklore. Lhamo is part of the People's Republic of China's UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Terminology

In the Tibetan language, the opera is called Al-che-lha-mo, the actor lha-mo-ba and the script khrab-gzhung.

History

Tibetan opera was founded in the 14th century by Thang Tong Gyalpo, a Lama and a bridge builder. Gyalpo and seven recruited girls organised the first performance to raise funds for building bridges, which would facilitate transportation in Tibet. The tradition continued, and lhamo is held on various festive occasions such as the Linka and Sho Dun festivals.

The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts at Dharamsala, runs an opera company, which produces shows to promote this art form. Brooklyn-based singer Doe Paoro trained there while living in the region, and blends the opera's vocally acrobatic stylings with elements of soul, dubstep, and R&B.

Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava (lit. "Lotus-Born"), also known as Guru Rinpoche, was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist master. Although there was a historical Padmasambhava, nothing is known of him apart from helping the construction of the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet at Samye, at the behest of Trisong Detsen, and shortly thereafter leaving Tibet due to court intrigues.

A number of legends have grown around Padmasambhava's life and deeds, and he is widely venerated as a 'second Buddha' across Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Himalayan states of India.

In Tibetan Buddhism, he is a character of a genera of literature called terma, an emanation of Amitābha that is said to appear to tertöns in visionary encounters and a focus of guru yoga practice, particularly in the Rimé schools. The Nyingma school considers Padmasambhava to be a founder of their tradition.

Mythos

Sources

Nyangrel Nyima Özer (1136-1204) was the principal architect of the Padmasambhava mythos according to Janet Gyatso. Guru Chöwang (1212–1270) was the next major contributor to the mythos. Padmasambhava's Namtar (biography) is Zanglingma (Jeweled Rosary) revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Özer and is in the Rinchen Terdzö terma collection.