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 long strip of Western style flower patterned cloth 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, "359 pages"; blue writing, "MISC. COLLN. GYUT 27.", and in large Tibetan writing, "rgyud sha".
Paper composition
Some sheets are thinner than others (eg. 42), although most are quite thick, appearing to consist of two layers of paper.
Size of folios
There are slight variations in size of plain sheets : most are 572-579 x 125 mm. Some sheets are not cut very straight. In particular, many of the left-hand edges go down to the left or right, occasionally (eg. 147, 251, 318), the bottom edge is not straight.
Sheet numberings
As in other volumes, many of the sheets (starting at gnyis on folio 12) have tiny Tibetan numerals written sideways, some of which are missing or partially cut off, and some are numbered in letters written in the bottom left corners. 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 lines on 202a go up 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. 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 a little variable in style, with some variation in size, thickness and shape; the letters are mostly clear and distinct.
Corrections and interventions
An interesting feature of a few of the corrections in this volume, as in Volume Zha, is that where insertions are added, sometimes, attention is drawn to the addition by a small light red stain marking the place on the page, eg. 21b.
We have instances (218b, 245b, 294a, 336a, 276) of an insertion marked in the same way as that on 236b of volume 'A and 144b of volume Ya: a symbol of a cross with a small circle in each of the four corners made by the cross; the symbol marks the place in the text and is repeated above or below the writing area, in front of the insertion which is given in small writing.
Readers' marks
139a has two syllables of coarse writing beneath the writing area, seemingly a doodle with no relation to the text. Similarly, 140a appears to have some scribbled syllables, although these are very unclear.
Marks and blemishes
There are some ink smudges (eg. 27b, 58b, 138b) but the writing remains legible.
State of preservation
The writing in this volume is rarely obscured by tears and rips, although there is considerable damage to the last few folios, presumably by water, with part of the top layer of paper from one sheet sticking to the adjacent folio. The problem starts from 351b; the writing on 352b-355a is virtually unaffected, but 2 lines are affected on both 355b-356a, 3 lines on 356b-357a. There is a large amount of writing missing on 357b-358a, and 358b-359a are also badly affected, although much of the writing is just about legible. Most sheets, however, are in a reasonable state with few holes or tears - there are some edge indentations, occasional small holes and tears, some folios which are rather crinkled, and many sheets are brownish in colour and in some cases rather dirty. However, the clear writing is hardly ever obscured . Some sheets have edge indentations, eg. 8, 10-11, 17-18, 20, 24, 27, 44, 46, 48-51, 64, 67, 77-80, 83-4, 100-107, 117-9, 124, 138, 157-8, 161, 203-5, 208-9, 214-221, 223, 225-7, 232-243, 256-7, 266, 270-1, 281-6, 287, 290, 307-8, 320-2, 324, 327, 329-331, and most sheets from 338. Some sheets have one or more small holes outside the writing area, eg. 4-8, 10-14, 80-81, 137, 141, 148, 151, 189-191, 218, 258-9, 278, 280, 297-8, 310-13, 334. Some have one or more holes within the writing area, eg. 9, 11, 17, 76, 92, 146, 175-9, 195-9, 308, 318, which may affect the writing, but it is usually possible to work out the affected word. Some sheets have one or more edge tears, eg. 18, 23, 53, 90, 116, 177, 224, 233, 257, 262. Some (eg. 92, 299, 309) have a small part of a corner torn away. There are some repairs of edge tears and holes; some sheets (eg. 9b, 30b, 184b, 209b) have a small piece of paper stuck over one side of a tear/hole, some (eg. 81, 131, 153, 196, 284, 308), over both sides, and some (eg. 243) have more than one repair.
Cover folios
The blue lacquered front folio has been torn into two pieces (there is some evidence of stitch holes where there might once have been an attempt to stitch the two parts of the sheet together), and has holes at both the two ends, suggesting that the index leaves were once attached to one of the sides. Placing the two sides of the folio together, it measures approximately 554 x 115 mm. It also has tears around the edges. The lacquer in the lacquered area has come away in parts. The recto side is plain blue in colour, with margins ruled in red, making a box measuring 456? - uncertain due to tear - x 36 mm. The verso is also plain blue.
Index leaf 4: 116 mm x 85 mm, plain beige canvas type cloth, stained with dirt, fraying slightly at the edges. Two neatly ruled red lines at each of the 4 sides, between which there is writing: [yig mgo x 1]/ /gled. bam. sha [sha in red, slightly larger] pa 'di la/
Sha1, rdo rje phur pa gsang [?previous 2 sylls virtually illegible due to tearing of cloth] ba'i rtsa ba rnalyor chen po yang dag pa'i rgyud/
Sha2, phur pa gsang chen rdo rje 'phreng ba'i rgyud/
Sha3, rdo rje khros pa rtsa ba'i rgyud/
Sha4, phur pa 'jig rten snang byed kyi rgyud/
Sha5, ga [= gab?] pa gsang ba'i rgyud/
Sha6, 'byung po kun 'dul gyi rgyud/
Sha7, phur pa zhe sdang yongs su dag pa'i rgyud/
Sha8, gsang ba gdam ngag can gyi rgyud/
Sha9, dbyings dang ye shes gnyisu med pa'i rgyud/
Sha10, rdo rje phur pa me long gsal ba'i spu gri reg chod kyi rgyud/
Sha11, phur pa karma las kyi rgyud/
Sha12, rdo rje phur pa gtor ma'i rgyud/
Sha13, yagsha za byed 'bar ba dam tshig gi rgyud/
Sha14, bse sgrom dmar po'i rgyud/
Sha15, mdung rtse dmar po'i rgyud/
Sha16, shwa na ma dkar nag gi rgyud/
Sha17, sbas pa zab mo mdung rtse'i rgyud/
Sha18, karma ku ru'i rgyud/
Sha19, rdo rje 'bar ba gsang ba'i rgyud/
Sha20, thugs rje khros pa rtsa ba'i rgyud kyi bshad pa/
Sha21, rdo rje ['greng bu displaced, cluster above] phur pa gsang ba'i dgongs rgyud chen mo
rnam.s bzhugso// //
Substitutes for missing first folios
The original first folio, gcig, is missing. There is a replacement folio, 550 x 112mm (left)/ 115mm (right), with a blue laquered recto side and plain paper on the back, with an IOL note attached to the recto side: 'Front page No. I missing. 1-2-1949.'
The recto side is blue lacquer, with a red box and margins ruled, in the manner of the front folio with index leaves, not as in the usual folio gcig. There are no collection, volume, and folio identifications at the left border. There is stitching down the left edge and stitch holes along the right edge of the top lacquered sheet, possibly suggesting that this sheet may once have been a front folio with index leaves attached. There are some small tears around the edges. The box measures 450 x 43 mm, with vertical lines not at exact right angles to horizontal lines but coming down slightly to the left.
The verso side (1b) is plain paper. There are no borders or lines of any kind drawn. Three lines simply give the first title, presumably as it would have appeared in original. It is written in very poor, large writing.
Cloth volume wrapping
The whole text is wrapped in a coarse square piece of red cloth with a fringe along one side, and along the fringed edge, there is black Indian printed writing. String is attached to two corners to tie around and secure the wrapped text.
Size of folios
The second folio, gnyis, measures 572 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 477 x 76 mm, the inner, 460 x 66 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 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; 3b - 4b, have 5 lines of slightly smaller writing, and 5a-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: eg. the lines on 4a-4b come up slightly at the right. The boxes measure as follows. 2b (outer): 480 x 81 mm; 3a (outer): 498 x 85 mm; 3b: 495 x 82 mm; 4a: 488 x 80 mm; 4b: 490 x 80 mm; 5a: 476 x 85 mm; 5b: 477 x 82 mm; 6a: 500 x 80 mm. 6b starts the usual style of red margins down each side and 7 lines per side.
Page settings
283a is an internal title page. 282a, which completes the previous text, has a red box, 495 x 80 mm, with 6 ruled lines, of which three are used. 282b is blank. 283a has a red box, 488 x 63 mm, with the title centred, and 283b also has a red box, 500 x 84 mm.
Missing or misplaced folios and other numbering anomolies
Folio 313 is missing. In the original, it is simply missing, with no note.
Microfilm
There is a black space on the microfilm as a substitute for the missing folio 313.
Page settings
359a is the final page. The text is within a red rectangular box, 496 x 79 mm, with 6 ruled lines, of which 5 are used. 359b is blank. There is also a further folio which is blank apart from a red box on one side, without any ruled lines.
State of preservation
The final folio 359 is rather damaged: there is some evidence of water damage, especially to the top of the sheet, with a layer of paper from the previous sheet attaching to part of the upper lines. Despite this, most of the page is legible. The further unnumbered sheet is also damaged and stained, presumably by water, and it has several holes in it.