Nyingma (Tibetan: ą½¢ą¾ą½²ą½ą¼ą½ą¼, Wylie: rnying ma, Lhasa dialect: [ɲĢiÅĖ„Ė„.maĖ„Ė„], lit.ā'old school'), also referred to as Ngagyur (Tibetan: ą½¦ą¾ą¼ą½ ą½ą¾±ą½“ą½¢ą¼ą½¢ą¾ą½²ą½ą¼ą½ą¼, Wylie: snga 'gyur rnying ma, Lhasa dialect: [ÅaĖ„Ė„.ŹĶ”Źuɹ], lit.ā'order of the ancient translations'), is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Nyingma school was founded by Padmasambhava as the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Pali and Sanskrit into Tibetan occurred in the eighth century. The establishment of Tibetan Buddhism and the Nyingma tradition is collectively ascribed to Khenpo Shantarakshita, Guru Padmasambhava, and King Trisong Detsen, known as Khen Lop Chos Sum (The Three: Khenpo, Lopon, Chosgyal).
The Nyingma tradition traces its Dzogchen lineage from the first Buddha Samantabhadra to Garab Dorje, and its other lineages from Indian mahasiddhas such as Sri Singha and Jnanasutra. Yeshe Tsogyal recorded the teachings. Other great masters from the founding period include Vimalamitra, Vairotsana, and Buddhaguhya. The Nyingma tradition was physically founded at Samye, the first monastery in Tibet. Nyingma teachings are also known for having been passed down through networks of lay practitioners, and of Ngakmapas (Skt. mantrī).