Tilopa (Prakrit; Sanskrit: Talika or Tilopadā; 988–1069) was an Indian Buddhist tantric mahasiddha who lived along the Ganges River.^[1] He practised Anuttarayoga Tantra, a set of spiritual practices intended to accelerate the process of attaining Buddhahood. He became a holder of all the tantric lineages, possibly the only person in his day to do so. In addition to the way of insight and Mahamudra, Tilopa learned and passed on the Way of Methods (today known as the Six Yogas of Naropa) and guru yoga.^[2] Naropa is considered his main student.

Tilopa was born into the priestly class. He adopted the monastic life upon receiving orders from a dakini^[3] (female buddha whose activity is to inspire practitioners) who told him to adopt a mendicant and itinerant existence. From the beginning, she made it clear to Tilopa that his real parents were not the persons who had raised him, but instead were primordial wisdom and universal voidness. Advised by the dakini, Tilopa gradually took up a monk's life, taking the monastic vows and becoming an erudite scholar. The frequent visits of his dakini teacher continued to guide his spiritual path and close the gap to enlightenment.^{[citation needed]}

He was born in either Chativavo (Chittagong) or Jagora in Bengal, India.^[4]

He began to travel throughout India, receiving teachings from many gurus:

• from Saryapa he learned of inner heat (Sanskrit: caṇḍalī, Tib. tummo, inner heat);
• from Nagarjuna he received the radiant light (Sanskrit: prabashvara) and illusory body (Sanskrit: maya deha, Tib. gyulu) teachings (Cakrasaṃvara Tantra), Lagusamvara tantra, or Heruka Abhidharma;
• from Lawapa, the dream yoga;
• from Sukhasiddhi, the teachings on life, death, and the bardo (states between lives and consciousness transference/phowa);
• from Indrabhuti, he gained wisdom (prajña);
• and from Matangi, the resurrection of the dead body.

As advised by Matangi, Tilopa started to work at a brothel in Bengal for a prostitute called Dharima as her solicitor and bouncer. During the day, he was grinding sesame seeds for his living.^[5] During a meditation, he received a vision of Vajradhara and, according to legend, the entirety of mahamudra was directly transmitted to Tilopa. After receiving the transmission, Tilopa meditated in two caves, and bound himself with heavy chains to hold the correct meditation posture. He practised for many years and then met the mind of all buddhas in the form of Diamond Holder Vajradhara. He is considered the grandfather of today's Kagyu Lineage.^[2] Naropa, his most important student, became his successor and carried and passed on the teachings.^{[citation needed]}

On the premises of Pashupatinath Temple, regarded as the greatest Hindu shrine in Nepal, there are two caves where Tilopa attained siddhis and initiated his disciple Naropa.^{[citation needed]}

• Erdne Ombadykow, as Telo Tulku Rinpoche, supposed reincarnation of Tilopa
• History of Tibet