Toh 2035Untitled

Commentary on Tengyur Toh 2035

The Northern Tibetan Mahayana Tradition

Background

Toh 2035 is a treatise belonging to the Tengyur — the Treatise Collection of the Northern Tibetan Mahayana tradition, compiled and preserved in Tibet. The Tengyur is a collection of commentaries, treatises, and Dharma teachings by masters of the Buddha Dharma that explain Buddhist scriptures, especially the works of noble Indian sages. The Northern Tibetan tradition, also called Tibetan Buddhism, developed strongly from the 7th century onward, combining the teachings of many Mahayana schools and Trantric Buddhism (Vajrayana), emphasizing the role of mind and the swift path of practice toward buddhahood.

The works in the Tengyur deeply reflect the philosophical foundations of Madhyamaka (Middle Way) and Yogacara (Mind-Only), the two great schools of Mahayana. They are the result of meticulous translation and annotation work extending over many centuries, intended to preserve and develop the Dharma teachings of Buddhism within the Tibetan cultural context.

Main Content

Although the title has not been specifically identified, works in the Tengyur often focus on essential Mahayana themes: the concept of Buddha-nature present in all sentient beings, the principle of the bodhisattva (Bodhisattva — those who wish to become Buddhas in order to liberate sentient beings), and methods of meditation for directly realizing emptiness (sunyata). Northern Tibetan commentators often explain that emptiness is not complete nonexistence, but the absence of an independent, self-existing essence — something that Buddha-wisdom (Buddha-jnana) can directly realize.

Within the Northern Tibetan framework, these treatises are often connected with the practice of mantras and with the imagery of Buddhas or bodhisattvas, forming a comprehensive system of practice. The Vajrayana path (the Diamond Vehicle), characteristic of the Northern Tibetan tradition, uses these symbols to transform coarse and mistaken emotions into clear understanding.