https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=NaropaNaropa - Revision history2026-08-23T19:37:43ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naropa&diff=466943&oldid=prevMaximilianGreenb: refined article per sources and improved wording to improve readability2025-11-24T00:42:37Z<p>refined article per sources and improved wording to improve readability</p>
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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha}}<br />
{{For|Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado|Naropa University}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}<br />
[[File:Mahasiddha Naropa.jpg|thumb|right|'''Naropa'''.]]<br />
{{Tibetan Buddhism}}<br />
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'''Nāropā''' ([[Prakrit]]; {{lang-sa|Nāropadā}},<ref>''Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy'' ed. Oliver Leaman. Routledge: 2001. {{ISBN|0-415-17281-0}} pg 282</ref> Naḍapāda<ref>"Notes on the Origin of Some Quotations in the Sekoddeśaṭīkā of Naḍapāda" by M. Nihom. ''Indo-Iranian Journal'' 27 (1984) pg 17</ref> or Abhayakirti<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kagyuoffice.org/kagyu-lineage/the-golden-rosary/naropa/|title=Naropa &#124; Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa}}</ref>) <ref>John Newman, "The Epoch of the Kalacakra Tantra" ''Indo-Iranian Journal'' 41 (1998) pg 347, n. 10</ref> or Abhayakirti was an Indian [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] [[Mahasiddha]]. He was the disciple of [[Tilopa]] and brother, or some sources say partner and pupil, of [[Niguma]].<ref>[http://tbrc.xmeru2.org/kb/tbrc-detail.xq;jsessionid=50BC5E82BB98AE1782CD0D1360B6F6B8?RID=P47&wylie=n ni gu ma ( b. 10th cent. )]{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> As an Indian Mahasiddha, Naropa's instructions inform [[Vajrayana]], particularly his [[six yogas of Naropa]] relevant to the [[completion stage]] of [[anuttarayogatantra]].<br />
He was also one of the gatekeepers of [[Vikramashila]] monastery which is located in [[Bihar]].<ref name="Rinpoche1997">{{cite book|author=Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche|title=Songs of Naropa: Commentaries on Songs of Realization|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3QuwJwz6nNAC&pg=PA77|year=1997|publisher=Rangjung Yeshe Publications|isbn=978-962-7341-28-4|pages=77–78}}</ref><br />
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Although some accounts relate that Naropa was the personal teacher of [[Marpa Lotsawa]], other accounts suggest that Marpa held Naropa's lineage through intermediary disciples only.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Davidson|first1=Ronald M.|title=Tibetan Renaissance : Tantric Buddhism in the Rebirth of Tibetan Culture|date=2005|publisher=Columbia Univ. Press|location=New York|isbn=0-231-13470-3|page=144-7}}</ref><br />
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==Name==<br />
According to scholar John Newman, "the Tibetans give Nāro's name as ''Nā ro pa, Nā ro paṇ chen, Nā ro ta pa,'' and so forth. The manuscript of the ''Paramarthasaṃgraha'' preserves a Sanskrit form ''Naḍapāda'' (''Paramarthasaṃgraha'' 74). A Sanskrit manuscript edited by Tucci preserves an apparent Prakrit form ''Nāropā'', as well as a semi-Sanskritic ''Nāropadā'' (Tucci 1930:150 & 152)."<ref>The Outer Wheel of Time: Vajrayāna Buddhist Cosmology in the Kālacakra tantra by John Ronald Newman. PhD thesis, University of Wisconsin—Madison:1987 pg 105 n.97</ref><br />
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==Biography==<br />
Naropa was a contemporary of [[Atiśa]]. Naropa was born in a high status [[Brahmin]] family of Bengal.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Richard Robinson |authorlink1=Richard Robinson (Buddhism scholar) |title=The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction|url=https://archive.org/details/buddhistreligion0000robi |url-access=registration }}</ref> From an early age showed an independent streak, hoping to follow a career of study and meditation. Succumbing to his parents' wishes, he agreed to an arranged marriage with a young Brahmin girl. After 8 years they both agreed to dissolve their marriage and become ordained. At the age of 28 Naropa entered the famous Buddhist University at [[Nalanda]] where he studied both [[Sutra]] and [[Tantra]]. He gained the reputation of a great scholar and faultless debater, essential at that time as the tradition of debate was such that the loser automatically became a student of the winner. He eventually gained the title "Guardian of the Northern gate", engaged in many debates and taught and won many students.<br />
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According to his Tibetan [[Namtar (biography)|namtar]], or spiritual biography, one day, while he was studying, a [[dakini]] appeared to Naropa and asked if he understood the words of the Dharma, the Buddha's teachings. He replied that he did and when she seemed happy with his response, he added that he also understood their meaning. At this point the dakini burst into tears, stating that he was a great scholar, but also a liar, as the only one who understood the teachings was her brother, [[Tilopa]]. On hearing the name "Tilopa", he experienced an intense feeling of devotion, and Naropa realised he needed to find the teacher to achieve full realisation. He abandoned his studies and position at the university and set out to find Tilopa. Naropa then underwent what is known as the twelve minor hardships in his quest to find his teacher, all the hardships being hidden teachings on his path to enlightenment. When he finally met Tilopa, he was given the four complete transmission lineages which he then began to practice. While studying and meditating with Tilopa, Naropa had to undergo a further twelve major hardships, trainings to overcome all the obstacles on his path, culminating in his full realisation of [[Mahamudra|mahāmudrā]]. Naropa spent a total of twelve years with Tilopa. At the bank of river bagmati, in the premise of [[Hindu]] shrine [[Pashupatinath Temple]] , there is the cave where he was initiated by [[Tilopa]] and attained [[Siddhi]].<br />
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Later in his life Naropa stayed in Phullahari, where he died aged 85. Phullahari or Pullahari was located most likely in eastern Bihar or Bengal.<ref>Davidson, Ronald M. ''Indian Esoteric Buddhism''. Columbia University Press, 2003. {{ISBN|0-231-12618-2}}.</ref><br />
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One of the few reliable historical accounts of him comes from a Tibetan translator named Ngatso Lotsawa, who made an effort to visit Naropa at the monastery of Phullahari while waiting to visit with [[Atiśa]] at [[Vikramashila]].<br />
{{quote|Because I went alone as an insignificant monk to see the Lord Atisha —— and because he tarried for a year in Magadha – I thought I would go see the Lord Naropa, since his reputation was so great. I went east from Magadha for a month, as I had heard that the Lord was staying in the monastery known as Phullahari. Very great merit arose from being able to go see him. On the day I arrived, they said some feudal prince had come to pay homage. So I went to the spot, and a great throne had been erected. I sat right in front of it. The whole crowd started buzzing, "The Lord is coming!" I looked and the Lord was physically quite corpulent, with his white hair <nowiki>[</nowiki>stained with henna<nowiki>]</nowiki> bright red, and a vermilion turban on. He was being carried <nowiki>[</nowiki>on a palanquin<nowiki>]</nowiki> by four men, and was chewing [[betel]]-leaf. I grabbed his feet and thought, "I should listen to his pronoucements!" Stronger and stronger people, though, pushed me further and further from his feet and finally I was tossed out of the crowd. So, there I saw the Lord's face, but did not actually hear his voice.<ref>Davidson, Ronald M. ''Indian Esoteric Buddhism''. pg 317. Columbia University Press, 2003. {{ISBN|0-231-12618-2}}.</ref>}}<br />
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[[File:Mahasiddha Naropa - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Thangka of Mahasiddha Naropa, 19th century]]<br />
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==Legacy==<br />
Naropa is remembered for his trust and devotion to his teacher, which, according to his biography, enabled him to attain enlightenment in one lifetime.<br />
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He is also remembered as part of the "Golden Garland", meaning he is a [[lineage (Buddhism)|lineage]] holder of the [[Kagyu]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]] and was considered an accomplished scholar. A great practitioner, Naropa is best known for having collated the [[Six Yogas of Naropa|Six Dharmas]]. These practices help achieve [[Buddhahood]] more rapidly. Many subsequent [[Karmapa]]s have been particularly adept at one or more of these practices, which in [[Vajrayana]] tradition are held to have been given by the [[Buddha]] and were passed on through an unbroken lineage via [[Tilopa]] to Naropa, [[Marpa Lotsawa|Marpa]] and [[Milarepa]] and on to the present day. <br />
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Naropa is considered one of the eighty-four [[mahasiddha]]s, the 'saints' of Vajrayana. [[Naropa University]] in [[Colorado]], USA was named in his honour.<br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Six yogas of Naropa]]<br />
*[[Tilopa]]<br />
*[[Mahasiddha]]<br />
*[[Marpa Lotsawa|Marpa]]<br />
*[[Kagyu]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
*''The Life and Teaching of Naropa'' by Herbert V Gunther. [[Shambhala Publications]] 1999 Massachusetts. {{ISBN|1-56957-110-4}}<br />
*''The Life of Marpa the Translator'', Seeing Accomplishes All. Tsang Nyon Heruka Translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee. Shambhala Publications 1995 Boston. {{ISBN|1-57062-087-3}} (pbk.)<br />
*''The Life Story of Naropa'' by Kenpo Chodrak Rinpoche. Published in ''Kagyu Life International'' No's 3 & 4,1995 San Francisco.<br />
*''The Golden Kagyu Garland, A History of the Kagyu Lineage'', adapted by Bruce Tarver. Published in ''Buddhism Today'' Issue 15, 2005<br />
*[[2nd Dalai Lama]]. ''Tantric Yogas of Sister Niguma'', Snow Lion Publications, 1st ed. U. edition (May 1985), {{ISBN|0-937938-28-9}} (10), {{ISBN|978-0-937938-28-7}} (13)<br />
* ''Naropa '' by Satyananda Giri. Strategic Publishing Group, 2011. {{ISBN|978-1-61204-448-4}}<br />
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{{Buddhism topics}}<br />
{{Indian Philosophy}}<br />
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[[Category:11th-century Buddhists]]<br />
[[Category:Bodhisattvas]]<br />
[[Category:Indian scholars of Buddhism]]<br />
[[Category:History of Tibet]]<br />
[[Category:Kagyu lamas]]<br />
[[Category:Mahasiddhas]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Buddhist monks]]<br />
[[Category:Monks of Vikramashila]]<br />
[[Category:Buddhist yogis]]<br />
[[Category:11th-century Indian philosophers]]<br />
[[Category:11th-century Indian monks]]<br />
[[Category:History of Tibetan Buddhism]]</div>imported>KashKarti