Toh 1311Untitled

Exposition of Scripture Toh 1311 (Tengyur)

Context

This scriptural text belongs to the Treatise Canon (Śāstra Piṭaka) of the Northern Transmission Canon, preserved in the Tengyur, the most profound treasury of Buddhist Dharma commentaries. Toh 1311 belongs to the Mahayana transmission, where the Buddha Dharma is developed for the liberation of all sentient beings, not merely for each individual alone.

In the Northern Tibetan tradition (Vajrayāna), the treatise scriptures in the Tengyur serve to illuminate the profound meaning contained in the original scriptures, helping faithful practitioners enter into paths of cultivation from the exoteric teachings up to the highest Tantra. The union of theory (prajñapti) and practice (abhyāsa) is a defining characteristic of these scriptural texts.

Main Content

Although the title has not yet been fully published, according to the position of Toh 1311 in the Treatise Canon, scriptural texts around this number are often related to: (1) the exploration of the Four Truths (Catvāry-āryasatyāni) within Mahayana understanding; (2) the nature of mind, bodhicitta, and the bodhisattva path of cultivation; or (3) commentaries on Pramāṇa, the theory of cognition, used to affirm the efficacy of the Dharma.

In the spirit of the Northern Transmission Canon, if this scripture concerns the bodhisattva path, it will emphasize that liberation is not merely a personal goal but the foundation for boundless service to sentient beings. This is the fundamental difference between the Hinayana (Hīnayāna) and the Mahayana: abandoning the notion, “I will attain liberation first, and then help others,” in order to embrace, “I practice because I wish all sentient beings to be liberated.”

If this treatise discusses Pramāṇa, that reflects the balance in the Northern Tibetan tradition between faith (śraddhā) and wisdom (prajñā), between devotional trust (bhakti) and rigorous reasoning. A follower of the Northern Tibetan tradition not only believes in the Buddha Dharma but must also deeply understand the nature of reality (śūnyatā, emptiness).