The Text and the illustrations in this book take the reader to the Bumthang region, the spiritual heartland of Bhutan, with its legacy of miracles and sages throughout many centuries.

The Esoteric doctrine of the hidden treasures and texts, the Terma, is one of the least known yet most fascinating aspects of Himalayan Buddhism, where it is important within the Nygma School. the subject of both skepticism and misinterpretation, it has attracted growing attention in resent years.

Created and concealed by the Tantric master Guru Padmasanvaba over a thousand years ago, these spiritual treasures have since then been revealed at predestined times, in circumstances shrouded in prophecy and mystery. It is a living tradition, for new Termas continue to be revealed up t our own times.

This study of the life and works of Pemalingpa (1450-1521), prophesied as one of the five great Treasures Revealed, illustrates the meaning of such figures within the context of their own cultures. The book also serves to highlight some contemporary questions abut our understanding and interpretation of Himalayan Buddhist cultures.



Treasure Revealer of Bhutan of Pema Lingpa, Padma Tshewang, Khenpo Phuntshok Tashi, Chris Butters, Sigmund K. Saetreng, Bibliotheca Himalayica EMR Publishing House, 1995, Paperback, 171 pp. , $25.00

Khenpo Phuntshok Tashi, a very clear and articulate Master. Khenpo has been teaching meditation and Buddhism for more than 17 years. He is the author of �Mindful Living in Bhutan�, and is the Director of the National Museum of Bhutan. His sense of humor and warm personality, which are in true Bhutanese style, join with his character to endear him to students and guest audiences. Khenpo is a champion of Bhutan�s policy of Gross National Happiness, finding it congruent with Buddha�s Dharma teachings.

Preface	ix
Introduction, Chris Butters
1. The Historical Background	1
2. The Terma Tradition	6
3. The Issue of Proof in Buddhism	17
Part I The Biography of Pemalingpa, Padma Tshewang
Preface	23
Chapter 1: Of Omniscient and Sentient Beings	25
Chapter 2: Ancestry and Early Life	37
Chapter 3: The Termas Discoveries	45
Chapter 4: Power and Intuition	53
Chapter 5: Great Witnesses	65
Chapter 6: Later life and Legacy	85
Chapter 7: Conclusion	95
Colophon	107
Part II Commentaries
Chapter 1: The Works of Pemalingpa by Khenpo Phuntshock Tashi	101
Chapter 2: Terma and its Critics by Chris Butters	125
Chaper 3: Mother Earth's Treasures and their Revealers a Ecophilosophical Perspective by Sigmund K. Saetreng	139
Bibliography	159
Index	164
Abut the authors	172