Two Mongolian Ritual Texts from the Early 19th Century:

Abstract

This article intends to publish two Mongolian manuscripts from the Mongolian ritual manuscripts project (Masaryk University) representing two ritual genres rarely occurring among Mongolian texts: an offering text (mchod pa, sang) related to the veneration of the mountain Dasibalbar in contemporary Khentei aimag and the text for the “stability of life” (zhabs brtan, ölmei batudqaqu) of the newly recognized Fifth Jebtsundamba Khutuktu which was addressed to him before his arrival to Mongolia. Both texts are linked by the common time of their creation about the arrival of the Fifth Jebtsundamba Khutuktu (1815–1841) to Khalkha. The paper includes transcription and translation of the texts accompanied by commentaries about the genres they represent and circumstances of their composition. The article raises questions about bilingualism and the role of Mongolian in the Buddhist ritual.