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. There is a piece of frayed floral cloth (Western style) at the front of the volume, on which is stuck a rectangular IOL paper sticker, which is white with red borders (as in other volumes, with a heart-shaped decoration in each corner). We find red handwriting, "289 pages"; blue writing, "MISC. COLL. GYUT 29", and in large Tibetan writing, "rgyud ha".
Paper composition
Some sheets are thinner than others (eg. 16, 82), 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, some sheets are not cut very straight (especially, many of the left-hand edges are not entirely straight).
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. the writing on 214a goes down slightly to the right).
Ornaments, openings and punctuation
Double yig mgo are found in the upper left corner of all recto sides, apart from 1-3. gNyis and gsum each have a triple yig mgo, and the verso side of gcig also has a triple yig mgo, as does 88b (gya brgya), following a title page. The regular double yig mgo usually start on or just 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 a little variable, starting with smallish thin writing and becoming larger with thicker ink, especially after about the first 100 folios. From 246, the writing is particularly thick, and appears to be written in a less experienced and less neat hand than the earlier folios.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Note that there is a folio dgu cu and a dgu bcu. It is clear that dgu bcu is a misplaced folio, in fact, the conflated folio, dgu and bcu, from this volume (see note on folio 9/10).
Microfilm
dgu bcu (a) and dgu cu (b) are not in the microfilm.
State of preservation
Some sheets are frayed or torn or have rips at the edges (eg. 8, 11, 45, 52, 54, 93, 104, 105, 166, 186, 204, 229, 242) or a corner is torn off (86, 110, 158, 254) but the writing is rarely obscured by tears and rips. There does not appear to be much insect damage to the sheets in this volume. Occasional sheets (eg 72-3, 101, 103-7, 131, 134-8, 175-7, 266-7, 269-70, 276-9, 286-7) have a single indentation at one edge, a single hole (42, 63-4, 93-4, 96, 99, 159, 190, 208, 227, 254, 281, 285), or more than one edge indentation (57-9, 61, 75, 125-6, 271-5, 288-9), or edge indentations and holes (60, 62, 111, 211, 268). Very occasional sheets (12-3) have more than one hole.
Cover folios
There is no blue lacquered front folio in this volume. At the front of the volume, there is a piece of frayed floral cloth, on which is stuck a rectangular IOL paper sticker (see above) with the volume identification.
There are no index leaves in this volume.
Decorated first folios: construction
The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 12 sheets, 577 x 123 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 440mm x 65mm. There are some tears especially around the edges, where parts of the blue layer are torn away, and several small holes in the centre of the folio, taking off the blue layer and some of the lower layers of paper. 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. One section of this border has been torn off from the top of the folio and is missing. The upper sheet has a rectangular window cut out for the text, 446 x 71mm, outlined (around the frame) with a red paint line.
Decorated first folios: window curtain
There is a silk cover fitted over the window, with three layers sewn together. The yellow layer is at the top, with gold thread around the outside, and it measures 431 x 62mm visible (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above; the full top to bottom measurement visible where the upper frame is torn is 86mm). A blue layer is the middle layer, with white thread around the outside, measuring 439 x 70mm visible. The third and final layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 443 x 73mm visible. They are not exact rectangles of material, and they do not fit entirely over the window at the left and right.
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 with a regular pattern of gold lines, in this case, wave design (see "General Information on Volumes"). 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 69mm. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle 49 x 68mm, the righthand miniature's rectangle is 49 x 69mm. The legends for the miniatures are written below each, within the border of gold lines outside the window. Each legend is within double ornamenal brackets:
[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 [gnyis is smudged out but is consistent with other volumes] oyan [na is rubbed out] rje// [then continues to the right of centre, on the other side of the gold vertical strip transversing the text. This following legend is almost entirely rubbed out, but the letters which can be made out suggest consistency with other volumes as follows:] mkha'gro ye shes mtsho rgyal/}} [third, to the right:] {{ [yig mgo x 1]//bcom ldan rdo rje sems dpa' 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 475 x 76mm (left)/ 79mm (right), the inner, 460 x 65mm (left)/ 69mm (right). 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 5 thick layers, with thick cross stitches visible on both sides, two to the top and bottom, one to the left and right. 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 (although 3a has a long insertion in smaller writing beneath the 4 lines); 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 boxes measure as follows. 2b (outer): 482 x 80 mm; 3a (outer): 498 x 80 mm; 3b: 499 x 82 mm; 4a: 490 x 81 mm; 4b: 490 x 82 mm; 5a: 490 x 80 mm; 5b: 487 x 78 mm; 6a: 500 x 81mm (left)/ 75mm (right). 6b starts the usual style of red margins down each side and 7 lines per side.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Folios 9 and 10 are missing. However, there is a dgu cu and a dgu bcu in this volume. It is clear that dgu bcu is a misplaced folio, representing a conflated folio, dgu and bcu. The folio clearly fits between folios 8 and 11, and a comparison of the text found here on folio 8, conflated folio 9/10, and folio 11, against the mTshams brag edition (17-20), establishes that we have indeed identified our missing folio.
Microfilm
dgu bcu (a) and dgu cu (b) are not in the microfilm.
Modern library pagination and markings
IOL Western numerals give nga bzhi and nga lnga as 55 - nga bzhi should be 54; but nga gsum and nga drug are correctly labelled.
Marks and blemishes
The left-hand side of 67b has been badly smudged but the words are still legible.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
There is a bdun bcu and a bdun bcu gong. IOL pencil in margins marks bdun bcu gong as a duplicate but although the number is duplicated, the text appears to go in front of bdun bcu and is certainly not a duplication.
Microfilm
82b and 83a follow 84a in the microfilm and 83b, 84a are then repeated.
Page settings
89a line 7 is blank. 87b is blank, except for ruled margins and lines.
Page settings
88a is a title page, centred within a red rectangular box, 490 x 61 mm. 88b has 6 lines of text within a red rectangular box, 495 x 76 mm. The following pages revert to the usual 7 lines.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Note that there is a dgu cu and a dgu bcu. It is clear that dgu bcu is a misplaced folio, in fact, the conflated folio, dgu and bcu, from this volume (see note on folio 9/10).
Microfilm
dgu bcu (a) and dgu cu (b) are not in the microfilm.
Page settings
127b is blank apart from ruled lines and margins. 128a is a title page, centred within a red rectangular box, 491 x 57mm. 128b has 6 lines of text within a red rectangular box, 500 x 78 mm, after which the folios revert to the usual format.
State of preservation
The right hand third of 240 must have been torn right off - it has been stuck together rather badly (the lines do not correspond properly) by a single sheet of paper stuck to both sides.
Page settings
The final line of 240a is empty; 240b is blank, except for margins and ruled lines (some of which are covered by a repair sheet - see above note.)
Page settings
241a is a title page, within a red rectangular box, 487 x 62mm. 241b has 6 lines in a red box, 496 x 75 mm; the following sheets revert to the usual layout.
Page settings
289a is the final page. The text is within a red rectangular box, 495 x 80 mm, with 6 ruled lines, of which 5 are used. 289b is blank.