Toh 1847Untitled

Exposition of Esoteric Scripture Toh 1847 — The Vajrayana Tradition

Background

This scripture belongs to the Kangyur, the collection of scriptures taught by Buddha Shakyamuni in the final period of his life, when he taught the Esoteric Dharma to students of the highest and most refined capacity. The Kangyur is the principal sacred canon of Tibetan Buddhism, compiled and formalized by Khabje Tsangpa Gyare from the thirteenth century onward.

The Esoteric Division (Tantras) in the Kangyur represents the swiftest path of practice in the Vajrayana, a unique system of practice that uses conceptual wisdom (prajñapti) together with the practice of transforming consciousness. These esoteric scriptures are not widely publicized, but are transmitted only to those who have received blessings and possess sincere vows.

The scripture number Toh 1847 lies among the first or intermediate class of Tantras, where the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism studied formal methods of practice. The fact that this scripture is recorded in the Kangyur demonstrates its high value for Dharma study and practice.

Main Content

Although the title has not been fully identified, scriptures in the Tantras section of the Kangyur generally present the basic principles of Esoteric Buddhist practice. These scriptures often teach about:

The Nature of Mind and Light: Esoteric scriptures emphasize that our mind has a nature that is luminous and empty (śūnyatā). This light is not material, but the wondrous quality of pure awareness, recoverable when we practice deep meditation.

The Subtle Body: Esoteric Buddhism teaches that within the physical body there is a subtle energy system consisting of channels (nāḍī), life winds (prāṇa), and generative drops (bindu). Through breathing exercises (prānāyāma) and concentration of mind, the practitioner can direct these streams of energy in order to strengthen wisdom.

Pure Deities (Devatas): Esoteric Buddhism does not regard these beings as gods external to the mind, but as symbols of different aspects of Buddha wisdom. When practitioners imagine themselves as a pure deity, they are in fact activating the potentials of Buddha-nature within their own minds.