Brief biographical sketches based on traditional Tibetan sources present the dates, places of birth, major teachers and disciples, and contributions of over 350 masters of the Ancient School. Grouped into twelve sections that span twenty-five centuries, these biographies trace the Nyingma lineage back to Padmasambhava and the early Vidyadharas. In an unbroken stream, bKa'-ma and gTer-ma masters transmitted the teachings from the era of the Dharma Kings and the twenty-five disciples to the present day. An essential resource for understanding the founding of the Dharma in Tibet and the meaning of the Nyingma lineage. Thirty-one maps, with photographs, line drawings, listings of authors in Great Treasures of Ancient Teachings, and a guide to one hundred historic sites important to the Nyingma school.