Section: 1
Ch.9.I.37 (722, vol. 32, foll. 88-96; c. 42.5 x 7.5 cm.; fol. 9, numbered 35-41; followed by No. 74, another text; ll. 4 per page of good ordinary dbu can script; paragraph titles in red ink).
88 (35) [1]@/:/thang du gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang bzhengs par Mdo gams kyi khams kyi dbang po rnams kyis dkon mcog gsum la mcod cing yon phul ba 'di'i bsod nams dang/byin gyi rlabs kyis[l. 2]lha btsan po rje blon 'khor dang bcas pa'i sdig pa thams cad ni byang/bsod nams dang ye shes kyi tshogs ni yongsu rdzogs nas chabs srid mjal dum g.yung drung tu brtan sku tse ring zhing lha dang myi'i bde skyid[l. 3]phun sum tshogs pa la gnas te/bla na myed pa yang dag par rdzogs pa'i byang cub lhun gyis grub par smon to/ /@/ / [note 1: Red ink in original. [note De ga gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang zhal bsro ba'i[l. 4]Bde blon gyi smon lam du gsol ba'//phyogs bcu mtha' yas mu myed pa na skye ba dang/'gog pa las rnam par dben ba yod myed dang rtag chad kyi mtha' yas mu myed pa na skye ba dang/'gog pa las rnam par dben ba yod myed dang rtag chad kyi mtha' las 'das pa dus gsum gyi de bzhin gshegs pa(B l. 1)thams cad la mcod cing bstod nas skyabsu mciste/gus par phyag 'tsal lo/'jig rten dang 'jig rten las 'das pa na 'phags pa thams cad mkhyind [note 2: For mkhyend, which, in fact, may be read. [note pa'i ye shes dang ldan pa 'gag la ci snyed bzhugs so cog[B l. 2]dang/chos dang/sangs rgyas dang/dge 'dun la skyabsu mci ste/gus par phyag 'tshal lo//'O lde spu rgyal gnam gyi lha las myi'i rjer gshegs pa yong gis sku bla gzhan//chab srid che/chos bzang/gtsug[B l. 3]lag che bas yul byung sa dod tshun cad rje'i gtung ma gyurd te/chab srid g.yung drung tu brtan zhing che ba'i bka' drin chen pos phyogs brgyad tu khyab par khebste/phyi nang gnyis kyi 'Gring [note 3: Sic(?) for 'Greng. [note myi 'o chog la[B l. 4]mnyam bar dgongs nas mtho zhing dregs pa ni brlabs dang thabs kyis btul te rigs pa'i chos la btsud /dma' zhing rgrad pa ni 'phral yun gnyisu dga' zhing spro bar gzi(e?)ngs bstod nas gnam mtha' 'og
89 (36)[A l. 1]@/ /gi 'Greng myi'o chog /yun gyi bka' drin gyis khyab pas/gnam chen po phyogs bzhi'i mnga' bdag//'phrul gyi lugs dang 'thun pa ni/Bod kyi lha btsan po/'phrul gyi zha snga nas bzhugs te//yong yang/chub o chen po'i [A l. 2]glad/gangs ri mthon po'i rtsa/yul mtho sa gtsang ba'i gnas na bzhugs pas/'phrul gyi lha btshan po ni//gdung rabs 'grangs par yang/lha'i lugs ma [note 4: Below line, inserted. For dang? [note mnyam ste/rgyal po gzhan bas/che zhing brtsan bar[A l. 3]mngon/ - /de ltar yab myes lha dang stang bas/ /yog yang/chab srid che/dbu rmog brtsan ba'i steng du//'phrul gyi lha btshan po Khri Gtsug lde brtsan gyi zha snga nas/sku la dbyig[A l. 4]'khrungs/thugs la 'phrul mna' ste/gtsug lag khang thams chad tshul bzhin mdzad pas ni/sku bla ring rdzi dang/gnam sa'i lha klu/thams chad kyang 'go zhing dgyes//thugs rje chen po dang ldan bas ni 'Greng myi [B l. 1]'o chog la/gnam sa'i lugs dang 'thun bar/bkab cing bkur te/chab srid gyi mnga' thang chen po dard cing rgyas pa'i dus su /chab srid kyi blon po yang 'phags pa dag chig/mnga' thang tu byungste//blon chen po[B l. 2]zhang Khri sum rje dang/chen po zhang Lha bzang po nyis kyis/dgra'i shed smad de/chab srid kyi phang bsdod nas //Rgya Drug 'Jang las stsogs pa mtha'i rgyal po //bar du chab srid la sdo zhing rtsol/ba [B l. 3]kun kyang/bka' nan gyi mthu dang/rlabs kyis/bthul bas ni re thag bcad/yun rig por legs shing bde ba'i bka' drin gyis ni dad pa dang spro ba bskyed nas/gnam sa yid 'byor pa dang 'dra bar/rgyal[B l. 4]khams tu ma zhig gis//Bod rje blon gyi bka' gus par mnyan te/chab srid mjal dum chen po mdzad pa 'di yang/'phral yun gnyis su legs shing bde ba nyi tser ma baste/gzha' gsang gnyis 90 (37) [A l. 1]@//su chab srid kyi phang mtho ba dang smos shing brjod pa'i don kyang rab tu zab/lo stong rabs khrir yang 'bri ba myed par bzang zhing snyan te mjal dum gyi legs pa chen po mngon sum tu mdzad[A l. 2]pa 'di dkon mchog gsum dang/'jig rten gyi lha klu thams cad kyis kyang mkhyend cing gzigs pas na/nam tu yang myi 'gyur zhing brtan bar smond to//de ltar mjal dum chen po[A l. 3]mdzad pa'i rkyen kyis rgyal khams tu ma zhig gi 'bangs mchon cha'i khar nyon mongs pa mying myed par bstsald te/bde skyid pa'i gnas la dus gcig tu bkod pa'i bsod nams[A l. 4]chen po 'dis/'phrul gyi lha btsan po Khri Gtsug lde brtsan mched dang/chab srid kyi blon po chen po legs pa sgrub sgrub pa blon chen po zhang Khri sum rje dang/zhang chen po Lha[B l. 1]bzang lastsogs pa Bod je blon 'khord par bcas pa dang/sems can thams cad sgrib pa rnam gnyis byang nas bsod nams dang ye shes kyi tshogs yongsu rdzogste mthar yang bla nam myed pa yang dag[B l. 2]par rdzogs pa'i byang cub tu mngon bar rdzogs par sangs rgyas par smon to//De ga G.yu tshal mjal tum thang tu gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang mdzad pa 'di yang lo ngo gnyis[B l. 3]la rgyal khams chen po gsum mjal dum ba dang gtsigs chen po mdzad pa'i sa gzhi ste/'dir bcas pa dang sbyar na [note 5: s here erased. [note /'di yang sngon gyi 'phags pa rnams kyis yang[B l. 4]dag par byin kyis brlabs pa'i sa gzhi zhig ste/yong yang 'di lta bu'i legs pa chen po dus gcig tu byung ba'i don tu btsigs pas lhag par yang bsod nams che zhing bkra shis par mngon te/ 91 (38) [A l. 1]@//bsod nams chen po de dag gi byin kyis gtsung [note 6: Sic for gtsug. [note lag khang 'di yang nam nyi ma dang/zla ba yod kyi bar tu yun tu brtan ba dang/'phrul kyi lha btsan po Khri Gtsug lde brtsan gyi zha snga nas/sku tshe ring zhing[A l. 2]chab srid che ba dang/dgongs pa yid bzhin tu grub par smon to//sngon Rgya Drug dang [note 7: Read 'Jang? [note chab srid la ma mjald te nold pa dag gi dus na lha sras dbu rmog brtsan po dang/blon po dpa' 'dzangs[A l. 3]ldan zhing dgra thabs mkhas pa'i skyims [note 8: For skyems. [note kyis dgra la phog pa dang/dmag mang po'i mthu brtsan pos dgra'i mkhar phab pa dang/g.yu bzlog pa dang/yul bcom ba dang/mnangs bcad pa la[A l. 4]stsogste/dgra'i myi phyugs mang pho srog dang bral ba dang ma byind par blangs pha'i dngo sdig ci mcis pa yang bsod nams chen po 'di'i byin dang zil kyis mnand te zhu zhing byang bar smon[B l. 1]to//dkon mchog gsum la mcod cing yon phul ba dang/dngo(s) sdig bshags pa lastsogs pa'i bsod nams kyis rjesu bsngo zhing dmyigs pa dang/bzod pa dang 'thol tsangsu[B l. 2]gsol ba lastsogs pa smon lam gzhang yang/bla nas mdzad pa dang mthun bar smond to// [note 9: Red ink in original. [note De ga G.yu tshal gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang du Mkhar tsan[B l. 3]khrom chen pos smon lam tu gsol ba //Bod rje blon dbu rmog brtsan Sgam dkyel chen po'i sku ring la/bar tu Rgya Drug dang 'Jang rgyal khams chen po gsum gyis chab srid kyi mdab tu[B l. 4]bsngos pa las/rje dbu rmog brtsan blon po rin po che dpa' rtsal dang ldan ba'i byin rlabs kyis dgra bka' 'og du chud du/gtsigs bka' stsald to 'tshald tu mnos la/naM zha 92(39) [A l. 1]@/:/myi rabs kyi gtam brjod kyi bar tu legs pa'i bka' drin dgugs kyis zin to 'tsal la khebste brjod pa'i gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang bzhengs par rgyal khams chab srid kye [note 10: Read kyi, as below (B l. 4) [note la[A l. 2]ltod pa'i slad tu lha sras Khri Gtsug lde brtsan gyi zha snga nas thugs kyi phrin las su mdzad pa dang/blon chen po zhang Khri sum rje dang/chen po zhang Lha bzang gis dgra Rgya Drug gi g.yul [A l. 3]chen po bzlog pa latsogs pa thabs ches phras dgra la gnad par bgyis pa dang/kh[r]om Mkhar tsan pa lta zhig Bod 'bangs dpa' sran la stend pa'i tshul bzhin du[A l. 4]lo ngo gcig la g.yul chen po gnyis bzlog pa'i dpa' ba'i sna drangs pa lastsogs ste/Bod rjes 'bangs kyis chab srid la sdo ba'i slad tu dbugs chags la gnad pa'i sems[B l. 1]kyis mphro btod cing rma phyung ngo 'tshal/rtul tsam ma lus phar byang bar smon lam gsolte/Khar tsan khrom kyis yon dbul ba la/@// / [note 11: Red ink in original. [note De ga G.yu tshal gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang tu Kwa cu khrom chen[B l. 2]po nas smon lam tu gsol ba//Bod rje blon dbu rmog brtsan /Skam dkyel chen po'i sku ring la/bar du dgra Rgya Drug 'Jang rgyal khams chen po gsum kyis chab srid kyi mdab tu bsdos pha las[B l. 3]rje dbu rmog brtsan/blon po rin po che dpa' rtsal ldan ba'i rlabs kyis dgra bkA 'og tu chud de /gtsigs bka' stsald to 'tsal tu mnos pha nam zha myi rabs su gtam brjod kyi bar tu[B l. 4]legs pa'i bka'drin dbugs kyi zin to 'tsal khebs te brjod pa'i gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang bzhengs par rgyal khams chab srid kyi la ltod pa'i slad tu/lha sras kyi zha snga nas /thugs kyi
93 (40)[A l. 1]@//'phrin las su mdzad pa dang/blon chen po zhang Khri sum rje dang/chen po zhang Lha bzang gis Rgya Drug gi g.yul chen po bzlog pa lastsogs pha Bod rjes 'bangs kyis chab srid la sdo ba'i slad [A l. 2]tu dgra la gnad pa'i shugs kyis bgyis so 'tsal bag tsam ma lus par byang bar smon lam tu gsol te//Kwa cu khrom chen po nas yon tu dbul ba'//@// / [note 12: Red ink in original. [note Phyug tsams [A l. 3]stong pon dpon g.yog gi smon lam tu gsol ba'//dkon mchog gsum la phyag 'tsal lo//sangs rgyas la phyag 'tsal te thams cad mkhyen pa la'o//[A l. 4]chos la pyag 'tsal te/theg pa bla na myed pa la'o//dge 'dun la phyag 'tsal te/phyir mi log pa'i byang cub sems dpa' rnams la'o//bdag dang gzhan kyi don sgrub pa'i phyir dkon mchog gsum la mchod de/sdig pa thams[B l. 1]cad bstsald nas/bsod nams kyi rjes su yi rang ste/dkon mchog gsum la phyogs shing rten to//Thugs skam dbu rmog brtsan ba'i rje blon thugs la 'phrul dgongs phas Rgya Drug 'Jang las stsogs pha[B l. 2]bar tu bka' myi mnyand pa yang 'bangs gnyug ma dang 'dra bar rnal tu phab nas dbu rmog brtsan la chab srid che ba'i 'dab la phyogs par gsol nas/mjal dum gyi gtsigs bcas nas [B l. 3]rdo rings la bris/gtsigs kyi gtsug lag khang bzhengs nas so khams kyi khrom ni dal /yul chen po'i dbus skyid cing dar bar bgyis 'di las bka' drin che ba ma mcis pas sri zhu dang bka'[B l. 4]drin dran [note 13: Below line. [note ba'i mtsan ma tsam du dkon mchog gsum la yon ba'i bsod nams kyis/Bod rje blon 'khor dang bcas pha sku tshe dang mnga' thang g.yung drung du grub la Bod khams na phas kyi dgra dang 'khrug pa'i myi gragste/
94 (41) [A l. 1]@//lo phyugs rtag legs la gtsigs bcas pa bzhin yun du brtan zhing 'jig rten dang 'jig rten las 'das pa'i bde skyid phun sum tshogs pha dang ldan bar smon to//[A l. 2]@// [note 14: Red ink. [note 'Brom khong [note 15: Inserted below line. [note sa 'i smon lam du gsol ba'//rje bla na bzhugs pa ni lha/chab srid kyi blon po ni 'phruld/rje blon lha 'phrul kyis gnam ral ba ni lha'i byin kyis drubs /sa gas pa ni blon po'i rlabs kyis [A l. 3]btsams [note 16: m inserted below line. [note te/gnam sa ni yid sbyar/dgra zin ni mjal dum nas/mtha nas ni dgra myi sdo/byang nas ni g.yag myi rtung ste//Bod 'bangs yongs bde skyid pa 'ba' shig tu ma bas te/nyi 'og gi rgya [note 17: For rgyal. Inserted below line. [note khamsna[A l. 4]rgyal phran mcis pa'i rnams sems myi bde zhing srid shor du dogs pa'i rnams kyang srid la myi dbab cing sems bde ba yang /rje blon lha 'phruld kyi sku yon /'di 'dra bar bka' drin chen po stsalnas [B l. 1]Bod 'bangs yongs su bde ba'i dus ni nyi ma bzhin tu shard / [note 18: mye here erased. [note men tog bzhin tu rgyas nas yul Bkra shis dbyar mo thang De ga G.yul tsal tu /blon chen po zhang Khri sum rje dang /zhang chen po Lha bzang dang /bka' [B l. 2]'khor dang bdag cag las stsogs phas gtsug lag khang brtsigs dge 'dun gyi sde gtsugs rkyen dang bcas par sbyar ba [note 19: par sbyar ba inserted below line. [note pa'i yon kyis /rje lha sras Khri Gtsug lde brtsan gyi sku tshe ring/dbu rmog brtsan dang/[B l. 3]blon chen po zhang Khri sum rje dang/zhang chen po Lha bzang dgongs so 'tshal mthar phyin pa dang/Bod rje blon kyi gtsug lag nyi ma dang 'dra bar nam zhar myi 'gyur dang/gtsigs brtan [B l. 4]ba' dang/bdag cag las stsogs [note 20: Erased. [note sems can thams cad tshe rabs kyi sgrib pa byang ste/bla na myed pa'i lha'i yang lha sangs rgyas bcom ldan 'das Byams pa'i 'khor tu skye bar smon to//
[88a, l. 1]"In founding the monastery erected in [Bkra shis dhyar mo ]thang the authorities of the realm of Mdo gams pray that through the merit and blessing of this donation made in honour of the Three Jewels all the sins of His Majesty, the Btsan po, together with his retinue of lords councillors, may have been cleansed, and that, their merits and wisdom being perfected, the state being established in a circle of concord, in the enjoyment of long life and of entire felicity on the part of gods and men, they may realize the attainment of supreme, perfect illumination.
[88a, l. 3]PRAYER OFFERED BY THE BDE COUNCILLORS AT THE FACE-WARMING OF THE DE GA MONASTERY FOUNDATION.
To all the Tathāgatas of the Three Times living in the Ten Directions, infinite and limitless, and those, entirely free from restriction, possessing a non-existence and eternity without bonds, with honour and laud seeking refuge in them, in reverence hail!
To the Exalted in the universe and in the beyond, possessed of omniscient wisdom, as many as abide in their state, to the Dharma, the Buddha and the Saṃgha, seeking refuge with them, in reverence hail!
From the time when 'O lde Spu rgyal came from the gods of heaven to be lord of men, and ever in other exalted bodies – with great dominion, good religion, and other great science, a royal lineage unbroken as far as the origin of the land where the kingdom arose – with the kind sway of a sovereignty firm on all sides and great filled and encompassed the Eight Regions; to us 'Greng people, without and within, equally considerate; by their influence and measures taming the high and proud and bringing them under the rule of right: with joy and encouragement in both present and future extolling the humble and afflicted; filling us 'Greng people beneath the ends of heaven with perpetual kindness; rulers of the Four Quarters of the great heaven, equal to the manner of the divine, their Majesties the Btsan pos of Tibet, of the divine descent-
[89a, l. 1] Furthermore, established in his place, the pure and, his high kingdom, above great rivers and at the foot of high snow-mountains, His Divine Majesty, the Btsan po, in the counting of the generations of his line (not?) equal to the manner of the gods, is beyond other kings manifestly great and permanent.
[89a, l. 3] Of ancestry thus rivalling the gods, furthermore also great sovereign and of firm helmet, His Divine Majesty, the Btsan poKhri Gtsug lde brtsan, in body firm knit, in mind divinely endowed, with due foundation of all monasteries gives joy [to the people], headed by the great persons, their shepherds, and even all the gods and Nāgas of heaven and earth.
[89a, l. 4] At the time when, through his great compassionateness towards us 'Greng people, the great authority of his government spread and flourished, protecting us with respect in a manner resembling heaven, there came into power certain exalted councillors of the state, the Great Councillor, Uncle Khri sum rje, and the Great Uncle Lha bzang po, these two. Humbling the might of enemies and setting them in the bosom of the state, by the power and influence of their stern commands they tamed all the border kings, of China, the Drug, the 'Jang and others, till then venturing and making effort for dominion, and cut short their hopes. After long time, when righteous and prosperous kindness had engendered trust and encouragement, as though heaven were realized in men's minds, some several states, respectfully heading the orders of the high councillors of Tibet, made this great concordat of states; whereby, to say nought of ephemeral good and happiness both in present and future, there is among friend and foe alike reason profound indeed for extolling and celebrating the bosom of the state. Through myriad millenniums, undiminishingly beneficial and welcome, may this great, publicly enacted concordat, known and witnessed by the Three Jewels and by all gods and Nāgas of the universe, stand for all time unimpaired and firm. The subjects of the several kingdoms, by virtue of the thus enacted great concordat, consigning to oblivion their sufferings during the time of arms, and being united at one time in a situation of felicity, through the great merit thereof may His Divine Majesty, the honoured Btsan poKhri Gtsug lde brtsan and the great councillors of State, successful in righteous achievement, the Great Councillors, Uncle Khri sum rje and Great Uncle Lha bzang and the rest, together with their retinue of High Councillors of Tibet, and all beings, cleansed from the double darkness, and fulfilling their store of merit and wisdom, finally in supreme, perfected enlightenment attain to consummate Buddhahood [90n, l. 2].
In respect of the choice of this place as site for the foundation of the monastery erected on the De ga Turquoise-Wood Concordat Plain and for biennial convention of the three great kingdoms and four great foundations, the site being moreover one fully blessed by Āryas of old, may it furthermore, through a foundation in respect of such great good realized at one time, be even more manifestly of great merit and auspiciousness. And through the grandeur of those great merits may this monastery be perpetual in time, as long as sun and moon exist; and on the part of His Divine Majesty, the Btsan poKhri Gtsug lde brtsan, may there be long life, great dominion, and purposes accomplished according to his mind.
Whereas formerly, in the time when China and the Drug were not in accord and harmony with the State, the firm-helmeted prince and the wise, heroic councillors, in the ardour of their warlike skill, smote at the foe and by the mighty power of large armies laid low enemy cities, won battles, conquered countries, slew the people and so forth, may the sin of severing the lives of many enemy men and cattle and of taking what was not given be altogether dominated by the splendour and power of this great merit and be dissolved and washed away.
[91b, l. 1] In condevotion with the merit of this donation in honour of the Three Jewels and of the confession of sins and so forth supplication for insight, for tolerance, and for remission of the confessed is made equally with what is above set forth.
[91b, l. 2] PRAYER OFFERED BY THE GREAT CITY OF MKHAR TSAN AT THE MONASTERY ERECTED IN THE DE GA TURQUOISE-WOOD.
Whereas in the lifetime of the High Councillor of Tibet, the firm-helmeted Sgam dkyel the Great, – for till then the three great kingdoms of China, the Drug, and the 'Jang were resolute in contending for dominion, – the firm-helmeted lord designed to issue command that by the heroic might of his jewel councillors the enemy should be made to come beneath his sway, in founding a monastery erected to celebrate, as long as tradition of human generations endures, that that design is willed to be dominated and is covered up by kind summons to righteousness, and in thereby setting a crown upon the state's supremacy, may the purpose in the mind of the prince Khri Gtsug lde brtsan have been accomplished; and may the harm done to the enemy by Great Councillor Uncle Khri sum rje and Great Uncle Lha bzang through great defeats of the hostile Chinese and Drug and other means great and small, and on the part of certain of the city of Mkhar tsan, who, taking side with the stubborn heroic people of Tibet and being foremost of heroes in winning two great victories in a single year, on behalf of the venture for dominion on the part of the lord and people of Tibet went forward with a will to harm animate creatures, so that wounds were needs inflicted, may those wounds likewise be healed so that not a scar remains! – with this prayer the great city Khar tsan has made donation.
[92b l. 1] PRAYER OFFERED FROM THE GREAT CITY OF KWA CU AT THE MONASTERY ERECTED AT THE DE GA TURQUOISE-WOOD.
(This repeats 91b, l. 2 as far "on behalf of the venture for dominion on the part of the lord and people of Tibet" and then continues) were willing to proceed with force in harming the enemy, may that without a remainder be healed! – with this prayer the great city of Kwa cu has made donation.
[93a l. 3] PRAYER OFFERED BY THE COMMANDANT OF THE PHYUG TSAMS THOUSAND, HIMSELF AND HIS SUBORDINATES.
Hail to the Three Jewels! Hail to the Buddha, to the Omniscient! Hail to the Dharma, to the Path without superior! Hail to the Saṃgha, to the Bodhi-sattvas who do not regress! Honouring the Three Jewels in order to the success of the efforts of ourselves and others, having dismissed all sins and consenting to what is meritorious, we turn and cleave to the Three Jewels. That by inspired design in the mind of the firm-helmeted High Councillor Thugs skam the Chinese, the Drug, the 'Jang and others, until then heedless of commands, were set at rest equally with the native people and bidden to seek a shelter both firm-helmeted and great; that a concordat was framed and inscribed upon a stone pillar; that after foundation of the monastery [here] erected the border cities are at peace and in the interior of the great countries happiness has been made to flourish – forasmuch as there has been no greater kindness than this, in token of reverential and kind commemoration donation has been made to the Three Jewels: through the merit whereof may the lord of Tibet with his retinue of councillors enjoy long life and authority on all sides, and in the Tibetan realm, while foreign enemy and strife are unmentioned and the year's wealth is perpetually assured in accordance with rightful ordinance, may there be mundane and super-mundane happiness and felicity in perfection.
PRAYER OFFERED BY THE DISTRICT 'BROM KHONG.
The lord stationed on high a god; the councillors of the state inspired; the rift of heaven through divinely inspired High Councillors embroidered with divine blessing; the cloven earth, knitted by the influence of the councillors, a heaven realized; enemies held fast by concord; on the frontier no hostile venture; in the interior [note 21: Read nang for byang ("north")? [note the yak not beaten(?) – not enough that thus merely the people of Tibet should be enjoying happiness and felicity: in the realms beneath the sun whatever lesser kings there are, uneasy though they were and apprehensive of loss of state, not being lowered in state, are happy. Great kindness such as this having come from the lord [and] councillors, divinely inspired benefactors, a time of universal happiness for the people of Tibet has risen like a sun. Like a flower abloom in the country of the Luck-Summer plain (Bkra shis dbyar mo thang), in the De ga Turquoise-Wood (G.yu tshal), a monstery has been erected by Great Councillor Uncle Khri sum rje and Great Uncle Lha bzang and their subordinates and ourselves and others, and furnished with means for the instalment of a brotherhood; through which benefaction may the lord prince Khri Gtsug lde brtsan be of long life and firm helmet, may great Councillor, Uncle Khri sum rje and Great Uncle Lha bzang attain their purposed ends, may the monastery of the lords councillors of Tibet be imperishable, like the sun, and of firm foundation, and may we ourselves and [note 22: Erased in the original. [note all creatures, cleansed from the darkness of generations, be born in the courts of the supreme god of gods, the Buddha, the holy Maitreya."
From this remarkable record, which by its elevated magniloquence [note 23: The rather frequent occurrence of the word "great" is a noticeable feature of similar oratory elsewhere!] and the no less exalted integrity of its sentiment would have done honour to any religious foundation, we may derive an enlarged conception of what was possible to the Tibetan people, and its language, during their period of greatness. While the background is the rigorous intellect of India, we note an accent reminding us that dogmatic systems, when planted among fresh peoples, may be capable of a certain reflorescence. What, however, more appropriately here attracts our attention is the circumstance that the great religious and historic occasion should have been greeted by "messages" not merely from princes and ministers, but from cities and local bodies. This invites a readjustment of our notions of life in north-eastern Tibet and Chinese Turkestan during the eight and ninth centuries A.D.
The occasion was not the famous concordat whereby the Tibetans and Chinese sought to terminate a struggle of nearly (A.D. 783), or more than (A.D. 822), a century and a half. An account of those treaties has been given from Chinese sources by Bushell_1880: pp. 487 sqq., and the Lha sa inscriptions relating to them have been published with translations and discussions by Col. Waddell. This is not the place for an examination of the question whether those treaty inscriptions are two parts of a single document, or the question of the Tibetan dynastic lists. What is important for us to note is that the Btsan poKhri Gtsug lde btsan Mes 'Ag tshoms, the husband of Kim sheng Khon co, whose reign extended from A.D. 705-55, and that the treaty was made during his lifetime. Since he was definitely the Tibetan king (Btsan po) of the time, the term lha sras twice (92. A 2, 94. B 2) applied to him must have the sense of devaputra, "Son of Heaven". Of the two ministers, Khri sum rje and Lha bzang, named in the document, the former must therefore be identified with the Khri sum rje Rtsan bzher frequently mentioned in the Chronicle (ll. 147-85, years 44-54 = A.D. 715-25). He was Councillor in A.D. 715, Great Councillor in 721, Great Treasurer in 723, and he died in 725.
Another person mentioned as having initiated a war movement against China is a certain "Skam skyel (or dkyel) the Great", also designated Thugs skam. In the Lha sa inscriptions (Waddell_1909: l. 44, B l. 42) he has hitherto escaped notice as an adviser of the Btsan poKhri lde Gtsug btsan.
From the dates of the persons concerned it is clear that the treaty in question is that concluded in A.D. 730 (Bushell, p. 466), on which occasion were erected boundary monuments, including, no doubt, the stone pillar (rdo rings) mentioned in 93 B 3 (p. 97).
The monastery having been erected on the site of the treaty conference, in the region of the Koko-nor lake, namely the Ch'ihling, "Red Hills", about 60 miles (320 li) from Si-ming-fu and 430 li west of the town of Shihp'u (Bushell, pp. 530-1) – known to the Tibetans (Chronicle, B.M. MS., ll. 43, 47), as Skyi bu, it is there that we must locate the "Turquoise-Wood" (G.yu tshal), in the "Luck-summer steppe" (Bkra shis dbyar mo thang), in the "Phyug tsams Thousand District", in "'Brom khong territory", forming part of the realm of Mdo gams. The Dbyar mo thang is mentioned in a Lha sa inscription (Waddell_1910: pp. 1255-67, l. 33 of text B), and in the Geografia Tibeta (p. 55): probably it is the Yar (G.yar, G.yer) mo thang, in Khams, mentioned in Das_1902, and is related to the G.yar mo sgang of the Geografia Tibeta (p. 41). The Tsong ka named adjacency to Dbyar mo thang in the inscription may very likely be the birth-place of Tsong kha pa, who was born near the Kum bum monastery site. In the Chronicle also a Tsong ka is mentioned (l. 74). The fact that "messages" are received from the towns of Kwa cu and Mkhar tsan illustrates the natural connexion which we have already (p. 72: Ch.75.iii, IOL Tib J 1240, p. 78: IOL Tib J 1254, p. 82:Ch.73.xv.5, IOL Tib J 1359) found between the Koko-Nor region and that part of Chinese Turkestan. The name of the monastery does not transpire; but it is, no doubt, the place referred to in the Bka' 'gyur (Beckh_1914: p. 74) and Bstan 'gyur (Cordier_1909_1915: i, p. 96) as Phyug mtshams. 'Brom khong is not known; but cf. 'Brom stong, M.I.xiv.96 (IOL Tib N 692).
Of the parties to the treaty, the Chinese, the Drug, the 'Jang, and the Tibetans, who are, no doubt, meant by the "four exalted kings" (mtho bzhi rgyal po) of the treaty inscription (Waddell_1909: p. 951, l. 47 of text), the Chinese and Tibetans demand no comment, and concerning the Drug something has already been said (p. 18: Fragment 66, IOL Tib J 897, p. 30: M.I.xxviii.1, 36) and it is proposed to return to them later (pp. 296 sqq.). Of the 'Jang we have hitherto had no printed mention beyond the occurrence of the name in the Dpag bsam ljon bzang (ed. Das_1902: p. 4) and an entry in Das_1902, where 'Jang sa is explained as a "place-name in N.W. (read N.E.) Tibet". But we may learn from the Rgyal rabs...me long (India Office Xylograph, fol. 31a) that the person 'Jang tsha Lha dbang"son of king Khri Lde gtsug brtan" (Das_1902, s. v.), was so named, "'Jang grandson", because the queen, his mother, Khri btsun, was a 'Jang mo, a 'Jang woman: and from the same history we may ascertain more of this people [note 1: The 'Jang country, 'Jang yul, is mentioned also in the Chronicle (l. 92).] [note: The 'Jang country, 'Jang yul, is mentioned also in the Chronicle (l. 92).] . Since their frontier was probably adjacent to the site of the conference, we are tempted to identify them with the Tang-hsiang kingdom, which according to Bushell (Bushell_1880: p. 450 and 528, n. 12) was east of the Tibetans and south of the Koko-nor. We know that this kingdom was conquered by the Tibetans in A.D. 678 (Bushell, p. 450), and it is mentioned (ibid., p. 464) in connection with the treaty of A.D. 730. How far the designation 'Jang may have reached, it would be premature to speculate; but it has been observed by M. Bacot (Bacot_1913: p. 13) that "le nom des mo-so, Djung ('Djang), est relaté dans l'épopée du roi Géser (Gésar) et designe un pays situé entre le Ling (Gling) et la Chine." It is possible that the Mo so in their southern migrations took with them the name 'Jang [note 2: The 'Jang sa tham of a Tibetan gsung 'bum ("n. of a place in Kham, acc. to ) is perhaps the Sa dam of the Mo so (Les Mo-so, pp. 3, 118, 164).] .
The extent of the document may not have been as great as might be indicated by the fact that the first surviving folio is numbered 35. But we naturally incline to believe that the "messages" from Mdo gams (ll. 88. 1-2) and Bde gams (ll. 88. 3 sqq.) were preceded at least by one from the Tibetan Btsan po himself and perhaps by others. (See No. 21 infra.) Of the first "message" we have only the conclusion, and its source is for us therefore unknown.
The language of the document, in accord with its literary character, is regular and intelligible in a measure quite different from the fragmentary and business records with which we have hitherto for the most part been dealing. It presents many resembles to the Lha sa inscriptions, which in several passages may by its aid be emended and completed. The introductory account of the legendary king 'O lde Spu rgyal in the inscription at Waddell_1909: pp. 948-52, ll. 5-16 of the text, might almost be an extract from our document, which, however, is here, as everywhere, far more expansive and elaborate. The following notes include the analogies in the inscriptions published in Col. Waddell's articles: -
88 A, l. 1, etc., etc.: mjal dum, cf. Lha sa, Waddell_1909: ll. 3, 54, 63, etc., etc.
88 A l. 3: De ga = "of Bde". To understand "here (there) erected monastery" would be awkward, as the pronoun has no reference: moreover, De ga, as a surname occurs p. 440: 24 (M.Tagh.b.ii.0044, IOL Tib N 1938 A, B, C).
88 B, l. 1: 'gag la"abide in their station", "remain at a standstill".
88 B, l. 2: sku bla. On this phrase, see above, p. 16 (IOL Tib J 1368).
88 B, l. 3: yul byung sa dod So complete Lha sa, Waddell_1909: l. 18.
88 B, l. 2: lha las myi'i rjer gshegs te. Cf. Lha sa, Waddell_1909: ll. 21-2.
89 A, l. 1: 'phrul"theophany". The word means "magic" or "magical manifestation", and was probably a pre-Buddhistic term for the divine.
89 A, l. 2: sa gtsang, etc. Cf. Lha sa, Waddell_1909: ll. 20-1.
89 A, l. 1: 'Greng myi. Note that this definitely locates the 'Greng people in the Koko-nor region, or perhaps makes them include the people of Mdo gams as a whole.
88 B, l. 4: 'phral du"in the present".
89 B, l. 4: gzha' gsang"friends and enemies".
91 A, l. 3: skyems, literally "thirst".
91 A, l. 4: srog dang bral. The reference is to the two Buddhist prohibitions of killing and appropriating what is not given (all adattādāna being "theft").
91 B, l. 3: Sgam dkyel chen po is below (92 B 2, 93 B 1) styled Skam skyel and Thugs skam (see above, p. 106). Both names recur Lha sa, Waddell_1909: l. 44, and Waddell_1910: B l. 42.
92 A, l. 1: khebs te brjod. This is a good instance of the use of the form with te as a sort of infinitive after a word of saying.
92 A, l. 1: zin to 'tshal"will to grasp", literally "wish grasped". The use of the past form with to after 'tshal is frequent in the documents.
92 A, l. 1: la ltod = la thod"turban" (Das_1902)? We correct kye to kyi in accordance with the passage below.
92 A, l. 4: g.yul bzlog gnyis. The two great victories include perhaps the capture of Kwa cu in A.D. 727 (supra, p. 2). Concerning the part played by the city of Mkhar tsan, see above, p. 32 (Lha sa Potala Pillar Inscription B, published by Col. Waddell in Waddell_1910: pp. 1276-9).
94 A, l. 4: srid la myi dbab cing. The phrase occurs Lha sa, 1911, C l. 64.
94 B, l. 2: rkyen"means"; see above, p. 78 (IOL Tib J 1254).
94 B, l. 3: nam zhar recurs in Lha sa, Waddell_1910: C l. 48.