Tilopa
988 - 1069
- One of the Mahasiddhas, also known as The Oilpresser, or The Great Renunciate.
- Another name sometimes used for him is Prajnabhadra.
- According to tradition, Tilopa received and united several transmissions of teachings from various male and female
teachers from all quarters of the Indian subcontinent.
- From Eastern India, he received oral instructions on the "yoga of heat" (gtum-mo, candali) from the lineage of
Mahasukhasiddhi (and then via Tanglopa, Shinglopa, Karnaripa, Krishnacarya and Tsaryapa to Tilopa.
- From Southern India, he received oral instructions on the on luminosity ('od-gsal, prabhasvara) and the illusory forms
(sgyu-lus, mayadeha) from Matangi, teachings originating with Nagarjuna.
- From Western India, he received oral instructions on dream-yoga (rmi-lam, svapna) via Indrabhuti from Vinapa;
both Mahasiddhas as well.
- From Northern India, he received oral instructions on the transference of consciousness ('pho-ba, samkranti) and the
intermediate state (bar-do, antarabhava) from the lineage of the Mahasiddha Luipa; via Dengipa, Darikapa, and Sukhasiddhi.
In combining these strands, he was instrumental (with the aid of Naropa and Marpa)
in disseminating the the originally Indina (Hindu) Tantra teachings to Tibet.
- Taught the Guhyasamaja Tantra (and other teachings) to the
Mahasiddha Naropa.
- His teachings have given rise - via Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa and
Gampopa, to the Kagyudpa lineage.
- He resided in Uddiyana, although that does not say much - considering the probable seize
of that region.
