Toh 4310Untitled

Exposition of Tengyur Scripture Toh 4310

Northern Tibetan Mahayana Tradition

Background

This text belongs to the Tengyur (གསུང་འབུམ་), the collection of treatises of Tibetan Buddhism—an exceedingly precious compilation comprising more than 3,600 works by Indian and Tibetan commentators. Situated within the Treatise Collection (the Abhidharmapiṭaka of the Mahayana tradition), Toh 4310 represents the philosophical and practical foundations of Mahāyāna Buddhism, especially those of Tibetan schools such as Gelug, Kagyu, Sakya, and Nyingma.

In the historical development of the Buddha’s Dharma, the Northern Tibetan tradition records a profound integration of Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle) and Mahāyāna (Great Vehicle), together with the teachings of Vajrayāna (Diamond Vehicle). The works in the Tengyur not only explain the scriptures but also provide detailed methods of practice, helping practitioners clearly understand the nature of mind (chitta), karma, and the path to bodhi.

Main Content

Although the title has not been fully translated, this text—like other treatises in the Tengyur—focuses on analyzing aspects of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. In the Tibetan tradition, these treatises commonly address the following core themes:

First, the nature of mind (sems, citta). Tibetan Buddhism particularly emphasizes that mind is luminous (prabhāsvara) and can be cultivated to recognize the true nature of reality. Second, the doctrine of Tathatā (suchness)—the common nature of all phenomena, intrinsically unborn and unceasing, neither one nor different. Third, the bodhisattva path (Bodhisattvayāna), in which practitioners vow to liberate immeasurable sentient beings, not merely themselves.

Treatises in the Tengyur also explore the two truths (satya-dvaya): conventional truth (samvṛti-satya) and ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya), helping practitioners resolve the shortcomings of dualistic understanding.