Nyingma is often distinguished by its self-understanding as the “ancient” transmission of the Dharma in Tibet, rooted in the first wave of translations and the activity of Padmasambhava and his contemporaries. Where the later schools arise from the second transmission period, Nyingma consciously preserves the early tantric corpus and the ritual and contemplative forms associated with it. This historical self-identity is not merely a matter of dates; it shapes how authority is perceived, with early translations and their commentarial traditions functioning as a primary touchstone. The newer schools, by contrast, lean more heavily on the standardized translations and scholastic systems that crystallized in the later translation period.

This difference in origin is mirrored in the way scripture and revelation are understood. Nyingma accords great importance to the early tantras and to the terma tradition, in which teachings are said to be concealed and later revealed by tertöns as timely instructions. The newer schools tend to rely instead on the canonical collections stemming from the later translation period and generally do not treat terma as normative scriptural authority. Thus, for Nyingma, the living stream of revelation and rediscovery is woven into the fabric of the lineage, whereas the newer schools emphasize a more closed and textually fixed canon.

Doctrinally and methodologically, the contrast is perhaps most visible in the classification of paths and tantras. Nyingma articulates a nine-vehicle schema, culminating in the three inner tantras of Mahāyoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga, with Dzogchen (Great Perfection) regarded as the highest and most direct approach to awakening. The newer schools, by and large, organize their tantric systems into four classes and do not place Dzogchen at the structural summit in the same way, even when they adopt elements of its practice. This gives Nyingma’s contemplative culture a distinctive emphasis on direct introduction to the nature of mind and on descriptions of primordial purity and spontaneous presence.

Institutionally and in practice style, Nyingma has historically leaned less on centralized monastic frameworks and more on a diverse tapestry of monasteries, hermitages, and non-celibate tantric practitioners. The newer schools, especially in their mature forms, developed more uniform monastic institutions and scholastic curricula, with a strong emphasis on formal study and debate. Correspondingly, Nyingma’s approach is often characterized as more visionary and experiential, integrating elaborate tantric ritual with contemplative instructions that prioritize direct realization, while the newer schools tend to frame tantric practice within more systematically articulated philosophical and ritual systems.