Bibliotheca Polyglotta

rta’i lo la btsan po khri lde sroṅ btsan pho braṅ skyi’i ’on caṅ rdo na bźugs | stod smad kyi dmag rñiṅ rjed daṅ rkun chen btul | gar log gi pho ñas phyag btsal | blon chen po źaṅ khri zur ram (2) śag daṅ | man rje lha lod¹ la sogs pas rgya las mnaṅs maṅ po bcad de | rṅa daṅ ba laṅ phal mo che phyag tu phul | źaṅ blon man chad so sor bya dga’ stsal ba’i lan la |

1. The critical edition has lod, but the reading ’od is shared by Derge and Cone, and may be regarded possibly as a lectio facilior

1. In the year of the horse the ruler (btsan po) Khri lde Sroṅ btsan was staying in the palace ’On caṅ do¹ in sKyi. The old war-lords of Higher and Lower Tibet, as well as the “robbers”² were vanquished, and he received obeisance from Gar log through an envoy. The great ministers Źaṅ khri Zur ram Śag and Maṅ rje lHa lod, these and others brought tribute from the territories. Camels, horses and oxen in huge numbers were offered to the King, and each and every man was recompensed with gifts from the main (źaṅ) minister and downwards.

1. The critical edition reads rdo, but do seems correct, since this reading is found in other Tibetan sources, as well as in the Qianlong and Narthang versions. 2. The Uighurs, enemies of the Tibetans at the time.

[P: A. narratio]
[1r1:] | | phag gi lo la pho braṅ zuṅ kar na bźugs |
P 4: “In the pig-year [the btsan-po] stayed in the residence of Zuṅ-kar.”
PCV: the court resided in Zuṅ-kar (cf. Denwood (1990)) ¹

1. The year 795 or 783, see Panglung p. 6-7, Zuṅ kar is the palace where King Khri srṅ lde bsan lived and died, ibid. p. 7.

2. [The King] requested the preceptors from the west, Ācārya Jinamitra, Surendrabodhi, Śīlendrabodhi, Dānaśīla, Bodhimitra, and the Tibetan preceptors Ratnarakṣita, Dharmatāśīla, as well as the learned translators Jñānasena, Jayarakṣita, Mañjuśrīvarman, Ratnendraśīla and others to translate from Indic languages into Tibetan the terminologies of the Great and the Small Vehicles, to define the terms, and make a written word list.

nam du (4) yaṅ gźuṅ lugs de las mi bsgyur źiṅ kun gyis bslab du ruṅ bar gyis śig ces bka’ stsal nas |

3. The decree was issued that “One shall never deviate from this list and make it suitable for everybody to learn.”

4. Earlier, in the time of Father [king Khri sroṅ lde btsan] of the Divine Son [viz., the present monarch, Khri lde sroṅ btsan], Ācārya Bodhisattva, Ye śes dBaṅ po, Źaṅ rgyal ñen Ña bzaṅ, Blon khri gźer Saṅ śi, the translator Jñānadevakoṣa, lCe khyi ’Brug, and the brāhmaṇa Ananta and others, since the Dharma-language was not known in Tibet, coined many terms; some of these were not in accordance with the Dharma-texts and the principles of grammatical theory (vyākaraṇa), and for this reason [it is now prescribed that] the improper [terms] not [well] formed were to be revised.

skad kyi miṅ gces so ’tshal gyis kyaṅ (6) bsnan nas theg pa che chuṅ gi gźuṅ las ji ltar ’byuṅ ba daṅ | gna’i mkhan po chen po nāgārjuna daṅ | vasubandhu la sogs pas ji ltar bśad pa daṅ | vyākaraṇa’i sgra’i lugs las ji skad du ’dren pa daṅ yaṅ bstun te | ’jal dka’ ba rnams kyaṅ tshig so sor phral nas gtan (7) tshigs kyis bśad de gźuṅ du bris |

5. So analysing which were deemed the most important terms of the [dharma-]language, they augmented [the Tibetan vocabulary] and brought the terms into agreement with how they occur in the texts of the Great and the Small Vehicle, how they are explained by the masters of old like Nāgārjuna and Vasubandhu, and how they accord with the principles in the works on grammatical theory. As for the difficult cases, they analysed the words into their individual parts, provided reasoned explanations, and finally wrote [the results of their efforts] down as an authoritative document.

skad rkyaṅ pa bśad mi ’tshal ba sgra bźin du bsgyur bar rigs pa rnams kyaṅ sgra btsan par bgyis te miṅ du btags |

6. On the one hand, simple words that need no explanation and that are appropriate to be translated literally (sgra bzhin du) have been fixed taking the literal expression as the main criterion.

skad kha cig don bźin du gdags par rigs pa rnams kyaṅ don btsan par bgyis te miṅ du btags nas |

7. Whereas on the other hand, [in the case of] certain words, which are most appropriately fixed in accordance with the meaning, the [equivalent] term has been fixed taking the meaning as the main criterion.

btsan po’i spyan (132a1) sṅar bande chen po dpal gyi yon tan daṅ | bande chen po tiṅ ṅe ’dzin la sogs pa yaṅ ’tshogs te | rje blon gdan ’dzom pa la źus nas dharmma bsgyur ba’i thabs daṅ | rgya gar gyi skad la bod kyi skad du miṅ btags pa rnams gtan la phab ste | bkas bcad pa |

8. Then, the great scholar dPal gyi Yon tan, the great scholar Tiṅ ṅe ’dzin and all the others assembled before His Majesty, and after they had respectfully addressed the assembly of Lords and Ministers, they codified the methods of translating the Dharma, as well as the fixed terms in the Tibetan language in reference to the Indian language. Then the following decree was pronounced:

[P: transition narratio-dispositio]
| btsan po’i spyan ṅar | ban de chen po yon tan daṅ | ban de chen po tiṅ ṅe ’dzind daṅ | blon chen po rgyal gzigs daṅ | blon chen po stag ra las stsogs pa’ | rje blon mol ba’i spyan ṅar rgya gar skad las bod skad du (...) [part of line missing; I & P: miṅ btags pa ] [1r2:] rnams | gtan la phab ste bkas bcad pa’ |
P 4: “In the presence of the btsan-po, the Great Monk Yon-tan, the Great Monk Tiṅ-ṅe-’dzin, the Great Councillor Rgyal-gzigs, the Great Councillor Stag-ra etc. [came together].
On the occasion of the deliberation of the ruler and the councillors the terms for translating from the Indian language into the Tibetan had been [fixed and] codified and it was prescribed by order.”

dam pa’i chos bsgyur ba’i (2) lugs ni don daṅ yaṅ mi ’gal la bod skad yaṅ gar bde bar gyis śig |

9. “Regarding the way of translating the True Dharma, do not contradict the meaning, and adhere to good Tibetan usage.

[P: B. dispositio (1)]
dam pa’i chos bsgyur ba’i lugs ni don daṅ | myi ’gal la bod skad la bde bar bya ba daṅ |
P 4: “Concerning the translation of the holy doctrine of the Buddha, translate it into good Tibetan language and in accordance with the meaning
Verhagen (1996D: 283-284): “As regards the method of translating the excellent Dharma, one should make [i.e. translate] it into good, satisfactory Tibetan without violating [i.e. changing] the meaning,

dharmma bsgyur ba la rgya gar gyi skad kyi go rims las mi bsnor bar bod kyi skad du bsgyur na don daṅ tshig tu ’brel źiṅ bde na ma bsnor bar sgyur cig

10. Regarding the translation of the Dharma, when a translation into Tibetan that does not deviate from the word order of the Indian original [retains] the connection between the meaning and words and is good usage, one should translate without deviating.”³

3. End of quotation from the earlier edict?

rgya gar skad go rims las myi bsnor bar | don daṅ tshig tu ’breld bar byos la sgyurd cig |
and without changing the order of the Sanskrit words, unify [in harmony] the meaning and the word.”
and, without altering the order of the Sanskrit terms; one should translate producing a [firm] connection [i.e. harmony?] between meaning and word-form.”

bsnor na bde źiṅ go ba bskyed pa cig yod na | tshigs bcad la ni rtsa ba bźi (3) pa’am | drug pa ’aṅ ruṅ ste | tshigs su bcad pa gcig gi naṅ na gaṅ bde ba² bsnor źiṅ sgyur cig |

2. Compare, however, §§ 9, 12 & 21: gar bde bar

11. If one has to deviate [from the original word order] to produce good usage and intelligibility, one can deviate and translate in a pleasing manner, but only within a single stanza. As far as the meter is concerned, it should consist of four lines, or six if required.

rkyaṅ pa la ni don gaṅ sñegs pa³ yan chad kyi tshig daṅ don gñis ka la gar bde bar bsnor źiṅ sgyur cig |

3. Read gar sñegs pa as in §13, cf. gar bde ba and note in the previous record.

12. In prose, as long as one arrives at the required meaning, one may deviate [from the original word order] for the sake of good usage while taking both the words and meaning into consideration, and one should translate [accordingly].

skad gcig la miṅ du mar ’dren pa ni ltag ’og daṅ bstun la gar sñegs pa bźin du miṅ (4) thogs śig |

13. When it is possible to interpret one [equivocal] word [in Indian] with many [Tibetan] words, one should strive, in the definition, to make [the translation] agree with the [context, namely the words which come] before and after.

14. As in the word gautamya, from the sound gau one attains a number of entities: “speech”, “geographic area”, “earth”, “light”, “vajra”, “bull”, “heaven”, etc.; and when one interprets a word like kauśika sound-wise as “having to do with kuśa-grass”, “learned”, “liking lotuses”, “owl”, “equipped with a treasure”, and so on, in the process of translating you attain a multiple list [of Tibetan words].

bsgyur ba rnams⁴ gcig gi naṅ du ni sna graṅs de kun ’dur yaṅ mi btub ste | gcig tu chad par byar yaṅ

4. read: rnam pa

15. As it is not possible to unite that multiple list [of meanings] into one [Tibetan word-]form in the process of translation, one has to decide for one [equivalent].

gtan tshigs chen po med pa rnams ni mi bsgyur bar rgya gar skad so na źog cig |

16. But if there is no major reason [to choose any of the possible Tibetan equivalents], one may leave the Indian [term] untranslated, and use the Indian word.

gar yaṅ draṅ du ruṅ ba’i tshig byuṅ na | phyogs (6) gcig tu chad par mi bsgyur bar spyir sñegs su ruṅ bar gyis śig |

17. But wherever there is a [Tibetan] expression with a suitable [equivocal] interpretation, you should render it in accordance with its general [and equivocal sense], and not translate [with a generally employed Tibetan expression], deciding for only one direction [of meaning].

yul daṅ | sems can daṅ | me tog daṅ | rtsi śiṅ la sogs pa’i miṅ bsgyur na yid gol źiṅ tshig mi bde ba daṅ | ’ol phyir bsgyur du ruṅ ba don du de ltar yin nam ma yin gtol med pa rnams la | mgo la yul źe ’am | me tog (7) ces pa la sogs pa gaṅ la bya ba’i miṅ gcig bla thabs su snon la rgya gar skad so na źog cig |

18. If one translates names of countries, living beings, flowers, trees, and so on, and the possible translations are counter-intuitive, not good usage, imprecise, and as such the object of doubt: “Should they really be like this or not,” – which should be avoided – then one may keep the Indian term and preface it with a single Tibetan word “country” or “flower” and so on as applicable to that [case as a classifier] – whatever [class of things] the word [in question] refers to.

graṅs la rgya gar skad bźin du bsgyur na dge sloṅ brgya phrag phyed daṅ bcu gsuṃ źes ’byuṅ ba la sogs pa ni stoṅ ñis brgya lṅa bcu źes tha mal par bod kyi skad bźin bsgyur na don daṅ yaṅ mi ’gal ba bod kyi skad (132b1) la yaṅ bde bas graṅs bsdom du ruṅ ba rnams bod skad kyi lugs bźin du thogs śig |

19. When it concerns numbers, if one translates according to the Indian language, one will have “Monk-hundreds, thirteen less a half [hundred = 1250]”, but if one translates in accordance with the ordinary Tibetan language “thousand two-hundred and fifty”, it is not in disaccord with the meaning, and it is also in accordance with good Tibetan usage – thus suitable summing numbers should be established in accordance with the principles of the Tibetan language.

20. If one translates the prefixes pari, sam, upa and the others, which also may have the function of ornaments, the method should be to construe them in accordance with the meaning and translate them in accordance with its [Indian] word, [so as to produce in Tibetan] yoṅs su, yaṅ dag pa and ñe ba. If no additional meaning is attained, it is not necessary to multiply the construction [of the translated term], one should establish the word in accordance with the meaning.

rnam graṅs su gtogs pa’i tshig rnams ni ma ’doms na miṅ gaṅ bod skad du spyir grags śiṅ tshig tu gar bde bar gdags so || ’doms na so sor btags pa bźin (3) du thogs śig |

21. As for words that belong to a list [of related term or synonyms], if the word in question is not closely related, one should establish an [equivalent] term which is a general word in Tibetan and in accordance with good usage. If it is closely related [as a synonym of other terms in the list] one should employ the [one Tibetan] term which designate each [of the Indian synonyms].

saṅs rgyas daṅ byaṅ chub sems dpa’ daṅ ñan thos la sogs pa źe sa⁵ daṅ sko loṅ gi tshig gi rim pa ni saṅs rgyas la źe sa’i tshig tu bsgyur |

5. All witnesses źes for źe sa, but cf. Ta pho: rje sa

22. Concerning the degrees of respectful expressions, and expressions relating to a particular status, as concerned with the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas or the Śrāvakas: One should translate [employing] the respectful expressions as related to the Buddha,

[P: B. dispositio (2)]
saṅs rgyas daṅ byang chub sems dpa’ daṅ | ñan thos rnams la rje sa [?] daṅ [?] rko [?] (...) [part of line missing] [1r3:] daṅ rim pa ni rje sa’i tshig tu bsgyur ro ||
P 5: “2. Translate Buddha, Bodhisattva and Śravaka concerning the respect, rk[o ...] [N 12] and order into respectful words!

gźan la tshig ’briṅ po man tshad tsam du byas te⁶ | sṅon lha sras yab kyi spyan sṅar mkhan po daṅ lo tsā ba mkhas pa ’tshogs pas | dharmma dkon mchog (4) sprin daṅ | laṅkar gśegs pa bsgyur te | gtan la phab pa’i lugs bźin du sgyur cig |

6. Confer, though, Ta pho: bya’o for byas te

23. while in other cases, when concerned with the middle and lower forms [of respectful expressions], one should translate in accordance with the principles codified by the translations of the Dharma [scriptures] of the Ratnamegha and the Laṅkāvatāra as made earlier by the learned scholars and analysts assembled before the Father of the Divine Son [that is, the now ruling monarch].

gzhan la tshig ’briṅ po man chad tsam du bya’o |
For others use terms from medium downwards!”
[P: B. dispositio (3)]
gźan ni yab myes kyi sku riṅ la | mkhan po daṅ lo tsa bas dar ma dkon mchog sprin daṅ | lang dkar gśegs pa bsgyur te gtan la phab pa’i lugs bźin du sgyurd cig |
P 5: “3. As for the rest translate in the same way as Dar-ma-dkon-mchog-sprin and Lang-kar-gśegs-pa had been done by the mkhan-po and the lotsaba in the time of the ancestors! [N 13]”

skad kyi lugs ’di ltar bkas bcad pa las so so nas su yaṅ ’chos śiṅ ’og tu miṅ gsar du ’dogs su mi gnaṅ gis | bsgyur ba daṅ ’chad pa’i grva so so nas skad gsar du miṅ gdags dgos pa źig yod (5) na yaṅ | so so’i grva grvar miṅ chad par ma gdags par chos kyi gźuṅ daṅ sgra’i lugs las ji skad du ’byuṅ ba’i gtan tshigs daṅ | chos la ji skad du gdags pa dpyad de | pho braṅ du bcom ldan ’das kyi riṅ lugs kyi ’dun sa daṅ | dharmma źu chen ’tshal ba’i grvar phul la | sñan du źus te bkas bcad (6) nas skad kyi dkar chag gi dkyus su bsnan no ||

24. Thus it is not granted to anybody individually to construct and after that establish new words which are differing from the principles of language as decreed in this way. However, if there is a need to construct and establish new words in individual schools, then, in the individual schools, one may construct words without establishing them, and state the causes of their origin in accordance with the dharma-books and the principles of word-[formation], and one should investigate how to establish them in accordance with the dharma. Then one should offer them to assembly in charge of the traditions of the Lord ⁴ in the Palace and to the school of the great revisers of the dharma-translations, make a proper request, and if accepted it is to be added to the word-list [of the Mahāvyutpatti].

4. The Lcaṅ bu stele located in the court-yard of mTshur pu has: bcom ldan ’da’s riṅ lugs kyi ’dun sa (Old Tibetan documents online).

[P: B. dispositio (4)]
skad gyi lugs ’di ltar bkas bcad [1r4:] pa las | so so nas su yaṅ ’chos su myi gnaṅ bar sgyur ’chad gra so sor yaṅ skad gdags dgos pa ba źig yod na | so so’i gra grar mying ma chad par gdags par chos kyi gźung daṅ | sgra’i lugs las ji skad ’byung ba gtan tshigs daṅ | chos la gdags par byos śig |
P 5: “4. As the way of translating had been prescribed by order, it is not allowed to anybody to make any changes. However, in case that in the Dharma- and Explanation-Colleges there is a need to create a [Tibetan] term, the individual colleges may do it, without fixing the term [N 14], in accordance with the texts of the Dharma [N 15] and the rules of Sanskrit grammar and shall make it conform [N 16] to the guidelines.”
| ’di dag bsgyur ba’i [1r5:] myiṅ smraṅ yaṅ pho braṅ du bcom ldan ’das kyi ring lugs daṅ | dar ma bsgyur ba’i lo tsha pa’i grar gtugs la | sñand tu zhus te bkas bcad nas dkar gnag gi skyus su yaṅ bsnand no |

gsaṅ sṅags kyi rgyud rnams gźuṅ gis gsaṅ bar bya ba yin te | snod du ma gyur pa rnams la bśad ciṅ bstan du yaṅ mi ruṅ la | bar du bsgyur źiṅ spyod du gnaṅ gis kyaṅ | ldem po dag tu bśad pa ma khrol nas sgra ji bźin du ’dzin ciṅ log par spyod pa (7) dag kyaṅ byuṅ | sṅags kyi rgyud kyi naṅ nas thu źiṅ bod skad du bsgyur ba dag kyaṅ byuṅ źes gdags kyi | phyin chad gzuṅs sṅags daṅ rgyud bla nas bka’ stsal te | sgyur du bcug pa ma gtogs pa | sṅags kyi rgyud daṅ | sṅags kyi tshig thu źiṅ bsgyur du mi gnaṅ ṅo ||

25. The Tantras with their mantras are to be kept secret in accordance with the scriptures themselves, and it is not proper that they are explained and taught to those not worthy. However, in the meantime they have been translated and given for practice, but their concealed meanings were not the subject of an oral explanation, thus [the words] were understood literally – and false practices have originated. While it is an established fact that selections from among the Mantra-Tantras and translations into Tibetan do exist, henceforth, with regard to dhāraṇīmantras and the Tantras, it has been decreed that unless permission is granted to translate [a specific such scripture], it is not allowed to collect or translate the Mantra-Tantras and the words of the mantras.

[P: B. dispositio (5)]
sṅags kyi rgyud rnams ni gźung gis kyaṅ | gsaṅ bar bya ba yin te | snod du ma gyurd [1r6:] pa la bśad ciṅ bs [t?] and t[u?] yaṅ | myi ruṅ bas | ldem po [da?; or: ṅa?] g las log par go na skyon yod pas |
Verhagen (1996D: 285-286): “As to the Tantras of the Mantra[-yāna], the basic texts themselves state that they are to be kept secret. Therefore it is not allowed to teach and explain them to unfit persons, because it will cause harm if encoded terms are misunderstood.”
sñand tu źus te | bka’s gnaṅ nas sṅags bsgyur ba yaṅ mkhas pa rab kyis don ma nord bar sgyur la | sṅags sṅon grags pa bźin gźung ma nord [subscript d] bar gyis śig | sṅags bsgyur ba | yang [1v1:] gtan la ... ... ... [part of line missing] my [i?] gnaṅ ṅo |

skad kyi miṅ sṅon gtan la ma phab pa (133a1) daṅ miṅ du ma thogs pa las theg pa che chuṅ gi gźuṅ daṅ sgra’i gźuṅ las ’byuṅ ba daṅ sbyar te bśad pa’i daṅ po’o ||

26. The terms of the [Tibetan] language were not codified before, so since the terms were not fixed in the lexicon, one has adhered to what is derived from the books of the Great and the Small Way as well as books on language when explaining. Now the first part is ended.

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