Toh 1202Untitled

Expository Commentary on Treatise No. 1202

Toh 1202 — Mahayana Tradition of the Northern Canon

Context

Toh 1202 in the Tengyur, the Treatise Collection of the Northern Tibetan tradition, is a Mahayana Buddhist philosophical work belonging to the system of specialized treatises. The Tengyur, or Bstan-'gyur, first compiled in the fourteenth century under the Phakpa dynasty, is the complete collection of commentaries and explanations of the Buddhadharma by the great Indian acaryas, especially those of the Madhyamaka and Yogacara schools. The place of Toh 1202 within this treasury indicates that it is an important work of reasoning intended to clarify fundamental aspects of the Mahayana Dharma.

In the context of the Northern Tibetan tradition, treatises such as this are regarded as authoritative records from awakened bodhisattvas or highly accomplished masters of practice, whose task is to establish and protect the Teaching throughout generations.

Main Content

Although the title of the scripture has not been officially translated, based on the role of the Treatise Collection within the whole Tengyur, Toh 1202 is likely a work discussing essential topics such as:

The nature of mind (citta) and mental phenomena (caitasika), or the analysis of the non-self nature of all phenomena known as anatman. Treatises of this kind often focus on clarifying the two emptinesses (sunyatavayavibhaga): the emptiness of person (pudgala-sunyata) and the emptiness of dharmas (dharma-sunyata), the two philosophical foundations of the Mahayana.

In addition, Toh 1202 may be a work discussing the Fourfold Dharma (catus-dharma) or teachings on skillful means (upaya-kausalya), that is, the way the Buddha and the bodhisattvas employ different methods of teaching to accord with the capacities of different beings. This is a distinctive Mahayana teaching, expressing the flexibility and immeasurable compassion of the Buddhadharma.