Pelliot tibétain 1136
This scroll from the sealed cave library at Dunhuang preserves two pre-Buddhist Tibetan ritual narratives — origin stories that authorize and explain the practice of horse sacrifice during funeral rites. Written in Old Tibetan, likely during the Tibetan Empire period (seventh to ninth century CE), the manuscript is now held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The beginning and end are missing.
The text belongs to the genre scholars call smrang — ritual origin myths that legitimate ceremonial practice by anchoring it in mythological precedent. Two tales are told. In the first, two inseparable noble friends make a death-pact: whoever survives will perform the funeral rites. When one is killed by a wild-yak hunter in the northern pastures, the other searches for years, weeps tears of blood, and captures a supernatural horse born of a golden stallion and a jade mare to serve as the funerary offering. In the second, a lord's daughter is married into the kingdom of Zhang Zhung, where she is struck by a black poison curse. The ancestral Gshen priest cannot heal her — only the Bird-Priestess can. Through ransom-animal rites and three nights of Bon ceremony, the nine demons are transferred to substitute animals, the curse is lifted, and the healed princess's face shines bright as moonlight.
The text is remarkable for its preservation of pre-Buddhist Tibetan religious concepts: the gshen priestly class, the dmu cosmic pronouncement, the ransom-animal rite (glud), and the ritual formula of the eight-span royal rope and four-cornered pyre. Both stories culminate in the same ceremonial structure, suggesting a standardized funerary liturgy that predates Buddhism's arrival in Tibet.
This is the first English translation. The Old Tibetan source text is from the critically edited transliteration at the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database, maintained by the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA) at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
The Genealogy of the Dead
[beginning lost]
...departed to the realm of kings.
For all those who departed to the realm of kings — the mountain-spirits and the water-spirits and all — the nine kinfolk and all their kind, each to their own, the demons and spectres have been spoken of.
When Ma Bla departed to the realm of kings, Long-Armed Smya Bo departed to the realm of kings. When De Mo Sho departed, they gathered at Ske Ga Pung. Wild-Yak Bud Bu departed to the realm of kings at the wild-yak burial ground. The Nine Father-Trees departed to the realm of kings. The Ten Mother Shade-Trees departed to the realm of kings.
The genealogy is complete.
The Tale of the Two Noble Friends
In the pleasant lands of the north there lived two lords: Smra Myiste the Noble and Rma Myide the Noble.
In Smra Myiste's heart, no one was dearer than Rma Myide. In Rma Myide's heart, no one was dearer than Smra Myiste. The two, inseparable, made a pact: if one should die, the other would perform the funeral rites. If one should perish, the other would go in search.
Now once upon a time, Smra Myiste the Noble went to the upper northern pastures to search for a strayed yak among the wild herds. A wild-yak hunter struck Smra Myiste down — impaled him on a horse-spear — and he was gone. His body was not recovered.
Once upon a time, Rma Myide the Noble waited. He waited days — the other did not return. He waited more days — still the other did not return. He waited months — the other did not come. He waited a year — still the other had not come, and his heart could bear it no more.
Rma Myide went to the eight passes of the northern range to search for Smra Myiste. But Smra Myiste had been struck down by the wild-yak hunter with a scented spear, and his body was not found.
Then grief shattered him — grief of the bones, grief of the breast, grief of the dark heart. He searched for his beloved's face among his kinsmen and retainers. When he could bear no more, he wept — and he wept tears of blood.
Then by the word of the great elder, and by the word of Rma Myide the Noble: "Send Smra Myiste to the light! Set his form upon the funeral bier!"
And he said: "Let the eight-span royal rope be fixed. Let the four-cornered pyre be built in the valley. Let the northern seat, the comfortable cushion, be spread. Let the great dark-green burial cloth be laid upon the steps."
But there was no funerary animal. There was no heart-animal.
So Rma Myide went to seek a funerary animal, to seek a heart-animal. In the land of Sre Ga, in the Foal Valley, at the pasture of the father-horse:
The Golden Stallion of the Golden Meadow and the Jade Mare of the Jade Meadow — the two had mated, the two stallions had contended — and in the season of foaling, an extraordinary woolly foal was born. As it followed behind its mother, Rma Myide the Noble caught it with a long braided rope. With great power and by strength he led it forth. He placed it in a leather corral and announced it with the blue-dark divine pronouncement. The animals were prepared.
"Smra Myiste and the sorrowful one — the two inseparable friends — they made a pact: if one dies, the other performs the rites. Now Smra Myiste has fallen — has suffered and is no more. Send him forth. Set his form to follow behind. There is no funerary animal. There is no heart-animal."
"O funerary mare! You shall carry the water back. You shall lift the burden and bear it away."
Speaking thus, he went forth into the pleasant northern lands. The woolly foal was enthroned. It was named and branded. A golden-goose brand was set upon it.
He searched and found it worthy. He gave it the seat of the bridled horse, the crossed-legged rest. Rice-beer was poured through the bridle. Sugar-cane juice was mixed and offered. Silk was bound upon its body. A garuda horn was set upon its brow. Its mane was spread like a veil. Bark-lattice ornaments were placed upon its crown. Its body was covered.
Its tail was braided and placed in a sheath. Water was poured. The burden was lifted and borne away.
Benefit and merit!
Now perform the inner rites in detail.
The Tale of the Bird-Priestess
In the Upper Water Division there lived Rtsang Ho, ruler of that land. His wife's name was Gshen Za's Daughter — Myed Ma of Bshos and Nams. Their son was named Smra Bon Zing Skyes. Their daughter was Lady Lho Rgyal, the Northern Star.
Now once upon a time: Rtsang Ho the ruler and Smra Bon Zing Skyes — what possessions did the two of them have? They had seven goats and seven yaks.
A young boy, a goatherd, was tending five goats. He wore a deerskin pelt and wandered in the shade. He herded goats and yaks in the upper valley.
Now once upon a time: from a red hollow in the high cliffs of the upper valley, a piebald demoness-horse appeared. From the lower mouth of the valley, a blue water-horse appeared.
The two horses mated. The two stallions contended. In the season, in the waning month, an extraordinary woolly foal was born — the foal following behind its mother, the colt trailing behind the mare, wandering through the land.
The next year, in the season, in the waning month, another extraordinary woolly foal was born — four horses, four stallions now. By day they grazed on the grass of the white mountain and drank from the streams of the dark mountain.
Now once upon a time: the goatherd boy reported to Lord Rtsang Ho the ruler and Smra Bon Zing Skyes, and the inner rites were performed as prescribed above.
Lord Rtsang Ho and Smra Bon Zing Skyes said: "Boy — is this true or false?"
And they went to see the horses.
The goatherd came and went. Rtsang Ho the ruler and Smra Bon Zing Skyes returned. The seven goats and seven yaks were slaughtered. From the horses' hides and the stallions' hides, four yak-hair ropes were made. The horses were set running — flutes played high and wild, drums beaten from above, fans waved from below.
The horses ran. The stallions ran.
With the yak-hair rope they caught the blue water-horse. At the first tug the rope snapped — and it fled to the lake at the lower valley and was gone.
They caught the piebald demoness-horse. At the first tug the rope snapped — and it fled up the valley to the red cliffs and was gone.
Then they caught the two woolly foals. At the first tug, the second tug, the third tug — the rope did not break.
The mother escaped. So they caught the foals there. Rtsang Ho the ruler and Smra Bon Zing Skyes placed them in a leather corral and announced them with the blue-dark divine pronouncement.
They were named and branded: the male was branded as the Piebald Magpie; the younger as the Black Bear. They were made possessions.
Now Lady Lho Rgyal the Northern Star was given in marriage to Lord Gu Ge Rkang Phran in the Upper Water Division. Lord Gu Ge Rkang Phran's kinsmen — a hundred men, a hundred riders — came forth in procession.
Lady Lho Rgyal the Northern Star spoke:
"Over the high pastures I was driven, and the trail behind me is long.
Zhang Zhung's Gu Ge Rkang Phran is known to me, and I resent him.
A fish-trap was set, and by its jaws I am caught."
And the black poison curse struck her, and there she was bound.
Her father Rtsang Ho the ruler and her brother Smra Bon Zing Skyes begged her to rise in the warmth of morning — but she was not permitted to rise. They begged her to rise in the cool of evening — but she was not permitted to rise.
And so Lady Lho Rgyal the Northern Star's face fell dark as shadow. The black poison tightened around her throat, coiling and clinging.
Her father Rtsang Ho the ruler and her brother Smra Bon Zing Skyes petitioned their ancestor, the Great Gshen Priest of Old, saying:
"Our daughter — Lady Lho Rgyal the Northern Star — the black poison has struck her and she is dying. Release the black poison, we beg you."
The Great Gshen Priest of Old spoke: "The black poison I cannot release. Only the Bird-Priestess, the Skillful One, can release it."
And so they sent a Bon seeker to summon the Bird-Priestess. But the Bird-Priestess could not be found.
Then they sent Thog Rje, a debtor, to summon the Bird-Priestess. And the Bird-Priestess was found and came.
The Bird-Priestess took a black ransom-sheep and a grey ransom-goat and bound them as the price.
For three nights the Bon priests, the Gshen priests, performed the rites.
At dawn: the nine demons were cast into the black ransom-sheep and the grey ransom-goat, and departed.
From Lady Lho Rgyal the Northern Star's throat, the black poison was released and departed. Her face shone white as moonlight, bright and radiant. And she sat gazing out upon the world, and smiled.
Her father Rtsang Ho the ruler said: "Send her forth to the light! Set her form upon the bier!"
The eight-span royal rope was fixed. The four-cornered pyre was built in the valley.
The father brought the funerary offering: the piebald mare was led as the magpie-sacrifice. The brother brought his sister's offering: the black female yak was led as the bear-sacrifice.
Benefit of old — benefit now and still benefit. Merit of old — merit now and still merit.
Colophon
This text occupies the recto (60 lines) of Pelliot tibétain 1136, a scroll from the Dunhuang caves, Mogao, Gansu Province, now held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The beginning and end of the scroll are missing. The verso contains a Chinese Buddhist text. The manuscript dates to the Tibetan Imperial period (seventh to ninth century CE).
First English translation from Old Tibetan, by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Tanken, Expeditionary Tulku, Life 6), 2026.
Translated independently from the Old Tibetan. No prior English translation exists for this text. Scholarly references consulted: Lalou (1939-1961, catalogue entry), Stein (1971: 501-502, analysis of Tibetan ritual texts). The OTDO critical edition's variant readings were consulted for damaged or unclear passages. Some proper names have been left transliterated where their meaning is uncertain.
Uncertain readings and interpretive notes:
Lines 1-2 are entirely lost (beginning of scroll missing).
Line 5: 'brong pub [b?]ud bu — the name is partially illegible. Read as "Wild-Yak Bud Bu."
Line 11: bldugste — OTDO reads as "blugs te" (impaled/poured into). The variant suggests emendation from the manuscript's spelling.
Lines 15-17: Several lacunae and uncertain readings. "dang [-]l nas thugs chad" — read as "then grief shattered him" from context. "[mya?] gzigs" — OTDO suggests reading "sya" (fish); the phrase remains obscure.
Line 18: "'od shid du [gtang?]" — "send to the light" is contextual. This appears to be a funerary formula meaning "dispatch the spirit."
Lines 25-29: The funerary horse adornment sequence. "pum phum" may be onomatopoeic (the sound of wrapping). "sogs shun sge'u gong" — read as "bark-lattice ornaments" but the compound is rare.
Line 48: "nya gro ni bcha' zhing kha 'is" — Lady Lho Rgyal's lament. "Fish-trap set and caught by its jaws" is an interpretive rendering of what appears to be a metaphor for entrapment in an unwanted marriage.
Lines 57-60: The final rites after healing parallel the funeral rites of the first story (eight-span rope, four-cornered pyre), suggesting a shared ceremonial structure for both death rituals and major healing ceremonies in pre-Buddhist Tibet.
Genre: These narratives belong to the smrang genre — ritual origin myths that authorize ceremonial practice by embedding it in mythological precedent. The gshen priests, the dmu pronouncement, the ransom-animal rite (glud), and the standardized funerary apparatus recur across Dunhuang's pre-Buddhist Tibetan manuscripts (cf. PT 1042, PT 1134, PT 1068).
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: Pelliot tibétain 1136
Old Tibetan source text from the OTDO (Old Tibetan Documents Online) critical edition, ILCAA, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Transliteration preserves Old Tibetan orthography. Variant readings from the OTDO apparatus are noted in square brackets. Presented for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
(1) [---]
(2) [---] [rgyal? gra?] [---]
(3) rgyal du gshegs / / gnyan dang klu yan chad rgyal gshegs pa ni g.yen dgu bya tham shad rang rang
(4) bdud tang 'dre bar smos so / / ma bla cud ki rgyal gshegs na smya bo lag rings rgyal du gshegs / de mo
(5) sho'i rgyal gshegs na' ske ga pung 'dur / 'brong pub [b?]ud bu 'brong dur gyi rgyal du gshegs / bdag shing pha dgu
(6) rgyal du gshegs / sribs shing ma bcu'i rgyal du gshegs / / rabs rdzogs so / /
(7) $ /:/ yul dga' yul byang rnams na smra myi ste btsun po dang rma myi de btsun po gnyis shig mchis na / / 'o na smra myi ste
(8) btshun po snying du yang rma myi de las sdug ma mchis / rma myi de'i snying du yang smra myi ste btsun po las sdug
(9) ma mchis te myi sdug gnyis ni shag rag bgyis gchig shi ni gchig gis bdur bar bgyis gchig rlag ni
(10) gchig gis btshal bar bgyis na / / 'o na re shig re shig na smra myi ste btshun po zhig byang 'brog snam stod du
(11) g.yag shor 'brong 'gor du gshegs na / 'brong ba myi gshed gyis smra myi ste btshun po zhig myi rta gdum du blugs te
(12) bkrongs kyis ma mchis no / / re shig re shig na rma myi de btsun po zhig ro bsdad ni zhag du ma byond
(13) zhag bsdad ni slar slar ma byond / [---] / ni lor ma byon lo bsdad ni snying du ma byon nas / rma myi de btshun
(14) pho zhig byang ka snam brgyad du smra myi ste btshun po zhig 'tshal du byon na smra myi ste btshun po ni 'brong bu myi
(15) gshed kyis myi dri nu bkrongs kyi spur ma mchis / / dang nas thugs chad ro ru chad brang gdings su
(16) gam thugs gnag chad kyis byams stang gi ngo mo 'tshald spun mchi 'khor gyis ni lta dug dkar
(17) sya gzigs du myi ngu na mchi ma khrag gis ngus te / smra myi ste btsun chen pos / smra myi ste btshun po'i spur shig snam ste
(18) rma myi de'i btsun po'i mchid nas / smra myi ste btsun po 'od shid du gtang 'chal brang du gzugs 'tshal gsung ste rgyal thag brgyad ni
(19) bas la bchas / se gru bzhi ni lung du brtsigs / gdan byang gdan khod mo ni gdan du bting / gram mching gram sngon mo ni phabs su bkhrom / / 'o na do
(20) ma mchis snying dags ma mchis nas / / rma myi de'i btshun po zhig do ma tshol du mchis snying dags tshol du mchis na / yul sre ga rte'u lung na
(21) rta pha yab kyi mtshan na / gser rta'i gser ma ron dang ma g.yu rta'i g.yu ma ron gnyis rta gnyis 'tshos kyi bu rmang gnyis 'thams kyi
(22) bu lo'i dus su rte'u bal bu mchog rum zhig byung ste / rte'u ma pyi 'brang ba las / rma myi de'i btsun pos / mang zhags 'breng gis bzung ste / skyes
(23) mthu che ni mthu 'is drangs ste / bse'i cho rol du ni bcug / mthing gi dmu rtod kyis bsgrogs nas / pyugs spo mnye du ma / smra myi ste btsun po dang
(24) myi ngan bu gnyis myi sdug gnyis ni shag rag bgyis te gchig shi ni gchig gis bdur bar bgyis na / smra myi ste btshun po ni rman te ni grongs /
(25) sdug ste ni rlag na / shid bgyir 'brang gzugs su / do ma ma mchis snying dags ma mchis na / / pyugs smo ma khyod kyis chab gang lar bgyi 'tshal
(26) yang ba rab du spogs 'tshal zhes mchi nas / / yul dga' yul byang rnams su rte'u bal bu khri de bzhud nas / mying dang btshan btags pa'
(27) ser ngang 'ger btags nas 'tshal te mchis nas bres rta bres skyal mo skyil mor stsald nas / 'bras kyi lcang pa ni gsan ca bu ram nyug
(28) cu ni blud nas / pum phum ni dar gyis bchings / dbul bya ru khyung ru ni btsugs / rngog ma ni gsham du bkye / sogs shun sge'u gong ni / khabs su
(29) bkab / mjug ma ni slungs su stsald te chab gang ni lar btab yang 'ba' du spags te / phan te bsod do / / nan skor zhib du bgyi /
(30) $ /:/ yul chab kyi ya bgo na rtsang ho de 'i hos bdag dang ma yum gyi mtshan gshen za'i gyi myed ma bshos dang nams kyi sras na / / mying dral gyi mtshan
(31) sma bu zing ba'i zing skyes dang sring mo lcam smos pa / lcam lho rgyal gyi byang mo tsun / / 'o na re shig re shig na / rtsang ho'i hos bdag tang smra bon gyi zing ba
(32) zing skyes gnyis la dkor dang dags su chi mnga' na' / ra bdun cha bdun zhig mnga' / 'o na khye'u ra rdzi cha rdzi po zhig / ra lnga 'tso zhing spang ka nyug
(33) ra slag gyon zhing drib du 'khor te / ra 'tsho cha 'tsho zhing lung 'gi ya pur mchis na / 'o na re shig re shig na / / lung 'gi ya phu brag dmar rum nas
(34) srin rta khra mo gchig byung / yul lung 'gi ma mda' nas / cu rta sngon po gchig byung ste / rta gnyis 'tshos kyi bu rmang gnyis 'thams kyi bu lo'i dus / su
(35) sla'i man du rte'u bal bu mchog rum gchig byung ste rte'u ma phyi 'brang rmang bu yum phyi dgyu zhing mchis na / / sang phod lo'i dus sla'i man du / yang
(36) rte'u bal bu mchog rum gchig byung rta bzhi rmang bzhi zhig / nyin zhing [---] ri dkar gyi rtsva la za zhing sribs ri gnag gi cu la 'thung zhing mchis na' /
(37) 'o na' re shig re shig na' / khye'u ra rdzi cha rdzi pos jo bo rtsang ho de'i hos bdag dang smra bon gyi zing ba zing skyes kyi snyan du gsol de nan skor gong ma
(38) las 'byung ba bzhin bgyi / / jo bo rtsang ho de'i hos bdag dang smra bon gyi zing ba'i zing skyes kyi zhal nas / 'o na khye'u chi bden chi brdzun zhes rta gzigs
(39) su gshegs gshegs na' / / khye'u ra rdzi cha rdzi chi mchi chi mad de / rtsang hos bdag dang rma bu zing ba'i zing skyes zhig slar ru byon te / ra bdun cha /
(40) bdun bal te / rta'i kog tshe rmang 'gi kog tshe ra snyi thing ka lag bzhi zhig bgyis ste / rta gling khyad khyud ljad ljod du btsugs te / pu nas khus btab
(41) mda' nas g.yab bor na / rta dkyus ste mchis rmang dkyus te mchis nas / ra snyi thing ka lag la / cu rta sngon po zun nas rgal pa thabs gchig rgal
(42) na ra snyi thing ka lag chad de lung 'gi ma mda' na mtsho so rum du bros kyis ma mchis / srin rta khra mo zun te rgal pa thabs gchig rgal na ra snyi
(43) thing ka lag chad de lung 'gi ya pur brag dmar rum du bros ste mchis / / 'o na rte'u bal bu gnyis shig zun te / rgal pa thabs gchig thabs gnyis
(44) thabs gsum rgal kyang ra snyi thing ka lag ma chad de / / rte'u ma shor te / de ru zun na / rtsang ho de'i hos bdag dang smra bon gyi zing ba gnyis
(45) kyis bse 'i cho rol du ni bcug mthing gi dmu rtod kyis brtod nas / / mying dang mtshan btags pa' / pho ni bkra la byar btags nu bo ni gnag
(46) dom byar btags te dkor dang dags su bgyis so / / 'o na lcam lho rgyal byang mo tsun zhig / / yul chab kyi ya bgor / rje gu ge rkang phran dang gnyen
(47) dang gdum du bgyis te / rje gu ge rkang phran gyi gnye bo myi brgya rkya brgya zhig yas se byung na / / lcam lho rgyal byang mo tsun gyi mchid nas / / yul kha la
(48) ra nga stod ni bkrod ching shul ring la / / zhang zhung gu ge rkang phran ni 'dris shing sdang / nya gro ni bcha' zhing kha 'is gsung nas / rtsi dag gnag gis
(49) 'gegs ste de ru nongs na' / / 'o na yab rtsang ho de hos bdag dang mying smra bon zing skyes kyis nang gi dro la bzhengs su gsol na yang
(50) bzhengs su ma gnang nub kyi 'on la bzhengs su gsol na bzhengs su ma gnang / / ste lcam lho rgyal byang mo tsun ni zhal ni mun re phab / rtsi dag nag po ni mgul
(51) na nar zhing mchis so / / pha yab rtsang ho de'i hos bdag dang dral smra bon zing skyes kyis / / pha gshen rabs kyi myi bo'i snyan du gsol te / myi ngan
(52) bu 'i bu mo lcam lho rgyal gyi byang mo tshun ni / rtsi dag gnag gis 'gegs te gum na / da rtsi dag gnag chig dgrol 'tshal zhes bgyis na / pha gshen
(53) rabs kyi myi bo'i zhal nas / rtsi dag gnag po ni dgrol myi 'tshal / bya gshen 'jon mos dgrol 'tshal zhes gsung na 'o na bya gshen 'jon mo zhig
(54) bya bon bang pa bang reg chig gnyer du btang na yang bya gshen 'jon mo ma khugs nas / / skyin po ru thog rje zhig bya gshen 'jon mo
(55) gnyer du btang na / bya gshen 'jon mo zhig khugs te mchis nas bya gshen 'jon mo 'is 'geg lug nag po dang 'geg ra rgya bo zhig rgyus su brgyus
(56) nas / nub gsum bon gshen bon du bsgyerd na sang 'gi nam nangs na 'geg lug nag po dang 'geg ra rgya bo la bdud dgu ni bdud du bor zhing
(57) mchis / / lcam lho rgyal byang mo tsun gi mgul nas / / rtsi dag gnag chig grol ching mchis te zhal mdangs dkar ni sla re 'od de zhal dang
(58) bzhad pa lta zhing bzhugs nas / / yab rtsang ho de'i hos bdag gis shid du ni gtang 'tshal 'brang du ni gzugs 'tshal zhes gsung nas
(59) rgyal thag brgyad bas la bchas se gru bzhi lung du brtsis te / yab kyis do ma ra ni bkra la bya drangs so / / mying dral pos ni / sring gi ba ru gnag
(60) dom bya drangs te phan te bsod gna' phan da yang phan gna' bsod da yang bsod do / /
Source Colophon
Old Tibetan source text from the critically edited transliteration at the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database, ILCAA, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies: https://otdo.aa-ken.jp/archives?p=Pt_1136. OTDO Project © 2006. Facsimile images available at the Bibliothèque nationale de France via Gallica: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b83073498.
Scholarly catalogue: Lalou (1939-1961: II, 68). Analysis: Stein (1971: 501-502). Transliteration plates: Choix de documents tibétains II (pl. 470-471, notice 18-19), IV (46-49).
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