Holder of the Seven Instructions

In this work, Tarānātha speaks about the great siddhas of India, their lives, and the lineage of teachings. Here, about fifty-nine siddhas are mentioned - some are well known, others less so, but all are interconnected as teacher and student. Tarānātha's narrative is particularly valuable because he had his own gurus - direct sources, three Indian masters from the very schools he writes about. One of them is the great Buddha Gup-tanātha, a student of the mahāsiddha Śāntigupta, who said: "I am known as the holder of the seven instructions."
The story of the succession line is important for understanding the tantras themselves. Tarānātha states that his lineage is firmly established, and there is no doubt that he is the holder of the mentioned instructions, not just an imitator of legendary figures.