Toh 2668Untitled

EXPLANATION OF THE SUTRA COMMENTARY (TOH 2668)

From the Tengyur — The Sutra Commentary Section of the Northern Buddhist Mahayana Canon

Context

The Tengyur (Bstan 'gyur), or “Translated Treatises,” is a collection of commentaries, treatises, and scriptural explanations compiled within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition from the eighth century onward. This scripture, numbered Toh 2668, belongs to the Treatise Section (Sutra-commentary section), an essential part of the Buddhist Canon. The Mahayana tradition of the Northern Tibetan transmission (or Tibetan Buddhism) inherits the essence of Indian Buddhism, including both the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, taught and preserved by great masters such as Padmasambhava, Santaraksita, and later Tibetan masters.

The compilation of the Tengyur expresses this tradition’s profound commitment to explaining and illuminating the teachings of the Buddha, so that those who study and practice may enter clearly and systematically into the nature of the Dharma. Toh 2668, although no specific title has been recorded, belongs to the lineage of profound explanations of the Mahayana sutras.

Main Contents

The commentaries in the Treatise Section of the Tengyur often focus on clarifying central Mahayana concepts, especially the ideas of Tathata (suchness), Sunyata (emptiness), Buddhadhatu (Buddha-nature), and Bodhisattva-marga (the bodhisattva path). These treatises, composed by eminent commentators such as Vasubandhu, Asanga, Nagarjuna, and Candrakirti, provide deep understandings of the nature of mind, reality, and the path to enlightenment.

The Treatise Section also refines and clarifies subtle points in the Mahayana sutras, helping readers understand that Buddha-nature exists in all sentient beings, and that the bodhisattva path, that is, the spirit of aspiration for the liberation of all beings, is the authentic path in Mahayana. These treatises also emphasize the role of wisdom (prajna) and skillful means (upaya) in guiding each type of sentient being.