The Catalogue of the Rig 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu rNying ma'i rgyud 'bum
Modern library pagination and markings
In this volume, there is western numbering in small pencil numerals in the top right corner of each recto side. Given that these numbers are in a different position from the western numbers in all other extant volumes, it seems likely that the numbering in the other volumes has been added by the India Office Library, while the numbering here has been added by the Bodleian Library. On the recto side of the front blue lacquered folio, there is a small white ticket attached to the upper right, with blue typed writing sideways on the page: SC 34697.
Paper composition
Some sheets are thinner than others (eg. 145-6), although most are quite thick, appearing to consist of at least two layers of paper.
Size of folios
The size of the plain sheets is 573-7 x 123-5 mm. Very occasional sheets are not cut very straight (eg. left edge of 37-8), and thus, do not form exact rectangles.
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. on 46a and 75a, the writing goes down slightly on the page from left to right; on 56b, the writing goes up slightly on the page from left to right).
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. One distinctive feature of the writing in this volume is that the dotted shad (tsheg shad) (U0F0F) consistently used to mark the first or last syllable of a line, is written rather large, with a flourish.
Handwriting
There are some variations in the size of the writing. For instance, the writing on some pages (eg. 14a-6, 17a) is small; there are 7 lines, but they do not come down so far on the page as usual. As the volume continues, the ink gets rather thicker than it is on the early pages. On some folios (eg. 196, 216), the ink has absorbed into the sheet to such an extent that it can be seen on the opposite side of the sheet.
Corrections and interventions
Occasionally, attention is drawn to the positioning of an insertion given outside the writing area, by red shading over the area in the text, eg. 97b, 221b, 269b. In one case, 234a, as well as such red shading, we find the symbol of a clockwise pointing swastika marking the place in the text, and the insertion.
Readers' marks
On 198b line 2, we find the beginning of a text marked by a cross of two small pieces of white paper stuck to the sheet just in front of the title.
Marks and blemishes
There are occasional ink smudges (eg. 56a, 89a, 140a, 212a, 248a), and some sheets are brownish in colour or have brown blotches (eg. 33a, 48b, 70b-71b, 101a-102b, 239a). However, in comparison with other volumes, this volume is relatively unmarred by blemishes other than holes. The clear writing is hardly ever obscured.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
174 (brgya don bzhi) seems to have had an original numbering after the "brgya" deleted from the page and replaced with "don bzhi" to the right.
State of preservation
Most sheets in this volume are reasonably firm and intact, with few tears, although there are small holes and indentations around the outside of virtually all the folios. Many folios have a very large number of such holes, having very jagged or uneven edges as a result, and few folios are entirely unmarred by holes or indentations. Many sheets also have at least one small hole within the writing area, and many of these have several, although there are not so many holes over the writing as there are around the edges. In general, the sheets near the beginning and the end of the volume tend to be the worst affected. This volume has far more holes and indentations than other volumes, and such holes even affect the front folios with the miniatures. Despite this peppering of so many of the sheets with holes, there is no evidence of other damage, such as water damage causing folios to stick together, or for top layers of the paper to come away. In general, since the holes are mostly small, the letters mostly remain legible.
There are also occasional small edge tears (eg. 33, 264, 293-4), or creasing down the folio (eg. 87, 92, 125).
There is an instance of what appears to be an attempted repair to a tear: on 158, a small piece of paper is stuck over the edge on both sides, partially obscuring the bottom of a syllable on line 7 of 158a. We also find paper repairs to the final folio 294. Since these repairs are similar to repairs found in other volumes, we can conclude that it is likely they were made before the volumes of the collection were separated.
Cover folios
The azure blue lacquered front folio measures approximately 550mm (at its widest, but much of the left hand edge has torn away) x 117mm (left)/ 110mm (right). It also has further tears in the other edges. The lacquer has come away in parts, and there are many small holes across the folio. The recto side is plain blue, but with margins ruled in red, making a box measuring 440mm x 46mm (left)/42mm (right). The verso side is plain blue. The index leaves are attached to the right hand side of the verso side of the folio, sewn on with 2 large leather red cross stitches.
Index leaf four: 114mm x 85mm, plain beige canvas type cloth, slightly stained with dirt, fraying at edges, two horizontal neatly ruled red lines both at top and bottom, two vertical neatly ruled red lines at both sides, between which there is writing: [yig mgo x 1]/ /gled. bam. ka pa 'di la/ [ka pa 'di la in red, ka slightly larger]
Ka1, rdzod. pa chen po byang chub kyi sems kun byed rgyal po/
Ka2, Ka3, Ka4, Ka5, Ka6, Ka7, Ka8, Ka9, Ka10, Ka11, de'i mdo 'drel chen po bcu /
Ka12, Ka13, don 'grel lnga yongs gtadang bcas pa/
Ka14, la zlo gsang ba'i 'khor lo/
Ka15, lta ba namkha' dang mnyam. pa yige [ga subscribed] med pa'i rgyud/
Ka16, sgom. pa rgya mtsho dang mnyam pa snyod. pa med pa'i rgyud/
Ka17, spyod pa nyi zla dang mnyam pa dri ma med pa'i rgyud/
Ka18, 'bras bu rin po che dang mnyam. pa skye ba med pa'i rgyud/
Ka19, rig pa'i khu byug/
Ka20, sem.s bsgom. don drug pa/
Ka21, rtsal chen sprug pa/
Ka22, khyung chen lding ba/
Ka23, rdoe sem.da' namkha' ['a subscribed, end line] che/ [ (tsheg shad) (U0F0F) , curving]
Ka24, bde 'jam./
Ka25, namkha' rgyal po/
Ka26, rje btsan dam pa /
Ka27, rtse
Index leaf five: 115mm x 84mm, plain beige canvas type cloth, slightly stained with dirt, fraying at edges, two horizontal neatly ruled red lines both at top and bottom, two vertical neatly ruled red lines at both sides, between which there is writing:
/[elaborate curving shad with curved line above, similar to (sbrul shad) (U0F08) but with 3 short horizontal lines instead of the four "snake" heads above the shad]Ka27, mo byung rgyal/
Ka28, kun 'dus/
Ka29, srogi 'khor lo/
Ka30, bde ba'i myu gu/
Ka31, bde ba 'phra bkod/
Ka32, rdzod. pa spyi gcod/
Ka33, khams gsum. sgron ma/
Ka34, byang sem.s mi 'gyur ba'i thig le/
Ka35, byang chub sem.s rtsal che/
Ka36, byang chub kyi sem.s khyung chen/
Ka37, namkha' ['a subscribed, end line] che yi ge med pa/
Ka38, byang sem.s rdo la gser zhun/
Ka39, rdzod. pa chen po yees bdun 'byung gi rgyud/
Ka40, bkra shis pa'i dpal rig pa'i khu byug/
Ka41, bkra shis mi 'gyur gsal bar gnas [sa subscribed, end line] pa'i rgyud/
Ka42, gser gyi rus sbal rdo rje theg pa rtsa ba'i rgyud /
Ka43, namkha' che bram ze rgyas pa'i rgyud
rnams bzhugso// //
Decorated first folios: construction
The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 6 sheets, measuring 567 x 122 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 quite large gold writing. The box made by the ruled lines measures 440 x 65 mm, with the vertical lines not at exact right angles to the horizontal lines, but coming down slightly to the left. The blue sheet is torn slightly at the edges, the blue lacquer is rubbed off in parts, and there are numerous small holes in the top layer, but since the layer beneath is also blue lacquer, only blue shows through. Thick crossed stitches attach the folio together, two along the top, five along the bottom (although the left-hand stitch does not come through to the upper sheet) and one to the left but not the right of the folio. The sheets appear to simply be stuck along the right hand side.
Decorated first folios: frames [ TITLE PAGE]
The verso side of gcig (1b) is mid-blue, 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, but in this case, instead of a simple pattern of gold on the azure blue page, we find that the strips of the key design are in black lacquer, outlined in gold, and the background is mid-blue, slightly shiny but unlacquered. The upper sheet has a rectangular window cut out for the text, 442 x 70mm, outlined (around the frame) with a red paint line.
Also, uniquely in this first volume, beneath the legend for the central miniature, within a gold outlined black lacquer box fitting into a rectangle of blue made by the pattern of intertwining gold lines, in two lines of tiny gold writing we find a name (possibly identifying the artist or head of the team of artists), which reads, "snya bsod nams [sa subscribed, end line] chos 'phel/".
Decorated first folios: window curtain
There is a silk cover fitted over the window. Unlike the other volumes which have three layers, this volume, as the first, has five, although only the upper and bottom layers are complete rectangles. The other layers seem to consist of outer borders, about 20mm wide. All five layers are stitched together. The yellow layer is at the top, with a wide band of blue stitching outlining the bottom three sides of an inner rectangle at the upper part of the layer. There is gold thread around the outside of this top layer, measuring 410 x 50 mm visible (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above). A blue layer is second from the top, with orange thread around the outside, measuring 420 x 65 mm visible. The third layer is white with gold brocade and blue thread around the outside, measuring 428 x 67 mm visible. A green layer is fourth, with pale yellow thread around the outside, measuring 436 x 72 mm visible, and the fifth layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 442 (top)/ 446 (bottom) x 76 mm visible. They are not exact rectangles of material, the lower edge of the orange layer forms a slightly wavy line, and in parts it only just covers the whole of the window frame; its left edge bulges slightly.
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. Uniquely in this volume, before the writing, after the triple yig mgo, we find a flaming jewel motif, coloured gold, red and blue. There are miniatures to the left, right, and centre, besides which the areas for writing are bounded by vertical strips with a regular pattern of gold lines. This is unlike other volumes which each have a single such pattern as borders for the right and left miniatures, but not for the central miniature. The pattern on the strips bordering the left and right miniatures is made up of the hexagon and dot pattern with 5-8 dots surrounding each central dot. The pattern on the strips bordering the central miniature is made up of the diamond and swastika pattern. (See "General Information on Volumes" for descriptions of these patterns.) The strips bordering the miniatures at the sides are roughly 10 mm wide, while the strips bordering the central miniature are narrower, 7-8 mm wide. Moreover, in this volume there are further horizontal strips as borders underneath the left and right (but not central) miniatures. In each case, we find a strip of similar dimensions to the vertical strips (8-10 mm wide), split into two bands. Above, there is a narrow band, which has the same pattern in both, a wavy line going along the strip, forming a series of areas above and below in each of which there is a curved line pattern. In the case of the lefthand miniature, the larger horizontal band below has the same diamond and swastika pattern which we find as the side borders for the central miniature; in the case of the righthand miniature, the larger horizontal band below has the same hexagon pattern which we find as the side borders for the left and right miniatures.
The larger miniature in the centre, which breaks up the page, is within a rectangle measuring 65 x 70mm, although the paintings of the consorts extend outside the frame into the gold patterned strips. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle measuring 50 x 60mm (although the bottom extends very slightly over the horizontal strip below), the righthand miniature's rectangle is 49 x 60mm (although the bottom extends very slightly over the horizontal strip below). The legends for the miniatures are written below each, within the border of gold lines outside the window. Each legend is within double ornamental brackets:
[first, to the left:] {{//rig 'dzin tshe dbang nor bu la na mo//}} [second, to the left of centre:] {{//lha lcam man dha ra ba// [yig mgo x 1]//sangs rgyas gnyis [syllable broken after ga, continued with nyis to the right of centre, on the other side of the gold outlined black vertical strip transversing text] pa oyan rje// mkha'gro [hole over ga, obscuring na ro]ye shes mtsho [almost entirely rubbed out, but this reconstruction is in line with other volumes] rgyal//}} [third, to the right:] {{ [yig mgo x 1]//slob dpon hu'm. chen ka ra la na mo//}}Modern library pagination and markings
At the upper left-hand side of 2a, a small white rectangular label is stuck, with numbers written sideways in pencil: 288 and (below, small) 24.
Near the bottom lefthand side of 2b, there is a circular black Bodleian Library stamp; the shelfmark is given in pencil along the left margin: MS.Tibet.a.24.
Size of folios
The second folio, gnyis, measures 576 x 124 mm.
State of preservation
As with folio gcig, there are many small holes over the second folio, marring the writing and miniatures, although the writing remains legible.
Decorated second folios
Uniquely in this first volume, the recto side of gnyis is not simply the usual blue lacquer, but is designed similarly to 1b (without the curtained window), and there are further miniatures. The folio is a laminate of about 5 sheets. Thick crossed stitches attach the folio together, two along the top, two along the bottom and one to the left and right, although the stitch on the right has come out and is only in evidence on the verso side. Where the stitch has come away, it is possible to see that, of the inner plain paper sheets, some are entirely plain, while some have red margins and ruled lines. Again, we find mid-blue around the outside of the page, with elaborate intertwining straight gold lines, with the same interlocking key design in black lacquer, outlined in gold, against the mid-blue background, as on 1b . The upper sheet has a rectangular window drawn in the centre (not cut out as in 1b) for the text, 457mm x 72 (left)/ 75 (right) mm, outlined with a red paint line. Within the frame is a double lined gold rectangle drawn on black lacquer, with 4 lines of gold writing. There are miniatures to the left and right, besides which the areas for writing are bounded by a double gold line. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle measuring 53 x 70mm; the righthand miniature's rectangle is 50 x 72mm. The legends for the miniatures are written below each, within the border of gold lines beneath the window. Each legend is within double ornamenal brackets: [first, to the left:] {{[yig mgo x 1]//chos sku kun tu bzang po la na mo//}} [some of this is smudged out, but it remains just about legible] [second, to the right:] {{[yig mgo x 1]//bde can zhing na mgon po 'od dpag med la na mo//}} [some of this is smudged out, but it remains just about legible]
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 have 4 lines each of black writing; 3b - 5b have 5 lines of slightly smaller writing; 6a, has 6 lines of writing. The outlined boxes measure as follows. 2b: outer box, 500 x 80 mm; inner box, 482 x 64 (left)/ 67 (right) mm; 3a: outer box, 487 x 80 (left)/ 84 (right) mm; inner box, 469 x 64 (left)/ 68 (right) mm; 3b: 491 x 82 mm; 4a: 483 x 80 mm; 4b: 487 x 80 (left)/ 76 (right) mm; 5a: 483 x 80 mm; 5b: 482 x 79 mm; 6a: 486 x 80 mm. The boxes are not very exact rectangles, and the ink sometimes makes thicker lines. 6b starts the usual style of red margins down the side and 7 lines per side.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
There are two folios 58 (nga brgyad). The first of these (given first in the microfilm), which has writing slightly larger and thicker than the preceding and following folios, is a misplaced folio. It gives a chapter reference as follows: (58a line 6-6) thugs kyi rgyud dam pa las/ thugs rje 'byung ba'i tshul bstan pa'i le'u ste gnyis pa'o// This corresponds to the second chapter of the "byang chub kyi sems thugs kyi rgyud rin po che spungs pa'i rgyan", found in gTing skyes Vol Ga (Kaneko 47) (and in Virginia's catalogue Vol Pa: Tb.309). In a comparison of the folio against gTing skyes Ga: 120.6-123.1, which gives the end of ch.2 and beginning of ch.3, the text corresponds exactly to what we find on our misplaced folio. It is highly likely that this text would be found in our Volume Ga, but we are missing this volume. This folio might come from another collection entirely, since it is clearly marked as part of Vol. Ka, although it is possible that it is a folio from Volume Ga, mislabelled as Ka. We have a similar instance of misplaced folios labelled as belonging to Volume La (la brgya gnyis and brgya bdun), which in fact fit in Volume Wa. It would be necessary to find our missing Volume Ga to establish whether this has happened in this case.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Note that there are two folios 151 (brgya nga gcig); they are not distinguished as gong and 'og, but one clearly follows the other.
Modern library pagination and markings
On the final page, 294a, there is a black circular Bodleian Library stamp to the lefthand side of the margin, dated 18.3.1909.
Page settings
294a is the final page. The text is within a red rectangular box, measuring 482 x 83 mm, with 6 ruled lines, of which 3 are used. 294b has seven ruled lines and red margins, which are not used. There are, however, a few very faint syllables scribbled sideways about three-quarters of the way across the page, but these appear to have been on an underneath layer of paper used for repairing a tear (see below), and they do not seem to have any relevance for our subject matter.
State of preservation
This final folio is quite badly damaged. Besides a number of small holes over the page (as on so many other folios in this volume), it has large tears out of the edges, the bottom righthand corner is torn away, and there are some tears and creases down the page. It seems that the folio had been torn into two. There is a tear right down the folio on the righthand side, but the two sides of the page have been joined back together: a piece of paper has been stuck along the tear line on the verso side of the folio. Repairs/reinforcements of the folio are also evidenced by strips of paper stuck along both sides of the upper and bottom edges. Despite the poor condition of the folio, all the writing is clearly legible.