The Catalogue of the Rig 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu rNying ma'i rgyud 'bum
Modern library pagination and markings
In this volume, the western numbering is written in blue pencil numbers. The first index leaf (see below) bears a rectangular IOL paper sticker, white with red borders (as in other volumes, with a heart-shaped decoration in each corner), with the red handwriting: "296 pages"; and in blue writing, "MISC. COLLN GYUT. 19"; and in large Tibetan writing, "rgyud dza".
Paper composition
Some sheets are thinner than others (eg. 34, 194), although most are quite thick, appearing to consist of two layers of paper.
Size of folios
The size of the plain sheets is 576 x 125mm. There is some size variation (eg. 18 is 571mm in length), and some sheets are not cut very straight (especially, many of the right- and left-hand edges are not entirely straight; 52 has a left hand edge 119mm and a right hand edge 125mm; the bottom edges of 68 and 114 are rather wavy, and the bottom edges of 255 and 256 are ragged).
Sheet numberings
As in other volumes, many of the sheets have tiny Tibetan numerals written sideways, some of which are missing or partially cut off, and where they do occur, they do not seem to correspond to the page numbering in words.
Pagination
Page details are given in words written sideways in black ink, to the left of the writing on each recto side.
Page settings
Most sheets, as in other volumes, have 7 lines of black ink writing, with double red vertical lines to the sides of the writing. The lines are ruled with faint (diluted?) reddish ink. The writing is not always exactly square on the page (eg. 192b). Sometimes the lines are not ruled very straight: eg. the fourth line on 32a, and thus the writing, goes up and down. The writing on the fourth line of 134b does not follow the line and goes up and down across the page.
Ornaments, openings and punctuation
Double yig mgo are found in the upper left corner of all recto sides, apart from 1-4. gNyis, gsum, and bzhi each have a triple yig mgo, and the verso side of gcig also has a triple yig mgo. The regular double yig mgo usually start on or to the right of the red vertical margin delineators. There are some slight differences in style, with some larger or more elongated than others.
Handwriting
The writing in this volume seems to be quite consistent in style although the lettering seems to be generally slightly larger nearer the end of the volume; the letters are mostly clear and distinct throughout.
Marks and blemishes
There are many sheets with large areas of brown blotches, eg. 2b, 3a, 49b, 51a. Some sheets have small ink smudges, eg. 23a, 24a, 27b, 34a, 35a, 42a, 45a, 61a/b, 65a, 69a, 89a, 139a, 151a, 201a, 212a, 223b, 227a. However, the clear writing is hardly ever obscured .
State of preservation
The writing in this volume is rarely obscured by tears and rips. Most sheets are in a reasonable state with few holes or tears - there are occasional small holes and tears, and most sheets are brownish in colour and in some cases rather dirty. Some sheets have small tears out of a corner, eg. 4, 58, 60, 91, 155. 80, 95, 197, 290 have a corner torn off. Some have small holes outside the writing area, eg. 23, 52-4, 94, 103, 106-7, 284, 294. 48 has three small holes within the writing area but at least two may have predated the writing, since the syllables are broken up to avoid them. The same applies to the small hole on 134. 49, 105, 132, 140, 181, 222 also have small holes within the writing area. In the case of 104, holes within the writing area do obscure some words, which can nonetheless be deciphered. There are some edge tears, eg. 30, 57, 96, 150, 192, 233, 252, 281, 293 and some edge indentations eg. 34, 55, 98-9, 105, 116, 118-9, 121, 226, 284. There are some attempted repairs of edge tears, eg. 29a, 31a, 32a, 56b, 71b, 84b, 101a, 119a, 202a, 288 each have a small piece of paper stuck on top of a tear; paper is stuck to each side of the edge of 38, 226 and 289. The last two folios, 295 and 296, have pieces torn from the edges, holes in the writing area, and attempted repairs of edge tears.
Cover folios
The blue lacquered front folio measures 565mm (above)/ 560mm (below) x 110mm (left)/ 118mm (right). The edges are slightly torn, as well as not being very straight. The lacquer has come away in parts. It is plain blue in colour, with margins ruled in red on the recto side, making a box 449 x 42 mm. The index leaves are sewn to the right-hand side of the folio, with 2 large leather red cross stitches, and white thread running stitches.
Index leaf 4: 115 mm down (100 visible at front) x 90 mm, plain beige canvas type cloth, stained with dirt, fraying a little, no horizontal ruled red lines near the top or at the bottom. The writing reads: [yig mgo x 1]/ /glegs bam dza [dza in red, slightly larger] pa 'di la/
Dza1, phur pa bcu gnyis kyi rgyud [should there be a shad here? - end line] de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi gsang ba'i yang gsang theg pa chen po'i mdo/
Dza2, glang po che rab 'bog gi rgyud/
Dza3, rgyud kyi rgyal po sgyu 'phrul dra ba theg pa chen po'i yang chen po tshul zab mo gsang ba'i mchog rnam snang rgyud/
Dza4, thabs kyi zhags pa padmo'i 'phreng ba/
Dza5, Dza7, dam tshig thams cad kyi nyams chags skong ba'i lung dri med bshags rgyud/
Dza6, gzi ldan 'bar ba mtshams kyi rgyud
rnams bzhugso// /
Decorated first folios: construction
The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 14 sheets, 570 x 125 mm.
The recto side is plain azure blue lacquer, but with gold margins ruled and the collection, volume, and folio identifications given at the left border, in gold writing. The box made by the ruled lines measures 450 x 63mm (left)/ 66mm (right), with the vertical lines not at exact right angles to the horizontal lines. The blue sheet is torn slightly at the edges and the blue lacquer is rubbed off in parts. There are a few edge tears. Thick crossed stitches attach the folio together, two along the top, five along the bottom, and one to the left and the right of the folio.
Decorated first folios: frames [ TITLE PAGE]
The verso side of gcig (1b) is blue lacquer, with elaborate intertwining straight gold lines around the outside of the page, outlining exactly the same interlocking key design as we find in other volumes. The upper sheet has a rectangular window cut out for the text, 450 x 73mm, outlined (around the frame) with a red paint line. There is a small section to the right of the upper window frame which is missing. Also missing is a large strip of the bottom window frame, running from the left of the frame up to the second of the lower crossed stitches attaching the folio together.
Decorated first folios: window curtain
There is a silk cover fitted over the window, with three layers sewn together. Most of the upper part of the cover tucks under window frame above, but where there is a small section of the upper window frame missing, the top yellow layer and yellow running stiches attaching the cover to the folio are visible in this gap. The yellow layer is at the top, with gold thread around the outside, and it measures 427 x 86 mm to the top of the folio, 62 mm visible beneath the frame (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above). A blue layer is the middle layer, with white thread around the outside, measuring 437 x 68 mm visible beneath frame. The third and final layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 447 x 75 mm visible beneath the frame. They are not exact rectangles of material, they go in very slightly to the bottom and the bottom edge of the orange layer forms a slightly wavy line, and it does not quite cover the whole of the window frame.
Decorated first folios: window layout
Beneath the cover is a double lined gold rectangle drawn on black lacquer, with 3 lines of gold writing, split across two sides of the page. There are miniatures to the left and right, besides which the areas for writing are bounded by vertical strips, but unlike all the other volumes, these strips lack any decoration, and are plain black. This does not mean that less work went into the painting; on the contrary, the miniatures in this volume are finely executed. The larger miniature in the centre, which breaks up the page, is bounded to the left and right by a thin double vertical gold line, outlining a rectangle, 81 x 70mm. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle 50 x 69mm, the righthand miniature's rectangle is 50 x 70mm. The legends for the left-hand and central miniatures are missing. We can hazard the following possible reconstruction in line with other volumes:
[first, to the left:] {{ [yig mgo x 1]// rig 'dzin tshe dbang nor bu la na mo//}} [second, to the left of centre:] {{ [ yig mgo x 1]//lha lcam man da' ra ba/ [yig mgo x 1]//sangs rgyas gnyis pa oyan rje/ [Then continued to the right of centre, on the other side of the gold vertical strip transversing the text:] mkha'gro ye shes mtsho rgyal//}}Then, we actually find the legend for the right-hand miniature, as usual, within the gold lines making the pattern on the window frame:
[third, to the right:] {{[yig mgo x 1]// shod bu dpal seng la na mo//}}Size of folios
The second folio, gnyis, measures 575 x 125 mm.
Decorated second folios
The recto side of gnyis is blue lacquer, with 4 lines of gold writing, within a double gold rectangular box, the outer measuring 485 x 76 mm, the inner, 468 x 65 mm. The margins are ruled as usual, with the collection, volume and folio identification to the left. The boxes are not exact rectangles; the vertical lines are not at exact right angles to the horizontal lines, coming down slightly to the left. The folio is a laminate of about 8 layers, with thick cross stitches visible on both sides, two to the top and bottom, one to the left and right. Some of the inner sheets have red margins and lines ruled, and two have some text on one side. The verso side is ordinary paper.
Page settings
As mentioned above, 2a has 4 lines of gold writing. 2b is ordinary paper. 2b - 6a have double red lined rectangular boxes and margins; in the case of 2b and 3a, with an inner double red lined rectangular box. 2b and 3a each have 4 lines of black writing; 3b - 5b, have 5 lines of slightly smaller writing, and 6a, 6 lines of writing. The boxes are not very exact rectangles, and the ink sometimes is of variable thickness. Sometimes, the lines overshoot the boxes or do not quite join up at the corners. The writing lines are not exactly parallel to the horizontal lines of the boxes: the lines on 2b, 5a and 6a come up slightly at the right. The boxes measure as follows. 2b (outer): 488 x 80 mm; 3a (outer): 500 x 86mm (left)/ 89mm (right); 3b: 490 x 88mm (left)/ 82mm (right); 4a: 488 x 77 mm; 4b: 480 x 80 mm; 5a: 484 x 79 mm; 5b: 486 x 82 mm; 6a: 494 x 82 mm. 6b starts the usual style of red margins down each side and 7 lines per side.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
There is a bcu gong followed by a bcu 'og.
Page settings
296a is the final page. The text is within a red rectangular box, 495 x 75mm (left)/ 77mm (right), with 6 ruled lines, of which 3 are used. 296b is blank.
State of preservation
This final folio 296 has some damage to the edges, especially the bottom edge which is torn away, but the folio has been reinforced with a strip of thick paper stuck the whole way along the sheet on the verso side, and a strip of paper stuck to the right-hand edge of the recto side. Despite this, the box with the whole writing area is clearly legible.