6th Century BCE

Period of Sakyamuni Buddha

2nd Century AD,
Lineage of the profound

Acarya Nagarjuna brought to light the teachings of “The Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma” by Sakyamuni Buddha. His six treatises on Madhyamaka elucidating the Prajna Paramita Sutras blazed the trail for the “Profound Lineage” of the Mahayana to spread. Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Candrakirti and Santideva furthered this tradition in the period from 2nd to 7th Century AD.

4th Century AD,
Lineage of the vast

Arya Asanga received five treatises from Bodhisatva Maitreya further elucidating Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings, forming the foundation for the “Vast Lineage” of Mahayana. Asanga, his brother Vasubandhu, Vimuktisena, Sthiramati, Haribhadra, etc. wrote commentaries to these treatises according to the Madhyamaka and Yogacara views (4th to 8th Century AD).

5th Century AD,
Buddhist Logic

Dignaga wrote Pramanasamuccaya (Compendium of Valid Cognition), establishing Buddhist epistemology, logic and theories on cognition. Dharmakirti (7th Century AD) further developed Buddhist logic.

7th Century AD,
First traces of Buddhism in Tibet

King Songtsen Gampo, the emperor of unified Tibet, built the Jokhang and Ramchoe Buddhist temples. The translation of Buddhist texts from Sanskrit into Tibetan began. Tibetan written language was created for this purpose.

8th Century AD,
Earlier transmission of Buddhist lineage to Tibet

King Trisong Detsen invited Indian Pandita Santarakshita, the Abbot of Vikramasila, and Guru Padmasambhava to Tibet. The first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, Samye was built. Guru Padmasambhava transmitted many teachings to Tibet including Maha-sandhi Yoga (Dzogchen). His teaching lineages continue to this day as the centerpiece of the Nyingma (old transmission) school. This path consists of training through nine yanas.

8th Century AD,
Samye Debate

This debate between Kamalasila, a disciple of Santarakshita and Hvashang Mahayana, a proponent of sudden enlightenment school, formed a major milestone in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. Kamalasila won the debate paving the way for the Prajna Paramita tradition as it existed in India to be the basis of Buddhism in Tibet.

9th Century AD, Persecution of Buddhism in Tibet

Buddhists were persecuted in Tibet during the time of the King Langdarma. His activities specifically led to the near extinction of the monastic tradition and Buddhism was kept alive in Tibet largely by lay yogis.

11th Century AD, Beginning of new transmission (Sarma)

Atisa Dipankara Srijnana, the great Indian master from Vikramasila was invited to Tibet by King Janchub Oe to revive Buddhism. Atisa removed the misconceptions that had crept in during the persecution period. The lineage he established came to be known as the Kadampa tradition emphasizing the Lo-Jong (Mind training) and the Lam-Rim (Graduated path to enlightenment) genre which Atisa originated. Lam-Rim synthesizes the paths of three different levels of motivations (small, middling, and great) into stages of practice for an individual.

11th Century AD,
Kagyu Lineage

Translator Marpa traveled to India, studied from the Mahasiddhas Naropada and Maitripada, and brought Mahamudra teachings to Tibet. Naropada was the Abbot of Nalanda, who became a Mahasiddha later in life. Milarepa, the student of Marpa became one of the greatest Yogis of Tibet. Milarepa’s student Gampopa spread the Kagyu lineage of Buddhism.

11th Century AD,
Sakya Lineage

Scholar and Translator Drogmi Lotsawa traveled to India and received Lamdre teachings from the lineage of the Mahasiddha Virupa. Virupa was a learned Pandita of Nalanda, who became a Mahasiddha later in life. Konchog Gyelpo, student of Drogmi founded the Sakya lineage based on the Lamdre teachings. This lineage emphasizes on the need for thorough study of Sutras before entering into Vajrayana.

11th Century AD,
Chod Lineage

MachigLabdron, the great female master of Tibet and disciple of Indian Master Parama-Buddha (Padampa Sangye) initiated the Chod lineage based on Prajna Paramita. This is said to be an original Tibetan lineage which was transmitted back to India in the early days.

14th Century AD, Nyingma revival

Scholar-Yogis like Longchen Rabjam brought out many hidden treasure (terma) teachings previously concealed by Guru Padmasambava to be revealed when the time ripens, thus reviving the Nyingma lineage. The monastic tradition of Nyingma received a big boost during the great fifth Dalai Lama’s reign (17th Century), through his encouragement in establishing monasteries.

15th Century AD,
Gelug Lineage

The great scholar-yogi Losang Drakpa (Je Tsongkhapa) founded the Gelug Lineage based on the Kadampa tradition. Lama Tsongkhapa’s clarifications on the view of emptiness form the centerpiece of the view and practice of Gelug tradition. This tradition stresses on the Lam-Rim realizations based on the three principle aspects of the path – renunciation, bodhicitta and view of emptiness – as essential to make progress through Vajrayana path. Monastic discipline and in depth study through debates are emphasized.

19th Century AD,
Rime movement

Period of the Rime (non-sectarian) movement to integrate values from the four schools of Buddhism in Tibet.