Toh 1672Untitled

Exposition of Tengyur Scripture Toh 1672

Mahayana Tradition — Northern Canon

Background

Toh 1672 is a treatise (śāstra) contained in the Tengyur, a collection of commentaries, works by treatise masters, and auxiliary texts belonging to the Northern Tibetan Buddhist tradition. In the classification system of Tibetan monasteries, the Tengyur is divided into numerous sections; the Treatise Collection (śāstra-piṭaka) contains works by eminent masters composed to explain and further develop the theories found in the Sutra Collection.

This work was composed in the context of the vigorous development of the Mahayana tradition in Tibet, Nepal, and northern India, where teachings on Buddha-nature, the purity of mind, and esoteric paths of practice were developed profoundly. The purpose of the Treatise Collection is to provide a sound theoretical framework in support of practice, especially for scholars wishing to penetrate the distinctive character of the Mahayana—Northern Canon tradition.

Main Content

Although the original title has not been fully preserved in the available descriptive information, treatises numbered Toh 1600–1700 in the Tengyur often focus on such central themes as the bodhisattva path, purity of mind (cittapariśuddhi), the nature of Buddha-nature (buddhadhātu), and theories of consciousness (vijñāna) from the Mahayana perspective.

Prominent masters such as Nāgārjuna, Asaṅga, and Vasubandhu, as well as later figures such as Candrakīrti and Dharmakīrti, devoted themselves to demonstrating that all sentient beings possess the potential to attain Buddhahood. This is based on the principle that mind is by nature luminous (prakṛti-prabhāsvara), while the afflictions (kleśa) are merely temporary impurities that can be cleansed through proper practice.

This treatise may address such matters as the relationship between wisdom (prajñā) and skillful means (upāya), the way to cultivate bodhicitta, or the stages of practice along the bodhisattva path. In the Northern Tibetan tradition, these teachings are closely connected with the practice of meditative concentration (dhyāna) and making offerings to Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

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