Tibetan Buddhist canon

The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism.

In addition to sutrayana texts from Early Buddhist (mostly Sarvastivada) and Mahayana sources, the Tibetan canon includes tantric texts. [Tibetan: "rgyud". The distinction between sutra and tantra is not rigid. For example, in some editions the tantra section includes the Heart Sutra (Cf. Conze, "The Prajnaparamita Literature", Mouton, the Hague, 1960, page 72.) and even versions of texts in the Pali Canon ("Mahasutras", Peter Skilling, Pali Text Society, volume I, page xxiv. The abbreviation DN there is given in the author's list, page xv, as Digha Nikaya, which is part of the Pali Canon.)]

The Tibetan Canon underwent a final compilation in the 14th century by Bu-ston (1290–1364). The Tibetans did not have a formally arranged Mahayana canon and so devised their own scheme which divided texts into two broad categories:

#Kangyur (bo|w=bka'-'gyur) or "Translated Words", consists of works supposed to have been said by the Buddha himself. All texts presumably have a Sanskrit original, although in many cases the Tibetan text was translated from Chinese or other languages.
#Tengyur (bo|w=bstan-'gyur) or "Translated Treatises" is the section to which were assigned commentaries, treatises and abhidharma works (both Mahayana and non-Mahayana). The Tengyur contains 3626 texts in 224 Volumes.

The Kangyur is divided into sections on Vinaya, Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, Avatamsaka, Ratnakuta and other sutras (75% Mahayana, 25% Nikaya / Agama or Hinayana), and tantras. When exactly the term Kangyur was first used is not known. Collections of canonical Buddhist texts already existed in the time of Trisong Detsen, the sixth king of Tibet.

The exact number of texts in the Kangyur is not fixed. Each editor takes responsibility for removing texts he considers spurious or adding new translations. Currently there are about 12 available Kangyurs. These include the Derge, Lhasa, Narthang, Cone, Peking, Urga, Phudrak, and Stog Palace versions, each named after the physical location of its printing or copying in the case of manuscripts editions. In addition some canonical texts have been found in Tabo and Dunhuang which provide earlier exemplars to texts found in the Kangyur. The majority of extant Kangyur editions appear to stem from the so-called Old Narthang Kangyur, though the Phukdrak and Tawang editions are thought to lie outside of that textual lineage. The stemma of the Kangyur have been well researched in particular by Helmut Eimer and Paul Harrison.

Exoteric or Sutra tradition

In the Tibetan tradition, some collections of teachings and practices are held in greater secrecy than others. The sutra tradition comprises works said to be derived from the public teachings of the Buddha, and is taught widely and publicly. The esoteric tradition of tantra (below) is generally only shared in more intimate settings with those students who the teacher feels have the capacity to utilize it well.

Important Indian scholars

Two Supremes

* Asanga founder of the Yogachara school
* Nagarjuna founder of the Madhyamaka school [http://www.sakya.org/News%20Letters/Sakya%20Newsletter%20Summer%202007.pdf] [Kalu Rinpoche, "Luminous Mind: The Way of the Buddha". Wisdom Publications,1997. p. 285 ^{http://books.google.com/books?id=eWVgoVByVhcC&pg=PA285&lpg=PA285&dq=%22two+supremes%22+nagarjuna&source=web&ots=g3PMaucUAA&sig=a97JqzX4462vDLLm8gI6nrNvwKA}] [ [http://transponent.typepad.com/tashideleg/2005/02/enlightened_mas.html Tashi Deleg! The Padma Samye Ling Bulletin, "Enlightened Masters: Arya Asanga" ] ]

Six Scholarly Ornaments

* Aryadeva foremost disciple of Nagarjuna, continued the philosophical school of Madhyamika
* Dharmakirti famed logician, author of the "Seven Treatises"; student of Dignana's student Ishvarasena; said to have debated famed Hindu scholar Shankara
* Dignaga famed logician
* Vasubandhu, Asanga's brother
* Gunaprabha foremost student of Vasubandhu, known for his work the "Vinayasutra"
* Sakyaprabha prominent exponent of the Vinaya

Seventeen Great Panditas

References are sometimes made to the "Seventeen Great Panditas." This formulation groups the eight listed above with the following nine scholars.

* Atiśa holder of the “mind training” (Tib. "lojong") teachings
* Bhavaviveka early expositor of the Svatantrika Madhyamika
* Buddhapalita early expositor of the Prasangika Madhyamika
* Chandrakirti considered the greatest exponent of Prasangika Madhyamika
* Haribhadra commentator on Asanga's "Ornament of Clear Realization"
* Kamalashila 8th-century author of important texts on meditation
* Shantarakshita abbot of Nalanda, founder of the Yogachara-Madhyamika who helped Padmasambhava establish Buddhism in Tibet
* Shantideva (8th century Indian) author of the "Bodhicaryavatara"
* Vimuktisena commentator on Asanga's "Ornament of Clear Realization"

Five traditional topics of study

All four schools of Tibetan Buddhism generally follow a similar curriculum, using the same Indian root texts and commentaries. The further Tibetan commentaries they use differ by school, although since the 19th century appearance of the widely renowned scholars Jamgon Kongtrul and Ju Mipham, Kagyupas and Nyingmapas use many of the same Tibetan commentaries as well. Different schools, however, place emphasis and concentrate attention on different areas.

The exoteric study of Buddhism is generally organized into "Five Topics," listed as follows with the primary Indian source texts for each:

# Abhidharma (Higher Knowledge, Tib. wylie: "mdzod")
#* "Compendium of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma Samuccaya)" by Asanga
#* "Treasury of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma Kosha)" by Vasubandhu
# Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom, Tib. wylie: "phar-phyin")
#* "Ornament of Clear Realization (Abhisamaya Alankara") by Maitreya as related to Asanga
#* "The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara," Tib. wylie: "sPyod-‘jug)" by Shantideva
# Madhyamaka (Middle Way, Tib. wylie:" dbu-ma")
#* "Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika," Tib. wylie: "rTsa dbu-ma)" by Nagarjuna
#* "Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas (Catuhsataka)" by Aryadeva
#* "Introduction to the Middle Way (Madhyamakavatara,’’ Tib. wylie: ‘’dBu-ma-la ‘Jug-pa)" by Chandrakirti
#* "Ornament of the Middle Way (Madhyamakalamkara)" by Shantarakshita
#* "The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara," Tib. wylie: "sPyod-‘jug)" by Shantideva
# Pramana (Logic, Means of Knowing, Tib. wylie: "tshad-ma")
#* "Treatise on Valid Cognition (Pramanavarttika)" by Dharmakirti
#* "Compendium on Valid Cognition" ("Pramanasamuccaya") by Dignaga
# Vinaya (Vowed Morality, Tib. wylie: "'dul-ba")
#* "The Root of the Vinaya (Dülwa Do Tsawa, 'dul-ba mdo rtsa-ba)" by the Pandita Gunaprabha

Five treatises of Maitreya

Also of great importance are the "Five Treatises of Maitreya." These texts are said to have been related to Asanga by the Buddha Maitreya, and comprise the heart of the Yogacara (or "Cittamatra", "Mind-Only") school of philosophy in which all Tibetan Buddhist scholars are well-versed. They are as follows:

* Ornament for Clear Realization ("Abhisamayalankara," Tib. "mngon-par rtogs-pa'i rgyan")
* Ornament for the Mahayana Sutras ("Mahayanasutralankara," Tib. "theg-pa chen-po'i mdo-sde'i rgyan")
* Sublime Continuum of the Mahayana ("Mahayanottaratantrashastra, Ratnagotravibhaga," Tib. "theg-pa chen-po rgyud-bla-ma'i bstan")
* Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being ("Dharmadharmatavibhanga," Tib. "chos-dang chos-nyid rnam-par 'byed-pa")
* Distinguishing the Middle and the Extremes ("Madhyantavibhanga," Tib. "dbus-dang mtha' rnam-par 'byed-pa")

A commentary on the "Ornament for Clear Realization" called "Clarifying the Meaning" by the Indian scholar Haribhadra is often used, as is one by Vimuktisena.

Esoteric or Tantra tradition

Tantra categorization by the Ancient Translation School

The division used by the Nyingma or Ancient school:

* Three Outer Tantras:
** Kriyayoga
** Charyayoga
** Yogatantra
* Three Inner Tantras, which correspond to the Anuttarayogatantra:
** Mahayoga
** Anuyoga
** Atiyoga (Tib. "Dzogchen")
*** The practice of Atiyoga is further divided into three classes: Mental SemDe, Spatial LongDe, and Esoteric Instructional MenNgagDe.

Tantra categorization by the New Translation School

The Sarma or New Translation schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Gelug, Sakya, and Kagyu) divide the Tantras into four hierarchical categories, namely,

* Kriyayoga
* Charyayoga
* Yogatantra
* Anuttarayogatantra
** further divided into "mother", "father" and "non-dual" tantras.

Mother Tantra

"The "Yoginī Tantra"s correspond to what later Tibetan commentators termed the "Mother Tantras" ("ma rgyud")" ("CST", p. 5).

Father Tantra

In the earlier scheme of classification, the "class ... "Yoga Tantras," ... includes tantras such as the "Guhyasamāja", later "classified as "Father Tantras" ("pha rgyud") ... placed in the ultimate class ... "Unexcelled Yoga tanras" ("rnal 'byor bla med kyi rgyud")." ("CST", p. 5)

Nondual Tantra or Advaya Class

*Manjushri-nama-samgiti
*Kalachakra Laghutantra

The Translations

history of translation in Tibet

translation methodology

standardisation of terminology

See also

* Chinese Buddhist canon
*Tripitaka Koreana
*Pali Canon
* List of sutras
* Tripitaka

External links

* [http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/s_tibcanon.htm Tibetan Canon]
* [http://www.asianclassics.org/research_site/index.html Asian Classics Input Project] (Romanized Tibetan Kangyur, Tengyur & Sungbum)
* [http://www.tbrc.org/index.xq The Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center Digital Library] (Tibetan buddhist texts)
* [http://lotsawahouse.org Lotsawa House Translations of Tibetan Buddhist texts]
* [http://www.rinpoche.com/palttc.html Overview of typical Kagyu shedra curriculum]
* [http://jbe.gold.ac.uk/12/edelglass-review.pdf Review of "The Sound of Two Hands Clapping: The Education of a Tibetan Buddhist Monk"] This title provides a first hand account of the monastic college experience, with much information about the practice of scholarship. Focused on but not limited to the Gelug tradition.

Notes