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An Exposition of Toh 4427 — The Northern Mahayana Canonical Tradition
Background
Toh 4427 is contained in the Tengyur, the collection of commentarial treatises, and is an important part of the scriptural corpus of the Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Within the classification system of the Northern Canonical Tradition, it is a profound treatise on the Dharma of the bodhisattva path, exemplifying the Mahayana spirit: the aspiration to liberate all sentient beings from suffering.
The Tengyur was compiled under the direction of great scholars such as Elder Vô Tư and translators from India and Tibet. This collection is a treasury of Buddhist wisdom encompassing commentaries, treatises, and instructions on practice from deeply learned masters.
Main Content
Although the specific title has not been identified in the descriptive information, a scripture in the Tengyur commonly addresses one of the central themes of the Mahayana: the bodhisattva Dharma, Buddha-nature, the twofold emptiness (śūnyatā—the absence of inherent nature and the absence of inherent nature in dharmas), or the bodhisattva’s path of practice ahead.
The Northern Canonical Tradition, particularly the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug schools, emphasizes that all sentient beings possess latent Buddha-nature. The scripture teaches that through cultivating the Four Immeasurables—loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—and realizing the absence of inherent nature in all dharmas, we can act for the benefit of all sentient beings. The method of practice is not personal escape, but the dedication of all merit to the liberation of all.
Classical masters such as Nagarjuna, Asanga, and Vasubandhu commented on these truths, indicating that to attain ultimate nirvana, we must transcend the concepts of an acting subject and an object acted upon. This is the essence of skillful means (upāya)—teaching the Dharma in accordance with each individual’s wisdom and circumstances.
Practical Significance
In contemporary practice, the teachings of Toh 4427 remind us of three important things.
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