Naropa’s teacher was Tilopa, recognized as a great Indian Buddhist master and mahasiddha. Within the spiritual relationship between them, Tilopa stands as the principal guide who entrusted Naropa with profound teachings. This connection is remembered as a pivotal link in the transmission of a living contemplative tradition. The bond between teacher and disciple here is not merely biographical detail, but a central element of how the Dharma was embodied and passed on.

Tilopa is regarded as one of the founding figures of what later became known as the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, and it is through Naropa that this current of realization continued. The teachings and practices that Tilopa transmitted to Naropa formed a bridge between master and disciple that shaped the course of that lineage. Naropa, having received these tantric instructions, eventually became renowned as a master in his own right. In this way, the relationship between Tilopa and Naropa can be seen as an archetype of transformative spiritual apprenticeship.

To reflect on Naropa’s teacher, then, is to contemplate how realization is handed down from one awakened practitioner to another. Tilopa’s role as Naropa’s master illustrates how a single teacher can serve as both a source of direct instruction and a living example of the path. The story of their connection invites a deeper appreciation of how authentic guidance, rooted in direct experience, allows a disciple like Naropa to carry a lineage forward with both fidelity and creative realization.