Toh 1997Untitled

Exposition of Scripture Toh 1997 - Northern Tibetan Mahayana Tradition

Context

This scripture is preserved in the Tengyur, the Treatise Collection of the Northern Tibetan Buddhist tradition, a collection of scriptures and treatises containing commentaries, treatises, and instructions from Indian Buddhist masters. The code Toh 1997 represents a work belonging to the Mahayana path of practice, where emphasis is placed on the bodhisattva path, the path of liberation not for oneself alone but for all beings.

In the context of Northern Tibetan Buddhism, the gathering of these materials reflects the inheritance of a continuous tradition from Indian sages through Tibetan masters. The Tengyur, with more than 200 volumes, is a testament to devotion in preserving the Dharma Paramita, the supreme teaching of the Buddha.

Main Content

Although the title of the scripture has not yet been fully translated into Vietnamese, according to the Northern Tibetan tradition, works in the Tengyur often revolve around the key themes of the Mahayana: the bodhisattva’s altruistic mind, Buddha-nature, and methods of practice leading to awakening.

This scripture may belong to one of the four main schools of the Northern Tibetan tradition: Nyingma (the oldest school), Kagyu (the lineage school), Sakya (the school of doctrine), or Gelug (the reform school). Whatever the school, the teaching focuses on profound understanding of emptiness (Śūnyatā), not as nihilism, but as the absence of the independent, self-sufficient nature of all dharmas.

The Mahayana emphasizes that the path of practice does not stop at personal liberation (nirvana), but continues for the liberation of immeasurable beings. This is the Bodhisattva Path, the path of bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteśvara, Kṣitigarbha, and Mañjuśrī, those who are selfless and boundless in compassion.

Practical Significance

For those who practice according to the Northern Tibetan tradition today, the scripture and treatise Toh 1997 provide a doctrinal foundation for developing bodhicitta, the noble intention to awaken for the common benefit.