Toh 1667Untitled

Commentary on Toh 1667 — The Northern Treasury Mahayana Tradition

Background

Toh 1667 is preserved in the Tengyur — the Tibetan Treasury of Treatises, a collection of treatises and scriptural expositions by Buddhist masters according to the Northern Mahayana tradition. The Northern Treasury tradition emphasizes the bodhisattva path — the spirit of study and practice for the liberation of all beings, not oneself alone.

During the development of Buddhism in Tibet (eighth to thirteenth centuries), these texts were translated from Sanskrit and ancient Indian languages in order to educate monks, monastics, and faithful followers on the journey of practice. Toh 1667, located in the catalogue of the Treasury of Treatises, is regarded as a teaching or profound interpretation of a specific Buddhist topic, although its original name has not been fully transmitted.

Main Content

Although the detailed content has not been provided in full, this text is certainly related to one of the central themes of the Northern Mahayana: the doctrine of Buddha-nature (Buddhadhātu), the wondrous mind of liberation (Ālayavijñāna), or the path of accumulating merit and wisdom (Pāramitā).

The Treasury of Treatises often presents teachings intended to resolve profound questions about the nature of reality (Śūnyatā), the mechanism by which cause and effect operate in a multidimensional cosmos (the Wisdom Section — Prajñāpāramitā), or the nature of the Buddha-mind and the path of practice for attaining Buddhahood.

In the spirit of the Northern Treasury tradition, any explanation will combine three elements: profound theory (Buddha Dharma), concrete methods of practice (Sàdhana), and practical application for developing loving-kindness. This text certainly guides students in how to undertake concrete steps on the bodhisattva path, the limitless path of compassionate love (Karunā), altruistic benefit (Bodhicitta), and wisdom (Prajñā).