This page lists the liberation/life-stories of  Tāranātha  (Tibetan sources and English language translations). The scholar David Templeman has done the most English-language work on Tāranātha’s life-story and it would be good if his PhD on Tāranātha’s life-story is published as a book.

English Language

• Templeman, D. 2008. Becoming Indian: A Study of the Life of the 16 th –17th Century Tibetan Lama, Tāranātha. Ph.D. thesis. Monash University.
• Biography of Tāranātha, Treasury of Lives by Cyrus Stearns
• A Brief Biography of Tāranātha by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche

Tibetan Language

Biographies

Abbreviated Biography of Tāranātha. Karma Geleg (Karma bde legs). 2008. TA ra nA tha’i rnam thar mdor bsdus. In Gsung ‘bum / tA ra nA tha/ ?dpe bsdur ma/?, vol. 1, pp. 21-30. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. TBRC W1PD45495

Several biographies of Taranatha are contained in larger biographies.

Minyag Gonpo (Mi nyag mgon po). 1996. Gangs can mkhas dbang rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus bdud rtsi’i thigs phreng. In Gangs can mkhas dbang rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus, vol. 1, pp. 3-834. Beijing: Krung go’i bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang. TBRC W25268.

Ngawang Lodro Dragpa (Ngag dbang blo gros grags pa). 1992. Dpal ldan jo nang pa’i chos ‘byung rgyal ba’i chos tshul gsal byed zla ba’i sgron me. Koko Nor: Krung go’i bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang, 1992, pp. 53–59.

Nordrang Ogyen (Nor brang o rgyan). 2006. Bod kyi mkhas pa’i rtsom rig mdzad rjes kyi dpyad brjod. In Gsung rtsom / nor brang o rgyan, pp. 506-410. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. TBRC W1GS66291.

Autobiographies

The autobiographies contain several secret biographies written by Tārānatha himself.

TA ra nA tha. Khyab bdag sgrol ba’i mgon po’i gsang ba’i rnam thar thabs lam gsal byed. Manuscript. W1CZ1990

TA ra nA tha. 1978. Rgyal khams pa tA ra nA thas bdag nyid kyi rnam thar nges par brjod pa’i deb ther shin tu zhib mo ma bcos lhug pa’i rtogs brjod. Paro: Ngodrup and Sherab Drimay.

TA ra nA tha. 1982-1987 (1599). Gsang ba’i rnam thar. In Gsung ‘bum/_tA ra nA tha (rtag brtan phun tshongs gling gi par ma/), vol. 1, pp. 663-698. Leh, C. Namgyal & Tsewang Taru. TBRC W22277.

TA ra nA tha. 1982-1987. Dpal ldan bla ma dam pa’i rnam thar bstod pa dad pa’i ljon shing. In Gsung ‘bum/_tA ra nA tha (rtag brtan phun tshongs gling gi par ma/), vol. 1, pp. 699-704. Leh, C. Namgyal & Tsewang Taru. TBRC W22277.

TA ra nA tha. 1982-1987. Rdo rje’i gnas pa bcu gnyis shin tu gsang ba nyams rtogs kyi rnam thar. In Gsung ‘bum/_tA ra nA tha (rtag brtan phun tshongs gling gi par ma/), vol. 1, pp. 705-714. Leh, C. Namgyal & Tsewang Taru. TBRC W22277.

Thub bstan nyi ma. 1994. TAra nA tha’i rnam thar rags bsdus. In Rgya gar chos ‘byung, pp. 7-12. Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang. TBRC W12434.

TA ra nA tha. 2008. TA ra nA tha’i rang nyid kyi rnam thar nges par brjod pa ‘i deb gter shin tu zhib mo ma bcos lhug pa’i rtogs brjod/ (stod cha/). In Gsung ‘bum / tA ra nA tha/ ?dpe bsdur ma/?, vol. 1, pp. 31-396. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang.TBRC W1PD45495.

TA ra nA tha. 2008. TA ra nA tha’i gsang ba’i rnam thar cung zad rgyas pa. In Gsung ‘bum/ tA ra nA tha/ ?dpe bsdur ma/?, vol. 2, pp. 296-310. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. TBRC W1PD45495.

TA ra nA tha. 2008. TA ra nA tha’i gsang ba’i rnam thar mdor bsdus pa. In Gsung ‘bum/ tA ra nA tha/ ?dpe bsdur ma/?, vol. 2, pp. 281-285. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. TBRC W1PD45495.

TA ra nA tha. 2008. TA ra nA tha’i gsang ba’i rnam thar ‘bring po. In Gsung ‘bum / tA ra nA tha/ ?dpe bsdur ma/?, vol. 2, pp. 286-295. Beijing: Krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. TBRC W1PD45495.