Treasure-traditions of Western Tibet

According to the gTer-ma ("treasure-tradition") in Tibetan Buddhism, teachings formulated by prominent masters, above all by Padmasambhava, during the early introduction of Buddhism to Tibet from the seventh to the ninth century CE, were concealed in various ways in order to have them discovered at later times by an especially qualified person, the "treasure-discoverer" (gter ston). This study takes the approach of those scholars on the gTer-ma tradition who seek to gain insight and an understanding of the historicity of the tradition through the study of the lives of the persons who were directly involved in it, using the information about the treasure-discoverers that has been passed down in numerous biographical accounts. This study serves as a case study in this vein. On the basis of textual and historical research it aims to contextualize the life of one hitherto relatively unknown proponent of the treasure-tradition, Rig-'dzin Gar-dbang rdo-rje snying-po (1640-1685).