Within Vajrayāna, terma (gter ma) are understood as “treasure teachings,” sacred instructions that have been deliberately concealed by great masters—most prominently Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) and his close disciples. These treasures may be hidden in the physical environment, such as within rocks, caves, lakes, statues, or temples, or they may be embedded within the very continuum of a disciple’s mind. Their concealment is not accidental; it is said to be a skilful means to protect the teachings during difficult periods and to ensure that they appear when beings are karmically prepared and historical conditions are ripe. Terma can take the form of texts, ritual cycles, meditation practices (sādhanas), mantras, protective rites, and symbolic objects, all regarded as carrying a fresh and timely expression of the enlightened intent. In this way, the terma tradition serves as a dynamic mechanism by which the Dharma is continually revitalized and adapted without being severed from its original source.

The figures who bring these treasures to light are known as tertöns (gter ston), or treasure revealers, and they occupy a distinctive role within Vajrayāna lineages. Tertöns are regarded as predestined disciples of Padmasambhava and other early masters, often described as emanations or reincarnations of those original close students. Their discovery of terma may involve unearthing physical “earth treasures” (sa gter) from the landscape or receiving “mind treasures” (dgongs gter) that arise fully formed within their own awareness, sometimes triggered by symbolic cues, visions, or specific circumstances. The tradition also speaks of treasures revealed through space or visionary transmission, emphasizing that the mode of appearance can be as subtle as the mind itself. Prophecies and predictions preserved in earlier scriptures are said to foretell particular tertöns by name, place, and signs, thereby authenticating both the revealer and the revealed teaching. Through this interplay of hidden intention and destined discovery, the terma and tertön tradition embodies a vision of the Dharma as both timeless and ever-unfolding.