Pelliot tibétain 1289
A pre-Buddhist Tibetan funeral narrative from the Dunhuang cave library, written in Old Tibetan on a pothi leaf now held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The text belongs to the genre scholars call smrang — ritual origin myths that authorize ceremonial practice by anchoring it in mythological precedent. Where Pelliot tibétain 1068 ("The Mdzo Funeral Rites") tells two separate tales of brothers performing funeral rites for dead sisters, this manuscript weaves a single continuous narrative: the genealogy of the sacrificial mdzo mo, the quest to find her mate, the lord's death at the hands of demonesses, and the grand funeral where man, woman, and mdzo each offer themselves.
The narrative opens with the lineage of the mdzo mo traced back to a primordial wild creature that neither humans nor klu could subdue. The Lady of the Herd, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma, commands the hero Lho Bu-lang-ling to find a companion for her mdzo and to secure a funeral mdzo for when the dead must be honoured. He traces the father-bull's line to the White Conch Bull in the southern lands — one of the great animal ancestor figures of pre-Buddhist Tibetan religion. The mdzo Skyi-lde Ru-bran is born, prepared, and consecrated by a Bon priest.
The text turns dark when the lord goes hunting despite his wife's desperate pleas. Nine demonesses kill him. His body is examined — "thin as a bird's feather from outside, white as conch, blue as lapis" — and the funeral begins. At the climax, the man, the woman, and the mdzo each "offer themselves by themselves," the triple self-offering that authorizes the funeral sacrifice. The gshen-priest arrives with bell and drum: "The dead was anointed. The destroyed was sought. When a man dies, the gshen awakens him."
Pelliot tibétain 1289. Pothi leaf with three columns on each side, twelve lines per column. Transcription from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO), Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. This is the first English translation.
Part One: The Origin of the Mdzo Mo
This origin-tale of the mdzo mo belongs to the gshen-priest Mnon Khong-rma — it is most excellent.
In the splendid divisions of the lands, among lords and nobles, chiefs of birth and the assembly of lords, there were the pair: the lady Snam-za'i Snam-khri-ma and the lord Bshos-dang-nams. Their son was born a gshen. The lord's consort bore a son. When the younger brother was born — the lord of Dnang and Sa — whatever property he possessed, he had a horse called Ro-gu-du-ron, and the mdzo mo herd.
Whatever property Snam-khrid-ma possessed, the father-bull came first. The mother-cow's name was Gzhi-ste Mal-mal, and the pair of them. In the outer pastoral lands, in Pha-byi, the black wild one was blue-green at the border. Nine father-bulls came. Four mother-cows, each one Mal-mal — drawing nearer and nearer, with hearts drawing close, nearer and nearer, with gazes drawing near, with silver-straight fur approaching. The elder sister was named 'Tshas-dang-nams. The elder daughter's name was Bdud-mdzo Ting-nyag — the fierce one.
The primordial mdzo, the red Kla-mdzo — her back was mottled. Neither humans nor klu could subdue her. With three straight ropes she could not be bound or overcome. But with the red klu's gift, and dry coral, and three turquoise knots — when they seized her, she fell to the ground. From exhaustion, when seized, she fell.
The fierce, primordial one — for the sake of the mdzo, the mdzo mo dances: prancing, prancing, a little dance, a little leap!
This mdzo mo of the herd became the property and treasure of Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma. From the north, her calves were taken. The mdzo Snar-ma — from the place in the north: the elder daughter had a great heart, but the younger daughter's heart was small. Though she stayed quiet, in the evening she did not cry loud. The elder daughter had beautiful fur, but the younger sister's fur was not beautiful. The elder was still young — her name was Le-mdzo. The excellent lord-father pierced the mdzo's nose and set the mdzo mo's nose-ring.
Part Two: The Lady's Command
The elder's yield was not great — milked, the yield was not great. With saddle on the back, the father's yield was not great. The mdzo cow of the herd — Snam-za'i Snam-khri-ma milked from the teats and churned the curd. From the north, calves were taken. The cattle were milked, each yielding curd. The cattle were loaded, each bearing a burden.
But the mdzo mo of the herd — did Snam-za'i's mdzo develop attachment? Did she follow the mdzo?
In the southern land of Pha-byi there was the lord Lho Bu-lang-ling — kinsman at the border of men, whose sister's name was spoken. Corrupted by livestock and wealth, corrupted by food and drink — debased and diminished by riches and stock.
Then the Lady of the Herd, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma, spoke these words:
"Speak no evil words!
If you, kinsman, have done wrong —
if you, Lho Bu-lang-ling, have done wrong —
then she herself shall release the dog-pack of snam!
Your good sons and sisters and their brides —
she shall cast them out!
"This woman, this servant, has one mdzo —
the mdzo Snar-ma.
The mdzo has no companion.
Kinsman Lho Bu-lang-ling!
Find one companion for the mdzo!
Give one friend from the upper pastures!
Be a companion in life,
and when the dead sister dies,
grant one funeral mdzo!"
Part Three: The White Conch Bull
Then Lho Bu-lang-ling traced the father's name — the mdzo's patriarch's name: Dung-lang Dkar-po, the White Conch Bull.
In the southern land of Ya-byi, where the divine waters flow, at the head of the waters — there the Conch Bull dwelt. The White One dwelt there. At the foot of the great southern mountain, he was sought. At the head of the southern waters, he was sought. Where the hundred waters flow, at the foot of the waters — there the mother dwelt. The seven lower yak-cows dwelt there. The seven yak-cows sought the waters.
The father's scent was present. The White Conch Bull's scent — the fragrance of incense. That scent, that scent! Each breeze was sweet. The fragrance warm — at the upper head of the waters, in Ya-byi: what wonders appeared! What miracles followed! When he walked gracefully through the waters, in the green valley — there he went, there he stood.
The White Conch Bull went, there he stood. At the mother's side he stood. The seven lower mother-yaks passed at his side.
As for his beautiful fur — whose fur is this? The spring and summer fur was short and thick. The yak and wild yak's fur was small but long — yes, long! Whose fur? Excellent fur, flowing and flowing — white, flowing and flowing! Looked at from behind: like the master himself! Drawing nearer, in the upper valley, on the high pass — like a dragon! His voice rings out — one eye blazes like fire! His short horns — the sister's horns, coming and coming!
The cattle were separated for the season. The seven lower yak-cows were separated again. Three calves — seven appeared, appeared! A dark cloud, a thundercloud gathered before them. Purple haze thickened and thickened — a silken purple haze before them, thickening and thickening.
Nearer and nearer, with gaze straining to draw close. Nearer and nearer, with silver-straight fur drawing near. Season after season, the seven lower males and females, the elder, and Bshos-dang-nams —
Part Four: The Preparation of the Mdzo
They bore a son: Skyi-lde Ru-bran, and one mother-mdzo was there. The lord Lho Bu-lang-ling set a golden awl into the water-spring, the true spring — threading a silken cord, drawing forth the innards of the foundation-stone. The gut-blood dripping, dropped onto the mother-mdzo's breast.
Skyi-lde was seized there — Ring-marked, seized by the horns. The horns examined: golden horns! The rump examined: like a horse's strength! The eyes examined: iron eyes! The mdzo's nose-ring was set. The mdzo's saddle was placed. By the Sumpa bull-herd, the mdzo cow's nose was made firm.
The kinsmen's backs did not rebel. Into the lord's hands she was offered — into Lho Bu-lang-ling's hands! Lho Bu-lang-ling, with the black cattle — but his heart and theirs were not one. Though the father was not obeyed, adorned with a woolen crown upon the head and a frame of iron and gold — the cow's nose was made firm.
Milked at the edge, appearing and appearing — the hooves were fine! The lord Lho Bu-lang-ling led and guided the kinsmen. The soft milch-cow was led, bound at the nose. A golden nose-rope was inserted. The kinsmen were led and guided.
To the southern dwelling — in the heart of the lake, the scent was present. The bull Dung-lang Dkar-po's heart rose! The mother's heart rose. The mother-yaks, the seven lower ones — their hearts rose. The mdzo rose.
Then the Bon priest 'Ol-lcogs performed divination and prognostication: what was sought above? The mother, the klu of the hundred waters, the gnyan cast down. The mdzo's nose was not strong — the bowl could not be carried on the back. When led and guided, each nose-ring steadied, each back tamed.
The Lady of the Herd, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma, called the mdzo from afar.
Part Five: The Lord Departs
"The sister-mdzo will come," she thought. "Skyi-lde Ru-bran will come. Let food be prepared! Let drink be served!"
After three warm days and four, when the kinsman departed — Lho Bu-lang-ling departed. Skyi-lde Ru-bran departed. The lady received him with joy. When the animals met at the pasture, they played and leapt! When the cattle met by the horns, they licked with their tongues!
A blue tent was pitched on the plain. Nine layers of cushions were spread. Golden cups and silver cups clinked and flowed! The kinsman Lho Bu-lang-ling — Skyi-lde Ru-bran — the elder sister, the living father — sent forth!
How it benefited! In the land of the Lord of Lords, no enemy appeared. In the north, no yaks. No enemy — if none exist, still search! If no yaks exist, still search for yaks!
The Lord of Lords went out to hunt, went out to drive game. The Lady of the Herd, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma, spoke:
"Lord, do not go!
Lord of Lords, do not go!
Do not seek a man's face,
do not gaze upon the proud one's countenance,
do not bow to the demon!
Lord, do not go!"
So she spoke. When she grasped his head, his feet slipped away. When she grasped his feet, his head slipped away. When a man enters his ornaments, he is proud, proud to see! When the horseman descends, he escapes and escapes!
In the northern pastures, in the upper snam-lands, a flesh-eating demon appeared — descending from afar, it came! The demon was slain. As the sun set in the west —
Part Six: The Nine Demonesses
The flesh was placed in an iron vessel, placed in a soft container. A golden shower fell — seven showers descending from afar. They fell.
Nine demonesses — they reached hands into mouths and pulled out hearts!
For the Lord of Lords, there was no killing them. The horse Ro-gu-du-ron stayed one day — the same. Stayed two days — the same. He would not rise, would not move from the high fortress.
Was his heart broken? Had the four excellent rays been cut off?
The Lord of Lords — looked at from outside: thin as a bird's feather. From inside: not even as much blood as would weigh heavy. His flesh, examined: white as conch. His eyes, examined: blue as lapis. On the tips of his fingers — a thread of flesh.
Part Seven: The Funeral
The gentle one wrapped his hands in her lap. With the horse Ro-gu-du-ron, the body was led and drawn — not led to the grey cliff, not drawn to the green slate, but led to the meadow mound.
The Lady of the Herd, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma, looked and saw:
"Before, when he was led, the black one was large as a sheep.
But now — what follows is small as a grey hare,
dragged and drawn!
Before, he was led mounted on his horse, Ro-gu-du-ron.
But now — the Lord of Lords, wronged —
it is like a corpse!"
They processed through the splendid divisions of the lands. The Lady of the Herd — her hands did not bow in greeting. She took the stirrup firmly. Wild deer on the mountain slopes — the mountain was cut, not small, counted as great. She descended to the low ground.
At the bridge, goats were tied. In the valley, wild yaks were slaughtered. Eight victory banners were woven from wool. In the white tent valley, a tent was pitched. On the donkey-platform in the plain, a cairn was built.
At the heart-stone, the horse was slaughtered with a neigh — Ro-gu-du-ron! A war-horse's armour and weapons! The horse Ro-gu-du-ron was slaughtered by the leading guide.
The horse offered itself.
The Lady of the Herd, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma — following the wronged lord, in the hostile land, in the rocky, rocky land:
The lord-master, the man — offered himself.
Within, the iron does not burn.
The woman offered herself.
At the throat, the blade does not burn.
For the Lord of Lords' sake, at the needle's opening, Snam-za'i Snam-khrid-ma herself offered herself.
And the mdzo — the mdzo offered herself!
The mdzo Skyi-lde Ru-bran, given in love by the father Mying-byams —
offered herself by herself!
For the mdzo's sake, the rite was done. For the mdzo Snar-ma's sake, the rite was done. The mdzo Snar-ma — each water-offering was small, each vessel light and short.
When the father departed, the ancestral gshen-priest departed — the great bell held in the left hand, the small drum held in the right.
The dead was anointed. The destroyed was sought.
When a man dies, the gshen awakens him.
Colophon
Pelliot tibétain 1289 is a pre-Buddhist Tibetan funeral text of the smrang genre — origin narratives that authorize ritual practice by anchoring it in mythological precedent. The manuscript is a pothi leaf with three columns on each side (twelve lines per column, plus one additional colophon line), now held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Together with PT 1068 ("The Mdzo Funeral Rites"), PT 1042 ("The Royal Funeral Rituals"), PT 1134 ("The Paths of the Dead"), and PT 1136 ("The Horse Sacrifice"), it forms part of a corpus of Dunhuang texts that preserve pre-Buddhist Tibetan funeral practices from the period of the Tibetan Empire (seventh to ninth century CE).
The text authorizes the sacrifice of the mdzo mo (female dzo, a yak-cattle hybrid) at funeral ceremonies. Unlike the two separate tales in PT 1068, this manuscript presents a single continuous narrative: the genealogy of the sacrificial mdzo traced to a primordial wild ancestor, the lady's command to find a mate, the quest for the White Conch Bull, the preparation and consecration of the mdzo Skyi-lde Ru-bran, the lord's death at the hands of nine demonesses, and the funeral where man, woman, and mdzo each offer themselves. The triple self-offering (rang gis rang chas, "offered herself by herself") is the text's ritual and emotional climax — the precedent that authorizes every subsequent funeral sacrifice.
Translated from Old Tibetan by Tanken (探検), Expeditionary Tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. This is the first English translation. No existing English translation was consulted — none exists. The Old Tibetan transliteration was obtained from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) corpus. Damaged or uncertain readings in the source are marked with square brackets in the source text below. Proper names are rendered in Wylie transliteration with initial capitals. The animal terms mdzo (male hybrid) and mdzo mo (female hybrid) are left untranslated as they have no precise English equivalent.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: མཛོ་མོའི་རབས། (Mdzo mo'i rabs)
Old Tibetan source text from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) corpus, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Pelliot tibétain 1289. Transcription by the OTDO editorial team. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above. Parenthesized references indicate column and line numbers on the pothi leaf (e.g., r1-01 = recto, column 1, line 1). Square brackets indicate damaged or uncertain readings in the manuscript. Superscript variants from the OTDO apparatus are incorporated inline.
(r1-01) $ /:/ mdzo mo'I rabs 'di nI mnon gshen khong rma'I lags te bzang rab bo / / yul dang yul gyI dbye bkra na /
(r1-02) rje dang da dang skye rje dang rje tshogs snam za'I snam khri ma gnyis / bshos dang nams kyi sras gshen bltam na thong /
(r1-03) rje 'I dag mo sras / / gcung bltam na dnang dang sa 'I rje dkor du ji mnga' na rta ro gu du ron zhig mnga' / mdzo mo tshogs /
(r1-04) snam khrid ma la dkor du ji mnga' na / yab dbu ru 'ong / / ma dang yum gyi mtshan na gzhi ste mal mal gnyis / yul phyI 'brog /
(r1-05) pha byi na ba nag gseng ma nI dbyam tsham sngo / yab dgu ru 'ong 'ong / / ma bzhi ste mal mal je nye ji nye na thugs dang gIs nye /
(r1-06) je nye je nye / spyan grus je nye je nye spu drang rngul gyis nye / 'tshas dang nams phu mo gcen gyI mtshan bdud mdzo tIng nyag /
(r1-07) gnyan / nam gdod kyI mdzo kla mdzo mar mo la rgyab ni khra bor mchis / ma bthub myI ka klu / myIg dang dang drang gsum zhig ma /
(r1-08) btub ma bcad / klu mar gtang bzangs dang ba ru skam dang / dang se nam grun gsum gyis / mjal bskya bas shIng bor ro / /
(r1-09) snyung las bskya bas zhIng bor / gnyan nam gdod jI gu mdzo'I slad na mdzo mo bre bre bre cung ldam bro cung 'dI mdzo mo /
(r1-10) tshogs / snam za'I snam khrid ma dkor dang dad du bab / byang nas tsha blangs / myi mdzo snar ma dang / byang nas blangs sa na sna ma nas /
(r1-11) nya nya myI mdzo snar ma nas / nya phu mo snyIng che dang / nab mo snying myi che bab bo / 'dug kyang nub mo ku myi drag phu mo spu sdug /
(r1-12) kyang / nu mo spu myI sdug / phu mo nI nga ya nu / mo gan myIng na le mdzo drug du sum rje yag pha 'is mdzo'I sna da phub mdzo mo'I sna phug /
(r2-01) $ /:/ dang phu'I g.yal myI che nu nas zho bzhos dang phu 'i g.yal myi che / rgyab du sga stad dang pha 'I g.yal myI che / mdzo ma tshogs tshogs /
(r2-02) snam za'I snam khrI mas nu nas zho bzhos / byang nas tsha blangs / phyugs nI zho re bdam / phyugs nI rgyab re g.yor / myI mdzo snar ma 'dI dkor dang /
(r2-03) dad du snams / spo ma zho re che spo ma rgyab re g.yor / mdzo mo tshogs snam za'I mdzo la kha thugs chags sam mdzo la 'brang gam 'am /
(r2-04) lho sud pha byi na / jo bo lho bu lang lIng la myi mtha' gnyen du bgyi myI mying srIng du ni smos / 'drul nas phyugs dang nor gyis bsrul / zas dang skom /
(r2-05) gIs srul / phyugs dang nor gyis 'drul 'chab 'chag na / mdzo tshogs snam za'I snam khrId ma'I gsung dang mchid na re / kha ngan smos ma /
(r2-06) lags de myIng po khyod nongs shIng / lho bu lang ling khyod nongs na' / myI ste kho mo 'is snam gyI khyi tshang dbyung / bu sring bzang can gyIs lcam /
(r2-07) shas kyang kho mos dbyung ngo / myi ma khol mo la mdzo chig yod myI mdzo snar ma zhig yod kyis / mdzo rogs myed kyIs / myIng po lho bu lang /
(r2-08) lIng la myi mdzo'i rogs chIg tshol stod kyI rogs chig gsol / gson gyI grogs bgyI 'is grongs na sring de grongs mdzo grongs chig stsald du gsol /
(r2-09) lho bu lang lIng gyis pha dang yab kyI mtshan mdzo 'I pha dang yab kyi mtshan / dung lang dkar po nI lho yul ya byi na lha chab 'gyu /
(r2-10) mgo shed na dung glang de bzhugs / dkar po de na bzhugs / lho smob sbom byI drung na 'tshal / lho chab mgo na 'tshal / 'gyu phal che mgo na 'tshal lho chab 'gya 'gyu /
(r2-11) zhabs shed na ma zhig de na mchIs na' / smad bdun de na mchis / 'brI bdun chab 'tshal lo / pha'i drI ma gda' / dung lang dkar po'I dri ma gda' / spos tsham /
(r2-12) ngad de ngad / spor re zhim / drI ma ngad de dro na chab kyi ya mgo ya byI na ji zhIg cho re 'phrul ji zhig 'brang re rdzus / chab la snam zhing gshegs na ljong bre mo na chI /
(r3-01) zhig 'gre zhing gda' / dung lang dkar po 'gre zhing gda' / ma'i shangs su gda' mching 'brI smad bdun shangs su 'da' / 'dI lta spu sdug pa spu nI ji'I spu /
(r3-02) dbyI dang mtsha' 'I spu na chungs shIng thungs g.yag dang 'brong gi spu na chung zhIg rings / kyang rings spu ni ji'I spu spu bzangs 'ol te 'ol / na
(r3-03) dkar po 'ol te 'ol / rjes bltas bdag dang 'dra / yar nye yar nye na lung gI ya phu ya kon ya 'brug / skad thong se thongs dmyIg gchig /
(r3-04) mye ltar tsher te tsherd / ru'u thung lcam gyI ru 'ong se 'ong phyugs nI slad du byer zhes bgyis / 'bri ma smad bdun slar byer bu gsuM ma /
(r3-05) bdun shar shar / sha brun dago brun tsham zhig 'dun du shar ra / smug pa khrIgs se khrigs / dar smug pa tsham zhig mdun na khrIms se khrigs /
(r3-06) je nye je nye na spyan lam sgrus te nye / je nye je nye na spu drang rngul gyis nye / lo'I dus dus su / pho mo smad bdun gcen ba dang bshos dang nams /
(r3-07) kyi sras / skyi lde ru bran / ma mdzo chig de na gda' / rje lho bu lang lIng gis / chab myig dngo myIg du gser gyi gog tshe gtsugs / dar gyI snyi bres /
(r3-08) cha rmang ba'I gsus pa lon du phyung gsus khrag ldad ldod ma mdzo'I bran du bor / skyI lde de ru bzung / ru bran der ru bzung / ru bltas gser gyi ru
(r3-09) rnga bltas nI rta'i ja / myIg bltas ni lcags kyi myIg / mdzo sna phug / mdzo sgas stod / suM pa glang tshas 'Is / mdzo spo ma sna ma drag /
(r3-10) nye du rgyab ma rgod / nye du sna 'ang rje'I phyag du gsold / lho bu lang lIng phyag du gsold / lho bu lang lIng phyugs nag po dang / sems
(r3-11) myi gchig gIs / pha' mnyan ma phyIn spyI ba bal gyi mthon rgyan dang / se ba'I lcags ros kyIs / ma byIn yang spyi spo ma sna ma drag /
(r3-12) shog rtsar bzho / 'Is shar shar rmyig ma 'phra' / nye du rmyIg ma 'phra rje lho bu lang ling gyIs / nye du bkri zhing bshald / ba se mnyen mo bkrI'
(v1-01) $ /:/ zha ra [khul] du bthags [---] sna ru bthags / gser gyI snal lcu bcug / se ma nye du bkrI zhing bshal /
(v1-02) lho brang [mnyen?] du mtsho'I snying re [---] ni drI ma gda' / ste stong [ra?] glang dung grang dkar po snyIng re langs / ma'i snyIng /
(v1-03) re langs mchIng 'brI ni smad bdun snyIng re langs / mdzo les langs / lho bon 'ol lcogs kyIs / gdo dang dbyad / /
(v1-04) bgyIs de yas su jI zhIg 'tshal ses na ma dang klu chu gya gyu dang gnyan bor ba dang / shong shong sna myI drag / phor /
(v1-05) [phor] nI rgyab [myi?] rgal / klu [tshu] nI glad [bchIng?] bsdabs / bkri zhIng ni bshal bshal na mdzo mo nI sna re g.yung mdzo /
(v1-06) mon rgyab re dul / gtshos snam [za'i?] snam khrid mas / phyI tho rgyang nas mdzor / phyi phyogs phar phyIn / /
(v1-07) lcam mdzo 'ong ba snyam / skyi lde [ru? bran?] 'ong ba snyam / [mying?] kI bshos shIg bgyi / skyems shIg bskrald /
(v1-08) [myang?] [---] skrumma su [---] / / zhag gsum dro dang bzhI / mying phas se gshegs na / lho bu lang lIng /
(v1-09) phas se gshegs na / [mjo?] [---] ma gshegs na / skyI lde ru [bran?] phas se gshegs / jo mos tshus se bsus /
(v1-10) [le? 'u? byIn?] gong du tshus se [bsus?] me'u shed 'phrod na rtse zhIng rgal ba lta' / phyugs ru phrod na lces ldag pa /
(v1-11) lta' [---] thang sbra sngon mo gang nas phub [nan?] nam rIm dgu gdan du [bthing] na / gser skyogs rngul skyogs ni /
(v1-12) 'khrol nas 'khyol / srIng mo ga [---] la / myIng po lho bu lang ling gyIs / skyi lde ru bran ni / lcam pha gson /
(v2-01) $ /:/ du phyung ji ltar phan na rje dang dang dangs kyI rje'I yul na dgra ma mchIs / byang na g.yag ma mchIs dgra /
(v2-02) myed na dag yang tshol / g.yag myed na g.yag kyang tshol / rje dang dang dangs gyI rje gyang ka snam brgyad du /
(v2-03) sha shor du gshegs / dgo 'drIm du gshegs / jo mo tshogs snam za'I snam khrId ma'i mchid na re / jo bo ma /
(v2-04) gshegs rje dang dang dangs kyi rje ma gshegs / myI ni zhal ma 'tshol sgyed po nI ngo ma gnags / re bo nI dud ma /
(v2-05) serd / jo bo ma gshegs ces bgyIs pa dang / dbu bzung ni zhabs shord / zhabs bzung na nI dbu shord te /
(v2-06) skyes bu rgyen du zhugs na ngom ngom lta' / rta po na thur du bzhud na 'thar 'thar lta' / byang 'brog /
(v2-07) snam stod na srin sha zhIg phas se byung na / bab ru rIngs phas se byung srIn sha bsad pa dang nyI ma nab nub na / /
(v2-08) sha lcags kyI nang du btsud / mnyen mo'I nang du btsud ser bshIg pa se 'bab 'byum bdun zhig phas se / /
(v2-09) bab / srIn zha mo dgu lcogs mos / kha nas lag bcug khong nas snyIng phyung ste / rje dang dang dangs gyI rje der /
(v2-10) bkrongs kyIs myed / rta ra [gu?] du ron gyIs zhag gzhes kyang de bzhIn / zhag gnyis gzhes kyang de bzhin / bzhengs ma sbyod de mtho /
(v2-11) mkhar las thugs chad dam / bzang 'phro bzhi las thugs chad dam / rje dang dang dangs kyI rje phyi bltas na bya spu tsam / khong /
(v2-12) bltas na khrag ljI ba tsam ma mchIs / sha bltas na nI dung bas dkard / spyan bltas na nI mthing bas sngo / phyag gI theb gong du sha breng /
(v3-01) $ / / mnyen mos'is phyag gI 'thes la bskrIs te rta ra gu du ron gyis / bkri zhIng bshal bshal nas / gram pa skya la ma drangs / g.ya' sngo la ma
(v3-02) bshal / spang sbur la drangs / jo mo tshog snam za'I snam khrid mas / bltas shIng gzIgs pa na' / sngun ni ji khrid na nag po nI lug tsam zhIg slad nas
(v3-03) 'brang ba nI ri bong nI skya bo tsham zhig drud cing nI bshal lo lta / je nye ni je nye nas sngun na ni khrid pa zhIg / ra gu nI du ron zhig mod / slad na nI khrid pa ni /
(v3-04) rje dang dang dangs kyI rje nongs pa nI spur ba lta' / yul dang yul gyI dbye bkra'i nang du gshegs / jo mo tshog snam za'I snam khrid mas phyag ma /
(v3-05) dud kyis 'tshald / sle ba ni leb kyIs blangs / ri dags rI phyogs rI ni bcad myI chung che ru brtsIs lud du gtang kung myI mtho dma' ru brkros sta la
(v3-06) nI ra yang bkrIs lung nas nI 'brong yang bshas rgyal tag brgyad nI bas las bres / gur kar lung du phubs te bong steg ye nI thang la /
(v3-07) brtsIgs / do ma snying dags su rta khrin khrin gyis bsad na / ra gu du ron zhig dmag rams kyi rtar da' cha / rta ra gu du ron nI khrid cen khrid kyis bsad de rta rang
(v3-08) gis rang chas / jo mo tshog snam za'I snam khrid mas / rje nongs pa'I slad bzhIn so yul na bsdang zhIng brag brag gIs yul na rje bdag skyes bu rang
(v3-09) chas na khong du lcags myi tsha / myI mo rang chas na mgul du rtsad myI tsha te / rje dang dang dangs gyI rje'i phyIr khab dbye snam za'I snam khrid ma rang gis /
(v3-10) rang chas te mdzo rang gis rang chas na pha myIng byams kyis rtsald pa'I mdzo skyi lde ru bran gis rang gis rang chas / mdzo'I slad du las na' /
(v3-11) myi mdzo snar ma slad du las / myI mdzo snar ma chab gang re chung / yang ba re thung / pha pha se gshegs na gshen rabs kyi myI bo pha se gshegs /
(v3-12) gshang dril chen na phyag ma g.yon na snams / gshog the ra ther bu nI phyag ma g.yas na snams / shI ni bdur rlag ni tshol / myI gshIn ni gshen kyis sad do
(ad) [-g] pha' na nas [ka?]l nyI shu' rtsa bdun
Source Colophon
Pelliot tibétain 1289. Pothi leaf, three columns per side, twelve lines per column, plus one additional line. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Digitized facsimile available via Gallica (ark:/12148/btv1b83073839). Old Tibetan transliteration from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) corpus, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (https://otdo.aa-ken.jp/archives?p=Pt_1289). The OTDO corpus is freely accessible for scholarly use.
Square brackets in the transliteration indicate damaged or uncertain readings in the manuscript: [khul], [mnyen?], [ru? bran?], [mying?], [myang?], [mjo?], [le? 'u? byIn?], [nan?], [gu?], [ka?], [---] (illegible). Superscript variant readings from the OTDO apparatus have been incorporated inline for readability.
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