Tun Huang Manuscripts Of Tibetan Ramayana Story
Added to library: September 2, 2025
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Summary
This document is a summary of the Tibetan Rāmāyana story found in the Tun-huang manuscripts, as described by J. W. de Jong.
Here's a breakdown of the key information:
- Source Material: The text is based on six manuscripts containing the Rāmāyana story in Tibetan, originating from the Tun-huang collection. Four of these were in the India Office Library (described by F. W. Thomas), and two were later discovered in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris (by Marcelle Lalou).
- Two Recensions: The six manuscripts contain two distinct versions (recensions) of the story. Recension I is represented by manuscripts D, A, C, and F. Recension II is represented by E and B.
- Manuscript Details:
- D and A are from the same original manuscript.
- Manuscript B has interlinear annotations, which can be difficult to read.
- Editorial Conventions: De Jong outlines the specific conventions used in his edition of the texts to indicate manuscript readings and editorial additions/corrections. This includes:
i
for the reversed gi-gu.- Round brackets
()
for interlinear words. - Angled brackets
<>
for editor-added letters. - Square brackets
[]
for deleted letters/words. - Curly brackets
{}
for letters/syllables written below preceding letters. - Asterisks
**
for unreadable letters.
- Summary of the Story: De Jong mentions that in a previous article (cited as Toung Pao, LVIII, 1972, pp. 190–202), he provided a summary of the story divided into 46 sections, which serves as the basis for the division of the six manuscripts in his edition.
- Corrections to Previous Work: The document also lists several corrections to misprints and references in his earlier article.
- Content of the Extracts: The provided text consists of translated excerpts from these manuscripts, showcasing early sections of the Tibetan Rāmāyana narrative. These sections appear to describe:
- Magical settings and descriptions: Mentions of cities, beautiful landscapes, mythical trees (dpag bsam gyi sin), precious gems, and sounds.
- Introduction of characters and conflicts: The emergence of the demon king Yagsakori (Yafsakori) and his powerful reign, contrasting with the deities and humans.
- Prayers and appeals: The deities appeal to a hermit and a goddess for help against Yagsakori.
- The birth of heroes: The lineage and early life of sons are described.
- Royal succession and conflict: Discussions about lineage, succession, and potential usurpation of power.
- The journey and supernatural elements: Descriptions of characters traveling, encountering magical elements, and engaging in battles or feats of strength.
- Divine intervention and curses: The involvement of deities, curses, and the supernatural in the narrative.
- Human relationships and emotions: Interactions between characters, expressions of love, jealousy, and loyalty.
In essence, this is a scholarly introduction to the Tibetan Rāmāyana manuscripts from Tun-huang, providing context, editorial details, and samples of the text to illustrate the narrative. The focus is on presenting and analyzing these historical linguistic and literary artifacts.