Toh 1700Untitled

Interpretation of Scripture Toh 1700 — Tengyur

Context

Toh 1700 is a treatise belonging to the Tengyur (Bstan 'gyur), the explanatory canon of the Tibetan Buddhist canon. In the Northern Tibetan Mahayana tradition, the Tengyur contains thousands of commentarial works by bodhisattvas and bodhisattvas of the past, profoundly explaining the intent of the Buddhist scriptures.

The Treatise Collection (Bstan 'gyur) was composed on the basis of the Buddha’s proclamation and the founding Indian masters, and was then translated, commented upon, and preserved by Tibetan teachers. These works are not only theoretical commentaries, but also practical guides to Mahayana cultivation, especially in relation to the bodhisattva path and Skillful Means and Wisdom (Upāya-prajñapti).

In the Northern Tibetan tradition, scriptures and treatises are ranked according to the profundity of the Dharma. Treatises in positions such as Toh 1700 are often related to fundamental issues of bodhisattva conduct or teachings on emptiness (Śūnyatā) and the luminous mind (Prakṛti-prabhāsvara-citta).

Main Content

Although the title of this scripture has not been fully translated in the available materials, based on its position in the Tengyur, it may be inferred that its content revolves around one of the central themes of Mahayana:

This treatise may explore the nature of Buddha-nature and the way all beings possess the innate capacity for awakening. According to the Tibetan tradition, especially among the teachers of the Nyingma school (the Ancient Tradition), this luminous mind is not a poetic description, but a transcendent reality (Dharmatā) that can be clarified through correct practice.