Work in progress

A 217

Known as:A 217; THT 850
Cite this page as:Gerd Carling; Adrian Musitz (translation). "A 217". In A Comprehensive Edition of Tocharian Manuscripts (CEToM). Created and maintained by Melanie Malzahn, Martin Braun, Hannes A. Fellner, and Bernhard Koller. https://cetom.univie.ac.at/?m-a217 (accessed 18 May 2026).

Edition

Editor:Gerd Carling; Adrian Musitz (translation)

Provenience

Main find spot:Shorchuk
Specific find spot:Stadthöhle
Expedition code:T III Š 79.15
Collection:Berlin Turfan Collection

Language and Script

Language:TA
Script:late

Text contents

Title of the work:Udānavarga
Text genre:Literary
Meter:554443 (4x)

Object

Material: ink on paper
Form:Poṭhī
Number of lines:8

Transliteration

a1///
a2/// kñ[ā] ññā [ta] – – – [p]· sne y·· y· wā ryā ñc· [śś] – – – ptā ///
a3/// ··e skā kā wä rpā¯ ¯t p· ñka¯ ¯t ā rki śo ṣṣi skra¯ ¯nt ma rka mpa¯ ¯l ā ksi s·i – – – – – – – – [p]ū¯ ¯k knā nmāṃ tma¯ ¯s̝ bra mpo ñcäṃ wä ltsa –
a4– – – sn· – ·k· cke yo : pa klyo s̝a swra sa¯ ¯ñä pū kkā cke pa rsā¯ ¯cä pū¯ ¯k knā nmāṃ – k· ñka¯ ¯t pa rko pa rno¯ ¯nt mā ga tṣiṃ ype yaṃ : wä rpā
a5– ks[i] ssi kra ñcäṃ ma rka mpa¯ ¯l mā ryu pra ṣtaṃ o kñä ṣñä kta sna pe na ssa¯ ¯m o ṅkra ci : «8» pa lskā¯ ¯t pū¯ ¯k knā nmāṃ ke ma ltwā ksi sa¯ ¯m lyä klyäṃ kupā
a6– – – rka mpa¯ ¯l n· ktiṃ wa lu¯ ¯nt u d[r]a keṃ : pa lkā tkā ru ṇi¯ ¯k ta mne kka rā ḍeṃ s̝a pta ko ñiṃ wa lu¯ ¯nt pa lkā¯ ¯t ka tko¯ ¯nt ynā le¯ ¯k cmo lle ntsu¯ ¯nt : pa ñca ke[¯] [¯s]
a7– – [ṣa] kka tse kna slye¯ ¯s dū ṣka cā rṣ· klo paṃ śkaṃ ñi yā ma rspa ktāṃ tu ṅkyo ce¯ ¯m : ce smyā kṣi ñña mkra¯ ¯nt ma rka «mpa» lme ta sū rbi lwā yä¯ ¯s̝ bā rā na sya¯ ¯cä pa
a8– – raṃ ū pa ge : – ptā ñkt· a ra m[pā] ta a si na[¯] [¯t] lkā laṃ sa lpmāṃ o ki pū tti śpa rṣiṃ kā wä lte naṃ pa ñi yo : sne ptsa ku pa ge pa lkā¯ ¯t ptā ñä kta¯ ¯cä sa –
b1– – – – [l]sk· [a]¯ ¯ts ku ssa stā k· – śni ssu[¯] [¯k] – wtsy[o] kya kri tri la¯ ¯p tseṃ ā tsa tsśā ku śä ks̝a kpi ṣi ma ñka tt· ki ypi¯ ¯cä a kma lṣi wä rka ntyo : tseṃ yo –
b2– – [ā] tsa tspa tkrū yo ś· śk[i] sso ki w· kmtsaṃ śaṃ weṃ «†ci» a ṣū kma la ñkā swe ñi : «10» ra traṃ lymeṃ ci ñcraṃ ā rkyaṃ¯ ¯śä ā ṅka ri lyä klyäṃ wro kṣi sa rkko ki sa[¯] [¯m] ka ma ñpa –
b3– – – – [ā] le n· cā kkä rso pi ñ[pū¯] [¯k] [p]rā rwaṃ sa tkā rtsā yä¯ ¯s̝ tpa rrā kā śaṃ ytä s̝traṃ yo nnū tka ni¯ ¯s mrā¯ ¯cä : we sa¯ ¯m ptā ññä kta¯ ¯cä na nmū ślā ñcā lyi ku s··
b4nā ta¯ ¯k ñ[ka]· [t]e n· – ta preṃ lkā tsi pa ñi tswā¯ ¯ts : po ntsāṃ tā¯ ¯s̝ tka nā mā cwo kyā lya kaṃ wa s̝ta ṣlaṃ tu¯ ¯nt pa lko ṣe mnä¯ ¯s̝ ū dū mpa rṣi [ṣ]·ā
b5– – – – – [tñ]· i ndri¯ ¯ñä ā ṣtra kma lṣya raṃ wso¯ ¯k wsā yo kya¯ ¯ts luka śnū wo rpū k[a¯] [¯s̝] swā «ñce» nyo sū¯ ¯k lkā tsi : kuca cwa s̝ta ṣlaṃ tu kya rtā r[m]a
b6– – – – – – – s̝pa rklu ne – ·k· ṣi tñi kā ru ṇi¯ ¯k : ptā ñka tka ṣṣi we pū¯ ¯k ly[u] [tā] r·· – – – – – na sa¯ ¯m pū kyo sne lo plu ne wra maṃ ny[o] –
b7/// l(·)o p· s[k]i ·ä – [ma] tt· knū yn· ś[ka] [rso] – – āṃ s̝a rpñi¯ ¯m ślo kwe nu na – – – – s̝a r[p]i ///
b8///

Transcription

a1///
a2/// kñāññāt{†ä} – – – p· sne y··y·wāryāñc·śś – – – ptā ///
a3
8a7σ /// ··e skākā ; wärpāt p(tā)ñkät ; ārkiśoṣṣis ; krant märkampal ; āksis(s)i
8b– – – – – – 5σ ; – – pūk knānmāṃ ; tmäṣ bram poñcäṃ ; wältsa – a4 – ; – – 2σ sn· – · 2σ ; k(ā)ckeyo :
8cpäklyoṣäs wrasañ ; pūk kācke parsāc ; pūk knānmāṃ – ; k· ñkät pärko ; parnont māgat;ṣiṃ ypeyaṃ :
8dwärpāa5(t) (ā)ksissi ; krañcäṃ märkampal ; mā =ryu praṣtaṃ ; okñäṣ ñäktas ; napenäs säm ; oṅkraci : 8
9apälskāt pūk knānmāṃ ; ke maltw āksisam ; lyäklyäṃ kupā a6 – ; – (mä)rkampal ; n(o)ktiṃ walunt ; udrakeṃ :
9bpälkāt kāruṇik ; tämne-kk arāḍeṃ ; ṣäpta-koñiṃ ; walunt pälkāt ; kätkont ynālek ; cmoll entsunt :
9cpañcakesn1 a7 – – ; ṣakk atsek naslyes ; dūṣkacārṣ(i) ; klopaṃ śkaṃ ñi ; yāmär spaktāṃ ; tuṅkyo cem :
9dcesmy ākṣiññam krant ; märkampal metäs ; ūrbilwāyäṣ ; bārānasyac ; pä a8 – – raṃ ; ūpage : (9)
10aptāñkt(e) arämpāt{†ä} ; asinät lkāläṃ ; sälpmāṃ oki ; pūttiśparṣiṃ ; kāwältenäṃ ; pañiyo :
10bsne ptsäk upage ; pälkāt ptāñäktac ; sa – b1 – – ; – – 2σ lsk· 1σ ats ; kus säs tāk· ; – śnis suk (:)
10cwtsy oky akritri lap ; tseṃ ātsäts śāku ; śäk-ṣäk-piṣi ; mañkätt (o)ki ; ypic akmalṣi ; wärkäntyo :
10dtseṃ yo – b2 – – ; ātsäts pätkrūyo ; ś(i)śkiss oki ; w(ā)kmtsaṃ śaṃweṃ ; aṣūk malañ ; kāsweñi : 10
11arätraṃ lymeṃ ciñcraṃ ; ārkyaṃś āṅkari ; lyäklyäṃ wrokṣi ; sarkk oki sam ; kamañ pa – ; b3 – – – (:)
11bālen(aṃ) cākkär ; sopiñ pūk prārwaṃ ; sätkārtsā yäṣ ; tpärr ākāśaṃ ; ytäṣtr-äṃ yon nū ; tkanis mrāc :
11cwe säm ptāññäktac ; nanmū śl= āñcālyi ; kus·· b4 nātäk ; ñkä·te n· – ; täpreṃ lkātsi ; pañitswāts :
11dpontsāṃ tāṣ tkanā ; mā cw oky ālyakäṃ ; waṣtäṣ laṃtunt ; pälko ṣem näṣ ; ūdūmparṣi ; ṣ(t)āb5(m) – – (:)
12a– – tñ· indriñ ; āṣtr akmalṣy aräṃ ; wsok wsā yok yats ; lukäśnū worpū ; kaṣ swāñcenyo ; sūk lkātsi :
12bkucac waṣtäṣ laṃtu ; ky artār mä b6 – – ; – – – – ; – ṣ pärklune ; – ·k· ṣi tñi ; kāruṇik :
12cptāñkät käṣṣi we ; pūk lyutār·· – ; – – – – ; nasam pūkyo ; sne loplune ; wramäṃnyo (:)
b7/// l·o p·ski ·ä – mätt(a)k nū yn(e)ś kärso – – āṃ ṣärpñim ślok we nuna – – – – ṣärpi ///
b8///

Translation

a3... The Buddha has consented to teach the good Law to the world ...
a3+... all knowing... then Brahman... all... thousand... with joy.
a4Hear, people!
a4All evoke joy!
a4The all knowing... god, arisen in the glorious country of Māgadha, consented to proclaim the good law,
a5[and] within a short time he will promote immortality for gods and humans.
a5The all knowing one thought:
a5+To whom do I first proclaim the fine, deep, good law?
a6The compassionate one saw Udraka, who has died in the evening;
a6so he saw Arāḍa, who has died seven days ago (?), having passed elsewhere and taken on a (new) birth.
a6+Certainly to be groups of five (?)... they served me with love in the suffering proper to ascetic life...
a7I announced to them the good law.
a7+... he left from Urubilvā, headed for Benares ...
a8Upage, without blinking, looked at the form of the Buddha, viewable without satiation, as if glowing with the beautiful splendor of Buddhahood...
a8... to the Buddha...
a8+... what was this... pleasure of (the ears?)?
b1... his head is rounded like a parasol,
b1his hair is thick and blue ...
b1with the wheel of the face like the moon on the sixteenth.
b1+With... blue... thick eyelashes,
b2His jaws distinguished like those of a lion.
b2His wide nostrils are good.
b2+Lovely red lips, white incisors, the teeth even like a string of pearls, ... a wheel on the palms of his hands, webs between all of his fingers,
b3He goes in the air, high into the sky;
b3His footprint adorns the top of the earth.
b3He, bowing, with hands in añjali-position, said to the Buddha:
b3+Which god..., Lord, is so magnificent to behold?
b4+All over this earth, I have never seen another wandering monk like you... Udumbara tree...
b5... your senses, the pure appearence of your face, joyful, your golden skin, shining, surrounded by a ray a fathom large, is a pleasure to behold.
b5+For what having left home, whose... do you approve of... question... of you, compassionate one.
b6Buddha the teacher said:
b6All more... I am... by all things without stain...
b6+... by knowing for myself, whom should I refer to (as my teacher) ...
b7He said a śloka:
b7+Again... point to...

Other

a4Höret, [ihr] Wesen! Rufet alle Sehnsucht hervor, (denn) der Alleswissende [ist] als Sonne in dem herrlichen [wtl. glänzenden] Magadha-Lande aufgegangen. (Schmidt 1974: 333)
a4+He [the Buddha] has agreed to teach the good law. Before long he will grant gods and men the immortality [medicine of the law]. (Peyrot 2013b: 626)
a4+Er [scil. der Buddha] hat eingewilligt, das gute Gesetz zu lehren, in nicht langer Zeit wird er Göttern [und] Menschen die Unsterblichkeit wachsen lassen. (Schmidt 1974: 457)
a5+The omniscient thought, «Whom do I first teach the fine, deep [and] good law?» (Peyrot 2013b: 233)
a7«To them I will teach the good law!», [and] he set out from Urubilvā towards Benares. (Peyrot 2013b: 233)
b3... geht er [scil. der Buddha] hoch in den Luftraum, denn es schmückt seine [Fuß]spur den Scheitel der Erde (?). (Schmidt 1974: 510)
b5+Zu wem bist du aus dem Hause gegangen? Wessen Lehre [wtl. Gesetz] erkennst du an? (Schmidt 1974: 170)

Commentary

Remarks

*Transcription and references have been transferred from the "Text and Reference Database of the Tocharian A Language" (Gerd Carling Lund University) (funded by the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation and SCAS).
*Transcription and translation are based on Carling et al. 2009.

Philological commentary

n1pañcakes could have a similar meaning to skr. pañcatva: The latter means "the five elements" and "death". Thus, we could understand: "Udrake and Arāḍe, who will certainly be (i.e. dissolve into) groups of five elements (i.e. dead)."

References

Online access

IDP: THT 850; TITUS: THT 850

Edition

Sieg and Siegling 1921: 105-106; Sieg and Siegling 1921 p. 105, p. 106

Translations

Carling 2000: a4 (101), a5 (288), a7 a8 (94), b3 (140); Hackstein 1995: a4 (47), a5 (340), b3 (68f); Knoll 1996: a5 (118[f]), b1 (98, 35), b2 (78), b3 (143, 147, 149, 43), b5; Kölver 1965: a4 (17), a7 (26), a7 (109), a8 (22, 89), b1 (18), b3 (34), b3 (81, 99), b5 (85); Peyrot 2013b: a4 a5 (626), a5 a6 (233), a7 (233); Schmidt 1974: a4 (333), a4 a5 (457), b3 (510), b5 (19 n.3), b5 (170), b5 b6 (170); Schmidt 1986: a3 (122); Sieg and Siegling 1933: a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 a8 b1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7 b8; Thomas 1952: a8 (34); Thomas 1954: a3 (721), a4 a5 (721), b3 b4 (740), b5 (744); Thomas 1957: a3 (217), a4 (257), a4 a5 (217), a5 a6 a7 a8 (97), a6 a7 (191), b3 (98), b4 (302), b5 (294), b6 (98), b7 (98, 164 n.1); Thomas 1967: b1 (273), b1 b2 (273), b2 (273); Thomas 1968: b1 (210), b2 (204), b4 (202), b6 (198); Thomas 1969: a4 a5 (248), b1 (249), b4 (256); Thomas 1969a: a7 (305); Thomas 1969c: a6 (202); Thomas 1970: b3 (275); Thomas 1970b: b3 b4 (285), b5 (286); Thomas 1979a: b1 (244); Thomas 1986: b7 (138); Thomas 1990: b2 (49), b3 (39), b3 (40); Thomas 1991: a6 (20), a7 a8 (23); Thomas 1997: a4 (107), a4 (79), a5 a6 (79)