Pelliot tibétain 1068
Two pre-Buddhist Tibetan funeral narratives from the Dunhuang cave library, written in Old Tibetan on a scroll now held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Both stories belong to the genre scholars call smrang — ritual origin myths that authorize ceremonial practice by anchoring it in mythological precedent. Both tell the same story at different scales: a brother performs funeral rites for a dead sister, and the key to the rite is the mdzo cow — a hybrid of yak and domestic cattle whose churned butter alone can anoint the dead.
In the first narrative, the hero Lhe'u Btsan-pa visits his grandmother Bya-za Thin-tsun in a supernatural realm — a white tent that floats above the ground, attended by hundreds of servants and nine Bon priests. After three years of feasting, he returns home with a golden mdzo cow that began its life as a turquoise bird at a spring. A single drop of the mdzo's milk, churned to butter on a cypress leaf, smooths his dead sister's hair. The mdzo is then slaughtered and its quarters distributed in precise ritual order: flesh to the Bird-Priestess above, hide to the brother as heart-debt repayment, and the remaining parts placed at the sister's burial.
In the second, longer narrative, a brother and sister in the land of Skyi-ro Lchang-sngon are mistreated by their stepmother after their mother's death. The sister is sent to herd pigs — an impossible task — and dies in degradation, her hair standing up to the sky and her nails piercing the earth. The brother tries to anoint her with butter from a hundred yaks, a hundred sheep, even nine wild deer — nothing works. Three Bon priests tell him that only the mdzo cow Drang-ma of the Srin lineage, born in the distant land of Rgod-khyer, can help. He fetches her, and her butter finally loosens the death-stiffened hair. A grand funeral follows, with the mdzo adorned in turquoise horns, iron hooves, a golden nose-ring, and silk reins.
Both narratives close with the same ritual formula: "In ancient times it benefited — now too it benefits. In ancient times it was honored — now too it is honored." This formula activates the smrang, connecting the mythological past to the present funeral and declaring that the ritual power of the ancestors is available today. The mdzo cow, as a liminal animal — neither pure yak nor pure cattle — is the perfect intermediary between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Pelliot tibétain 1068, recto. 131 lines. The verso holds a Chinese Buddhist text. 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.
The First Smrang: Lhe'u Btsan-pa and the Golden Mdzo
[opening damaged]
...powerful...
...did not reach the edge of the sky...
When the hero came to the near side, there stood a white tent that did not touch the ground by a full arm's-length, that did not touch the foundation by a full cubit. Its iron corner-posts were fastened with copper.
On this side of it, at a turquoise spring, there was an old serving-woman of Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun, drawing water. When Lhe'u Btsan-pa met her at the spring, he asked: "Who is this serving-woman?"
The old serving-woman said: "I am the serving-woman of Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun. Where have you come from? My mistress Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun has said: 'My grandchild will surely come.' Could you be he?"
Lhe'u Btsan-pa said: "I am he."
The old serving-woman said: "Then wait here — I will go and announce you to Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun." She went and announced him. Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun said: "That is my grandchild — bring him up! Prepare a welcome!" The old woman returned and said: "Come up!"
When he ascended three steps, nine Bon priests of the bone-lineage cast divination and dressed him in garments. They draped silk upon five horses. Beyond that, a hundred sons prostrated. Beyond that, a hundred daughters prostrated. Beyond that, a hundred ministers with golden crowns prostrated.
Beyond that, when he entered the white tent, Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun — like a child of humans, like a child of gods — was seated upon a golden throne. He said: "My heart aches with longing." Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun said: "Grandchild, do not ache — sit here!" And he was seated upon the golden throne.
By day there was meat and barley beer. By night there was dancing and song. When three years and four months had passed, Lhe'u Btsan-pa's heart thought: "My sister also waits for me — my heart desires to return home."
His grandmother Lady Bya-za Thin-tsun perceived what her grandchild's heart desired — that he wished to return. She said: "If you go now, it depends on your journey." She fastened provisions to the pack-saddle and gave them to the grandchild, along with a golden male figurine, silk reins, an iron bell, and a golden nose-ring.
The Instructions
"Now go forth: there is a turquoise spring. At the spring there stands a great juniper tree. Sit beneath the juniper and wait. A turquoise bird will come to drink water, but it will not be able to drink. Ring the iron bell, and a golden bird will stir.
"Come, and lead it by the juniper tree. For a time, do not let it near water. For a time, do not let it near the fire-mountain. When it tries to soar like a bird into the sky — do not let it! After a time it will become a golden mdzo cow. Press the golden figurine on its nose, put the golden nose-ring on its snout, and place the silk reins on top. Lead it by the silk reins and go.
"After three steps, cut the tip of the mdzo cow's right horn. Saying 'Fierce mdzo! Primal mdzo!' — fling it behind you. Let one portion fly up into the sky. Lead it by the silk reins and go on.
"When you have gone two-thirds of the way, the mdzo cow will low: 'Ngur!' When it lows, look into a hollow in the path — there will stand a cypress tree. Look at the turning of the path — there will stand a pine tree. On a cypress leaf, the mdzo cow will give milk — only one drop. Take a single pine needle and gather the butter. Fasten it to your belt and go on.
"Cut the tip of the left horn and fling it behind you. Let one portion fly into the sky. Lead it by the silk reins. From then on, even a high mountain pass it will cross like a horse, even a great gorge it will roll through like a ball, even a long road it will devour like a strap.
The Sister's Funeral
"Before long you will reach the edge of your sister's body. Look inside a cypress leaf — there will be a little bit of butter. Take that butter and rub your sister's hair with it, and it will become glossy and smooth.
"As for the mdzo cow — slaughter it. The four quarters of flesh: fling them to the Bird-Priestess above. The four quarters of head and hide: let the brother keep them as heart-debt repayment. The remaining flesh and hide: place them at the sister's burial. The five parts — head, chest, and lower body: place them at the sister's pillow-side."
Thus she instructed, and gave all this to him. The brother prepared and departed.
When he reached the edge of his sister's body, on a cypress leaf he looked — there was a little bit of butter. He took the little bit of butter and rubbed his sister's lovely hair, and when he placed it on her head, it became glossy and smooth. The deer's suet was also melted. When anointed on the body, it relaxed and smoothed.
People brought the Gshin-mar horse, the Rtsang-shen oracle, and Gshen-tsha Lung-sgra. They performed the sister's funeral rite. The body was raised up. The mdzo cow was slaughtered.
The four quarters of flesh and hide — cast to the Bird-Priestess above! The four quarters of hide — the brother kept as heart-debt repayment. The four quarters of hide — placed at the sister's funeral tent. The five parts — head, chest, lower body — placed at the sister's pillow-side.
The brother's funeral priest sought blessings. The companion of the rainbow-pure:
"In former lives it was their livestock. Its blood is cinnabar blood. Its bones are conch-shell bones. Its hooves are iron hooves. Its horns are golden horns. Its eyes are turquoise eyes.
"In ancient times it benefited — now too it benefits. In ancient times it was honored — now too it is honored."
The Second Smrang: The Skyi Siblings and the Mdzo Cow Drang-ma
In the land of Skyi-ro Lchang-sngon, there lived Lord Skyi-rje Rmang-po and his lady, a daughter of the Sro-za clan. From their union came two children: the brother, the brave one, Skyi-pyug gi 'Jon-pa, and the sister, Lcham-mo Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma.
While they lived together, the mother died young. With no lady in the house, Lord Skyi-rje Rmang-po took a new wife: Rngegs-za Gang-rags-ma.
When the stepmother arrived, Skyi-pyug gi 'Jon-pa and Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma had no food to eat inside and no clothes to wear outside. The brother went north with a four-width cloth to hunt for meat. The sister was sent by the stepmother to herd pigs.
She milked the pigs but they gave no milk. She sheared the pigs but they gave no wool.
Her hair stood up to the sky. Her nails burrowed into the earth. And so she remained.
The Brother's Search
In the lowlands of the country, inside a pigsty, Lcham Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma went astray and was no more.
The brother, the brave one, from the northern hunting-grounds — when his heart grieved, when his heart was tormented — he returned.
He went to the mountain meadow to meet his sister. She did not meet him. At the cliff pass he went to greet her. She did not greet him. At the outer gate he went to greet her. She did not greet him.
"Where has Lcham gone? Where has Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma gone?" he asked.
The stepmother said: "She was sent to herd pigs — she is herding pigs, surely!"
He asked the neighbor. The neighbor said: "Some days ago she was herding pigs, but today, where she has gone I have not found."
The brother went to the lowlands. He came to the pigsty and searched.
Lcham Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma — her hair stood up to the sky, her nails pierced the earth. She had died, and there she sat.
The brother found her. The brave one was struck with grief — his chest contracted. From the cut of grief, his body was cut. From the contraction of his chest, his core contracted. He performed his sister's funeral lamentation. He gathered her up, carried her, and departed.
The Failed Anointings
Her hair that stood up to the sky — from a hundred female yaks and a hundred sral-yaks, he churned the milk into butter to make a cord for her hair-dressing. He anointed and rubbed, but it did not become smooth or shining. The hair stood to the sky. The nails burrowed into the earth.
From a hundred sheep and a hundred ewes, he churned the milk into butter and anointed her hair. But it did not become smooth or shining. The hair stood to the sky. The nails burrowed into the earth. She remained.
Even anointed with the fat of nine kinds of wild deer and game — it did not become smooth. The hair stood to the sky.
The Three Priests' Counsel
The brother summoned the father-priest Gshen-rab Myi-bo, the funeral-priest Rma-da, and Gshen-tsha Lung-sgra — the three.
He said: "Lcham Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma's hair stands to the sky, her nails pierce the earth, and she is no more. Is there a remedy in the father's wisdom? Is there a ritual that might help?"
The three priests said: "For the Bon there is a remedy. For the Gshen-priest there is a method. For the living there is recovery — but for the dead, there is no recovery.
"But the funeral rite — let it be performed greatly. The ceremony — let it be honored with length.
"For the cord to dress the hair that stands to the sky: the mdzo cow Drang-ma of the Srin lineage — churn her milk into butter and anoint the hair with it.
"The mdzo cow Drang-ma is in the land of Rgod-khyer. The female yak Srang-na-glang Khe-po Ru-gar and the sral-cow Spu-g.yag — from these two a calf was born. Let the brother go there."
The Quest for the Mdzo Cow Drang-ma
When this was spoken, Skyi-pyug 'Jon-pa went to the valley of Rgod-khyer.
He came there, and from Glang Khe-bo Ru-gar and the mother Sral-mo — their firstborn, the elder brother, had been born as a divine mdzo at Thong-gar. His horn-base was firm. But he was mixed with yak-nature: on his back no ladder could be placed, on his nose no rod could be set. At the throat of the divine snow-mountain Gangs-rgyal he roamed and grazed. For the sister's wound and suffering he was of no use.
But the younger brother — in the north he hauled meat, in the land he tilled the earth, he carried loads. His great wealth was a king's wealth. His precious thing was a precious horse. A long road — the horse managed it. A heavy load — the mdzo carried it. For the sister's wound and suffering, he was fit.
The sister had been born as a fine, lovely mdzo cow. The wild yak Bu-ru Gser had mated with her, and she lived there.
Skyi-pyug gi 'Jon-pa, with a lasso — soft and gentle — cast it. Though she leapt to the sky she could not escape. Though she struggled to the earth she could not break free. He led her away. From the father wild-yak Bu-ru Gser and the mother mdzo cow Drang-ma, a calf — a female mdzo — followed behind.
He led them and departed.
The Loosening of the Hair
When he arrived back in the land of Skyi-ro Lchang-sngon, the mdzo cow Drang-ma's milk was churned, the butter was applied to the hair and rubbed.
The hair that had stood to the sky — slowly it loosened and fell.
The nails that had pierced the earth — they too separated and came free.
The brother said: "The mdzo cow Drang-ma — whose churned milk is fit as an ornament for the fingertip, whose butter is fit as the hair-cord! Livestock of the Spo-ma-nye clan: wherever you go, may you have water. May you have the finest pasture!"
The Grand Funeral
Thus he spoke. He adorned the base with royal paint. On the forehead he affixed a se-ornament — four se-ornaments adorning. Eight royal ropes he braided. Four wooden frames he set up. Four bird-banners he raised.
His sister's mdzo cow Drang-ma — adorned with fine silk of nine colors. Horns adorned: turquoise horns. Hooves adorned: iron hooves. The nose-ring was made of gold. The reins were of silk.
Today, at the great gathering ground, at the great field — the kinsmen gathered, the funeral assembly gathered, the great assembly, the small assembly, the many assemblies, the nursing assembly. In the midst of them all, a feast-line was set and they were seated.
At dawn, when the sky brightened, when the sky thundered — the four se-ornaments were sent forth, the eight royal ropes were displayed. The father funeral-priest Rma-da recited:
"Mdzo cow of the Srin lineage — you too, from today forward: wherever you go, may you have water. May you have the finest pasture. Your churned milk's fingertip-ornament — the butter is drawn out as the hair-cord.
"Inside a dark blue ritual vessel the milk is churned: from inside, pour out; from outside, pour in. Inside out, outside in.
"The sister's funeral, in the brother's name, is performed. Lcham Skyi Nam Nyag-cig-ma's funeral, by her brother Skyi-pyug 'Jon-pa, is sent forth. The sister's mdzo cow Drang-ma is consecrated — since it benefited then, so may it benefit now.
"Today and tomorrow, for Lord Bgra-po Bgra-rgyal and Lady Snam — may the funeral be pleasing.
"For the deceased's mdzo cow Drang-ma of the Srin lineage: in ancient times it benefited — now too it benefits. In ancient times it was honored — now too it is honored.
"Know me — take ownership of me! As for being led by the nose —"
[ending damaged]
Colophon
Translated from Old Tibetan by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. This is the first English translation.
The source text is the critically edited transliteration of Pelliot tibétain 1068 (recto) from 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 manuscript is held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Pelliot tibétain 1068 contains two funeral smrang (ritual origin narratives) that authorize the use of the mdzo cow — a yak-cattle hybrid — in pre-Buddhist Tibetan funeral rites. Both narratives follow the same pattern: a brother performs funeral rites for a dead sister using the mdzo cow's churned butter to anoint her body. The closing ritual formula — "In ancient times it benefited — now too it benefits" — connects the mythological precedent to the present-day funeral. The Bird-Priestess (Bya-za Khra) who receives the funerary flesh offering is the same figure who appears as a healer in the companion text PT 1136 (The Horse Sacrifice).
This text is part of a growing corpus of pre-Buddhist Tibetan funeral literature in the archive, alongside PT 1136 (The Horse Sacrifice) and PT 1042 (The Royal Funeral Rituals). Together they preserve the oldest surviving record of Tibetan religion before the arrival of Buddhism.
Gospel register. Tibetan personal names and place names are transliterated from the OTDO's Wylie transcription. Damaged or illegible passages are marked with brackets or noted as lacunae. No existing English translation was available for reference.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: Pelliot tibétain 1068
Old Tibetan source text from the critically edited transliteration at the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO), Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Pelliot tibétain 1068, recto, 131 lines. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
(1) [---] btsan [---]
(2) [---] [mtha'?] dgung gyi ['brum?] du ma pyin po lda [---]
(3) [mtha'?] / [dgung?] gyi tshu brum du hon na san gar sgya mo zhig sa la ni mdom gang gyis ma reg
(4) [---] ma la ni gru gang gyis / ma reg pa gcig zur lcags gyi zur bad ni zangs bdags shing
(5) [cig?] de'i tshu rol na g.yu'i chab myig du bya za thin tsun gyi chab chun rgan mo zhig ges
(6) [---] nal ze thogs de thogs de chab chu pa dang mjal na lhe'u btsan pa'is su chab chun zhes rmas
(7) [---] chab chun rgan mo'i mchid nas / kho mo ni bya za thin tsun gyi chab chun na bdag ga las /
(8) byon kho mo'i jo mo bya za thin tsun gyi zhal nas / nga'i tsha bo zhig 'ong pa'i rigs shes
(9) [---] [su?] [---] lags sam shes bgyis na / lhe'u btsan pa'i mchid nas kho po lags [shes?]
(10) mchi chab chun rgan mo'i mchid nas / 'o na ldir gzhes shig dang na kho mo bya za thin tsun gyi
(11) snyan du gsol zhes song ste bya za thin tshun gyi snyan du gsol / na bya za thin tsun gyi zhal
(12) nas / de nga'i tsha bo yin gyis yar shog shig thes gyi shig ces / gsungs ngo / myi rgan mo pyir
(13) 'ongs de / yar gshegs shig ces / mchi / nas yar gom sum zhig phags na bon po rus dgu
(14) [---] gyang gsang shu bdab nas na [bza'] [---] yang bskon lam [rnya (/rta)] nga stengs gyis dar bda[b?]
(15) de'i ya rol na bu spa brgya pyag 'tsha[l?] [---] [ya?] [rol?] / na bu mo brgya byag 'tshal de'i ya
(16) [rol?] na blon po brgya gser gyi kha [---] gas pa / pyag 'tshal / de'i ya rol na san
(17) gar skya mo'i nang du byon na / bya za thin [tshun?] ni myi'i myi bu lha'i sras lta zhig gser gyi /
(18) khri la / bzhugs / bdag gi snying la ni 'cigs shing 'dug pa dang / bya za thin tsun gyi zhal
(19) nas tsha bo ma 'cigs bar yar 'dug shig ces gsungs te gser gyi khri la bzhugs te /
(20) nyin zhing ni sha dang chang / mtshan zhing ni bro dang glu bgyis na lo sum snying dang bzhi lon na lhe'u
(21) btsan pa'i [snying?] la da ni sring mo zhig gyang de ltar 'dug na snying la pyir 'gror dgar bsams
(22) [---] dang sru mo bya [za?] thin tsun gyis tsha bo snying la bsams pa tsho / de / tsha bo pyir 'gror dga' ba [lta?]
(23) [---] da 'gro na 'gra la rag ces gsungs te / pye yang la yang btags de byi ba'i rgyal bu gang [ba?]
(24) [mar?] yang la yang bzhus de byi ba'i snying pri [cang?] / tsha bo'i brgyags su brdzangs de bdang / gser
(25) pho smying gcig dang dar gyi sna dags [lcags?] gyi dril shad dang gser gyi snal chu gcig [sku?]
(26) de / 'di ltar phar bzhud cig dang na / g.yu'i chab myig gcig 'dug gyis / chab myig [---]
(27) na shing che spe ma drung cig mchis gyis sped ma'i drung du yi bsad de bzhugs shig dang na / nyi [---]
(28) [---] su bya gyu cig cha[b] 'tshal du mchi gyis chab ma thu[b]
(29) [---] [lca]gs gyi dril sha[d] [---] shig [---] na gser bya gcig gi 'gul /
(30) [---] gyi cha / / 'on dang na shing cha [spen?] ma la rton la drongs shig dang na re shig chu ldar kho
(31) yang ma gdang shig / re shig mye [lha (/lta)] ri byar yang ma gdang / shig / bya ltar gnam du pur ya[-]
(32) ma gdang shig re shig na gser gyi mdzo mor yod gyis 'on dang na non la gser
(33) gi pho smying gyis sna pug la gser gyi snal chu chug la dar gyi sna dags thog / [---]
(34) [da]r gyi sna dags las khrid de song shig / dang na gom sum zhig phags pa dang mdzo mo'i
(35) rva [g.yas?] pa'i thog ma chod la mdzo gnyan mdzo gdod ces gyis la pyir 'or cig
(36) zhugs cha cig gnam du bus shig / / la / dar gyi sna dags las khrid de bzhu[d]
(37) cig dang na lam gyi sum nyis su phyin dang na / mdzo mo ngur ces zer gi cha / ngur ces
(38) zer dang na lam ni / kong du ldos shig dang na sho ma drung cig 'dug gi cha / lam gi 'o[-]
(39) [mya?] los shig dang na gres ma drung cig 'dug gi cha / sho ma mdab cig nang du mdzo
(40) mo zho zhos shig / dang na zho thigs pa gcig las myed gyis gres ma nyag ma gcig
(41) gis bur ma [---] la tsha bo bdag gi ska rag la thogs de bzhud cig rva g.yon pa'i
(42) thog ma chod de pyir 'or cig zhugs shas cha cig gnam du pus la / dar gi sna dag
(43) las / khrid de bzhud cig / dang na de ste phan cad na la mthon po yang rta ltar g.yor gyi cha
(44) [dgye (/dbye)] ched po yang pying ltar 'dril gyi cha / / lam ring po yang / beng [ldar?] gzad gi cha / / /
(45) che tsam na sring ro'i gam du pyin pa dang sho ma mdab cig gyi nang du ldos shig dang na
(46) mar sro ma tsam 'dug gi cha / mar sro ma tsam sring mo'i skra sgud gyis shig dang na ko
(47) snum shing snum mo / mdzo mo mod la / sha / lhu bzhi ni bya za khra 'thog du 'or cig
(48) lhu bzhi go scogs ni mying po snying lan du khyer cig / sha lhu bzhi go scogs
(49) sring mo'i dur du chug shig / mgo brang smad lnga ni sring mo'i sngas su chug shig
(50) ces bsdan de bdang ngo / mying po chas de bzhud nas sring ro'i gam du pyin pa dang sho ma [mdab?] /
(51) cig gi nang du bldas na mar sro ma tsam mchis / mar sro ma tsam sring mo'i skra yegs [pa?]
(52) thog du bzhag na kor snum shing snum / / sha ba'i tshil bu yang la yang bzhus pa /
(53) lus la / bsgus na shig ni gun der song myi pos mdo gshin mar rta dang rtsang shen snyal
(54) ngag dang gshen tsha lung sgra gnyer de sring mo'i shid byas brang btsugs de mdzo mo bsad de
(55) zha lhu bzhi go scogs na bya za khra thog du bor ro / / lhu bzhi go scogs ni mying po snying lan du khyer /
(56) lhu bzhi go stsogs ni sring mo'i ngur du bcug mgo brang smad lnga ni sring mo'i /
(57) mchun du bcug / mying po mnyes gshen gyis btsal btsal ba gzha gstsang gyi rogs
(58) tshe rabs gyi pyugs so / khrag ni mtshal gi khrag go / rus ni dung gi rus so / rmyig pa ni lcags /
(59) gi rmyig pa rva gser gi rva / / myig ni spug gi myig gna' phan na da yang phan no gna' bsod na
(60) da yang bsod do / /
(61) $ /:/ yul skyi ro lchang sngon na skyi rje rmang po dang sgyi bdag gi btsun mo [sro (/so)] [za'i?] [bu?] [mo?] gnyis
(62) bshos dang nams gyi sras / mying po dral po skyi pyug gi 'jon pa dang / sring mo
(63) lcham mo skyi nam nyag cig ma gnyis / bzhugs bzhugs na ma gzhon du grongs
(64) na / skyi bdag btsun mo gzhon du grongs / gyis ma mchis na skyi rje rmang po'i
(65) khab dang dbyal du ni rngegs za gang rags ma zhig blangs shing bzhugs na [skyi?]
(66) pyug gi 'jon pa dang skyi nam nyag cig ma gnyis / nang gyi bza ma mchis / nub gyi [bgo?]
(67) ma mchis nas / mying po dral po ni byang ka snam bzhi ru sha bshor dgo ['drim] du bzhud
(68) sring mo lcham mo ni sdang ma yar gyis las su phag 'tshor bcugs de phag la zho myi 'zho'
(69) phag la bal myi bal de / dbu sgra gnam du yer / sro shig la pung du zug cing bzhugs /
(70) yul gyi ma mda' ru brun bag brun gyi nang du lcham skyi nam nyag cig nongs gyis ma
(71) mchis nas / mying po dral po byang ka snam bzhi nas / sha nying la nying bgal dgo nying la
(72) nying bgal de byon na / lcham skyi nam nyag cig gyis / la'i / ltang du bsu' sdon na ma [bsus?]
(73) rab gyi tshums su bsu ston na ma bsus / sgo pyi sgo 'brum du bsu ston na ma [bsus?]
(74) lcham gar bzhud skyi nam nyag cig gar bzhud ces bgyis na / sdang ma yar mo
(75) mchid nas / las su phag 'tshor bcug na phag 'tsho zhing 'dug grang zhes mchi /
(76) khyim tses gdang g.yag la dris na khar nyin snga ni phag 'tsho zhing 'dug 'dug na
(77) di ring ni gar song ma 'tshal ces mchi nas / mying po dral po yul gyi ma mdar / /
(78) byon na phag brung gyi nang du 'btsal ba dang lcham skyi nam nyag cig ni dbu skra ni gnam du
(79) yer / sro shig ni sa la lhags de / grongs shing bzhugs pa dang mjal de / mying po
(80) dral po ni thugs chad brang 'gams de / thugs chad gyi ni ro ru chad brang gam gyi ni
(81) gdings su gam nas / sring gdo mying gyis / bgyis de / bsdus te snams de bzhud nas / dbu
(82) skra gnam du yer ba ni 'bri brgya sral brgya zho bzhos mar drums de dbu le'i skud du
(83) bgyis de / / bskus bshad gyang snum la leng ma phan de dbu skra ni gnam du yer sro /
(84) shig pung du zugs te lug brgya g.yang brgya zho bzhos mar drums de dbu le bskus te [bshad?]
(85) gyang snum la ni leng ma pan de dbu sgra gnam du yer / sro shig pug du zug cing
(86) bzhugs / ri dags cho ma cho dgu'i rgang gyis bskus gyang snum ma 'pan de dbu skra
(87) gnam du yer / nas / mying po dral pos pha gshen rab myi bo dang dur shen gyi rma da
(88) dang gshen tsha lung sgra gsum zhig gnyer de / lcham skyi nam nyag cig ni dbu skra
(89) gnam du yer sro shig ni lhags gyis ma mchis na / pa la gthod ji mchis / bon
(90) la / ga byad ci mchis shes bgyis na / pha dur gshen rma da dang gshen rab myi po dang gshen
(91) tsha lung skra gsum gyi mchid nas / bong la gthod mchis gshen la / dpyad mchis
(92) gyis / na sde sos ba ni mchis / shi sde ba ni ma mchis gyis / lan shid ni che ru gthang 'tshal
(93) cha gar ni ring du brtsid 'tshal gyis / dbu skra gnam du yer ba'i skud du ni srin rabs
(94) gyi mdzo mo dram ma'i zho bzhos mar drums te / bsku 'tshal gyis mdzo mo drang ma ni
(95) yul / rgod khyer gyi 'bri mo srang na glang khye po ru gar dang sma sral mo spu g.yag
(96) gnyis / bshos dang nams gyi sras shig mchis gyis / mying po skyi pyug 'jon pa
(97) de ru bzhud cig ces bgyis na skyi pyug 'jon pa yul rgod khyer gyi 'bri sla du
(98) byon na / glang khe bo ru gar dang ma spu 'bri sral mo gnyis bshos / pa'i bu mying po
(99) ru byung na / pu po gchen po ni lha mdzo ru skyes / thong gar du skyes / ru tshugs su
(100) ni / bsdod / spu g.yag du bsris de / rgyab du ni skas ma bor / sna ru ni shing ma btsugs
(101) ste / lha kha po gangs rgyal gyi mgur na 'tshal zhing mchis de / rma nyam nyes gyi / /
(102) rogs su myi rung / nu po gcung po ni / byang na sha 'gel dgo 'gel / yul na sa 'gel g+l
(103) rto 'gel / de / dkor chen ni rgyal gyi dkor / rin chen ni rta po rin / lam rings ni rta'is
(104) gnyer / / khur cen ni mdzo'is bgur de / rma nyam nyes gyi rogs su rung / sring mo lcham
(105) mo ru byung na / kha bre mo gzhung snar mo zhig / pa 'brong bu ru gser dang bshos
(106) dang nams shing bzhugs / skyi pyug gi 'jon pa'is / zhags breng zhags mnyen gyis
(107) bdabs de / gnam du rgal gyang ma bdang sa ru rtsol gyang ma bad sde khrid de bzhud
(108) pha 'brong bu ru ser dang ma mdzo mo drang mar / bshos gyi bu mdzo ma mo pyi na bu rdol 'brang
(109) sde / khrid de bzhud / nas / yul skyi ro lchang sngon du byon na / mdzo mo drang ma'i zho bzho
(110) mar drums de dbu la bskus de / bshad na dbu skra gnam yer ba lhan ches zhu / /
(111) sro shig sa le lhags pa yang byer de mchis / / mying po drang po'i zhal [nas?] mdzo mo
(112) drang ma 'di / zho bzhos gyi theb le rgyan du rung ba lda dbu le skud rung pa ldas /
(113) pyugs spo ma nye du khyed gyang chab gang la ru la ru mdzod cig yang ba rab du
(114) spogs 'tshal lo / / zhes gsungs de bas la ni rgyal bsgos / 'brum du ni se
(115) btsugs / se 'brum bzhi bcas / / rgyal thag brgyad ni 'bres / shing gdang bzhi
(116) ni btsugs / bya dgyigs bzhi sprar nas / sring gi mdzo mo drang ma ni bzang dar sna
(117) chon dgus ni brgyan ru bzangs ni g.yu'i ru / rmyig bzang ni lchags gyi rmyig
(118) snal chu ni gser la bgyis / sna dag ni dar gyi drangs de / di ring thugs / gral / sding
(119) chen na gnyen tshogs gdun 'tshogs che tshogs tshung chung tshogs mang tshogs / ['u (/nyu)]
(120) tshogs gyi nang na ldad mo gral gang mdzad cing bzhugs / / do mod nam sros
(121) dgung rmos na / / se 'brum bzhi ni bgrod rgyal thag brgyad ni gzigs de
(122) pha / dur shen rma das bskyer na srin rab gyi mdzo mo khyod gyang / di ring 'pan chad
(123) na chab gang la ru la ru bgyi 'tshal yang ba rab du spogs 'tshal gyis / zho bzhos gyi
(124) [theb?] le rgyan mar drus gi dbu le skud du 'don do / / mthing gyi rdze'u tshung gyi nang du
(125) zho bzhos / na nang bsna nub bldam / nub bsna nang bldam / sring shid mying gyis
(126) bdang na / lcham skyi nam nyag cig gyi shid mying po skyi pyug 'jon bas /
(127) bthang / sring mdzo drang ma bsris de phan de bsod na de ltar bsod do / di ring sang
(128) [chad?] na rje bgra po bgra rgyal dang snam btsun mo 'di la yang mying mnyes gshin / gyi
(129) [srin?] rabs gyi mdzo mo drang ma 'di yang / gna' / phan na da yang phan / gna' /
(130) [bsod?] na da yang bsod gyis / ngo shes ni / bdag gyis long shig sna nar ba ni rdzis /
(131) [---] [cig?] [---]
Source Colophon
Pelliot tibétain 1068. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Recto: 131 lines of Old Tibetan, containing two pre-Buddhist funeral narratives (smrang). Verso: Chinese Buddhist text (not translated here).
Transcription from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO), accessible at https://otdo.aa-ken.jp/archives?p=Pt_1068. OTDO is maintained by the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, with contributions from Osaka University.
The OTDO provides critically edited transliterations of Old Tibetan documents from the Dunhuang cave library. Alternative readings indicated by the OTDO editors are preserved in the source text with their notation conventions (e.g., [---] for lacunae, [word?] for uncertain readings, (word/word) for alternative readings).
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