Guru Ripoche also known as Padmasambhava was the first Indian monk to bring Buddhism to Tibet. He is the founder of the oldest of the four main schools of Buddhism. The Nyingma tradition comprises of a number of different lineages all of which trace back to Padmasambhava. 

He is considered to be the second Buddha and is associated with the Taktsang Monastery in Bhutan often known as “Tiger’s Nest” which is built on a sheer cliff 500m above the valley floor. He is said to have arrived in Bhutan on the back of Yeshe Tsogyal whom he had transformed into a flying tigress.

The monastery was built around the cave in which he is said to have meditated in the 8th century and just outside the monastery is a spring where it is said he smote the rock with his staff to bring forth water.

An imprint of his body can also be seen on a cave wall at the nearby Kurje Lhakhang temple.