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. At the front of the volume, there is a small rectangle of the same colour orange cloth as that used for wrapping the text (see below) but more closely woven, 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, reading, '328 pages', blue writing, reading, 'MISC. COLL. GYUT 17', and in large Tibetan writing, 'rgyud tsa'.
Paper composition
Some sheets are thicker than others; most are quite thick, appearing to consist of two layers of paper, which is clear in cases where the layers are beginning to come apart.
Size of folios
The size of the plain sheets is 577 x 125mm. There is some size variation (eg. 227 is 570 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.
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, and are rarely large in comparison with some of the other volumes. 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, and sheets near the end of the volume tend to have smaller writing than earlier ones.
State of preservation
The writing in this volume is rarely obscured by tears and rips. Most sheets are in a reasonable state with few holes or tears - there are occasional small holes and tears. Some sheets have small edge indentations at the bottom of sheets, eg. 2-4, 64, 79, 88, 89, 118, 188, 231, 237, 318. There is a small hole and tear at the bottom of 13 but it does not affect the writing. There is a small indentation and tear at the top of 29a. There are some indentations and tears at the sides, especially on the right - eg. 47, 51, 58, 62, 77, 80, 81, 96, 110, 111, 114, 158, 160, 177-181, 187-193, 196-200, 209, 230-1, 237-8, 262-6, 270-1, 280, 282-5, 302, 322-3. Folio 214 has a few tears and indentations around the sides and top. 246 has an indentation on the left-hand side, so too 323-327. 279-287, and 322-328 have small indentations at the top. 66 has a small hole on the right-hand side; so too has 72, 73, and 154. 166 has small holes in the middle of the page but the writing remains legible. 63 has the right bottom corner torn off, and tears to the side and bottom; 92 the top right corner torn off; 184 has the bottom left corner torn off, 203 the top left corner torn off. 64 and 88 have creases along the left top corner; 223 and 293 are creased along the bottom right corner. 75 has a hole in the writing area, but the words remain legible. 90 has a tear at the top; 169 has a tear at the bottom. Many sheets are a little discoloured or dirty, with some ink smudging, and some blotches. The last few sheets have a number of black blotches at the top right. The final sheets 327 and 328 are particularly discoloured in this respect. Some sheets have pieces of paper stuck to them as repairs - eg. 13b (bottom) has a small piece of paper stuck to it, apparently as a repair; so too do 163a, 187a, 226a, 269a, 281b, 284a, 285a, 319a, also at the bottom. 242b has a paper repair at the top left; 252a, 279a, and 281a, at the right side, 308b at the top. 18a has two small pieces of paper stuck to the bottom of the page, apparently as repairs (so too 319b), and 18b has a further piece near the bottom of the folio which rather obscures some of the last line of writing. 20a has a small piece stuck to the bottom of the side. 64 has three small pieces of paper stuck to the bottom of the page and 134 has 4 (and tears to the left-hand side). 113 has a piece overlapping the top of the recto and the bottom of the verso side. 289 has two pieces overlapping the recto and verso sides, as well as a large corner torn from the bottom right. 327 has three overlapping pieces, one quite long, and a piece stuck to the recto side, covering a whole in the right upper writing area, slightly covering some syllables, which are, nonetheless, still legible. Another hole in the same position in 328 is covered with a piece of paper stuck to the verso side. On 328a, the repair is in the right red margin area. A long piece of paper also covers the left verso side of the folio, reinforcing the left-hand side of 328a.
Cover folios
The blue lacquered front folio is plain blue in colour on the recto side, with margins ruled in red, making a box, 460 x 45mm. No index leaves are attached to the right hand side of the folio, although a single red stitch and a stitch hole indicate where the index leaves once must have been attached.
There are no index leaves in this volume.
Decorated first folios: construction
The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 12 sheets, 572 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 429 x 70mm to the right, 72mm to the left. The blue sheet is torn at the edges and the blue lacquer is rubbed off in parts. 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. Some straight red stitches are visible in a horizontal line along the bottom of the side, attaching the covering to the top of the verso side.
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 72mm, outlined (around the frame) with a red paint line. There is a tear in one section of the upper window frame, and a small blank piece of paper is stuck on, apparently repairing another tear in the top of the sheet; horizontal straight red stitches attaching the covering, are visible to the right of the upper window frame.
Decorated first folios: window curtain
There is a material 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 60mm visible (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above). A blue layer is the middle layer, with white thread around the outside, measuring 445 x 65mm visible to the right, 70mm to the left. The third and final layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 456 x 71mm visible to the right, 74mm to the left. They are not exact rectangles of material, the orange bulges out a little at both sides near the bottom, its bottom edge forms a slightly wavy line, and it does not quite cover the whole of the window frame, especially on the right, where there is a gap between the curtain and frame.
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, 84 x 67mm. The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle 52 x 68mm, the righthand miniature's rectangle is 50 x 67mm. The central miniature is a little less clear than the others, especially the central face is rather faded, dirty with marks on it. 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 dha 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, is partially rubbed out and unclear:] [possibly begins:] {{[yig mgo x 1]/ [ but unclear; the next part is unreadable, appears like:] ldan ma rtse mang//Cloth volume wrapping
The whole text is wrapped in a coarse rectangular piece of orange cloth with a fringe along one side, and a number of holes in it.
Size of folios
The second folio, gnyis, measures 577 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 475mm at the top, 477mm at the bottom x 76mm on the left, 80mm on the right. The margins are ruled as usual, with the collection, volume and folio identification to the left. The folio is a laminate of about 5 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. 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 are not very exact rectangles, and the ink sometimes is of variable thickness. Some of the lines overshoot the boxes, and this is especially noticable on 4a. The boxes measure as follows. 2b: 502top/504 bottom x 85mm; 3a: 492 x 85mm; 3b: 490 x 80mm; 4a: 487 x 80right/82mm left; 4b: 483 x 77mm; 5a: 487 x 82mm; 5b: 494top/491bottom x 83right/80mm left; 6a: 489 x 82 to right and 85mm to left. 6b starts the usual style of red margins down each side and 7 lines per side.
Microfilm
Folios 190, 191 and 192 are filmed twice.
Page settings
328a is the final side, with a red rectangular ruled box, 491 x 75mm, with 6 ruled lines. 328b is blank.
Justification
There is a space after the Good Wishes, and the final, “zhus dag”, is written at the very right-hand side of the final sixth line.