The Twelve Deeds of Buddha

Book

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Descriptionངོ་སྤྲོད།

"The Twelve Deeds of Buddha" is the translation of a Tibetan original compiled by Č'os-kyi 'Od-zer, a well-known translator of Buddhist works.[1] The Tibetan original of this work has never been found. Therefore, the Mongolian translation is of the value of the original, not to mention that it is a rare specimen of early Mongolian Buddhist literature and is of great interest both as an old literary source and a specimen of the Mongolian language of the Yüan period.
According to the colophon, the translation was made by the Saskya monk Šes-rab Seṅ-ge. Not much is known about him. We do not even know the years of his birth and death, and it is unknown how long he lived. There is only a brief mention of him by Sayang Sečen . . . (Poppe, introduction, 11)

Notes

Č'os-kyi 'Od-zer was commissioned to translate a number of works under the Yüan Emperor Ölǰeitü ( = Temür, son of Činggim, 1294–1307) and, after the latter's death, he was in Qaišan Külüg's (Dharmapāla's son and Činggim's grandson, 1307-11) service. Vide Georg Huth, Geschichte des Buddhismus in der Mongolei, aus dem Tibetischen des 'Jigs-med nam-mk'a, II. Teil, Nachträge zum I. Teil, Übersetzung, Straßburg 1896, pp. 160, 162. Only few facts about Č'os-kyi 'Od-zer's life are known.

Citation

Poppe, Nicholas. The Twelve Deeds of Buddha: A Mongolian Version of the Lalitavistara; Mongolian Text, Notes, and English Translation. Studies on Asia 16. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1967.

Texts Translated

Lalitavistarasūtra (Arban qoyar jokiyangy ui üiles/ Arban qoyar jokiyangyui). Mongolian by Shes rab seng ge, which is a translation of a Tibetan original compiled by Chos kyi 'od zer. The Tibetan original is lost.
1. Mongolian Kanjur, Division Eldeb, Vol. II.
2. ''qutuϒ-tu aϒui yekede čenggegsen neretü yeke kölgen sudur'', the Mongolian translation of ''Lalitavistara'', copy belonging to Harvard University.
3. Ligeti, L. Catalogue du Kanjur mongol imprimé Vol. I. pp. 216-217. Budapest: 1942-1944.
4. Facsimile of the copy of the Mongolian text in the Oriental Division of the Leningrad University Library: 65 p. at end.

Translation of

Lalitavistarasūtra

The Play in Full tells the story of how the Buddha manifested in this world and attained awakening, as perceived from the perspective of the Great Vehicle. The sūtra, which is structured in twenty-seven chapters, first presents the events surrounding the Buddha’s birth, childhood, and adolescence in the royal palace of his father, king of the Śākya nation. It then recounts his escape from the palace and the years of hardship he faced in his quest for spiritual awakening. Finally the sūtra reveals his complete victory over the demon Māra, his attainment of awakening under the Bodhi tree, his first turning of the wheel of Dharma, and the formation of the very early saṅgha. (Source: 84000)

Text

Preface9

Introduction11

Mongolian Text in Transcription21

Notes to the Mongolian Text69

Translation111

Notes to the Translation163

Plates175