Other wisdom tantras (Tengyur Section)

  • Tib.: shes rab kyi rgyud skor sna tshogs/

First published 2010. Last updated 3rd Aug 2023.

Commentaries and liturgical works related to the Catuḥpīṭha, Mahāmāyā, Vajrāmṛta, Buddhakapāla, Buddhasamayoga, and Tāra mother or yoginī tantras, to mother tantra in general, Avalokiteśvara, Mahākāla amd Acala (Toh 1607-1783)

Following the large group of works on the Śaṃvara cycle of wisdom tantra (see previous section) come ten further groups, together occupying 3½ volumes of the Degé Tengyur:

I. The 15 works on the Catuḥpīṭha (dpal gdan bzhi, Toh 1607-1621), of which the first 3 (Toh 1607-1609) are commentaries on the tantra, and the remaining 12 (Toh 1610-1621) are sādhanas of the male and female deities, maṇḍala rituals, works on the perfection stage, etc.

II. The 27 works on Mahāmāyā (sgyu ’phrul chen mo, Toh 1622-1648), of which the first 4 (Toh 1622-1625) are commentaries, and the remaining 23 (Toh 1626-1648) mainly liturgical works.

III. The 3 works on Vajrāmṛta (rdo rje bdud rtsi, Toh 1649-1651), all of which are commentaries on the tantra.

IV. The 7 works on Buddhakapāla (sangs rgyas thod pa, Toh 1652-1658), of which the first 3 (Toh 1652-1654) are commentaries.

V. The 24 works on Buddhasamayoga (sangs rgyas mnyam sbyor, Toh 1659-1682), of which the first 5 (Toh 1659-1663) are commentaries on the tantra.

VI. The 64 works on Tāra (sgrol ma) from an Unexcelled yoga tantra perspective, (Toh 1683-1743). The dkar chag counts 63 works here.

VII. A group of 6 works related to mother tantra in general (ma rgyud spyi dang ’brel pa, Toh 1744-1749).

VIII. Two works (Toh 1750-1751) on the Padmajālatantra (pad+ma dra ba, i.e. the Avalokiteśvarapadmajālamūlatantra, Toh 681, the root tantra of Avalokiteśvara found in the Kangyur classified among the Action tantras).

IX. The 30 works on Mahākāla in accordance with mother tantra (ma rgyud dang phyogs mthun pa mgon po nag po’i skor, Toh 1752-1781).

X. Finally, 2 works on Acala (mi g.yo ba, Toh 1782-1783).