Naropa's wisdom, oratory skills and spiritual understanding earned him the chancellorship of the famed University of Nalanda where he also became the Northern Gatekeeper. He was constantly faced with difficult debates with the heretics, but he was regularly victorious.

1. Naropa – Drukpa.org
The great siddha Naropa (1016-1100) was born to
a royal family in Bengal, India. His yearning for
spiritual development was so strong that at age
eight, he journeyed to Kashmir to study with the
master Arya Akasha and received the lay
ordination.
When Naropa returned from his spiritual and
intellectual pursuits, he was forced by his parents
to marry a Brahmin princess. However, the
marriage only lasted for eight years. Naropa
unveiled his spiritual goal to his wife and she
decided not to be a hindrance on his path.

2. Naropa – Drukpa.org
Naropa took the vows of a novice monk at the
Happy Garden Monastery and was subsequently
fully ordained in Kashmir. Thereafter, he stayed in
Pullahari Monastery to continue his learning and
practice, and received further teachings and
training at the nearby University of Nalanda.
Naropa's wisdom, oratory skills and spiritual
understanding earned him the chancellorship of
the famed University of Nalanda where he also
became the Northern Gatekeeper. He was
constantly faced with difficult debates with the
heretics, but he was regularly victorious.

3. Naropa – Drukpa.org
Although Naropa was well-versed in the
theoretical aspects of Buddhism, he realized that
he was still inept in the training of his restless
mind. A dakini thus appeared before him,
explaining the importance of meditation, and
advised him to seek the guidance of Tilopa, a
great master who could lead him to realize the
ultimate nature of the mind.

4. Naropa – Drukpa.org
Traveling eastward, Naropa finally met his
destined root guru, Tilopa, who instantly put him
to difficult tests. Naropa experienced 12 major
and 12 lesser hardships so as to purify his karma
and emotion-induced obscurations. Through
receiving great blessings from Tilopa and
accomplishing his own purification, Naropa
realized the clarity and harmony of mind, truly
experiencing the state of Vajradhara. After
attaining this magnificent realization, Naropa
taught in many places and had numerous
disciples, especially in Kashmir where many
monasteries were established by Naropa himself.
Tilopa and Naropa were both recognized as two
of the 84 great mahasiddhas in the history of
Buddhism.

5. Naropa – Drukpa.org
Amongst Naropa's accomplished disciples was
Marpa, the, who succeeded Naropa in the lineage
atranslatornd brought the entire teachings and
transmissions to Tibet.