Toh 4430Untitled

An Exposition of the Treatise Toh 4430 — The Northern Mahayana Canonical Tradition

Background

This scripture is recorded in the Tengyur—the Treatise Collection of the Northern Mahayana Canonical Tradition, a collection of treatises explaining the Buddhadharma composed by learned bodhisattvas after the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. In the Tibetan tradition, the Tengyur comprises 213 volumes containing more than 3,600 works by Indian Buddhist noble beings and sages.

Toh 4430 is one of the central treatises of the Mahayana Buddhadharma, written by bodhisattvas such as Dinh Tế, Dharmakīrti, or early lineage patriarchs to guide practitioners along the bodhisattva path. The circumstances of its composition reflect the need to interpret the Buddha’s teachings profoundly so that they would become clear and applicable in the actual practice of Mahayana followers.

Main Content

Although the title has not yet been fully translated, this scripture serves as a profound commentary on the core principles of the Mahayana Buddhadharma. Treatises of this kind often focus on two main themes: the doctrine of emptiness (śūnyatā) and the bodhisattva path (Bodhisattvayāna).

According to the Northern Canonical Tradition, particularly the Gelug, Kagyu, Nyingma, and Sakya schools, the content of this treatise may concern the definition of the nature of mind (cittasvabhāva), the relationship between phenomena and reality (bhāva-abhāva), as well as methods of practice for realizing the element of Buddha-nature (Buddha-dhātu) present in all sentient beings. In the Mahayana, not all sentient beings need to pass through countless eons to become Buddhas—they all possess the latent Bật-tha-hạnh path (dharmakāya), enjoyment body (sambhogakāya), and emanation body (nirmāṇakāya).

This treatise also applies the principle of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) to demonstrate that all phenomena lack an independent inherent nature, thereby opening the path to complete liberation for all sentient beings.