Sonam Choden

This thesis research studies how the Tibetan tradition of the composition of rgyud sde spyi rnam works begun and how was it received; the systematization and the interpretation of Buddhist Tantric doctrines within the framework of pre/non-Mahayana and pre/non-Tantric Mahayana forms of Buddhism. The study also aims to explore the impact that Rin-chen-bzang-po’s first rGyud sde spyi rnam had on the succeeding Tibetan scholars.
The main objective is in three-fold: 1) prepare a critical edition of Rin-chen-bzang-po’s rGyud sde spyi rnam, by consulting all available textual witnesses; 2) identifies the actual sources of the texts cited by Rin-chen-bzang-po and also critically edits them separately and; 3) offers annotated English translation of the rGyud sde spyi rnam.