A Comparative Overview between Zangs gling ma and Previous Texts on Padmasambhava

This paper compares the five texts regarding Padmasambhava written before Zangs gling ma (dBa’ bzhed and four manuscripts discovered in Dunhuang - Pelliot tibétain 44, IOL Tib J 321, IOL Tib J 644 and Pelliot tibétain 307) with the texts from Zangs gling ma, in an attempt to identify similarities and differences between them and to reach conclusions resulting from examining them together. The paper also addresses the question of historical credibility of Zangs gling ma, taking into consideration its connection with dBa’ bzhed, as well as the question on length of Padmasambhava’s stay in Tibet, by identifying texts in Zangs gling ma that refer to places in Tibet where the master stayed.