Toh 3466Untitled

Exposition of Scripture No. Toh 3466 — Northern Transmission Canon

Context

Scripture no. Toh 3466 in the Tengyur (the Tibetan Treatise Canon) belongs to the Northern Transmission Mahayana tradition, where the Buddha Dharma was protected and developed under the guidance of great bodhisattvas and masters with deep karmic connections to the western celestial realm. Although the title of this scripture has not yet been fully translated into Vietnamese, it still retains its value as a profound treatise within the treasury of Tibetan teachings, written and transmitted by the great wise ones of this tradition.

In the context of the Northern Mahayana Canon, all scriptures and treatises are directed toward the goal of universal awakening for all beings, with the emphasis that Buddha-nature is present in every being and can be awakened through correct practice. This scripture, like many treatises in the Tengyur, must be understood through the framework of three levels — Hinayana, Mahayana of Skillful Means, and Perfect Mahayana — in order to grasp the depth of the teaching.

Main Content

Although the original title has not been fully translated, we may recognize that this scripture belongs among the treatises that build the theoretical foundation for Tibetan Mahayana practice. Treatises in the Tengyur commonly revolve around themes such as the unreal nature of all dharmas (śūnyatā), the nature of mind (cittamatra), the bodhisattva path, and the methods of practice for reaching the state of Buddhahood.

The Northern Transmission Mahayana tradition especially emphasizes the unity of emptiness and relative existence, dependent origination. This scripture may rely on the foundation of the Prajñāpāramitā scriptures or the treatises composed by Nāgārjuna or Asaṅga, those founders of the deepest Buddhist philosophy.

The Mahayana teaching through the Northern Canon always wrestles with the central question: how should one practice so as not only to liberate oneself, but also to liberate limitless beings?