Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s1.t5.4

v1.c7.s1.t5.4

Nye brgyud gter ma is the most important Sharia teaching lineage of Nyingma and its *dharma* lineage traces its history back to bstan pa snga dar (the 8th century CE). Eminent monks such as pad ma vbyung gnas stored Tantric *sutras*, Buddha statues and sacred vessels in different secrete places and named it gter ma. In bstan pa phyi dar (the 12th century CE), many Tertons appeared with legend unearthed the Terma and built temples to teach it, creating Terma lineage system. Nye brgyud gter ma split into byang gter and lho gter.