Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s5.t4: Buddhist Canon in Mongolian
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s5.t4
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Buddhist Canon in Mongolian
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Tripitaka of Mongolian version refers to Tripitaka which was published in Mongolian was translated, compiled, collated, carved in blocks and printed in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. During Yuan
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The Mongolian edition/version of the Buddhist Tripiṭaka, composed during the Qianlong emperor
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Dade reign (1297-1307), under the order of Yuan Emperor Chengzong, Sakya Lama and Imperial Master grags pa vod zer (1246-1303) presided over the translation of Bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur into Mongolian participated by Tibetan, Mongolian, Uighur and Chinese eminent monks. No related literature record on the number of sutras translated then has been founded.
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In Wanli Reign of Ming Dynasty (1573-1620), Mongolian was keen on accepting Buddhism and Tomoto Altan Qan and his posterity advocated translating *Tripitaka* into Mongolian, ushering a new era of translating Buddhist sutra into Mongolian. Meanwhile, Chahar Ligdar Khan attached importance to the translation of *Tripitaka* into Mongolian and valued bkav vgyur as one of Three Treasures so he gathered 33 eminent monks including Kunga Ao Tyne to translate parts of bkav vgyur which have not been translated yet into Mongolian. In 1629, monks completed the translation of bkav vgyur. Tripitaka was written with gold power and thus, it is, called “Golden Mongolian Tripitaka” in history.
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The Buddhist Canon in Manchu language
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Most of existent *Tripitaka* in Mongolian was compiled and printed in Qing Dynasty. In 1683, under the order of Qing Emperor Kangxi, Prince Yu presided over the revision of bkav vgyur and lama and scholars including Urad Gushi Bili Kun and Aba Gamochu Ke from Jingzhu Temple in Beijing and Imperial Guard La Chi proofread and compiled the bkav vgyur into 108 parts (cases) and block-printed in 1720.
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Another bstan vgyur was translated into Mongolian in the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong (1741-1749). Under the order of Emperor Qianlong, the third Akiyoshi Buddha lcang skya rol pvi rdo rje an d and Khutukutu Lobsang Nyima Tempeh presided over the translation of bstan vgyur into Mongolian, over 200 lamas and scholars from Mongolia including age wang dan pi le, Tangute Academy Governor guan bu zha bu, Jasag Lama que yin pi le duo erji from the Xihuang Temple, Jasag Lama dan sen que del from the Longfu Temple and Dalai Lama bi li kun participated in the translation. It took seven years to translate 225 parts (cases) of bstan vgyur into Mongolian. A complete set of *Tripitaka* of bkav vgyur was translated into Mongolian in the early reign of Qing Empeor Yongzheng, and bstan vgyur was translated into Mongolian in the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong, were published in the Jingzhu Temple in Beijing.
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The final compilation, translation, collation, review and printing of *Tripitaka* of bkav vgyur and bstan vgyur in Mongolian version were completed in reference to the Beijing edition of bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur and its classification, case number and category emulated the Beijing edition of bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur [bkav bgyur totalling 108 parts (cases) and bstan vgyur totalling 225 parts (cases)]. In addition, the catalogue, classification and category were the same as bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur. The existing bkav vgyur in Mongolian falls into 10 parts including *rgyud sde bshi*, *mahaprajna – paramita*, second *mahaprajna –paramita*, the third *mahaprajna – paramita prajnaparamita*, *maharatnakuta*, *avatamsaka*, *Mahayana* and *Vinaya-pitaka*.
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The publication of *Tripitaka* in Mongolian ushered in a new era of preaching sutra and spreading Buddhism in Mongolian temples and it reflected the dissemination of Indian Buddhist culture in Mongolia.
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(*Kalsang gyal*)