[1] Nyingma Gyubum texts are generally excluded from the Kangyur and Tengyur sections of the Tibetan canon by the Sarma (New Translation) traditions (Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug).
It is theorized that the formation of the first edition of the Nyingma Gyubum began in the twelfth century, with certain texts drawn from the Terma literature.
[5] Harunaga & Almogi (July 2009) hold that there are, at minimum, seven extant versions of the Nyingma Gyubum of different sizes, ranging from 26 to 46 volumes in length.
It was first published towards the end of the 18th century under the guidance of the Omniscient Jigmed Lingpa, in Derge, thanks to the patronage of the regent queen Tsewang Lhamo.
The wood block carving was forded through the patronage of the 'Degé' (Wylie: sDe-dge[9]) Royal Family of Kham who favoured and honoured Jigme Lingpa.
Cantwell, Mayer and Fischer (2002) in association with their partnerships document the Rig 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu Edition of the Nyingma Gyubum.
[15] Early in the naturalization and acclimatization of Indian and Chinese tantric Buddhadharma and siddha traditions into the Himalaya and Greater Tibet in general, the Guhyagarbha Tantra (Wylie: gsang ba snying po) of the Mahayoga class of literature "represents the most normative vision of what constitutes a tantra for these Nyingma lineages".
Mayer's PhD also identified the first irrefutable proof of the sources of Mahāyoga texts, and reviewed what was then known of the rNying ma'i rGyud 'bum's history.
[20] Cantwell, Mayer and Fischer (2002) in association with the British Library documented the Rig 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu Edition of the Nyingma Gyubum.