Rigpa, vast as space

The primordial source of the Dzogchen transmission, the dharmakāya primordial buddha. Through the Mind-Direct Transmission of the Victorious Ones he conveyed self-arisen wisdom directly to the saṃbhogakāya buddhas; he is the root of the three transmissions of Dzogchen. (Note: this is the Nyingma dharmakāya primordial buddha, not the bodhisattva Samantabhadra of the sūtra tradition.)

Lord of all the buddha-families, manifesting in the sambhogakaya dimension. Through the transmission of the vidyadharas by sign, he conveyed the Dzogchen teachings to Garab Dorje, the first human master — the crucial bridge by which the dharmakaya's wisdom-intent descended into the human realm.

The first human master of the Dzogchen transmission, born in the land of Oddiyana. He received the complete Dzogchen teachings in full from Vajrasattva, and at his parinirvana he entrusted the "Three Statements That Strike the Vital Point" to Mañjuśrīmitra, which became the root of the heart-essence of Dzogchen for all generations.

The great compiler of the Dzogchen Pith Instruction Class (Mengakdé), who attended upon the venerable Mañjuśrīmitra for twenty-five years, divided the heart-essence teachings into four cycles, and transmitted the Dharma to Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and other masters who carried it into Tibet.

Root forefather of the Old-Translation Nyingma school. Together with Khenpo Śāntarakṣita and the dharma-king Trisong Detsen — the "Three Forefathers, Abbot and King" — he accomplished the spread of the Dharma in the Land of Snows, and concealed profound treasures (terma) for the benefit of future generations.

The great synthesizer, who merged the "Vima Nyingtik" and the "Khandro Nyingtik" into a single stream, composed the Seven Treasuries and other monumental works, and established the rigorous, comprehensive view of Dzogchen — venerated by later generations as "the Second Buddha."

Three times in visions of pure perception he beheld Longchenpa in person, and through a "mind treasure" revealed the entire body of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, becoming the source of the most widely transmitted Dzogchen heart-essence lineage.

A heart-son of Jigme Lingpa, the lord of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, he spent long years in retreat deep in the mountains and later transmitted the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries twenty-five times to Patrul Rinpoche, becoming the root source of The Words of My Perfect Teacher.

The most renowned Nyingma master of the nineteenth century. He received the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries from Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu, composed The Words of My Perfect Teacher, and transmitted the heart-essence of Dzogchen to disciples such as Lungtok Tenpe Nyima.

The most realized heart-son of Patrul Rinpoche, he served his master for twenty-eight years and received in full the Longchen Nyingtik Dzogchen pith instructions; he later entrusted the complete transmission to Khenpo Ngakchung, making him a pivotal figure of the modern Longchen Nyingtik.

One of the most important Dzogchen exegetes of the Nyingma school in the twentieth century. At Kathok Monastery he propagated the Longchen Nyingtik, composed a vast body of writings, and took part in recognizing the Third Penor Rinpoche. He is revered as an emanation of Vimalamitra and Longchenpa.

Drubwang Pema Norbu, the ninth throne-holder of the Palyul lineage, was learned in the five sciences, author of seven volumes, and a wide propagator of the Dzogchen tögal teachings — the previous incarnation of the Third Penor Rinpoche.

The Choktrul (emanation) Rinpoche of the Palyul tradition, root guru of the Third Penor Rinpoche. He presided over the enthronement of the Dharma King and transmitted to him the entire body of Palyul teachings together with the pith instructions of the Great Perfection.

The root guru of Khenpo Nima Rinpoche. In exile in South India he rebuilt the Palyul lineage and founded Namdroling Monastery, and he recognized Khenpo Nima Rinpoche as a qualified khenpo, by which the lineage was carried onward.

Holding the transmission conferred by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, he propagates the Dzogchen teachings of Longchen Nyingtik and the Namchö sky-treasure in Hong Kong. May the Dharma reach every dark corner of the world.