Within the Nyingma tradition, the path is often articulated through the framework of the nine yānas, or vehicles, which range from the foundational śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha paths, through the bodhisattva path of Mahāyāna, and on to the various levels of tantra. These are grouped into the three sūtrayāna paths, the three outer tantras (kriyā, caryā, and yoga), and the three inner tantras (Mahāyoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga). This structure is not merely classificatory; it presents a graduated vision of the Dharma, showing how increasingly subtle methods address progressively more refined understandings of mind and reality. The highest three, especially Atiyoga or Dzogchen, are regarded as the most direct expressions of the tradition’s heart.

At the center of Nyingma stands Dzogchen, the “Great Perfection,” which teaches that the mind’s true nature is primordially pure, luminous, and already complete. Rather than constructing enlightenment step by step, Dzogchen emphasizes direct recognition of this ever-present awareness, often described as non-dual, where emptiness and clarity are inseparable. Through pointing-out instructions from a qualified master, practitioners are introduced to this nature (rigpa) and learn to rest in it without artificial effort. Meditation, in this context, becomes a kind of “non-meditation,” allowing thoughts and appearances to self-liberate within the expanse of awareness. From such recognition, conduct is understood to unfold spontaneously and compassionately, as an expression of this realization rather than as a separate discipline.

Another defining feature of Nyingma is its rich terma, or “treasure,” tradition. Many teachings are said to have been concealed by Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal to be discovered later by tertöns, or treasure revealers, so that the Dharma can remain fresh and suited to changing circumstances. These revealed cycles include important tantric and devotional practices, particularly those centered on Padmasambhava, who is revered as a second Buddha for Tibet and a primary source of the school’s transmissions. Guru yoga, the devotional practice of relating to the guru as the embodiment of all Buddhas, is thus a central method for connecting with the blessing and realization of the lineage.

Underlying these methods is a consistent emphasis on Buddha-nature and the union of wisdom and compassion. All beings are regarded as already possessing the enlightened essence, and the path—whether approached through sūtra, tantra, or especially Dzogchen—serves to clear away obscurations that conceal this fact. Realization is described as recognizing that saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are not two fundamentally different realities but displays of the same ground. When this recognition stabilizes, the activity of an awakened being naturally manifests as compassionate engagement with the world, grounded in the insight that all phenomena are expressions of a single, primordially pure awareness.