Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo is remembered as a pivotal figure whose life and activity were deeply intertwined with the Nyingma tradition, even as he stood as a champion of non-sectarianism. He was widely regarded as a major Nyingma master and lineage holder, especially in relation to Dzogchen, the Great Perfection teachings that form the summit of the Nyingma nine-vehicle system. Recognized as an incarnation of important Nyingma masters and treasure revealers, he carried forward numerous Nyingma lineages that might otherwise have faded from living memory. In this way, his very identity and training were inseparable from the currents of Nyingma transmission.

A central aspect of his connection to Nyingma lay in his role as a tertön, a revealer of terma, the hidden spiritual treasures associated above all with the Nyingma school. He discovered and propagated many such treasures, and also helped preserve and transmit existing Nyingma teachings, including those in danger of being lost. His activity extended to the compilation and safeguarding of Nyingma textual collections, thereby strengthening the literary and practice heritage of the tradition. Through these labors, he did not merely maintain what had been handed down, but actively revitalized the tradition during a period of vulnerability.

At the same time, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s Nyingma commitments unfolded within the broader vision of the Rimé, or non-sectarian, movement. While he upheld and clarified the distinctiveness of Nyingma teachings—especially its tantric and Dzogchen transmissions—he also served as a bridge to other Tibetan Buddhist schools. By transmitting Nyingma instructions across sectarian boundaries, he allowed their insights to illuminate practitioners from many lineages without diluting their integrity. His life thus exemplifies how deep fidelity to a particular tradition can harmonize with a wider, inclusive embrace of the full breadth of the Buddhist heritage.