Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava was the High Lama of Det-Sen Monastery.

Padmasambhava met the First Doctor when he visited the monastery in 1630. (PROSE: Night of the Intelligence) While travelling on the astral plane, he encountered the Great Intelligence, which took control of him as part of its plan to gain corporeal existence on Earth. He used his rank in the monastery to have tasks completed for the Intelligence. He hypnotised Songsten and Victoria Waterfield. When he was able to speak with his own voice, he tried to keep the monks safe and wanted them to flee the monastery.

In 1935, Padmasambhava finally died when the Intelligence was expelled by the Second Doctor, having lived over three hundred years. (TV: The Abominable Snowmen)

Although his body died, he carried on to the astral plane, where Thomni eventually encountered him and learned many of Padmasambhava's secrets. In October 1969, Padmasambhava became aware of Owain Vine, and his connection to the Great Intelligence. In the following months, from the astral plane, Padmasambhava nudged Owain on his journey via his meditations until, in January 1970, he finally revealed himself to Owain on the astral plane. There he explained to Owain who he really was, and how he first came to be the High Lama of Det-Sen.

For centuries he travelled the higher realms and all the while he was revered as the Guru Rinpoche by the Buddhist monks of Tibet. In 1625 he returned to the physical plane, to take up residence at Det-Sen. He felt it was time to interact with his students, to live among them once more. Although he gave them his true name, he hid the truth of himself from the monks of Det-Sen. He wanted to be treated as an equal, a high lama, no more. For a hundred years he remained at Det-Sen, enjoying the company of his monks, their many stories. He was so much more than the Guru Rinpoche; that was just one of many forms he had over the millennia. Often limited forms, like that of the Tibetan lama in 1630.

To drive back Sunyata, the true source of the Great Intelligence, Padmasambhava unintentionally revealed his true self to Owain: a being of light so pure, his very presence caused Owain to become lost on the astral plane for quite some time. (PROSE: Night of the Intelligence)