Machig Labdron

Machig Labdron is a reincarnation of Yeshe Tsogyal, and the renowned 11th-century Tibetan tantric Buddhist master and yogini that originated several Tibetan lineages of the Vajrayana practice of Ch?d Nyingma scholar Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche states that the Ch?d tradition developed by Machig Labdr?n is "a radical synthesis of the Prajnaparamita tradition and tantra guru yoga that 'cuts' through the ego."

Historical texts portray Machig Labdr?n as the originator of the Ch?d lineage which she developed in Tibet. This was confirmed in her own lifetime by Indian Brahmins and others, and Machig Labdron creation of the Chod lineage is not doubted by its modern practitioners.

The influences of other practices on Ch?d are debated. Some posit Machig Labdron may have come from a B?n family, a position which contradicts historical records. According to Namkhai Norbu, Ch?d might be interpreted through combining native shamanism with the Dzogchen teachings. Other Buddhist teachers and scholars offer differing interpretations of the origins of Ch?d, and not all of them agree that Ch?d has B?n or shamanistic roots.