Within the Nyingma tradition, terma are understood as “hidden treasures”: spiritual teachings, texts, and sacred objects deliberately concealed by Guru Padmasambhava and other masters in the early period of Tibetan Buddhism. These treasures are said to have been hidden in physical locations such as caves, rocks, lakes, and temples, as well as within the very mindstreams of future disciples. Their concealment is not arbitrary; they are intended to be revealed only when outer circumstances and inner readiness coincide, so that the teachings can be of maximum benefit. In this way, the Dharma is not regarded as a closed canon, but as something that can reappear in fresh and timely forms.

Two principal modes of terma are often distinguished. Earth treasures are physical texts or sacred objects that are discovered in the environment, while mind treasures are teachings that arise directly within the consciousness of a tertön, the “treasure revealer.” In the case of mind terma, the teaching is understood to have been planted as a kind of seed in the mind of a disciple, to ripen later as visions, words, or fully formed instructions. Tertöns, through meditative realization, dreams, or visionary experience, bring these concealed teachings to light. Their role is central, for they serve as the bridge between the original enlightened intent of the concealers and the needs of beings in later times.

These treasures have profoundly shaped the character of Nyingma spirituality. Many of the school’s most important liturgies, ritual cycles, and contemplative instructions, especially those related to Guru Padmasambhava and to Dzogchen, are rooted in specific terma revelations. Because such teachings are regarded as direct expressions of the original wisdom of the early masters, they are seen as bypassing the gradual distortions that can creep into long chains of oral transmission. Terma thus function as a kind of inner renewal, clarifying and refreshing the tradition from within without discarding its ancient foundations.

At the same time, the ongoing revelation of terma has allowed Nyingma to remain responsive to changing conditions. New treasures are understood to emerge when particular methods, perspectives, or practices are needed to address the challenges of a given era. This has led to a rich diversity of practice lineages and cycles within the school, each linked to specific tertöns yet all grounded in the same primordial wisdom. Through this dynamic of concealment and revelation, Nyingma presents a vision of the Dharma as both timeless and ever-new, preserving its roots while continually adapting to the spiritual needs of living practitioners.