Toh 1196Untitled

Explanation of a Kangyur Tantra, Number Toh 1196

Context

This scripture belongs to the Kangyur, the Translated Canon, a collection of teachings spoken by the Buddha, translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan during the era of the historical kings of Tibet. As a tantric scripture of the Vajrayana, it contains direct instructions for practitioners who wish to follow the swiftest path of transformation in the Buddhist Dharma.

Vajrayana Tantra differs from the Hinayana and the Mahayana in that it does not only contemplate the selfless nature of phenomena, but also uses the power of consciousness wisely, transforming these energies into the material for building the mind of the path. Although its title has not been clearly recorded, this scripture reflects that spirit: a special manual for practitioners who enter the inner path of tantric practice.

Main Contents

The specific contents of this scripture have not yet been fully translated in currently common materials. However, based on the context of the Kangyur Tantra section of which this scripture is a part, we may understand that it revolves around the essential principles of tantric practice.

In Vajrayana, practitioners are transmitted mantras, procedures of practice (sādhana), and special symbols (yantra, mandala) in order to activate profound aspects of consciousness. Unlike traditional contemplation for calming the mind, Tantra does not avoid or eliminate desires and sensations, but instead guides the practitioner to transform them into spiritual energy through the process of transformation or transmutation.

This scripture, like many other tantric scriptures in the Kangyur, may include teachings on the nature of mind (tathatā), the way the basic elements (mahābhūta) function in the energetic body (cakra), and the method of using the breath (prāṇa) to direct sexual energy (kundalini) toward higher mental qualities. These are techniques transmitted only from a master to a disciple who is ready.