Mar-pa

Mar-pa

(born 1012, Lhobrag, Tibet—died 1096, Tibet) Tibetan religious leader. According to tradition, he was born to wealthy parents, and to curb his violent nature he was sent to a Tibetan monastery to study Buddhism. He later spent three periods studying under the yogi Naropa in India, returning to Tibet during the intervals and gathering disciples. A major figure in the revival of Buddhism in Tibet, he is known for his translations of Indian Vajrayana Buddhist texts and of mystical songs of the Indian Tantric tradition.