Introduction 50 The Origins of the Great Perfection in Tibet and the Emergence of its Early Literature 51 The Eighteen Texts (or is it Twenty?) in the 9th Century: gNubs chen’s Lamp for the Eye in Meditation 57 The Eighteen Texts in gNubs chen’s Lamp for the Eye in Meditation 62 The Eighteen Texts in the 11th and 12th Centuries: Rong zom, Rog ban, and Nyang ral 64 Rong zom Chos kyi bzang po’s Disclosing the Great Vehicle Approach 65 Rog ban Shes rab’s Lamp of the Teachings 66 Making a List and Checking it twice: Nyang ral Nyi ma od’ zer and the Systematization of the Eighteen Texts of the Mind Series 67 Nyang ral Nyi ma od’ zer’s Eighteen Texts in The Copper Continent 68 Nyang ral Nyi ma od’ zer’s Eighteen Texts in the Religious History 69 Clay Pots, Deerskin Hoods, and Goat’s Milk Ink: Master Śrī Siṃha, Bai ro tsa na, and the Eighteen Texts in the 13th Century 72 All Hail to the All Sovereign King: The lDe’u jo sras and the Decline of the Eighteen Texts as a Corpus 77 Five Early Translations (lNga 'gyur lnga'o) 77 Thirteen Later Translations (Phyis 'gyur bcu gsum zhes bya'o) 78 Trying to Make Sense of it All: Klong chen pa and the reception of the Eighteen Texts in the 14th Century 79 "The Five Early Translations" (sNga 'gyur lnga) 80 The Thirteen Later Translations (Phyir 'gyur bcu gsum) 81 Finding the Needle in the Haystack: Looking for the Eighteen Texts in the Various rNying ma rgyud ‘bum Collections 83 The Six Spheres (Thig le drug pa) is included in the text Nyi zla dang mnyam pa dri ma med pa'i rgyud (Tb. 40) 86 When a Number is not a Number: The Eighteen Texts as an Idea 86 Bibliography 88 Primary Sources 88 Secondary Sources 90
