Toh 4131Untitled

Exposition of Toh 4131 — Northern Mahayana Canonical Tradition

Background

Toh 4131 belongs to the Tengyur (Treatise Collection) of the Tibetan tradition, a collection of treatises and commentaries on Mahayana scriptures. The Tengyur was compiled from works by bodhisattvas and eminent treatise masters from the seventh through the tenth centuries in India, which were subsequently translated and transmitted within the Tibetan Buddhist milieu.

In the Mahayana tradition—particularly the Northern Canonical Tradition—the treatise collection consists not merely of commentaries but also of profound guides to practice, helping practitioners clearly understand the teachings and apply them to the actual realization of awakening. The Tengyur includes works by eminent bodhisattvas such as Nāgārjuna, Vasubandhu, Asaṅga, and many other treatise masters, reflecting the richness of Mahayana Buddhist thought.

Main Content

Although the full title of Toh 4131 has not been disclosed in the descriptive information, within the context of the Tengyur treatise collection, similar works generally focus on two principal pillars of the Northern Mahayana Canon:

First, the Doctrine of Buddha-Nature: The text teaches that all sentient beings possess buddha-nature, meaning the innate capacity to become a Buddha. This is not a fixed entity but a luminous potential, neither arising nor ceasing, that pervades all things. This buddha-nature is intrinsic and need not be created or supplemented from outside. Taking the minds of sentient beings as their basis, masters of the Northern tradition explain that awakening is the restoration or revelation of this buddha-nature, rather than the creation of something new.

Second, the Lionlike Bodhisattva Path: The text emphasizes that the bodhisattva’s path of practice does not seek merely personal liberation. The bodhisattva gives rise to bodhicitta—the mind directed toward Awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings.