Toh 3564Untitled

Exposition of Scripture Toh 3564 — Northern Canon Mahayana Tradition

Context

Toh 3564 is a treatise belonging to the Tengyur of the Tibetan tradition, one of the works of translating Buddhist scriptures corresponding to the English canon in the Mahayana approach. The Tengyur (藏經, scriptural canon) comprises commentaries, treatises, and explanations by wise bodhisattvas from the eighth century onward, and is the theoretical foundation of Mahayana Buddha Dharma in Tibet.

This work was compiled in a context where great Indian Buddhist masters, such as Nāgārjuna, Asaṅga, and Dharmakīrti, created profound systems of thought in order to explain and defend the nature of the Dharma. The breadth of the Tengyur reflects Tibet’s commitment to preserving the full inheritance of Mahayana Buddha Dharma accumulated over many centuries.

Main Content

Although the precise title of this work has not been fully provided, as a treatise in the Tengyur collection, this work is certainly directed toward explaining a fundamental aspect of the Mahayana Buddha Dharma. It may be related to central issues such as the nature of Buddha-nature, the nature of consciousness (Dharmakāya), or the qualities of the bodhisattva path.

The treatises in the Tengyur often employ established logical methods and profound analysis to lead readers into layers of meaning lying deep beneath the Buddha’s teachings. They not only comment on the scriptures, but also build a comprehensive system of thought, helping disciples clearly understand how to practice the bodhisattva path leading to awakening.

In the Tibetan context, such treatises became indispensable guides for monastics studying at great institutions such as Nālandā, Samye, and later Tibetan monasteries. They provide the theoretical basis for the practice of Mind-Only or the Middle Way (Madhyamaka), the two principal Mahayana philosophical schools.