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: "343 pages"; and in blue writing, "MISC. COLL. GYUT 28"; and in large Tibetan writing, "rgyud sa".
Paper composition
Most sheets are rather thick, appearing to consist of at least two layers.
Size of folios
The size of the plain sheets is 577 x 125mm. There is some size variation (eg. folio 55 is 574mm in length), and some sheets are not cut very straight, especially down the left-hand edges.
Sheet numberings
As in other volumes, many of the sheets also have tiny Tibetan numerals written sideways, in this case, at the middle of the left-hand side of the page. Some 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.
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. They are written with a flourish, with some slight differences in style, some are larger or more elongated than others.
Compared with many other volumes, there is less use of tsheg shad (U0F0F) after 1st syllables on a line. Rin chen spungs shad (U0F11) is used to mark folio numbers 100, 200 and 300, but not usually after 1st syllables; unusually, we also do not find yig mgo to mark the Sanskrit or other titles of new texts.
Handwriting
The writing in this volume seems to be of a fairly consistent style throughout, similar to that of Vol. Pha, and varying slightly in size.
Corrections and interventions
Unlike other volumes, there are corrections on many pages in the first half of the volume, written in red ink. These corrections continue up to and include 145, but then they stop.
State of preservation
Some sheets are frayed or torn or have rips at the edges or (eg. 244), a small hole in the centre of the sheet which seems to have been caused by a tear, 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 38-40, 80, 126-131, 144, 146, 150-1, 269, 282-4) have a single indentation at one edge, a single hole near an edge (116, 218, 244, 255, 311-2, 317, 340), or more than one edge indentation (180-1, 185-7, 326-9, 331, 334, 336-39, 343), or edge indentations and a hole (49, 59, 266, 318, 333, 341-2). Very occasional sheets (228-9, 254, 258, 264) have a single larger hole away from the edge of the page, although it is not always clear whether such holes are due to tears or insects. Some sheets (eg. 4-5) have a single corner torn off.
Cover folios
The blue lacquered front folio measures 545 x 112mm. The recto side is plain blue in colour, with margins ruled in red, making a box measuring 460 x 47mm. The verso is also plain blue, and the index leaves are sewn to the right of the folio.
Index leaf 4: 110 x 85mm, plain beige canvas type cloth, badly fraying and thin in places, with writing: [yig mgo x 1]/ /gled. bam. sa [sa only in red, rest, black ink] pa 'di la/
Sa1, phur pa'i bshad rgyud dri med 'od ldan/
Sa2, phur bu mya ngan las 'das pa'i rgyud chen po/
Sa3, phur bu gsod byed 'bar ba'i rgyud/
Sa4, yan lag khro bcu'i rgyud la hu'm. ka ra'i rgyud/
Sa5, rnam.r rgyal ba'i rgyud/
Sa6, dbyug pa sngon po'i rgyud/
Sa7, gshine gshed kyi rgyud/
Sa8, mi g.yo ba'i rgyud/
Sa9, rta mgrin gyi rgyud/
Sa10, gzhan gyis mi thub pa'i rgyud/
Sa11, bdud rtsi 'khyil pa'i rgyud/
Sa12, kham.s gsum. rnam. rgyal gyi rgyud/
Sa13, stobs po che'i rgyud/
Sa14, rgyud kyi rgyal po rdo rje phur pa zhes bya ba drag po las kyi rtog pa/
Sa15, phur pa rdo rje bkod pa rnalyor chen po'i rgyud/
Sa16, de bzhin gshegs pa tham.d kyi sku gsung thugs ye shes thams cad 'dus pa sangs rgyas 'dud pa'i rgyud/
Sa17, phur pa gsang ba'i rgyud chen po
rnams bzhugso/
Decorated first folios: construction
The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 12 sheets, 571 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 407mm x 67mm. 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 74mm, 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 440 x 62mm visible (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above). A blue layer is the middle layer, with white thread around the outside, measuring 450 x 68mm visible. The third and final layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 459 x 74mm visible. They are not exact rectangles of material, coming out a little at both sides near the bottom, and slightly shorter on the 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, the diamond and swastika 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, 80 (above)/ 81 (below) x 69 mm. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle 50 x 69mm, the righthand miniature's rectangle is 49 x 70mm. 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' [da' ra ba are slightly smudged out and da' is questionable] ra ba/[yig mgo x 1]//sangs rgyas gnyis pa [pa is smudged out but is consistent with other volumes] oyan [then continues to the right of centre, on the other side of the gold vertical strip transversing the text:] rje/ mkha'gro yees mtsho rgyal}} [third, to the right:] {{ [yig mgo x 1]/dpal kyi ye shes 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, some of which is smudged out, within a double gold rectangular box, the outer measuring 478 x 80mm. 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 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 are ruled with 7 lines and red margins, and one has been written on, possibly for handwriting practice. 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. Some of the boxes are not very exact rectangles, eg. the outer box on 3a has a left-hand side the 78mm, and a right-hand side 82mm. 4 and 5 have a large tear out of left-hand corner, but the writing is unaffected. The boxes measure 486-492mm x 78-82mm. 6b starts the usual style of red margins down each side and 7 lines per side.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Note that there is a bcu gsum gong and a following folio called bcu gsum 'og. The English blue pencil numbering has 13 for bcu gsum gong, and the wording, 'duplicate' for bcu gsum 'og, but this is not a 'duplicate'!
State of preservation
33 has a hole in the sheet, but although within the writing area, it leaves the writing intact.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Note that there is a 146 gong and a 146 'og, which follows. They are both simply labelled as 146 in the English blue pencil numerals.
State of preservation
295 has a large part of the bottom right corner torn off but the writing is unaffected.
Page settings
343a is the final page. It is set out with 6 ruled lines (only 5 used) within a red rectangular box with margins, 496 x 81mm (left)/ 78mm (right). 343b is blank.