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: "310 pages"; and in blue writing, "MISC. COLL.N GYUT 16"; and in large Tibetan writing, "rgyud ma".
Size of folios
The size of the plain sheets is 577 x 125mm.
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. 12a-13b have 8 lines per side.
Ornaments, openings and punctuation
Double yig mgo are found in the upper left corner of all recto sides, apart from 1-5. gNyis, gsum, bzhi and lnga each have a triple yig mgo, and the verso side of gcig also has a triple yig mgo. The regular double yig mgo are written with a flourish, usually starting 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 of a fairly consistent style throughout, similar to that of Volume Pha, and varying slightly in size, although some sheets have writing with ink strokes rather thicker than others.
State of preservation
The writing in this volume is rarely obscured by tears and rips. There does not appear to be much insect damage to the sheets in this volume. Most sheets are in a good state with few holes or tears - there are occasional small holes, especially at the top edges of the sheets, or near the top (eg.73), more rarely at the side (eg.117). Some sheets are a little discoloured or dirty. Some sheets have pieces of paper stuck to them as repairs - eg. 45 has a small piece of paper stuck to the top of the folio, apparently as a repair of a small tear. The final sheets from 278 have some stains and creases but the writing remains clearly legible. There are also some blotches, going through the sheets, especially at the bottom and right-hand side of the recto sides, on the last few folios. The last few folios also have a large hole beneath the writing at the bottom on the right-hand side.
Cover folios
The blue lacquered front folio is plain blue in colour, the recto side having margins ruled in red, making a box measuring 457 x 53mm. The verso side is also plain blue, and the index leaves are sewn to the right of the folio, attached onto a plain sheet of ordinary paper stuck onto the verso side.
Index leaf 1: 94mm visible x 76mm, torn blue brocade front, sewn with an orange thread border, plain reddish-orange back. It bears a rectangular IOL paper sticker, white with red borders (see above), red handwriting, '310 pages'; blue writing, 'MISC. COLL.N GYUT 16', and in large Tibetan writing, 'rgyud ma'.
Index leaf 2: 94mm visible x 85mm, front plain yellow silk, with dark stained patches, sewn with a blue thread border, the red Tibetan letter ma embroidered, 18mm down x 17mm across, plain beige canvas type cloth back.
Index leaf 3: 100mm visible x 97mm, reddish-orange silk, dirty and frayed at edged, a dirty and stained golden coloured thread border; the back, plain beige canvas type cloth.
Index leaf 4: 96mm visible x 80mm, plain beige canvas type cloth, badly fraying and thin in places, two horizontal neatly ruled lines to top and bottom, between which there is writing: [yig mgo x 1]/ /gled. bam ma [ma in red, slightly larger] pa 'di la/
Ma1, rdo rje gsang ba'i snying po rtsa ba'i rgyud/
Ma2, khro bo chen po stobs kyi dbang phyug sgrub pa'i rgyud dka' ba/ gcod pa man ngag gi snying po/
Ma3, khro be stobs rnal 'byor dbang phyug sgrub pa sgyu 'phrul dra ba/
Ma4, sgyu 'phrul snying po bkod pa'i rgyud/
Ma5, Ma6, sangyas mnyam sbyor sku yi rgyud/
Ma7, de'i rgyud phyi ma/
Ma8, phyi ma'i phyi ma/
Ma9, zla gsang thig le gsung gi rgyud
rnams bzhugso//
Decorated first folios: construction
The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 12 sheets, 565 x 121 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 424 x 68mm. The blue sheet is torn slightly at the edges and there there is one hole within the box, which also affects some of plain sheets below, along with a couple of smaller holes near the bottom of the blue sheet. 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, 456 x 75mm, outlined (around the frame) with a red paint line. One section of the top of the window frame is torn off, and there are also some tears in the lower window frame.
Decorated first folios: window curtain
There is a material cover fitted over the window, with three layers. The yellow layer is at the top, with gold thread around the outside, and it measures 430 x 61mm visible (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above, and a further 21mm are visible up to the top of the page where the top of the blue frame has been torn away). A blue layer is the middle layer, with white thread around the outside, measuring 443 x 65mm visible. The third and final layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 451 x 72mm visible. Horizontal straight red stitches can be seen attaching the cloth to the folio where the top of the blue frame has been torn away. They are not exact rectangles of material, the orange comes out a little at both sides near the bottom, and is slightly shorter on the right, not quite covering the bottom of the window.
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, the 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, 82 x 70mm. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle 50 x 70mm, the righthand miniature's rectangle is the same size. 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:] {{//lha lcam man da' [- a small piece of plain white paper is stuck on at this point, presumably as a repair, crudely sticking together the two torn parts of the bottom section of the blue sheet, and obscuring the writing, which most probably continues, as in other volumes: ra ba/ yig mgo x 1//sangs rgyas gnyis pa oyan ] [then continues to the right of centre, on the other side of the gold vertical strip transversing text:] rje/ mkha'gro ye shes mtsho rgyal}} [third, to the right:] {{ [yig mgo x 1]//dpal gyi dbang phyug la na mo//}}Size of folios
The second folio, gnyis, measures 577 x 127 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 480 x 76mm. The margins are ruled as usual, with the collection, volume and folio identification to the left. The folio is a laminate of about 10 pages, 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; 3b - 5b, have 5 lines of slightly smaller writing, and 6a, 6 lines of writing. The boxes measure as follows. 2b: 480 x 82mm; 3a: 485 x 80mm; 3b: 492 x 80mm; 4a: 482 x 82mm; 4b: 488 x 81mm; 5a: 490 x 82mm; 5b: 490 x 82mm; 6a: 489 x 81 to the right and 86mm to the left. 6b starts the usual style of red margins down each side and 7 lines per side.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Folio 10 is missing.
Microfilm
Part of the left hand of 11a is obscured on the microfilm but the manuscript is undamaged.
Page settings
Note that 12a-13b have 8 lines per side.
Microfilm
20b, 21a and b, and 22b are repeated on the film.
State of preservation
Folio 45 has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the top left edge of the folio, as the repair of a small tear.
Page settings
Note that 93a - 95b have six lines per side.
State of preservation
98 has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the bottom left edge of the folio.
State of preservation
101 has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the bottom left edge of the folio, as a repair of a small tear.
State of preservation
129b has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the bottom right edge of the page, apparently as a repair of a small tear.
State of preservation
137 has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the bottom centre edge of the folio, as a repair of a small tear.
State of preservation
169 has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the bottom centre edge of the folio, as a repair of a small tear.
State of preservation
227 has a small hole in the centre, and the paper is very thin in the central area, but the writing remains legible.
State of preservation
235 has a small piece of plain paper stuck to the bottom centre edge of the folio, as a repair of a small tear.
State of preservation
304 has two small pieces of plain paper stuck around the bottom edge of the folio, as a repair of tears.
Page settings
Folio 310 is the final folio. 310a has a red box with 6 ruled lines, 493 x 80mm. 310b has a red box 490 x 80mm to the right, 81mm to the left, with five ruled lines, but it is otherwise blank.
State of preservation
The final folio 310 has a large piece of plain paper stuck to the top left edge of the folio, as a repair of a large tear, but the writing is not obscured. It is especially affected by blotches (see codicological information above), and the writing from the previous folio appears to have come out indistinctly across the page. However, the writing meant to be on the page is still legible.