Toh 3538Untitled

Explanation of the Treatise Collection Toh 3538 (Tengyur)

Mahayana Tradition — Northern Tibetan Tradition

Context

Toh 3538 is a treatise (sastra) belonging to the Tengyur collection of Tibetan Buddhism, compiled on the basis of the fundamental teachings of the Mahayana Buddha Dharma. In the Northern Tibetan tradition, these treatises are regarded as profound explanations of the intent of the scriptures, composed by bodhisattva teachers and great commentators to guide practitioners on the path to awakening.

The Tengyur contains more than 2,600 treatises and is the most extensive treasury of Buddhist learning in the Mahayana. These works not only explain doctrine but also provide concrete methods of practice, helping practitioners understand the nature of mind, the nature of suffering, and the virtuous path leading to liberation.

Main Content

Although the specific title of this treatise has not yet been fully translated, based on the context of the Tengyur and the Northern Tibetan tradition, treatises in the same category often focus on topics such as the nature of Buddha-nature, the stages of the bodhisattva path, or the skillful means (upaya) that the Buddha used to guide sentient beings.

In the Mahayana, Buddha-nature is regarded as innate in all sentient beings, not something created or bestowed. Treatises of this kind often argue that all sentient beings can become Buddhas, because all possess the nature of awakening. This is a fundamental point of difference from the Hinayana traditions, where the path of liberation is primarily directed toward arhatship.

The treatises of the Tengyur also emphasize the role of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity (metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha), the four immeasurables, and the practice of bodhisattva conduct, especially the six paramitas: generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom.