Tilopa 988 – 1069
Tilopa (988 – 1069) was an Indian philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Buddhism and Indian Philosophy.
Tilopa was an eleventh-century Bengali Buddhist tantric master, traditionally regarded as the founder of the Indian lineage of the Mahamudra teachings that, through his pupil Naropa and Naropa's pupil Marpa, became the philosophical and meditative core of the Tibetan Kagyu school. His short Six Words of Advice to Naropa is one of the most concise statements in any tradition of the Mahamudra path, while his songs of realization, transmitted in colloquial Bengali and Sanskrit, have shaped Tibetan Buddhist song and practice for nearly a thousand years. Tradition holds that he attained awakening directly from the primordial Buddha Vajradhara, without the intermediation of any human teacher.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Indian
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Buddhism, Indian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Tilopa:
“Do not recall, do not imagine, do not think, do not examine, do not control; rest.”
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Attributed to Tilopa:
“The mind in its natural state needs no improvement; recognize it, and the path is complete.”
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Attributed to Tilopa:
“The chain that binds is not desire; it is attachment to desire.”
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Attributed to Tilopa:
“What the rational mind cannot grasp, the realized mind has never lost.”
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Attributed to Tilopa:
“Awareness without an object is the secret of the great seal.”
Frequently asked about Tilopa
- When did Tilopa live?
- Tilopa was born in 988 and died in 1069.
- Where was Tilopa from?
- Tilopa was an Indian philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Tilopa associated with?
- Tilopa was associated with Buddhism and Indian Philosophy.
- What was Tilopa known for?
- Tilopa was an eleventh-century Bengali Buddhist tantric master, traditionally regarded as the founder of the Indian lineage of the Mahamudra teachings that, through his pupil Naropa and Naropa's pupil Marpa, became the philosophical and meditative core of the Tibetan Kagyu school.
- How many quotes are attributed to Tilopa?
- There are 9 attributed quotations from Tilopa in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.