An Embryonic Saint. Interpretation of an Old Uighur Fragment in the Serindia Collection at the IOM, RAS

Abstract

In this paper the author edits a fragment of the Oldenburg Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts. The text is a unique story about a child in mother’s womb attaining the srota-āpanna-ship by listening to Buddha’s teaching.

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Peter Zieme An Embryonic Saint. Interpretation of an Old Uighur Fragment in the Serindia Collection at the IOM, RAS Abstract: In this paper the author edits a fragment of the Oldenburg Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts. The text is a unique story about a child in mother’s womb attaining the srota-āpanna-ship by listening to Buddha’s teaching. Key words: Old Uighur Buddhism, Oldenburg Collection, dharma and srota-āpanna, Old Uighur words. The fragment SI 4759 (O 99) of the Oldenburg Collection of the IOM, RAS is highly exceptional. 1 The recto side is part of a Chinese book scroll containing a complete text with the title at the beginning and the end: 佛説觀門經 Foshuo guanmen jing. This version corresponds to the 南天竺 國菩提達摩禪師觀門 Nantianzhuguo Putidamo chanshi guanmen 2 a work of the Bodhidharma genre discussing the seven kinds of 觀門 guanmen (“gates of examining”): “Contemplation method of the South Indian dhyāna master Bodhidharma”. The work is known from several Dunhuang copies. 3 This manuscript was more probably among the finds Oldenburg made at Turfan than of Dunhuang. If this holds true, it is another indication of the strong relationship between the Buddhists of the two regions and of their adherence to Chan Buddhism as well. Now let us turn to the verso side which is a peculiar fragment of an Old Uighur Buddhist text. As I have been unable to identify it with any other © Peter Zieme, Free University, Berlin and Tōyō Bunko, Tokyo 1 In 2015, at Irina Popova’s invitation, I had the pleasure of giving a lecture at the IOM, RAS about Old Uighur literature connected with the fragment from the Oldenburg Collection discussed here. 2 T.LXXXV.2832.1270b03-c01. The text of four lines (c01-05) is missing in the St. Petersburg manuscript. 3 Cp. Dunhuang concordance, 259: 1270b3-c1 = S.6958[1], 1270b3-c5 = S.2583V, 1270b3-c5 = S.2669V[2], 1270b11-16 = BD11164, 1270b13-17 = BD11164 中書 77. 41 Buddhist text of the larger traditions, 4 I would also hope in introducing it here, that still some Buddhist scholar may yet come forward with a clue as to its identification or a similar version. The surviving text is short, the script is rather well executed so that there are not many problems of reading and explication. It seems that after the end of line 25 the scribe changed his kalam, because the letters are bolder and a little larger. One can assume that the first preserved section mentions Buddha (or someone else?) preaching the dharma to a child in a womb because of which it immediately attained the state of a srota-āpanna. The mother, who heard the child saying: “I have attained the state of a srota-āpanna” expresses her gratitude and joy. Nevertheless she is characterised as busušlug “sorrowful”. Probably in the lost text that precedes it was written that the child suffered somehow because of something for some reason. An essential point is that the mother argues that the child attained sainthood because she herself always listened to the dharma or caused the child to listen to the dharma. 5 The text continues with some short phrases on the later life of this child as a sort of interlude. Finally, it becomes evident that the story was used by the Buddha as a parable to his pupils or listeners, when he calls on them to listen faithfully to the dharma. The fragment ends in a short reverence to the phase of Buddha’s life when he set out to live as an ascetic. R. Ohnuma has studied five “metaphorical pregnancies”, 6 not a rare topic in Buddhist literature. Inter alia she refers to the Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra in which the eighth of nine similes for the inner beauty as opposed to outward ugliness is expounded. She writes: “The simile asks its audience to imagine ‘a woman who is impoverished, vile, ugly, and hated by others’ yet ‘bears a noble son in her womb’. The son ‘will become a universal monarch, replete with seven treasures and all virtues’, who will one day ‘possess as king the four quarters of the earth’. But his mother ‘is incapable of knowing this and conceives only thoughts of inferiority’, constantly thinking of him ‘as a base-born, impoverished child’ ”. 7 I am well aware of the different context because the author uses the simile “only to draw a contrast, once again, 4 I express my gratitude to Reiko Ohnuma, Gergely Hidas, and Paul Nietupski who responded to my inquiry about a possible Vorlage for the Old Uighur story of the saint in the womb and gave me useful advice. 5 This reminds one of the psychic and other influences a mother exerts on the child in her womb during the pregnancy. Some scientific examinations have been made, but the whole matter is still under debate. 6 OHNUMA 2012, chapter 6. 7 OHNUMA 2012, 156. 42 between a suffering mother and a noble, liberated son, and to encourage the ‘son’ within each of us to deny our descent from the mother’s womb”. 8 It seems to be worth mentioning also the Pusa chu tai jing (T. 384) extensively studied by E. Legittimo. In one passage there “the Buddha shows himself within his mother’s body”. 9 What a contrast to the Old Uighur text, here the mother is not only described as being sorrowful, but she also supports and encourages her son to listen to the dharma. Transliteration and transcription of the fragment (missing) (01) ʾ[ ]k kwynklynkʾ yʾrʾsy nwm nwmlʾp ʾʾntʾ (01) [ ]k köŋliŋä yarašı nom nomlap anta (02) qy ʾ ʾwq ʾwlwrwr yyryntʾ swrwtʾpʾn qwt qʾ (02) -k(ı)y-a ok olurur yerintä sortapan 10 kut-ka (03) tʾkwrw yrlyqʾdy . ʾwl pwsws lwq qwncwy lʾr ymʾ pylty (03) tägürü y(a)rlıkadı . ol busuš-lug kunčuy-lar y(ä)mä bilti (04) mn . swrtʾpʾn qwtynkʾ tʾkdym typ ʾwytrw kwynkwlyn (04) m(ä)n . sortapan kutıŋa tägdim tep ötrü köŋülin (05) tyn ʾwytkwrw ʾʾqmys yʾsy ʾwl ʾwqwl qy ʾ nynk (05) -tin ötgürü akmıš yašı ol ogul-k(ı)y-a-nıŋ (06) ʾtʾwyzynkʾ tʾmtwq tʾ ʾʾntʾ qy ʾ ʾwq ʾʾqw tyny kʾtyp (06) ätʾöziŋä tamtuk-ta anta-k(ı)y-a ok agu tını kitip (07) sʾsylyp pʾrdy . ʾyncʾ qʾlty ʾwtyywr kysy <deleted word> (07) šašılıp bardı . inčä kaltı udıyur kiši (08) <deleted word> ʾwvsyntyn pʾlynklʾp twrwr ʾrsʾr ʾʾncwlʾyw (08) uusıntın 11 bäliŋläp turur ärsär ančulayu (09) ymʾ ʾwl ʾwqwl ʾwqwl qy ʾ swcyyw sykryyw twrwp kʾldy (09) y(ä)mä ol ogul ogul-k(ı)y-a sučıyu sikriyü turup käldi (10) ʾwl ʾwqwl qy ʾ nynk ʾʾnʾsy pyr + ʾrsʾr + swrtʾpʾn qwtyn (10) ol ogul-k(ı)y-a-nıŋ anası bir (ärsär) sortapan kutın (11) pwlmys sʾvync kʾ ʾykynty ʾwqly tyrylmys sʾvync kʾ (11) bulmıš sävinč-kä ikinti oglı tirilmiš sävinč-kä 8 OHNUMA 2012, 159. 9 LEGITTIMO 2005, 9 (T.XII.384.1015c8). 10 swrwtʾpʾn. 11 The third letter looks like v, but it should be w. 43 (12) ʾwykwrwp sʾvynyp ʾwzʾdy nwm ʾysydmʾk kʾ ʾtʾwyzyn (12) ögürüp 12 sävinip uzatı nom išidmäk-kä ätʾözin (13) ʾwykrʾtyk qylty ʾwl ʾwq ʾwykws nwm ʾysydmys tyltʾqyntʾ (13) ögrätig kıltı ol ok üküš nom išidmiš tıltagınta (14) ʾwylkwswz ʾwykws kʾlp lʾrtʾ ʾwystwn tʾnkry yyryntʾ (14) ülgüsüz üküš kalp-larta üstün täŋri yerintä (15) ʾʾltyn ylnkwq ʾʾžwnyntʾ mʾnky twnkʾ tʾkynyp ʾʾnk (15) altın yalŋuk ažunınta mäŋi toŋa täginip äŋ (16) kynyntʾ sʾnsʾr tyn ʾwzwp nyrvʾn lyq ʾynckwkʾ (16) kenintä sansar-tın ozup nirvan-lıg enčgükä (17) tʾkdy lʾr ʾʾny kwyrwnklʾr twyzwn lʾr ʾ ʾʾnk myntyn tʾs (17) tägdi-lär anı körüŋlär tözün-lär-ä äŋ mıntın taš (18) tʿ tyyʾqw tʾ ʾynqʾ pwlmys kʾnc kycyk ʾwqwl qy ʾ (18) -ta tıyagu-ta ınga bolmıš känč kičig ogul-k(ı)ya (19) nwm ʾysydmʾk tyltʾqʾntʾ ʾykylʾyw tyrylkwcʾ tʾnkl[ ] (19) nom išidmäk tıltagınta ikiläyü tirilgüčä täŋl[ig] (20) ʾrsʾr . tʾqy nʾ ʾʾyytmys krkʾk syz lʾr ny tʾk (20) ärsär . takı nä ayıtmıš k(ä)rgäk sizlär-ni täg (21) ʾylyktyn swynkwktyn pʾrmys kyrtkwynclwk swyzwk (21) iliktin süŋüktin barmıš kertgünčlüg süzük (22) kwynkwlwnkwz lʾr ʾwyzʾ nwm ʾysydyp ʾdkw twys kʾ ʾwtly (22) köŋülüŋüz-lär üzä nom išidip ädgü tüš-kä utlı (23) qʾ tʾkmʾkyk ʾʾnyn qwp tʾ qwp swyzwk (23) -ka tägmäkig anın kop-ta kop süzük (24) kyrtkwnc kwynkwlyn pw nwm ʾrdynyk ʾysydkwkʾ (24) kertgünč köŋülin bo nom ärdinig išidgükä (25) ʾʾnwq pwlwp ʾwlwrmysynkyz lʾr kʾrkʾk pw nwm ʾrdyny (25) anuk bolup olurmıšıŋız-lar kärgäk bo nom ärdini From bo nom ärdini till the end of the leaf the text was written by a different hand or with a different kalam: (26) pw mwntʾq yyk ʾwystwnky ʾwlwq twys kʾ (26) bo muntag yeg üstünki ulug tüš-kä (27) ʾwtly qʾ tʾkwrdʾcy ʾwycwn ʾʾnyn pw pyz (27) utlı-ka tägürdäči üčün anın bo biz (28) nynk pʾqsymz twykʾl pylkʾ tnkry tnkrysy (28) -niŋ baxšım(ı)z tükäl bilgä t(ä)ŋri t(ä)ŋrisi (29) pwrqʾn ʾsʾnky lyq ʾwzwn ywl lʾrtʾ 12 Usually the verb is ögir-. 44 (29) burhan asanki-lıg uzun yol-larta (30) qʾtyqlʾnwr ʾrkʾn tww twypw pʾqrw (30) katıglanur ärkän tüü tüpi bag(a)ru(?) ( 31) (missing) ( 32) 13 (missing) ( 33) (missing) (on verso side) (34) twrqw tʾk ʾʾcyq ʾmkʾk ʾmknw yrlyqdy nʾtʾk (34) turgu täg ačıg ämgäk ämg(ä)nü y(a)rlıkadı nätäg (35) ʾrkʾn (35) 14 ärkän(?) Translation [Because the Buddha(?)] preached the dharma appropriately to the heart [of the little child], he immediately on the spot where he was sitting graciously let him reach the srota-āpanna-ship. [woman - child in the womb] The sorrowful woman realised it (when the little child spoke): ‘I reached the srota-āpanna-ship’. Then, as soon as the tears from her heart were shed on the body of the little child, the poisonous breath dissolved and disappeared. Like a sleeping man suddenly awakes and arises from his sleep, in just that manner the little child came to life (again) while jumping and bouncing. The mother of the little child rejoiced first that it had reached the srota-āpanna-ship and secondly that her child was alive. For a long time she had taught the child 15 to listen to the dharma. [Later story of the child] On account his listening to the dharma so much, he enjoyed in numberless and many kalpas above in heaven’s land and beneath in the state of a human being joy, happiness and welfare, in the end he was released from saṃsāra and reached the nirvāṇa peace. [Address to the pupils] O noble men, look at this! If a young and little child (in the womb) worth less than a stone or a piece of loam through listening to the dharma once 13 Or more missing lines. The scribe first used the empty verso side and then continued writing after turning the sheet over as there was empty space at the end of the recto side. 14 Only in small letters. 15 “His body”. 45 more becomes alive, what is to be said about you, who are made of marrow and bones being and able to listen to the teaching with belief and thus to reach the good fruit! Therefore you should in great and full belief sit and be ready to listen to the dharma. [Reference to the life of the Buddha] Because the dharma jewel leads one to this incomparable great fruit, therefore the body hair stood straight when our master, the completely wise god of gods Buddha, was striving on the asaṃkhyeya long ways (…) as if (…) he graciously suffered great pain like (…) Some notes (01) One can only conjecture that the missing part contained some information about the child. (01-02) antak(ı)ya ok “suddenly”. 16 (02) sortapan = Skt. srota-āpanna “stream-winner” is the first stage of the śrāvaka way that leads to the stage of an arhat (DDB). Cp. several instances in the Prajñāpāramitā texts in BT XXVIII where sortapan is attested only once while more often it is srotapan. 17 The state of a srota-āpanna is expressed by sortapan kut, but more often sortapan kutı 18 is encountered with, although already in the early text of the Maitrisimit nom bitig the former type is recorded: sordapan [ku]tka täg-. 19 (04) The sentence m(ä)n sortapan kutıŋa tägdim is direct speach by the child. The dot after m(ä)n seems to mark the pronoun as the theme. (06) agu tını “her poisonous breath”. 20 There is another example in the famous story of Kalyāṇakaṃkāra and Pāpaükāra, 21 where we read of a poisonous snake: al altunka tagka tägsärsiz kök lenhua körgäysiz ol lenhua sayu birär agulug yılan bar agu tını ıraktın ančulayu közünür kaltı lenhua sayu tütün tütärčä “When you reach this golden mountain you will see a blue lotus with a poisonous snake on each leaf, and their poisonous breath looks as if smoke arises from each leaf”. In the Chinese original text 22 there is no mention about snakes, it mentions only the blue lotus. Thus it is 16 RÖHRBORN 2015, 188-189 “plötzlich, mit einem Male, auf der Stelle, spontan”. 17 BT XXVIII 285. 18 Suv 144 (III.9b.) 05 swrwdpʾn qwtyn. 19 BT IX, vol. 1, 177. 20 RÖHRBORN 2015, 74 21 KP XXXVIII.4 “ihr giftiger Atem”. 22 T.III.0156. 46 obvious that the following passage about the snakes is an addition to give some impression about the blue colour of the lotus: 太子於是東行一七. 當有金山. 從山復更前進一七. 其地純, 是青蓮華 23 “O prince, vous marcherez vers l’Est pendant une semaine et vous devrez trouver une montagne d’or; à partir de cette montagne, continuant à marcher pendant une semaine, vous arriverez à un endroit où il n’y a rien que des lotus bleus”. 24 (07) šašılıp bardı. Here the verb bar- “to go” is used as an auxiliary verb whose function M. Erdal sees as “describing processes approaching a crisis”. 25 (08) bäliŋläp “suddenly”. (09) The verb sučı- “to move to one side, shy away from something” 26 appears here in conjunction with sikri- “to jump”. 27 (09) turup käldi, käl- “to come” as an auxiliary verb is “indicating that the action described by the lexical verb has been going on for some time before reaching the state it is at when being narrated”. 28 Even though there is only a slight difference in the medial shapes of the letters -r- and -y- I adopted the reading twrwp here, as one can conclude from the missing initial part that the child in the womb was somehow in danger of its life. Such situations were of course more frequent in earlier times. There are many texts that were claimed to assist in ensuring an easy birth, especially ones connected with Avalokiteśvara who was considered a Bodhisattva specialising in this field. (16) nirvanlıg enčgü, the same expression but in reverse order is attested in a colophon edited by G. Hazai. 29 (17) tägdilär refers to the child, the pluralis majestatis is used on account of its sainthood. (17-18) tašta tıyaguta “stone or piece of loam”. The latter word is usually recorded as toyagu. (18) ınga “worthless, vile” 30 , as such it is the first example in Old Uighur. The verb derived from it, ıngala- “to regard as worthless”, is attested as isig özin ıngalap 31 “he regarded his life as worthless” in HT VI and in SI 4906 23 T.III.0156.144b19-21 24 CHAVANNES 1914, 483. 25 GOT 250. 26 ED 795. 27 Cp. Lk. 1:41: “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost”. 28 GOT 253. 29 HAZAI 1976, 273, l.5 enčgülüg mäŋilig nirvan. 30 ED 183a. 31 MAUE 2009, 20. 47 (K 22), ll. 06-08 titdi ätʾözin tilädi nomug . ıngaladı isig özin küsädi äntkäk [elin] “he gave up his body, he longed for the dharma; he regarded his life as worthless, he wanted the Indian [country]”. A further derivative form written in Brāhmī script is ıngalatılmıš which is explained by D. Maue. 32 Thus the word ınga and its derivatives have recently become rather well attested. (19) -güčä täŋlig. M. Erdal writes: “Attributive -gU+čA expresses accordance, degree or limit” 33 , here the degree is emphazised by täŋlig “with the measure”. (21) iliktin süŋüktin. The first member of this word group is more often attested with an initial y-: yilik 34 . A good example is known from the Altun Yaruk Sudur, also quoted by G. Clauson: yilikimizdin süŋükümüzdin bärü “right from our marrow and bones”. 35 (23) kopta kop “most” belongs to a special type of the superlative, 36 one other example is artokta artok “very much”. (29) asankilıg uzun yol “the long asaṃkhyeya way”. Several examples are given in the UW, 37 of which some refer to the three asaṃkhyeya periods. (34) ačıg ämgäk, cp. R ÖHRBORN 2015, 11. Abbreviations BT III: Berliner Turfantexte III BT IX: Berliner Turfantexte IX ED: Etymological Dictionary GOT: Grammar of Old Turkic OTWF: Old Turkic Word Formation Suv: Uygurca Altun Yaruk T.: Taishō Buddhist Canon UW: Uigurisches Wörterbuch References A Grammar of Old Turkic (GOT) 2004: ERDAL, Marcel. A Grammar of Old Turkic. Leiden/Boston: Brill. An Etymological Dictionary of Pre-Thirteenth-Century Turkish (ED) 1972: C LAUSON, Gerard. An Etymological Dictionary of Pre-Thirteenth-Century Turkish. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 32 MAUE 2009, 20. 33 GOT 390. 34 ED 927-928. 35 ED 928a. 36 GOT 372. 37 UW 225b-226a; repeated in RÖHRBORN 2015, 292. The manuscript Mainz 777 noted as “unpubl. [unpublished]” was published in ZIEME 1984. 48 CHAVANNES E. 1914: “Une version chinoise du conte bouddhique du Kalyâṇamkara et Pāpamkara”. In: T’oung Pao XV, 469-500. Das uigurische Insadi-sūtra (BT III) 1974: TEZCAN Semih. Das uigurische Insadi-sūtra. 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