Toh 2753Untitled

Exposition of the Tengyur Scripture (Toh 2753)

Northern Tibetan Transmission — Treatise Collection

Context

The Tengyur, or "The Translation of the Commentaries," is a collection of treatises (shastra) on the teachings of the Buddha, compiled and translated into Tibetan from original works in Sanskrit. This scripture (Toh 2753) belongs to the Treatise Collection section of the Tengyur, where profound commentaries by bodhisattvas and great treatise masters of the Northern Tibetan Mahayana tradition are preserved.

The compilation of the Tengyur was carried out during the high development of Tibetan Buddhism, especially from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries, when Tibetan and Indian scholars cooperated in translating the most important works. Toh 2753 is part of this essential undertaking, reflecting the effort to preserve and deeply explicate the Buddha Dharma in the Mahayana tradition.

Main Content

The specific content of this treatise has not yet been fully translated. However, based on the context of the Tengyur Treatise Collection, it can be understood as an exposition on important aspects of the Mahayana Buddha Dharma. The treatises in the Tengyur often focus on:

First, understanding Buddha-nature, a central concept in the Mahayana, that all sentient beings have the potential to become Buddhas. The treatise master explains why and how this Buddha-nature exists within each sentient being.

Second, the path of the bodhisattva (bodhisattva-path), the stages, the six paramitas, and the Dharma practices that a bodhisattva must complete in order to attain Buddhahood. This is the superior expansion of Mahayana Buddhism beyond the Lesser Vehicle.

Third, the nature of the spiritual friend (kalyanamitra), the indispensable role of the good teacher on the path of practice, because without the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher, practice can easily go astray.