. tibet and the continent 453
assistance of his teachers he translated a number of these new tantric
works, including the Guhyasamāja and Cakrasaṃvara tantras.^5
This inaugurated a period of rapid transmission of new Buddhist
texts and practice traditions to Tibet. From the eleventh through thir-
teenth centuries, large numbers of Tibetans traveled to South Asia to
acquire and translate Buddhist scriptures. Many of these translators
became quite influential and powerful on their return to Tibet, and
the most successful of them contributed to the development of the
“new” ( gsar ma pa) schools of Tibetan Buddhism.^6 This period saw
the establishment of three major new schools, the Kadamba (bka’
dam pa), Kagyü (bka’ brgyud), and Sakya (sa skya) schools. The pre-
existing Nyingma (rnying ma) school of Buddhism, as well as the non-
Buddhist Bön tradition, also underwent significant development dur-
ing this period.
The New Schools
Following the return of Rinchen Zangpo to western Tibet, the kings
of western Tibet were still concerned about the new tantras that were
being translated and disseminated under his patronage. Tibetan histo-
ries report that they thus decided to go to great trouble and expense to
invite to Tibet the renowned Indian scholar Atiśa Dīpaṅkaraśrījñāna
(982–1054 C.E.). Traditionally, King Yeshé-ö is credited with not only
inviting Atiśa to Tibet, but also sacrificing his life to make the visit
possible, but these tales are apocryphal, and it was almost certainly
one of his successors who invited Atiśa (see Kapstein 2006, 93). Atiśa
arrived in Tibet in 1040 C.E. and spent the remainder of his life there.
While a tantric practitioner himself, he was also a strong advocate of
monastic celibacy, and he advocated a more conservative approach to
tantric practice.^7 His approach was followed by his Tibetan disciple
Dromtön Gyelwé Jungné (‘brom ston rgyal ba’i ‘byung gnas, ca. 1004–
1064 C.E.), who, in conjunction with advocates of the Eastern Vinaya
tradition, founded the Kadamba tradition, which was renowned for its
strict adherence to the monastic code.
(^5) Regarding Rinchen Zangpo and his work, see Tucci 1988.
(^6) For an extended discussion of the power and influence attained by the more suc-
cessful translators, see Davidson 2002a, 117–160.
(^7) Regarding Atiśa’s life, see Chattopadhyaya 1967; regarding his journey to Tibet,
see Decleer 1997. The classic collection of his works is translated in Sherburne 2000.