Tibetan Buddhist canon

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

In addition to earlier foundational Buddhist texts from early Buddhist schools, mostly the Sarvastivada, and mahayana texts, the Tibetan canon includes Tantric texts.

The Tibetan Canon underwent a final compilation in 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:

  1. Kanjur (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 languags.
  2. Tanjur (Bstan 'gyur) or "Translated Treatises" is the section to which were assigned commentaries, treatises and abhidharma works (both Mahayana and non-Mahayana). The Tanjur contains 3626 texts in 224 Volumes.

The Kanjur is divided into sections on vinaya, Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, other sutras (75% Mahayana, 25% Early Wisdom Schools [aka Hinayana]), and tantras.

When exactly the term bka' 'gyur was first used is not known. Collections of canonical Buddhist texts existed already in the time of Khri Srong lde rtsan. Two catalogues of such texts are currently available the lhan dkar ma and then pa thang ma. A third catalogue is reported to exist.

The exact number of texts in the Bka' 'gyur is not fixed, each editor takes responsibility for removing texts he considers spurious, and adding new translations. Currently there are about 12 available Kanjur's these include the Derge, Lhasa, Narthang, Cone, Peking, Ugra, Phudrak, and Stog Palace versions. In addition some canonical texts have been found in Tabo and Dunhuang which provide earlier exemplars to texts found in the Bka' 'gyur. All extant Bka' 'gyurs appear to stem from the Old Narthang Bka' 'gyur. The stemma of the Bka' 'gyur has been well researched in particular by Helmut Eimer.

Contents

Organization of Sutric texts

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 great 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:

  1. Abhidharma (Higher Knowledge)
    • Compendium of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma Samuccaya) by Asanga
    • Treasury of Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma Kosha) by Vasubandhu
  2. Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom)
    • Ornament of Clear Realization (Abhisamaya Alankara) by Maitreya as related to Asanga
    • The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara) by Shantideva
  3. Madhyamika (Middle Way)
    • Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika) by Nagarjuna
    • Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas (Catuhsataka) by Aryadeva
    • Introduction to the Middle Way (Madhyamakavatara) by Chandrakirti
    • Ornament of the Middle Way (Madhyamakalamkara) by Shantarakshita
    • The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara) by Shantideva
  4. Pramana (Logic, Means of Knowing)
    • Treatise on Valid Cognition (Pramanavarttika) by Dharmakirti
  5. Vinaya (Vowed Morality)

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 Yogachara (or Cittamatra, Mind-Only) school of philosophy in which all Tibetan Buddhists 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)

Organisation of Tantric texts

Tibetan Buddhism typically divides the Tantras into four hierarchical categories, namely,

An alternate division is used by the Nyingma school:

  • Three Outer Tantras:
    • Kriyayoga
    • Charyayoga
    • Yogatantra
  • Three Inner Tantras, which correspond to the Anuttarayogatantra:

See also

External link

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/Tibetan_Buddhist_canon.html"


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