The Collection of O. M. Dordzhiev (Tugmyud Gavji): Texts of the Mongolian-Language Kangyur as a Source in Buddhist Literary Studies

Abstract

Introduction. The article examines a range of dharani (Mong., Kalm. tarni) texts included in the 108-volume canonical collection of Mongolian-language Kangyur. This xylographic edition of the Mongolian Kanjur had been delivered from China by the Indian scholar Raghu Vira to be further published by the renowned Buddhist scholar Lokesh Chandra in the Śata-Piṭaka Series in the 1970s. The whole set of this canonical edition was acquired by Ven. O. M. Dordzhiev (Kalm. Tügmüd Gadji), and is currently stored at the Scientific Archive of the Kalmyk Scientific Center (RAS) as part of the Collection of this Buddhist cleric. Goals. The paper aims to analyze the texts of prayers against diseases, similar in name and content, presented in different volumes of this canonical collection. Materials. To facilitate this, the study investigates a number of texts from the category of dharani (tarni) aimed at eliminating various diseases and their consequences. Those are included in the 14th and 24th volumes of Kangyur, which corresponds to the ‘Dandr-a’ (‘Tantra’) section. Results. The publication transliterates and translates works from the category of dharani (tarni), pacifying various diseases and epidemics.