A 17th Century Mongol Mañjuśrīnāmāśa Gīti With Commentary

A 17TH CENTURY MONGOL MAJURNMAGTI WITH COMMENTARY
Author(s): ALICE SRKZI

Source: Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, Vol. 36, No. 1/3 (1982), pp. 449468
Published by: Akadmiai Kiad
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Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hung. Tomus XXXVI (1 3), 449 468 (1982)
A 17TH CENTURY MONGOL
MA NJ URNM A S A MGTI WITH COMMENTARY

BY
ALICE SRK0ZI (Budapest)
Manjusrnmasarrigti is a favourite text among Lamaist Buddhists, and

it became one of the best known and often reproduced Mahyna scriptures
in Central Asia.
The earliest Mongolian version known so far originates from as early

as the 14th Century, and was discovered in Turfan.1 On the basis of the lan
guage, the style of the text, and the way of its carving, Prof. Weiers supposes
that the xylograph must have been prepared in the circle of the famous transla
ter, Chos-kyi 'od-zer between 12951312.2 This 14th Century version was
copied and rewritten several times in the following centuries. A Manjusrln
masaihgti is known from the white har year {cayan taulai ji) that is, as
proved by Prof. Heissig, the year 1592. This four language version was prepar
ed on the initiative of Ilayuysan buyan-u erke bayayud dai qung tayiji : toyin
C'hos rgya-mcho, the grandson of Altan Khan, and the son of the previous one,
caused it to be written down. The text of this copy differs only slightly, mainly
in spelling, from that of the 14th Century.3 From the 18th Century, two dif
frent versions are known, one of them was executed in 1722, and occurs as a
part of a Sungdui.4 Peking xylograph versions of it are preserved in the Co

1 Facsmile : E. Haenisch, Monglica der Berliner Tur]an-Sammlung II, Berlin
1959, p. 17, No A8 ; Text : L. Ligeti, Monuments Prclassiques I : Monumenta Linguae
Monglica Collecta II, Budapest 1972, pp. 141 143; D. Crnsodnom C. Altangerel,
Turjany cugluulgyn TM 40: Studia Monglica, tom. V. fasc. 6, Ulaanbaatar 1965, pp.
147 170. A detailed study: M. Weiers, Zum Textfragment TM 40 aus der Berliner
Turfansammlung : ZDMC 117 (1967), pp. 329 352.
2 M. Weiers, op. cit., 350 352.
3 W. Heissig, Beitrge zur bersetzungsgeschichte des mongolischen buddhistischen
Kanons, Gttingen 1962, pp. 23 24; W. Heissig, Review on H. Serruys, Genealogical

Tables of the Descendants of Dayan Qan, The Hague 1958: CAJ V (1959), p. 79. The
facsmile of the xylograph was published by Raghu Vira, Majurl-Ndma-Sagiti in
Mongolian, Sanskrit and Chinese: Sata-Pitaka Series, vol. 18, New-Delhi; Text: L.
Ligeti, Preklasszikus emlkek 2., XIIIXVI. sz. s a XVII. sz. eleje [Monuments Pr
classiques 2., 1316th Century, and the beginning of the 17th Century], Budapest 1965,
pp. 130-156.
4 L. Ligeti, La collection mongole Schilling von Ganstadt la Bibliothque de l'Institut :
T'oung Pao XXVII (1930), p. 134, No 3588.
29 Acta Orient. Hung. XXXVI. 1982
450
A.
SBKZI
penhagen Library, and in Washington, Chicago, Marburg,5 and Budapest.

A nearly word by word text of the 14th century version, now translated by
Bio-gros mam-pa was incorporated into the Peking Mongolian Kanjur.6 Here
it appears as the opening piece of the bulky 108 volume collection. The question
arises why just this text was chosen to open the voluminous Kanjur? The
Majusrinmasarhgti is a hymn to Majurl, who was believed to be the
symbolic deity of transcendent wisdom, the god of science and learning.
The sacred esoteric knowledge which he symbolizes represents the most im
portant and therefore the highest value in Tantric Buddhism as it is the
counterpart of and remedy against the Worst which is ignorance. So, the
place assigned to him in the Lamaist Pantheon is one of the very appreciated,
and he is considered to be one of the greatest Bodhisattvas. Ordinarily, he is
represented as carrying the sword of wisdom, and a book in his hands. He
swings his sword with its flaming point to dissipate the darkness of the mind,
to cleave the clouds of ignorance and to eut ail knots of stupidity. The book
that he carries in his left is the scripture of transcendental wisdom, the Praj
apdramita. People believed that the worship of Majurl conferred wisdom
upon them, retentive memory, intelligence and loquence, and enabled them
to master many sacred scriptures, so it is no wonder that worship of him was
chosen as the first piece in the Kanjur.7
As is natural with well known works of Buddhism, this book was also
commented upon by several Interpreters. Though the catalogues of famous
collections of Mongolian books do not list any commented Majusrinma
sarrigti, the Tanjur contains several such copies.8 They are translations from
5 W. Heissig C. R. Bawden, Catalogue of Mongol Books, Manuscripts and Xylo
graphs : Catalogue of Oriental Manuscripts, Xylographs, etc., in Danish Collections, Vol. 3,
Kopenhagen 1971, No. Mong. 307 ; W. HeissigK. Sagaster, Mongolische Handschriften,
Blockdrucke, Landkarten in Deutschland, Wiesbaden 1961, No. 171, p. 113; Heissig,
Beitrge, p. 45 ; Heissig, Blockdrucke, pp. 34, 46, No. 31 ; D. M. Farquhar, A Description

of the Mongolian Manuscripts and Xylographs in Washington, D. C. : CAJ I (1955), No.
32. 2.
8 L. Ligeti, Catalogue du Kanfur mongol imprim, Budapest 1942, No. 1, p. 1.
7 B. Bhattacharya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Oxford University Press

1924, p. 15 ff, L. A. Waddell, The Buddhism of Tibet or Lamaism, Cambridge 1971, pp. 12,
355 ; A. Getty, The Oods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo 1962, pp. 110113.
8B. Rintchen, Catalogue du Tawjur Mongol Imprim, New Delhi 1964,
No. 1274. MajuS-yin ner-e neker gleki-yin tayilburi rasiyan-u dusul kemek
orusiba the Mongolian translation is the work of YeSes chul-khrims.
1275. Qutuy-tu MajuSri-yin ner-e neker glegsen- teyin-k nomlal orusiba
also YeSes chul-khrims' translation.
1276. Qutuy-tu Majusri ner-e neker glek-yin tayilburi-i kkir gei gerel-t
kemegdek also YeSes chul-khrims' translation.
1277. Mafuiri-yin ner-e gleki-yin tusa erdem orusiba translation of YeSes
chul-khrims.
Acta Orient. Hung. XXXVI. 1982
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MAJURlNlMASAMQlTl 451
Tibetan, and the diffrent Tibetan versions were executed on the basis of
Sanskrit originis. Some of them were translated by Te-es chul-fchrims,

who was active as translator and revisor at the compilation of the Tanjur in
the late Ch'ien-lung age. He was also among the authors of the Buddhist ter
minological dictionary Merged yarqu-yin oron? Other commentaries refer to
Sumati dharm-a dvaja kirti as a translator (Rjebcun dam-ba blama-yin Nom-un
kriyen- iabi Sumati dharm-a dvafa kirti). He was identified with the Ist
Pan-chen Blo-bza chos-kyi rgyal-mchan, anyhow, this supposition does not
seem very probable, and needs further study.10 The name of a certain Lubsang
cimbai occurs as the Mongolian translator of No. 2516. He belonged to the
1278. Manjur-yin ner-e gleki-yin ilete onul orusiba YeSes chul-khrims'

translation colophon in vers.
2099. Qutuy-tu ManjuSr-yin neres-i neker glegsen- udq-a-yi todorayulun

iledgi kemegdek : bayai Dga'-rab rdo-rje ber jokiyaysan orosibai it was translate! by
gSi parulita Sabs-drun noyan Coa rje Sumati-dharm-a kirti dhovaja in the Nom-un Kriyen
of the Bjebcun damba blam-a.
2102. Qutuy-tu Manjur-yin ner-e-yi neker glegSi-yin tayilburi jirken- ile
onul kemegdek yeke bayai Soytu gei vir ber jokiyaysan oruaibai
Sumati dharm-a dvaja kirti translate!, who was the Sab i gSi par/dita zab-dru
noyan of the Nom-un Kriyen of the Bjebcun damba blam-a.
2516. Qutuy-tu Manjur-yin ner-e-yi neker glek-yi yekede nomlayaan. The
translator is Lubsang imbai who belonged to the Caylasi gei am-e in Koke gota. A nice
long colophon in verse.
2517. Qutuy-tu Manjusryin ner-e-yi neker glegei ner-e-t-yin tayilburi
2518. Qutuy-tu ManjuSr-yin ner-e-yi neker glegSi-yin tayilburi orosiba
2519. Qutuy-tu ManjuSr-yin ner-e-yi neker gleky-yin tayilburi ner-e udq-a-yi
todorayuluci kemegdek oroaiba
2520. Getlgegci Manjur-yin ner-e-yi glegei jirken- quriyangyui orosibai
2521. Qutuy-tu Manjur-yin ner-e-yi neker glegei ubadis-un tayilburi kemegdek
2522. Qutuy-tu Manjuryin ner-e-yi neker glegci-yin aqui yeke tayilburi
2523. ManjuSri-yin ner-e-yi neker glek-yin tayilburi yurban yosun-u todorayu
luyci orosiba
2524. ManjuSr-yin ner-e-yi sayisiyan glegsen tayilburi orosiba
2525. Manjuiri-yin ner-e-yi glegei quriyangyui berke tayilburi orosiba. For the
first time it was translate! by the Kesigten gsi Dorji Bincin, then by mergen rabjamba
Sirb bdanzin of ' Brayisboyig( !) smalu( ?) and by gsi Bdelim of Doluyan nayur.
2526. Qutuy-tu ManjuSir-yin neres-i neker glegei mawlal-un jang ile kkir gei
oytaryui kemek
9 W. Heissig, Blockdrucke, p. 86 ; M. Taube, Tibetische Handschriften und Block
drucke, Wiesbaden 1966, No. 2690, 2691, 2692 ; The first part of Merged yarqu-yin oron
was published in 1968 in Ulan Ud by R. E. Pubaev and B. D. Dandarov, Istocnik mud

recov. Tibetsko-mongol'skij terminologieshij slovar' buddhizma. Cf. B. D. DandarovB. V.
Semicov, 0 tibetsko-mongoVskom slovare Istocnik mudrecov : Trudy BKNII SO AN

SSSB 3, Ulan Ud 1960.
10 Heissig, Blockdrucke, 47, 56, 67, 70, 83; Taube, op. cit., Nos 1412, 1413, 1699.
29*
cta
Orient.
Hung.
XXXVI.
1982
452
a.
sArkzi
aylasi gei sme in Kke qota. Other place ames are also mentioned in the
colophons; No. 2525. was revised in Doluyan nayur.
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences preserves a manuscript version of
Manjurnmasamgti with a commentary (Mong. 107). Together with many
other valuable pieces, this booklet was also brought by Prof. L. Ligeti from
Inner Mongolia in 1931. The copy is not complete certain leaves and the
second half of it with the very end are missing.11 Certainly, this part contained
the name of the translater, the date of the translation, and other valuable
information. The manuscript measures 26.5x10.5 cm (21.5 X 8 cm) gener

ally with 1416 lines on every page written in black and red with calamus.
The text of the stra Majurlnmasaniglti or the words to be explained are
written in red, and those giving the commentary, in black. At certain places
the copier forgot to change his calamus, and the original text is also written
in black. In such cases, these words were repainted with a red line to differen
tiate them from the black explanation. The paper of the book is solid, thick
and yellowish-brown consisting of sheets pasted together.12 The writting is
completely legible and the same hand throughout. The pagination runs in
Mongolian on the left margin only on the verso. The book is of special interest
to us, because it is one of those texts which came down to our time in copies,
or were incorporated into the Canon, but preserve archaic features, that in
dicate an earlier stage of literature.
To illustrate how close this text is to that of 1592 and to the 13 14th
Century, a short extract is quoted of the four texts: A (Turfan version), B (1592
version), C (Kanjur version) D (The prsent text) :

A
B glige-yin ejen yeke oki deged

C yeke glige-yin ejen erkin buyu
D yeke glige-yin ejed oki deged
A
B yeke caysabad-i bariycid-un deged

C yeke saysabad-i bariycin-u deged
D saysabad-i bariycid-un deged :
11 The manuseript contains the next leaves : 1 71; 7478; 80 86; 89 111;
113 114 ; 116 118. Our commentary ends at the 35th folio of the 1592 version's text,
whieh consists of 88 leaves.
12 This paper of strong cardboard-like quality has been manufactured since the
16th Century, and was used for much handled manuscripts for religious use. Heissig Baw
den, op. cit., p. XXV.
Acta Orient. Hung. XXXVI 1982
A 17th CBNXUay MONGOL M A J VRlX AMASA MQlTI 433
[yeke klicenggy-yi batuda] bariyci :

yeke klicenggy-yi batuda bariyci
yeke klicengg-yi batu-da bariyci
yeke klicenggi batuda bariyci :
yeke klicenggi-ber kiciyegci bui : :
yeke kiciyenggi-ber kiciyegci bui : :
yeke kiciyenggi-ber cinadus-i daruyci
JaliqalJaqui gei yeke kiciyenggi-t
yeke samadi diyan-tur aysan :
yeke samadi diyan-tur aysan :
yeke samadi diyan-dur aysan

yeke diyan-u samadi-dur aysan :
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
bilig-n
bilig-n
bilig-n
bilig-n
bey-e-yi bariyci :
bey-e-yi bariyci :
bey-e bariyci
bey-e-yi bariyci :
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
kcn-lge yeke aryatu :

kcn-lge yeke ary-a-tu
kcn-lge yeke ary-a-tu
kc-t yeke ary-a-tu :
A irger bilge bilign dalai inu : :

B irger bilge bilig-n yeke dalai inu :
C irger beige bilig-n dalai inu
D itegel beige bilig-n dalai buyu :
A yeke asarqui cinar-tu caylasi gei :

B caylasi gei yeke asaraqui cinar-tu :
C yeke asaraqui cinar-tu caylasi gei
D caylasi gei yeke asaraqui cinar-tu
A
B
C
D
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
nigleski oyudun deged : :

nigleski oyud-un deged
nigleski oyun-u deged
rsiyeki oyun-u deged
A yeke beige bilig-iyer yeke oyutu :

B yeke bilig-iyer yeke tegs oyutu :
C yeke bilig tegs yeke oyutu
D yeke bilig-n yeke oyu-tu
Acta Orient. Bung. XXXVI. 1982
454
A.
SRKZI
yeke mergen-iyer yeke ary-a-tu : :

yeke mergen-iyer yeke ary-a-tu : :
yeke ary-a-tu yekede iledgci buyu

yeke mergen ary-a-tu :
yeke qubilyan-iyar bke kct

yeke ridi qubilyan-u bke kcn-luy-a teglder
yeke ridi qubilyan-u kcn-lge tegsgsen
yeke ridi qubilyan-u kct :
yeke kcn-iyer yeke-te qurdun :
yeke kcn-iyer yeke qurdun
yeke kcn-iyer yekede qurdun
yeke auy-a-tu yeke qurdun :
yeke qubilyan-iyar yekede aldariysan :

yeke ridi qubilyan-iyar aldarsiysan :
yeke ridi qubilyan yekede aldarsiysan
yeke ridi qubilyan-i yekede aldarsiysan
yeke kcn-iyer cinadus-i daruyci : :
yeke kn-iyer cinadus-i daruyci : :
yeke kn-iyer inadus-i daruyci
yeke kct yeke inadus-i daruy-ci
sansar-un yeke ayula-yi ebdegci

sansar-un yeke ayula-yi ebdegci :
sansar-un yeke ayula-yi ebdegci
orcilang-un yeke ayula-yi ebdey :
batu yeke vcir-i bariyci
cigiray bged yeke vcir bariyci :
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
qatayu yeke qatayu yabudal-tu

qatayu-bar yeke qatayu yabudal-tu
qatayu qeke qatayu yabudal-tu
doysin bged yabudal-tu
yeke ayuyulqun-i ayuyuluyci : :

yeke ayul-nuyud-i ayuyulun iledgci : :
yeke ayul-nuyud-i ayuyuluyci
yeke ayuyuluqui bar ayuyuluyci :
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MASJUSRISMASAMOITI 455
itegel
itegel
itegel
itegel
deged
deged
deged
deged
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
ujayur-tu
ijayur-tu :
ijayur-tu
ijayur-tu
lam-a yeke niyuea darnis-un deged

lam-a yeke niyuea darnis-un deged
blam-a yeke niyuea tarnis-un deged
blam-a niyuea tarnis-un deged :
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
klgen-
klgen-
klgen-
klgen-
tr-tr aysan :
tr-tr aysan :
tr-dr aysan
yosun-dur aysan :
yeke
yeke
yeke
yeke
klgen-
klgen-
klgen-
klgen-
tr-yin
tr-yin
tr-yin
tr-yin
deged : :
deged : :
deged
deged : :
We do not know who was the translater or compilator of the commentary,

but reading his work, it can be stated that he must have been a well-qualified,
many-sided personality of his age. Certainly he had a fll command of Uigur,

Tibetan and Sanskrit, and he wrote in Mongol at a very high literary level.
In commenting on religious works, several methods were used, e.g.

Chos-kyi 'od-zer concentrated on the sense of the text when explaining the
Bodhicryavtara. He gives the original stances, then expounds their meaning
in other words. Another well-known method to bring the sometimes not so
evident theses of Lamaism closer to the reader was to write a book in form
of dialogue between an inquiring disciple and a high ranking wise saint. The
Vajracchedik is a well-known explanation in this form, where Subhti puts
up questions to Buddha.
What is the literary way our unknown philologist uses to unfold and
reflect the essence and importance of the work in question ? It would be rather
difficult to put it into so many words, because his skilled technique is so multi
farious.
Speaking of his purpose and method he says :

ge nemegsen- tediken-i fokiyan glebes : egn-dr qoyar jil buyu :
eng urida dandr-a-yin ner-e-yi gleki kiged : mn btkn dandr-a-yin

udq-a-yi gleki-lge qoyar bolai : uridu-dur yurban orciyulun gleki udq
-a-yi gleki : nereyiddgsen kereg-i gleki kiged bolai : If I say how I
composed these words, there are two parts to it : first I teil the name of
this tantra, after finishing it, I teil the meaning of the tantra, that are two.
456
A.
SABKZI
In the first part I tell the meaning of the three translations and I teil why it
is so called (referring here to the three languages : Sanskrit, Tibetan, Mongol).
EnecLkeg Tbed qoyar-i gleki kereg yayun bui Why is it necessary to teil
the Sanskrit and Tibetan forms ? nom-un vjayur-un gn-i uqayulqui ba Enedkeg
Tbed-n ge-yi oyun-dur egenegsiglki ba orciyuluyci kelemrci-yin aci-yi
duradqu-yin tula bolai It is to show the deepness of the origin of religion, to
familiarize you with the Sanskrit and Tibetan words and to remember the
benefaction of the translator.
His effort to be philologically exact is shown by the fact, that he gives

a word by word translation of the Sanskrit and the Tibetan expressions : e.g.
when speaking of the title of the book :
Mongyol ulus-un kelen-dr orciyulbasu : ary-a kemebes qutuy-tu : Man

juSiri kemebes Jgelen coytu: nam-a sanggiti kemebes ner-e neger gleki
kemek bolai: Tbed ge-yi Mongyol-luy-a tokiyalduyulbasu: 'pagspa keme

bes qutuy-tu: fambal-Ji kemebes Jgelen coy-tu kemek bolai mchan-yang
day-par brjodba kemebes ner-e-yi neger glebei kemek bolai : If I translate
it into Mongolian, (the word) ary-a means qutuy-tu, Manjuiri means Jgelen
coy-tu, nama sanggiti means ner-e neger gleki. If I synchronize the Tibetan
with the Mongol : 'phagspa means qutuy-tu, 'qam-dpal-gyi means Jgelen

coy-tu, mchan-yaii dag-par brjod-pa means ner-e-yi neger glebei.
Some further examples when the commentator explains foreign words :
burqan kemebes Uyiyud-un ayalyu bolai: Tbed-n ayalyu-dur sanggarji
kemek buyu : Mongyol-dur orciyulbasu aril-un delgeregsen kemek buyu :

burqan it is in Uigur, in Tibetan it is sas-rgyas, if translated into Mon
golian, it is aril-un delgeregsen (purely completed).
Sigamuni kemebes: Enedkeg-n ge buyu Monyol-dur orciyulbasu:

Siga kemek inu: Sakfalig-ud-un i)ayur-tur trgsen oboy inu bolai: muni
kemebes : cidayci kemek buyu : Sigamuni it is in Sanskrit. If translated
into Mongolian : Siga means that he was born of the clan of the Sky-a-s,
muni means powerful.
maqa mudra kemek inu Enedkeg-n ayalyu buyu tegni orciyulbasu
yeke beige bilig kemek bolai : mah mudr it is in Sanskrit, if translated it
is great wisdom.13
murti kemebes orosiysan : murti means embodiment.
uSnir kemebes Enedkeg ayalyu buyu tegni orciyulbasu : oroy-yin comcay
kemek bolai : usnir it is in Sanskrit, transleted into Mongolian, it is the

hair gathered into a tuft on the top of the head.
13 The explanation of the expression mahmudr is not quite clear here. S. B.
Dasgupta, An introduction to Tantric Buddhism, Calcutta 1974, p. 175: When the
Bodhicitta moves still more upwards, a transcendental knowledge and ralisation is
produced, and it is called the Mahmudr. For this information I am grateful to Gr.
Bethlenfalvy.
Acta Orient. Eung. XXXVI. 1982
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MASJSBINMASAMGITI 457
tarni kemek inu: EnedJceg-n ayalyu buyu tegni orciyulba.su toytayal
kemek bolai : tarni is a Sanskrit word, if translated into Mongolian, it is

magic spell.
mandr-i kemek Enedkeg-n gen-dr tegni orciyulbasu : sedkil-i ibegegci
kemek bolai : tgn- udq-a inu door-a-du cgken klgen-dr l oroyul-un
ibegek bolai : mantri is a Sanskrit word, translated it into Mongolian, it is

protector of the mind. Its meaning is : to help (people) not to enter the
inferior small vehicle.
After the correct translation of Tibetan and Sanskrit words, the com
mentator goes on to explain the meaning of the given passages.
qoyaduyar inu : qutuy-tu kemebes lemji boluysan-u ner-e buyu : ken-ece
lemji bolba kemebes: tele nilqas irgen-ece lemji bolbai : lemji boluyci
ken bui kemebes : Jgelen coy-tu bolai : ali siltayan-iyar ilebe kemebes :
nisvanis-i tebcij nen-iyer jegsen-iyer ilebei : ... Secondly : as far as the
word qutuy-tu (saint, holy) is concerned, it is a name (meaning) he has become
great. If we ask : Whom has be become greater than ? He has become greater
than the old and young people. If we ask : Who has become great ? It is Jgelen
coy-tu (Majusr). How did he do it ? if we ask He has done it refuting

the sins and obeying the truth.
Jgelen ccy-tu kemek-yin udq-a: beye kelen sedkil-n iles-n urida

belge bilig yabuyulju : beige bilig-n qoyin-a-aca dayaqu-yin tula : tede yurban-u
gem-t Sirign aburi-yi tebcij jgelen boluysan bolai : The cause, why he is
called Jgelen coy-tu (Tender and strong) is that his wisdom shows the way to
the actions of his body, speech and mind, and that he has refused the faulty,
rude conduct of these three. He has become tender in this way. nemleki
inayunki qoyar-i trbel gei medegci beige bilig inu ber-tr coy-tu bged : nig
leski sedkil inu busud olan amitan-dur coy-tu boluysan-u tula coy-tu bolai : He
is called majestic, because his wisdom that knows without obstacle the extreme
limit of truth and the relative reality of truth is strong in himself, and his
compassionate mind is strong towards many other living beings.
Or later : arban medeki kemebes : nom medeki ba : dayan onoquy-yi
medeki : inayunki medeki : iledgsen-i medeki : jobalang-i medeki :

qamuy trglgci-yi medeki : tridki medeki : mri medeki : trki gei
medeki : bariydaquy-yi medeki : The ten cognitions are : the Cognition of

things, the Cognition of subsquent comprhension, the Cognition of relative
truth, the Cognition of committed actions, the Cognition of suffering, the
Cognition of origination, the Cognition of cessation, the Cognition of the path,
the Cognition of the absence of origination, and the Cognition of extinction.14
14 In Ma/ivyutpatti the ten cognitions are : No. 1234 1243 and they are somewhat
diffrent from our list : nom meked, cinadusun sedkil medek, dayan onoquy-yi medek,
inayunki medek, jobalang medek, bkn yarqu-yi medek, tridki medek, mr medek,
baraysan-i medek, l trki medek Cognition of things, Cognition of other's thoughts,
458
a.
sXekzi
And one more example : arban fil erke kemebes : nasun-u erke :
sedkil-n erke : iles-n erke : yabudal-un erke : trk-yin erke : ridi qubilyan-u
erke : nom-un irgel-n erke : tayalal-un erke : belge bilig-n erke kiged bolai :
The ten supremacies are : supremacy over life, supremacy over mind, supre
macy over Utensils, supremacy over action, supremacy over birth, supremacy
over magie, supremacy over teaching and prayer, supremacy over desire, and
supremacy over wisdom.15
The translator is rather personal at some points. He speaks of his duty,
of his methods as seen before, or later he explains that he executed his work
because people wished it so very much, and because he has succeeded in over
coming the obstacles of religious teaching.
At other places, the translator incorportes long stories, e.g. one explain
ing how Vajrapni gained his name, when he touched the earth with his vajra.
To show at what a high literary level he wrote his work, let me prsent
here the colophon of this manuscript version, that is an individual work and
not a translation. It is at the beginning of the whole text, and is written in a
very niee verse form :
Nam Manju-gsay-a
Asanggi galab-tur qatayujin yabuju :
Ariyun belge bilig-n jula-yi oluyad :
Amitan-u yayca ger-e anu boluysan :
Arslan boyda Gaudam-yin kldr sgdmi : :
Klti toyatan naran-u gerel-dr kiirtegsen :

Krkiim ngge-t delgerenggi neret ayulas-un qayan-u orgil-dur:
Kkebtr tabun galvaras-iyar cimegsen metii :

Kct boyda-yin kelen-ii adistid ggn soyurq-a :
Endegiirel gei bilig-n arslan-u dayun-iyar :
Erkisiyegci merged-iin irken-i sirgireglj :
Erigsen amitan-i ksel-yin yosuyar qangyayci :
Erketii sayin oyutu-yin adistid Jirken-dr orisituyai :
Cognition of subsquent comprhension, Cognition of relative truth, Cognition of suffering,
Cognition of origination, Cognition of cessation, Cognition of the path, Cognition of extinc
tion, Cognition of absence of origination.
15 The list of the ten supremacies in Mahvyutpattl (Nos 771 780) is the next :
nasun-u erke, sedkil-e erke, kereg )aray-tur erke, ile-dr erke, trki-dr erke, bisireki-dr
erke, nom-dur erke, irger-tr erke, qubilyan-dur erke, belge bilig-tr erke supremacy Over
life, supremacy over mind, supremacy o ver Utensils, supremacy over action, supremacy
over birth, supremacy over faith, supremacy over teaching, supremacy over prayer,
supremacy over magic, supremacy over wisdom.
Acta Orien Hang. XXX VI. 1982 .
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL M AJ U SR IN A M A S A MQ IT I 459
Klg boyda-yin y-e-dr inu uciraju :

Giir yeke Mongyol ulus-tur nom-i krteglgsen :
Kiimn- arslan-a sgdmi inu k bilig-tr :
Kbegn minu oyun-i adali bolyan soyurq-a :
Acitu ndsn deged blam-a-nar kiged :

Ali mrgiigdeki yosutan-a kndlen sgdmi :
Ayalyus-tur minu tidker gei boluyad :
Ariyun sastir-i minu tuyil-dur krgen soyurq-a : :
Takiydaqu yosutan-a sgdc brn :

Tayilju glesgei burqan-u jarliy-i :
Tayalaju sonostuyai sayin qubitan irgen :
Taniju onotuyai gegen uqayatan jalayus minu : :
Yer toyuluysan burqan-u aman-u nomlaysan :
Kkir gei cindamani met : dandaris-un ges inu vcir met ing batu
bged :
Udqas inu dalai met gn ayui bk-yin tula :

Onoju ilyaqui inu masi berke bui j-e : :
Teyin ber atala Manjusiri-yin ner-e-yi neger gleki neret :
Ene dandar-a-yin udqas-tur inu :

Erten- merged ber ber-n tayalal-iyar temeeldj glegsen olan
kernen sonostamui j-e :
Teyim merged-n Jokiyaysan tayilburi-yin olangkin-i ese jebei :
Nijeged jegsen-iyer yeke delgerenggi busu ajuyu :

Teyim-yin tula : udqas-un delgerenggy-yi erten- merged-n jarlay
-aca uqaydaqui : :
Nam Manju-gsay-a1'
I bow to the feet of saint Oautama,17 the lion,
Who has become the only brightness of living beings,
As soon as he found the torch of clear wisdom,
When practising austerities18 through innumerable19 kalpas.20
18 Majughoga here stands for Majusri, this form is usually used in verses. Edger
ton, p. 414.
17 Qaudam, Tib. Gau-ta-ma, Skr. Gautama gotra-name of Skyamuni, often applied

to him by those who are not his followers (Edgerton 218a) ; cf. Mahvyutpatt No. 78.
18 qatayujil yabudal, Tib. brtnl iugs, Skr. tapacary penance, religious austerity,
self-mortification (Less. 1189).
460
A.
SRK0ZI
Please grant us the blessing21 of the language of the powerful saint,

Who is as if adorned with the five bluish galbaravas,22
That are on the top of the famous saffron-coloured king of mountains,23

And that concentrated the ten-million sun-beams.
You, who with the voice of the lion of wisdom24

Wrings the heart of the self-indulgent wises, and
Fulfills the wishes of the inquiring living beings,
Be incorporated into the blessing heart of the powerful good wise.
It happened in the epoch of saint Klg,25

That the Teaching was brought to the great Mongol people.26
I bow to the lion of people, to his wisdom.
Please change my childish mind similar [to that of yours].
I bow to all benevolent high ranked lamas and

To ail those who are worthy of honour.
Please remove the obstacles of my language,
And [help] to complete my pure narrative.
]9 asanggi, Tib. grans-med, Skr. asamkhya uncountable (Lessing, 1161, Edgerton

82).
20 galab, Tib. bskal-pa, bskal-dus, Skr. kalpa time with reference to cosmic ages,
eon (Less. 1170, Kow. 2432, Edgerton 172).
21 adistid, Tib. byin, byin-rlabs, Skr. adhititha blessing, bndiction, supernatural
power (Less. 11, Kow. 69, Edgerton 16).
22 galbaravas, Tib. dga-bsam-ljon-Si, Skr. kalpa-druma, kalpa-vrpa the wish

granting tree, a mythological tree (Less. 1170, Edgerton 172-173).
23 ayulas-un gayan king of mountains. The Mount Sumeru is in question here, the
centre of the Indian imaginary cosmos around which the four major continents with
their eight sub-continents are situated. (Less. 744).
24 Sangja-yin arslan, Tib. Sa-kya-se-ge, Skr. Sakyasimha Lion of the Skya

clan, epiteth of Sagjamuni (Lessing, 1161, Edgerton 525a).
25 Klg Khan (1308 1311) successor of lfe. They both were great patrons of
Mongolian literary life. The famous figure of letters hos-kyi-'od-zer also worked in their
palace. P. Pelliot, Les systmes d'criture en usage chez les anciens Mongols : AM II (1925),
pp. 284289 ; W. Heissig, Die Familien- und Kirchengeschichtsschreibung der Mongolen,
Wiesbaden 1959, p. 13; L. Ligeti, propos de la version mongole des <iDouze Actes du
Bouddha: AOH 20 (1967), pp. 59-68.
26 yeke Mongyol ulus the great Mongol people. For a detailed analysis of the
expression yeke Mongyol ulus cf. F. W. Cleaves A. Mostaert, Trois documents mongols des
Archives Secrtes Vaticanes : HJAS 15 (1952) pp. 486 491. The authors support the
translation great Mongol Empire instead of Pelliot's version, who stated that such an
expression refers to one of the four Mongol peoples mentioned by Piano Carpini.
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MA JURlNMASA MQITI 461
I kneel down to those who are worthy of offerings,
Let me speak explaining the words of Buddha,

Let the fortnate people listen [to it] with passion,
Bright minded young fellows of mine ! Get to know it, and understand it !
Universal Abhisambuddha's27 mouth taught it,
That is like undefiled cindamani,28
The words of the dhranls29 are strong like vajra,30
And the sense of them is deep and great like the ocan.
[And] that is why it is very difficult to understand and analyze,
The meanings of this tantra were disputed by eider wises according to

their own desire,
And I want to make you hear this [long] disputation.

Most of the commentary compiled by these wises was not seen, so it did
not become well-known
When people one by one saw it. That is why you must get to know the
essence in dtails as taught by the
eider masters.
It is well-known today, that the translation of holy scriptures began well
before Ligdan's well organized activity (1628 29), and certain parts of the
Kanjur were adapted as early as the 14th Century.31 Many of them were
incorporated unchanged into the Canon preserving certain archaisms of the
old language. The first translations of Buddhist stras show a strong Uigur
influence indicating that these books were translated from Uigur with the
active collaboration of Uigur literary persons. Later Tibetan influence became
stronger, but, anyhow, many of the texts preserved their Uigur atmosphre.32
27 toyuluyaan burqan (generally Hete toyuluysan burqan occurs), Tib. mno-par
rdzogs-par sas-rgyas, Skr. abhisambuddha attained perfect enlightenment) (Edgerton
58b) ; cf. Mahvyutpatt No. 6905, 6907.
28 cindamani, Tib. yid-bzin-nor bu, Skr. cintmani wish-granting jewel (Lese.
188, Kow. 2137).
29 tami, Tib. Sags, gzus, Skr. dhrani magnic formula or spell (Less. 1185,
Kow. 1675, Edgerton 284).
30 vir thunderbolt, diamond, the all destroying indestructible weapon of Xormusta
was metaphorically used earlier to suggest immutability, permancency, and the like.
In late Buddhism it became the symbol of the absolute (Lessing 1188).
31 Weiers, op. cit., p. 351 ; Fuchs, Analecta zur mongolischen bersetzungsliteratur
de Yan Zeit : MS XI (1946) p. 40 ff ; Prl Cvl, Mongol-Enethegijn sojolyn haril
cny tuhaj : Sinjleh uhn 1 (43), 1956, p. 39.
32 W. Kotwicz, Quelques donnes nouvelles sur les relations entre les Mongols et les
Ouigours : Rocznik Orientalistyczny II (1919 1924), pp. 240 247. B. Ja. Vladimircov,
462
A.
SARKZI
The prsent manuscript also preserved some old grammatical usages

reflecting an earlier stage of the Mongol language.33
The style of calligraphy is archaic. The letter m in end-position has two
teeth, e.g. in the words : krkm, blam-a, and gem, etc. The letter g also has
two teeth at the end of the words : bilig, Klg, and ssg, etc. These features
allow the supposition that the manuscript must originate from earlier than
the second half of the 17th Century, or it is a copy of a book made before this
time.34
The orthography reflects some old characteristics as well. E.g. farlay

is written for jarliy.35 The form nereyiddn with double consonant dd occurs
in the text, that phenomenon can also be found in other pre-classical texts.36
Our text uses the Uigur z in the value s : simnus, samadis, nisvanis, udqas,
ul'iis, tegs, iles, qos, and tengris, etc.
In the field of morphology some old features can also be observed :

plural forms that are considerably reduced later in the 1819th Century texts,
Monglica I, Ob otnoenii mongol'skogo jazyka k indo-evropeiskim jazykam Srednej Azii :
Zapiski Kollegii Vostokovedov pri Aziatskom Muzeje Rossijskoj Ak. Nauk I. (1925) pp.
305 341. B. Ja. Vladimircov, Sravnitel'naja grammatika mongol'skogo pis'mennogo
jazyka, Leningrad 1929 ; N. Poppe, Turkic loan words in Middle Mongolian : CAJ I ( 1955)
pp. 36 42 ; G. Kara, L'ancien ouigour dans le lexique Mongol : JA CCLXIX (1981), pp.
317-323.
33 For the peculiarities of pre-classical Mongolian cf. G. Doerfer, Beitrge zur

Syntax der Sprache der Geheimen Geschichte der Mongolen : CAJ I (1955), pp. 219 267 ;
L. Ligeti, Les fragments du Subhitaratnanidhi mongol en criture 'phags-pa. Mongol
prclassique et moyen mongol : AOH XVII (1964), pp. 239 292 ; L. Ligeti, Notes sur le
vocabulaire mongol d'Istamboul : AOH XVII (1963), pp. 107 174; L. Ligeti, Deux
tablettes de T'ai tsong des Ts'ing : AOH VIII (1958), pp. 201 239 ; L. Ligeti, Review on
Penti Aalto, Qutuy-tu pacaraksd kemek tabun sakiyan neret yeke klgen sudur : AOH
XIV (1962), pp. 317 328; A. Mostaert, Sur quelques passages de l'Histoire secrte des
Mongols : HJAS XIII (1950), pp. 285-361 ; H JAS XIV (1951), pp. 329-403 ; HJAS
XV (1952), pp. 285 407 ; N. Poppe, Beitrge zur Kenntnis der altmongolischen Schrift
sprache: AM I (1924), pp. 668 675; N. Poppe, Grammar of Written Mongolian Com
parative Studies : MSFOu 110 (1955) ; M. Weiers, Untersuchungen zu einer historischen
Grammatic des prklassischen Schriftmongolisch : Asiatische Forschungen 28, Wiesbaden
1969.
34 G. Kara, Knigi mongol'skich kocevnikov, Moskva 1972, pp. 65 66; A. Rna-Tas,

The Mongolian Version of the Thar-pa chen-po in Budapest : Mongolian Studies, ed. by
L. Ligeti, p. 456 ; Weiers, op. cit., . 5. cf. a review of it by G. Kara' in OLZ (1973) 68. pp.
406-410.
35 L. Ligeti, Deux tablettes, pp. 219220.

36 A Megszabadit. Thar-pa chen-po. Ayusi tdolgozott fordtsa. Kzzteszi Rna
Tas Andrs [The Liberator. Thar-pa chen-po. The revised translation of Ayusi ed. by
A. Rna-Tas] : Mongol Nyelvemlktdr [Recueil des monuments de la langue mongole]
IX, Budapest 1967, p. 16; G. Kara, Un texte mongol en criture soyombo : AOH IX (1959),
p. 24 ; A. Srkzi, Toyin Guisi's Mongol Vajracchedik : AOH XXVII (1972) p. 93.

A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MAJURlNjMASAMGlTI 463
are regularly used : udqas, merged, olangkin, yucin yurban tengris, and nered,
etc. Double plural is common as well, where the adjective is in concord with
the noun : gegen uqayatan Jalayus, dandaris-un ges, and tede nkd, etc.
To indcate plurality or a certain graduality, the noun is repeated : nom
nom-aca l ayuqu klicenggi patience that is not afraid of any teaching.37
The oblique cases of the personal pronouns i and a imayi, and imadur,
etc., are not attested in our text, only the genetive (inu, anu) is used, some
times with possessive meaning, but in other cases they serve as indicators of
the subject or simply as augmentatives. Possessive : kmn- arslan-a sg
dmi inu k bilig-tr I bow to the lion of people, to his wisdom. In the
next example inu indicates the subject : onoju ilyaqui inu masi berke bui
understanding to analyze it is very difficult.
In the field of the conjugation of the verb : The suffix of the adverbium
preparativum -run -rn regularly occurs with temporal meaning : sgdc

brn when he kneels down, or sudur-tur nomlar-un when (he) taught it in
the stra, sedkil-n tidker-i arilyaju brn when he removed the obstacles
of the mind.
The dative-locative suffix -a -e, that was largely used in pre-classical

Mongolian, occurs in our text as well : takiydaqu yosutan-a sgdc brn
when I bow to those who are worthy of offerings ; ali mrggdeki yosutan-a
kndlen sgdmi I bow to ail those who are worthy of honour ; kmn-
arslan-a sgdmi I bow to the lion of the people.
The translater used a number of Uigur words instead of translating them
into Mongolian, as it was customary with other translator-circles of later times.
The tendency to preserve the Uigur forms is quite evident in the case of In
dian names, that occur in Uigur in Iranian or Kucha forms, as they were at
tested in the Mongol texts of the Yan age as well.
abisig, Tib. dba-ba, Skr. abhiseka conscration by sprinkling holy water,
conscration in general (as of kings, buddhas, saintly persons, laymen)

(Less. 4b) ; abisig olqu recevoir le sacre (Kow. 43b) ; cf. Uig. abiSik.38
adistid, Tib. byin, byin-rlabs, Skr. adhistitha blessing, bndiction,
conscration, bestowal of miraculous power by a deity, panacea (Less. 11),
(Kow. 69) ; cf. Uig. adiStitP
arqad, Tib. dgra-bcom-pa, Skr. arhant having conquered the enemy
(Less 1161) ; the ideal personage in Hinayna Buddhism, fourth and last
stage in religious development (Edgerton, 67) ; in later texts : dayin-i da
ruysan or dayisun-i daruyci ; cf. Mahvyutpatti 4 ; cf. Uig. ar%ant.i0
37 Poppe, Grammar, p. 111.
38 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 2b.
39 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 10.
40 Drev. Tjurr. Slov. 58.
464
A.
SlKKZI
arvis tarni, Tib. rig-pa, Skr. vidy magical formula, sacred spell (Less.
1161, Kow. 164) ; cf. Uig. arvS darni.*1
asanglci, Tib. gras-med, Skr. asamkhya uncountable (Less. 1161,

Kow. 51) ; innumerable (Edgerton 82) ; cf. Uig. asangki ~ asanki ;42 in
later texts : toyulasi gei.
ayay-q-a tegimlig that occurs in the dictionaries of the classical language
in the form : ayay-a tegimlig worthy of honour or worship, reverend, applied
originally to the Buddha and later to Buddhist monks (Less. 23a, Kow. 127a).
In later Buddhist texts this expression is replaced by buyan-i sakiyci ; cf.
Uig. ayayqa tegimlig.43
baramid, Tib. pha-rol-tu phyin-pa, Skr. pramit perfective virtue

(Less. 1162, Kow. 1097), mastery, supremacy (Edgerton 34142). In later
texts this word is generally replaced by the expression : cinadu kijayar-a
krgsen having reached the goal ; cf. Uig. paramit.li
beige bilig, Tib. ye-Ses, Skr. jdna wisdom (Less. 98a, Kow. 1118a) ; cf.
Uig. bilg bilig.45
bodi Tib. bya-chub Skr. bodhi enlightment, religious illumination

(Less. 1164, Kow. 1177, Edgerton 402) ; cf. Uig. bodiA6
boSuy, Tib. bka'-scal, bka'-lu, bka'-tha, Se-mon, decree of heaven, fate,
destiny, prophecy, prdiction ^ word, sentence ; command, etc. (Less. 123,

Kow. 1173) ; cf. Uig. boSuy.v
bradikabud, Tib. ra-sas-rgyas, Skr. pratyeka-buddha Buddha for him
self alone, who has won enlightenment, but lives in solitude and does not reveal
his knowledge to the world (Edgerton 379, Less. 1164, Kow. 1265). In later
texts it is : ber-iyen burqan ; cf. Uig. pratikabut.iS
budgali, Tib. gan-zag. Skr. pudgala individual, person, man, crature,

soul (Edgerton 347a, Less. 1164, Kow. 1184) ; cf. Uig. pudgali,49
cindamani, T. yod-'bzin-nor-bu, Skr. cintmani wish-granting jewel
(Less. 188, Kow. 2137). In later texts: sedkil qangyayci erdeni; cf. Uig.
cintamani.50
42 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 59 ; G. HazaiP. Zieme, Fragmente der nigrischen Version

des ttJiri gangjing mit den Oths des Meister Fm : Berliner Turfantexte I, p. 54.
43 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 26. A thorough study on the expression : P. Aalto, Ayayq-a
tegimlig : Studio Altaica, Festschrift fr Nicolaus Poppe, Wiesbaden 1955, pp. 17 22.
44 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 396

45 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 99 ; cf. Poppe, AM I, p. 677 ; HazaiZieme, op. cit., p. 56.
46 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 107 ; Hazai Zieme, op. cit., p. 56.
49 btt VIII B 231

Acta Orient. Hung. XXXVI. 19S2
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MASjSRlNMASAMGlTI 465
coy Jali grandeur, splendour, magnificence (Less. 194) ; cf. Uig. coy
yaln.51
dandar-a, Tib. rgyud, Skr. tantra basis, origin (Less. 1167, 1191),
ouvrages religieux dans lesquels on trouve la plupart des rituels asctiques et
des exorcismes pour voquer les civinits buddhiques et ivaitiques : ils
composent la dernire partie du Kangjur tibtain. Quelques-uns d'entre eux
traitent l'astrologie, la mdecine, la chronologie (Kow. 1561). Later texts :
dandr-a, or ndsn : cf. Uig. dantir-a.5'2
darma, Tib. chos, Skr. dharma loi, loi sacre, doctrine, morale religion ;
livre de religion, etc. (Kow. 1955, 685). Later texts : nom ; cf. Uig. darma.53
diyan, Tib. bsam-gtan, Skr. dhyna mditation, concentration, also
rendered by trance or ecstasy (Edgerton 287a, Less. 1167, Kow. 1779) ; cf
Uig. diyan.5i
dvib, Tib. gli, Skr. dvpa generally it occurs in a context with th
meaning : continent (Edgerton 274). It can not be found in the dictionarie
of classical language not even in the Compound word : Jambudvib. It occurs
in Mahvyutpatti No. 3050 Jambu-dvipah, 3045 drben dvib-n ner-e; cf.
Uig. dvp.55
galab, Tib. bskal-pa, bskal-dus, Skr. kalpa time with reference to cosmic
ages, eon (Less. 1170, Kow. 2432), world-age (Edgerton 172) ; cf. Uig.
kalp,36
gray Tib. gza-du, Skr. graha planet (Less. 387) ; cf. Uig. gra%F
jarlay, preserved the old spelling and pronunciation of the Uigur word.
Later it grew to farlig. decree, command, order, mandate, the Word (used
only in reference to gods, sovereigns or feudal lords, and high government
agencies) (Less. 1038, Kow. 2306) ; cf. Uig. yarly,58
kilinca, Tib. sdig-pa, sdig-to, Skr. klea sin (Less. 466, Kow. 2528) ; cf.
Uig. qlnc -* Mong. qilinc kilinca kilinca.53
kkir gei, Tib. dri-ma med-pa, Skr. vimala undefiled (Less. 1170, Kow.
2545) ; cf. Uig. kkir.m
klti, Skr. koti dix millions (Kow. 2606), cf. Uig. kolti.81

54 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 160; HazaiZieme, op. cit., p. 57.

35 BTT III 734. line
58
57
68
59
60
31
30
Drev. Tjur. Slov. 289.

Drev. Tjur. Slov. 641. cf. Ligeti, Deux tablettes, p. 219 220.
Drev. Tjur. Slov. 443. cf. Vladimircov, SravniteVnaja Grammatika, p. 135.
Acta
Orient.
Hang.
XXXVI.
1982
466
a.
sAkkzi
krkm ngge-t saffron, Tib. ku ku-ma ~ kur-kum, Skr. kurkuma

souchet ou safran d'Inde (Kow. 2654) ; Sumatiratna, p. 27 ; Dictionnaire
Tibtain-Latin-Franais, Hongkong 1899, p. 10. cf. Uig. grgrn.62
lokadatu, Skr. lokadhtu world-region, world-system, world (Edgerton
464). The word is not attested in the dictionaries of the classical language. In
Mahvyutpatti this Sanskrit word is also translated : yirtinc Nos 30414;
or yirtinc-yin oron No. 226, 361, 816, 860, 3046, 3060, 3063, 3070 ; cf. Uig.
lokatadu.63
nisvanis (plur.) Tib. non-mos-pa, Skr. klesa defilement, sin, vice

(Less. 576, Kow. 653). cf. Uig. nizvan, Sogd. nyz'ny.u
abi, T. grva-ga, dge-gzon, mchan-bu, Skr. rmanera disciple, pupil,
student, novice, adhrent, clerical or lay subject of a hutukhtu (Less. 747,
Kow. 1444, Edgerton 534) ; cf. Uig. abi.65
samadi, Tib. bsam-gtan, Skr. dhyna mditation, contemplation, mystic
trance, ecstasy (Edgerton, 287), or Skr. samdhi concentration, trance

(Edgerton 568); Lessing gives the next explanation: mditation on four levels.
The Skr. term samdhi has a somewhat diffrent meaning. Eirst level : spa
ration from evil, second level : ceasing of discursive thinking, third level :
psychic joy fades, rising to the state of indiffrence, fourth level : indiffrence
vanishes completely with reaching nirvana (p. 1182) (Kow. 1315) ; cf. Uig.
samati.66
astir, Tib. bstan-bchos, Skr. sstra textbook (Less. 1184, Kow, 1444) ; cf.
Uig. astr.87
imnus (plur.), Tib. bdud, Skr. ama, nsa, mra, kma dmon, evil
spirit ; Mra (in Buddhism) (Less. 710, Kow. 1505) ; cf. Uig. mnu imnu.68
tarni, Tib. sags, gzus, Skr. mantra magie formula or spell (Less.
1185, Kow. 1675, Edgerton 284) ; cf. Uig. tarni,69
ter s, Tib. kla-klo mu-stegs, Skr. tirtha heretical, heterodox, opposed,
antagonistic, adverse, hostile (Less. 806, Kow. 1773, Edgerton 254) ; cf.
Uig. trs.70
titim, Tib. prog-zu, Skr. mukuta diadem, crown (Less. 809, Kow. 1779) ;
cf. Uig. didim.n

88 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 483 ; Hazai Zieme, op. cit., p. 60.
88 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 523, HazaiZieme, op. cit., p. 64.
A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MAftJUSRlAMASAMGlTl 467
uSnir, Tib. gcug-tor, Skr. usnisa excrescence on the head, hair on the
crown of the head, coiffure, hair-dress ; turban (Less. 887, Kow. 379), Edger
ton 149b ; Mahvyutpatti No 236) ; cf. Uig. usnisa?2
vinayaka, Tib. rnam-par 'dren-pa, Skr. vinyaka. The word does not occur
in the dictionaries of the classical langue. Common epithet of a Buddha, either
guide, leader or traner, discipliner (Edgerton, 489). In Mahvyutpatti a
Mongol translation of the word is given : teyin uduriduyci or masi uduriduyci
(No 22) ; cf. Uig. vinayaki?3
vcir, Tib. rdo-rje, Skr. vajra thunderbolt ; diamond ; the all-destroying,
indestructible weapon of Xormusda. (Less. 1188, Kow. 2664). In later texts
the form vacir, or ocir occurs; cf. Uig. vacir vcir, vsir, vSir, vzir?i
yaksa, Tib. gnod-sbyn, Skr. yaksa class of demigods, guardians of sides,
attendents of the god of wealth (Less. 1172, Kow. 2299), in later texts : qoor
gggci; cf. Uig. yaksa?3
yelvi, ~ elvi, ilbi Tib. sgyu-ma, Skr. my magie, witchcraft (Less.
402b, Kow. 2346b) ; cf. Uig. yelvi76
ygaari, Tib. sems-cam-pa, Skr. yogerin follower of the yogera or
citta-mtra school (Less. 1173, Kow. 2395, Edgerton 448) ; cf. Uig. yksiri,
ygaari?7
In case of Indian names :
Enedkeg, Tib. 'phags-yul, rkya-dkar-po, India (Less. 316, Kow. 167) ;

in later texts the form Hindkeg is more frquent, cf. Uig. ntkk?8
Esru-a, Tib. Chas-pa, Skr. Brahma the god Brahma (Less. 1169,
Kow. 194) ; cf. Uig. zrwa, Sogd. 'zrw\79
Gaudam, Tib. Qau-ta-ma, Skr. Gautama gotra-name of Skyamuni
(Kow. 2427, Edgerton 218) ; cf. Uig. Gautam.80
Qormusta tengri, Tib. Brgya-byin, Dba-po, Skr. Indra the Hindu god,
Indra (Less. 1189, Kow. 972) ; cf. Uig. Qormusta, Sogd. Xwrmzt'.sx
Mangisvari, Tib. Lha-dba-phyug Shen-po, Skr. Mahesvara nom de iva
(Indra) (Kow. 1998) ; cf. Uig. Makivari.82

71 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 631, BTT VII, p. 101 ; HazaiZieme, op. cit., p. 68.

77 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 275; BTT VII, p. 102.
7 prp yiu g 43j g 157; etc., cf. Vladimircov, Sravn. Gram. 136.
81 Drev. Tjur. Slov. 637; cf. Vladimircov. Sravn. Gram. 119.
30* Acta Orient. Bung. XXXVI, 1982
468 A. SEKZI: A 17th CENTURY MONGOL M A if.7 U&RIX MASA MQlTI
ManjuSiri, Tib. 'Jam-dpal, Skr. Majuri one of the eight great Bodhi
sattvas, hypostasis for the belge bilig, one of the three yeke trlkiten, his name
is translated as Jgelen coytu (Less. 1175, Kow. 1976) ; cf. Uig. Mancuiri,83
Vcir-a-bani, Tib. Phyag-na rdo-rfe; Skr. Vajrapni (Less. 1188, Kow.
2665) ; In later texts : rar-tayan vcirtu; cf. Uig. Vacirapan.Si
Virojan-a burqan, Tib. Rnam-par na-mjad, Skr. Vairocana (Kow. 2664,
Edgerton 512), in later texts : Masi geyigln fokiyayci ; cf. Uig. Vayrocana.85
ViSnu-a, Tib. Khyab-'jug, Skr. Visnu (Kow. 1133, Edgerton 502); cf.
Uig, ViSnu.86
Here mention has to be made of an interesting honorific expression that
was charaoteristic for the pre-classical language :
noyaytai kmn, qatuytai kmn were honorific expressions for man

and woman. Prof. Poppe brings the suffix -ytai into connection with the suffix
-tai indicating a feminine noun. In his opinion later, as a resuit of analogy,
this suffix was also added to masculine nouns.87

87 Maraspa letrajsa [Biography of Milasaspa] Mi-la-ras-pa'i rnam-thar. oy-tu
guisi fordtsa. [Translation of oy-tu guisi] Kzzteszi Lrincz Lszl [Ed. by. L. Lfl
rincz] : Mongol Nyelvemlktr [Recueil des monuments de la langue mongole] XII,
Budapest 1967, p. 24 etc. N. Poppe, Die Nominalstammbildungssuffixe im Mongolischen :
Keleti Szemle XX (1923-27), pp. 115-116.

A 17th Century Mongol Mañjuśrīnāmāśa Gīti With Commentary

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A 17TH CENTURY MONGOL MAJURNMAGTI WITH COMMENTARY

Author(s): ALICE SRKZI

A 17TH CENTURY MONGOL

MA NJ URNM A S A MGTI WITH COMMENTARY

ALICE SRK0ZI (Budapest)

Manjusrnmasarrigti is a favourite text among Lamaist Buddhists, and

The earliest Mongolian version known so far originates from as early

part of a Sungdui.4 Peking xylograph versions of it are preserved in the Co

Kanons, Gttingen 1962, pp. 23 24; W. Heissig, Review on H. Serruys, Genealogical

penhagen Library, and in Washington, Chicago, Marburg,5 and Budapest.

Blockdrucke, Landkarten in Deutschland, Wiesbaden 1961, No. 171, p. 113; Heissig,

Beitrge, p. 45 ; Heissig, Blockdrucke, pp. 34, 46, No. 31 ; D. M. Farquhar, A Description

8 L. Ligeti, Catalogue du Kanfur mongol imprim, Budapest 1942, No. 1, p. 1.

7 B. Bhattacharya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Oxford University Press

8B. Rintchen, Catalogue du Tawjur Mongol Imprim, New Delhi 1964,

also YeSes chul-khrims' translation.

A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MAJURlNlMASAMQlTl 451

Sanskrit originis. Some of them were translated by Te-es chul-fchrims,

cimbai occurs as the Mongolian translator of No. 2516. He belonged to the

1278. Manjur-yin ner-e gleki-yin ilete onul orusiba YeSes chul-khrims'

2099. Qutuy-tu ManjuSr-yin neres-i neker glegsen- udq-a-yi todorayulun

was published in 1968 in Ulan Ud by R. E. Pubaev and B. D. Dandarov, Istocnik mud

Semicov, 0 tibetsko-mongoVskom slovare Istocnik mudrecov : Trudy BKNII SO AN

information. The manuscript measures 26.5x10.5 cm (21.5 X 8 cm) gener

version), C (Kanjur version) D (The prsent text) :

B glige-yin ejen yeke oki deged

B yeke caysabad-i bariycid-un deged

A 17th CBNXUay MONGOL M A J VRlX AMASA MQlTI 433

[yeke klicenggy-yi batuda] bariyci :

yeke samadi diyan-dur aysan

kcn-lge yeke aryatu :

A irger bilge bilign dalai inu : :

A yeke asarqui cinar-tu caylasi gei :

nigleski oyudun deged : :

A yeke beige bilig-iyer yeke oyutu :

yeke mergen-iyer yeke ary-a-tu : :

yeke ary-a-tu yekede iledgci buyu

yeke qubilyan-iyar bke kct

yeke qubilyan-iyar yekede aldariysan :

sansar-un yeke ayula-yi ebdegci

qatayu yeke qatayu yabudal-tu

yeke ayuyulqun-i ayuyuluyci : :

A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MASJUSRISMASAMOITI 455

lam-a yeke niyuea darnis-un deged

We do not know who was the translater or compilator of the commentary,

many-sided personality of his age. Certainly he had a fll command of Uigur,

In commenting on religious works, several methods were used, e.g.

Speaking of his purpose and method he says :

eng urida dandr-a-yin ner-e-yi gleki kiged : mn btkn dandr-a-yin

His effort to be philologically exact is shown by the fact, that he gives

Mongyol ulus-un kelen-dr orciyulbasu : ary-a kemebes qutuy-tu : Man

kemek bolai: Tbed ge-yi Mongyol-luy-a tokiyalduyulbasu: 'pagspa keme

with the Mongol : 'phagspa means qutuy-tu, 'qam-dpal-gyi means Jgelen

kemek buyu : Mongyol-dur orciyulbasu aril-un delgeregsen kemek buyu :

Sigamuni kemebes: Enedkeg-n ge buyu Monyol-dur orciyulbasu:

kemek bolai : usnir it is in Sanskrit, transleted into Mongolian, it is the

A 17th CENTURY MONGOL MASJSBINMASAMGITI 457

tarni kemek inu: EnedJceg-n ayalyu buyu tegni orciyulba.su toytayal

kemek bolai : tarni is a Sanskrit word, if translated into Mongolian, it is

ibegek bolai : mantri is a Sanskrit word, translated it into Mongolian, it is

coy-tu (Majusr). How did he do it ? if we ask He has done it refuting

Jgelen ccy-tu kemek-yin udq-a: beye kelen sedkil-n iles-n urida

medeki : inayunki medeki : iledgsen-i medeki : jobalang-i medeki :