Tashi Tseringma
As an oath-bound chökyong (dharma protector) and the chief among the group called Tsering Chénga (‘The Five Sisters of Long Life), Tashi Tseringma resided at Mount Gaurishankar, a sacred mountain on the border of Tibet and Nepal.
The five sisters first took oaths from the dakini Sengé Dongma, then later from Guru Rinpoché in Kham, and finally from Jétsün Milarepa in Tibet.
Tashi Tseringma initially tested Milarepa's resolve during his meditation retreat but, bound by her oaths, became his spiritual companion and received profound Vajrayana teachings from him.
The Paro valley in Bhutan is also considered especially sacred to Tashi Tseringma, with dwelling places for each of the five sisters in different temples throughout the valley.
Since the early 8th century, Tibetans and Himalayan people have treasured "Namtars" as written or spoken narratives that demonstrate the realization of the Buddhist path by exceptional practitioners. These namtars, or spiritual biographies, serve as inspirational guides on the path to enlightenment.
Today, Namtars Foundation aims to record, preserve, and freely offer the world a written and electronic treasury of the oral wisdom of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism.
