From Tibetan and Classical Mongolian into Buryat: Translating (Adapting) Buddhist Canonical Texts

Abstract

Introduction. The article deals with Tibetan/Mongolian-to-Buryat translation (adaptation, Cyrillic) of Buddhist canonical texts. Goals. The study of causes and essence of the process is relevant enough, since the research problem relates to actual changes in the traditional book culture of Buryats, and issues of preserving the Buryat language in modern conditions. Materials. The work analyzes archaeographic works stored at the Institute of Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies SB RAS (2006-2015) as well as a set of Buddhist canonical texts published in Buryatia in the pre-revolutionary period and after 1991. Conclusions. Translation (adaptation) of Buddhist canonical texts from Tibetan and Mongolian into Buryat arose from changes in everyday religious practices of ordinary Buryat Buddhists. The three forms of Tibetan/Mongolian-to-Buryat translation make it possible to conclude on the level of works aimed at the preservation of the Buryat language in the structure of religious culture, as well as the level of Buddhist revival in Buryatia. Various forms of translation (adaptation) of Buddhist canonical texts show a competition between two directions of everyday religious reading (spelling) patterns: the Mongolian letter-by-letter one, and that close to literary Buryat. These forms mirror the modern discussion that arose in the 1990s about the correspondence between Mongolian and Buryat languages for further development of Buryat culture.