The gZungs 'dus Buddhist Texts Collection: Excerpts from the History of Its Existence among the Kalmyks (a Case Study of E. B. Ubushiev’s Collection from the Archive of the Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS)

The article provides an overview of the Buddhist texts collection known according to the Tibetan-language xylographic edition (published in China) as gZungs 'dus. The edition was presented by E. B. Ubushiev (1905–1981), an ex-monk, to the Kalmyk Research Institute of Language, Literature and History. Besides, the collection of old written sources of the Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS contains a number of other Oirat-, Mongolian-, and Tibetan-language texts contributed to the Archive since the 1960s, thus forming the bulk of the Rare Manuscripts Fund (Ф–8). Sources in Mongolic languages can also be found in K.V. Orlova’s catalogue. There are only brief unpublished descriptions of separate contributions in the form of lists describing corresponding collections and texts compiled by V. O. Chumatov (Polyaev). The available descriptions and the catalogue ― also unpublished ― contain no mention of the examined collection, which is, to a certain degree, due to the fact the xylograph has no ID title: when received, it was designated as ‘Deed Nomin Toktl’ (Tarnis (Precepts) of the High Teaching).
The canonical and apocriphal works included in the collection basically aimed to constitute somewhat brief corpus of religious texts supposed to represent the Buddhist teaching in its entirety and be applicable in everyday spiritual practices. According to A. M. Pozdneev, since the 17th–18th centuries, minor Buddhist temples of the Mongols, Oirats and Kalmyks would turn to such texts collections in their daily liturgies, being unable to afford complete canonical editions. And their contents were not limited to ceremonial and ritualistic literature only, inter alia comprising Prajñāpāramitā texts, sutras connected with dharanis, jatakas, hymns, etc. The gZungs 'dus also includes a corpus of texts for daily practices and essentially proves an anthology of Buddha’s Teaching. In the context of the current Buddhism’s revival among the Kalmyks and the growth of interest towards Buddhism, such collections do regain topicality.
The texts collection has always been an object of special interest on behalf of Tibetologists and Mongolists (R. Meisezahl, W. Heissig, M. Taube, A. Sazykin, V. Uspensky, K. Kollmar-Paulenz, A. Zorin, A. Sizova, etc.), including nowadays. To date the topical problem is still to identify all lists and variants of the collection from different language editions published in various printing centers of China, Mongolia and Russia (basically in Buryatia).
The paper fills a gap in the history of Kalmyk bookish culture, the history of existence of written sources among the clergy and laity in the 20th century. The study shall facilitate further systematization of knowledge about Tibetan Buddhist texts among the Oirats and Kalmyks, etc.
The Tibetan collection gZungs 'dus from E. B. Ubushiev’s files together with other Buddhist compositions preserved in manuscript collections of Kalmyk monks indicates that there has existed an integral and uninterrupted bookish tradition of Kalmyk Buddhism throughout the 20th and 21st centuries respectively.

1. Андросов 2011 — Андросов В. П. Индо-тибетский буддизм. Энциклопедический словарь. М.: Ориенталия, 2011. 448 с. [Androsov V. P. Indo-tibetskiy buddizm. E`ntsiklopedicheskiy slovar` [Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. Encyclopedic Dictionary]. Moscow: Orientaliya, 2011. 448 p.]

2. Голстунский 1893–1895 — Голстунский К. Ф. Монголо-русский словарь. Тт. I–III. СПб.: Литогр. А. Иконникова,1893–1895. 1289 с. [Golstunsky K. F. Mongolo-russkiy slovar’ [Mongolian-Russian dictionary]. Vol. I–III. St. Petersburg: Litography of А. Ikonnikov, 1893–1895, 1289 p.]

3. Зорин 2014 — Зорин А. В. О структуре и содержании сборника «Сунгдуй» // Тибетология в Санкт-Петербурге. Сб. ст. Вып. 1. СПб.: Петербургское востоковедение, 2014. С. 100–118. [Zorin А. V. On the structure and content of the “Sungduy” collection. Tibetologiya v Sankt Peterburge. Iss. 1. St. Petersburg: Peterburgskoe Vostokovedenie, 2014. Pp. 100–118].

4. Зорин, Сизова 2013 — Зорин А. В., Сизова А. А. Первые пекинские издания сборника «Сундуй» на тибетском и монгольском языках // Mongolica XI. СПб.: Петербургское востоковедение, 2013. С. 37–44. [Zorin A. V., Sizova A. A. The first Beijing editions of the collection “Sunduy” in Tibetan and Mongolian languages. Mongolica XI. St. Petersburg: Peterburgskoe Vostokovedenie, 2013. No. 11. Pp. 37–44].

5. История буддизма 2011 — История буддизма в СССР и Российской Федерации в 1985–1999 гг. Элиста: Мин-во образования, культуры и науки РК, 2011. 392 с. [Istoriya buddizma v SSSR i Rossijskoj Federacii v 1985–1999 gg. [A history of Buddhism in the USSR and the Russian Federation: 1985–1999]. Elista: Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Republic of Kalmykia, 2011, 392 p.]

6. Ковалевский 1844–1849 — Ковалевский О. Монгольско-русско-французский словарь. Т. 1–3. Казань: Тип. Казанского университета, 1844–1849. 2690 с. [Kovalevsky O. Mongol`sko-russko-franczuzskij slovar` [Mongolian-Russian-French dictionary]. Vol. 1–3. Kazan: Kazan University, 1844–1849. 2690 p.]

7. Кочергина 1987 — Кочергина В. А. Санскритско-русский словарь 2-е изд., испр. и доп. М.: Рус. яз., 1987. 944 с. [Kochergina V. A. Sanskritsko-russkiy slovar` [Sanskrit-Russian Dictionary]. Moscow: Russkiy Yazyk, 1987. 944 p.]

8. КРС 1977 — Калмыцко-русский словарь. Под ред. Б. Д. Муниева. М.: Рус. яз., 1977. 768 с. [Kalmytsko-russkiy slovar’ [Kalmyk-Russian Dictionary]. B. D. Muniev (ed.). Moscow: Russkiy Yazyk, 1977. 768 p.]

9. Музраева 2001 — Музраева Д. Н. Гимны-славословия из тибетской коллекции КИГИ РАН // Российское монголоведение. Бюллетень 5. М.: ИВ РАН, 2001. C. 266–278. [Muzraeva D. N. Hymns-praise from the Tibetan collection of the KIHR of the RAS. Rossiyskoe mongolovedenie. Bulletin 5. Moscow: Institute of Oriental Studies of RAS, 2001. Pp. 266–278]. (In Rus. and Tib.)

10. Музраева 2003 — Музраева Д. Н. О молитвенных текстах дхарани (по материалам тибетской коллекции КИГИ РАН) // Монголоведение № 2. Элиста: АПП «Джангар», 2003. С. 46–68. [Muzraeva D. N. The prayer texts of Dharani (on materials of the Tibetan collection of the KIHR of the RAS). Mongolovedenie. 2003. No. 2. Elista, Dzhangar Publ. Pp. 46–68.] (In Rus. and Tib.)

11. Музраева 2006 — Музраева Д. Н. О коллекции буддийской литературы гавджи Тогмед-Очира (Тугмюда Гавджи) (1887–1980) // IX Межд. конгресс монголоведов. Доклады российских ученых. М.: ООО Товарищество научных изданий КМК, 2006. С. 293–297. [Muzraeva D. N. About the collection of Buddhist literature of Gavdzhi Togmed-Ochir (Tugmyud Gavji) (1887–1980). IX Mezhd. kongress mongolovedov. Doklady rossiyskikh uchenykh [IX International Congress of Mongolists. Reports of Russian scientists]. Moscow: KMK Partnership of Scientific Publications, 2006. Pp. 293–297].

12. Музраева 2011 — Музраева Д. Н. Из истории формирования коллекций буддийских письменных источников в Калмыкии // Новый исторический вестник. М.: РГГУ. 2011. № 3 (29). С. 32–42. [Muzraeva D. N. From the history of the formation of collections of Buddhist written sources in Kalmykia. Novy`y istoricheskiy vestnik. Moscow: Russian State Univ. for the Humanities, 2011. No. 3 (29). Pp. 32–42].

13. Музраева 2012 — Музраева Д. Н. Буддийские письменные источники на тибетском и ойратском языках в коллекциях Калмыкии / Отв. ред. Э. П. Бакаева. Науч. ред. А. А. Бурыкин. Элиста: ЗАОр «НПП „Джангар“», 2012. 224 с. [Muzraeva D. N. Buddiyskie pis`menny`e istochniki na tibetskom i oiratskom yazy`kax v kollektsiyakh Kalmy`kii [Buddhist written sources in the Tibetan and Oirat languages in collections of Kalmykia]. E. P. Bakaeva, A. A. Burykin (eds.). Elista: Dzhangar, 2012. 224 p.]

14. Орлова 2002 — Орлова К. В. Описание монгольских рукописей и ксилографов, хранящихся в фондах Калмыкии // Бюллетень Общества востоковедов. Вып. 5. М.: ИВ РАН, КИГИ РАН, 2002. 85 с. [Orlova K. V. Description of Mongolian manuscripts and xylographs stored in Kalmykia’s funds. Byulleten’ Obshchestva vostokovedov. Issue. 5. Moscow: Institute of Oriental Studies of RAS, Kalmyk Humanities Research Institute of RAS, 2002. 85 p.]

15. Позднеев 1911 — Позднеев А. М. Калмыцко-русский словарь. СПб.: Тип. Импер. Академии наук, 1911. 306 с. [Pozdneev A. M. Kalmy`tsko-russkiy slovar` [Kalmyk-Russian Dictionary]. St. Petersburg: Imper. Academy of Sciences, 1911. 306 p.]

16. Позднеев 1993 — Позднеев А. М. Очерки быта буддийских монастырей и буддийского духовенства в Монголии в связи с отношениями сего последнего к народу. Изд. репринтн. Элиста: Калм. кн. изд-во, 1993. 512 с. [Pozdneev A. M. Ocherki by`ta buddiyskikh monasty`rey i buddiyskogo dukhovenstva v Mongolii v svyazi s otnosheniyami sego poslednego k narodu [Essays on the life of Buddhist monasteries and Buddhist clergy in Mongolia in connection with the relationship of this latter to the people]. Reprint. Elista: Kalm. Book Publ., 1993. 512 p.]

17. Рерих 1983–1993 — Рерих Ю. Н. Тибетско-русско-английский словарь с санскритскими параллелями. Вып. I–XI. Вып. IV, V, VI, VII, X. М.: Наука, ГРВЛ, 1983–1993. 374, 312, 372, 321, 343 с. [Roerich Yu. N. Tibetsko-russko-angliyskiy slovar’ s sanskritskimi parallelyami [Tibetan-Russian-English dictionary with Sanskrit parallels]. Issue. I–XI. Issue. IV, V, VI, VII, X. Moscow: Nauka, 1983–1993. 374, 312, 372, 321, 343 p.]

18. Успенский 2011 — Успенский В. Л. Тибетский буддизм в Пекине. СПб.: Студия «НП-Принт», 2011. 367 с. [Uspensky V. L. Tibetskiy buddizm v Pekine [Tibetan Buddhism in Beijing]. St. Petersburg: NP-Print, 2011. 367 p.].

19. Чуматов 1983 — Чуматов В. О. Старописьменные памятники КНИИ ИФЭ // Монголоведные исследования. Элиста: КНИИИФЭ, 1983. С. 116–131. [Chumatov V. O. Old-scripted monuments of the Kalmyk Institute of History, Philology and Economics. Mongolovednye issledovaniya [Mongolian studies]. Elista: Kalmyk Institute of History, Philology and Economics, 1983. Pp. 116–131].

20. Энциклопедия 2007 — Духовная культура Китая: энциклопедия: в 5 т. Т. 2. Мифология. Религия / ред. M. Л. Титаренко и др. М.: Вост. лит., 2007. 869 с. [Dukhovnaya kul’tura Kitaya: ehntsiklopediya: v 5 t. T. 2. Mifologiya. Religiya [Spiritual culture of China: encyclopedia: in 5 vol. Vol. 2. Mythology. Religion]. M. L. Titarenko (ed.) et al. Moscow: Vost. Lit., 2007. 869 p.].

21. Энциклопедия 2009 — Неаполитанский С. М., Матвеев С. А. Энциклопедия буддизма­. СПб.: Инст-т метафизики, 2009. 928 с. [Neapolitansky S. M., Matveev S. А. Entsiklopediya buddizma [Encyclopedia of Buddhism]. St. Petersburg: Inst. of Metaphysics, 2009. 928 p.].

22. Jäschke 1881 — Jäschke H. A. A Tibetan-English Dictionary with special reference to the prevailing dialects. London: Secretary of State for India in Council, 1881. 671 p.] (In Tib. and Eng.).

23. MK — Mongolian Kanjur from the collection of Prof. RaghuVira. Ed. by Lokesh Chandra. Delhi: Jayyed Press, 1973–1979. Vol. 1–108. Vol. 24, 61, 108. 704, 780, 562 p. (Śata-piṭaka series. Indo-Asian Literatures. Vol. 101–208). (In Mong. and Engl.).

24. Tsepak Rigzin 1993 — Tsepak Rigzin. Tibetan-English Dictionary of Buddhist Terminology by Tsepak Rigzin. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Second Revised ed. 1993, 309 p. (In Eng.).

25. Das 1991 — Das S. Ch. A Tibetan-English Dictionary with Sanskrit Synonyms. Reprint. ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1991. 1353 p. (In Tib. and Eng.).