A 257
| Known as: | A 257; THT 890 |
|---|---|
| Cite this page as: | Gerd Carling; Georges-Jean Pinault; Hannes A. Fellner; Bernhard Koller. "A 257". 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-a257 (accessed 14 May 2026). |
Edition | |
| Editor: | Gerd Carling; Georges-Jean Pinault; Hannes A. Fellner; Bernhard Koller |
| Date of online publication: | 2016-09-22 |
Provenience | |
| Main find spot: | Shorchuk |
| Specific find spot: | Stadthöhle |
| Expedition code: | T III Š 80.16 |
| Collection: | Berlin Turfan Collection |
Language and Script | |
| Language: | TA |
| Script: | classical |
Text contents | |
| Title of the work: | Maitreyasamiti-Nāṭaka |
| Passage: | Act 11 |
| Text genre: | Literary |
| Text subgenre: | Drama |
| Verse/Prose: | prose; verse |
| Meter: | 665 (4x); 43434 (4x) |
Object | |
| Manuscript: | M-β |
| Material: | ink on paper |
| Form: | Poṭhī |
| Number of lines: | 8 |
Transliteration
| lf | [100] [10] [6] |
|---|---|
| a2 | /// ta tā¯ ¯m puk·¯ ¯s da kṣi na¯ ¯k : [ā] /// |
| a3 | – – – – – wle [sm]· – – – ··āṃ sne – – w· km·· w[l]·· k· lka mne rvā n· : 1 || sā swa śeṃ ā ṣā ni kyā pme tra /// |
| a4 | – – ·k· traṃ • ta mṣu rma ṣmā kśo ·i wra – ·r· [ā] pā yntwä ṣśa lpa ntra || ta mka klyu ṣu ra ṣwe yeṃ nāṃ tsu¯ ¯s̝ tk· /// |
| a5 | – s[ā] dhu we wñu ra¯ ¯s̝ ā ñcā lyī tsa ra nyo bo dhi sa tvā na¯ ¯cä lkā māṃ – – ¯ñcä pa lkā cpa lkā ckra¯ ¯ñśä ā ṣā ni kāṃ m[e] [t]ra /// |
| a6 | spreṃ ci ñcä¯ ¯r || ke śi kaṃ || [p]o l·ā· ·[ta] rkra ṣṣo ki mā cri k[ā] – – c[s]a¯ ¯m wsā ṣi le tkyo – – ke sā rśi śä kko ki pa lkā¯ ¯t śtwa rka lyme ntwaṃ ts· – [k]· – – – – – |
| a7 | [rṣ]· ·re s[s]o ki s̝pa tṣi kā – – – s̝a nma smāṃ ka ñcaṃ tkaṃ : lyo ka[¯] [¯s] swā ñce nā syo ta tri sa kwa śe nyo po ñcnā rki śo ṣi : 1 || tma ṣpu¯ ¯k t[k]a nā ā k· – – – |
| a8 | – – ñi tso pa tsaṃ ynā ñ·· – – – ṣā ni kāṃ me tra kaṃ wi nā se¯ ¯ñcä || tma ṣme tra kyā ppā ca rbra hmā yu pu ro hi¯ ¯t • tri wa māṃ o ki su – – – – – |
| b1 | – – slā ñcsā ke e smāṃ b[o] – – – lkā lṣiṃ ā kā lyo wi yo o ki śla na ta¯ ¯k bo dhi sa tvā na cyä¯ ¯s̝ || tma¯ ¯s̝ bo dhi sa tvā pkra¯ ¯nt lya ly·· – – – – – |
| b2 | [w]u ñä kci ñi wra ṣi «ñi» mo l[k]a¯ – – – ra¯ ¯s̝ klā¯ ¯r sa ssā twä tnu kura¯ ¯śä ta myo bo dhi sa ttu wra ṣi wra¯ ¯m ya ta¯ ¯r tma ṣca mi pa rno ntā pmā [c]ri – ··ra – – – – – |
| b3 | [ṣe] twä ryo ypi cñe mi ṣi ka rtkā lpā ka rma ska ta¯ ¯r ca myo [s]·· ma n[w]ā sa rki wra ṣiṃ wle s· – ¯r || tu ṣi ta bha vnaṃ || ā rkiṃ ñä kciṃ wtsi ska [ma¯] [¯t] – – – – – |
| b4 | – – rbo dhi sa tvā¯ ¯p : swi¯ ¯ñcä wa rsa ś·· ¯ – [y]·ā r·ä k[c]yā¯ ¯ñä o plā – – ñsu ma nā ñpu ṇḍa ri kā¯ ¯ñä : ñe mi [ṣ]i na – – – – – – |
| b5 | – – [e]ṃ tssa ntra bo dhi sa tvā¯ ¯p : – mu – – – – – – – kā śā pu kwra sa¯ ¯ñä [p]lā nti¯ ¯ñcä su [k]yo : 1 || ta /// |
| b6 | – – – – [n]e yo [a] – ·s· raṃ pyā· ·ā¯ – [bo] [dhi] [sa] [ttu] – – – – – – ka nweṃ tka nā to ts· ś[ā] kwa [ṣ]iṃ ta r·· ryo /// |
| b7 | /// ¯s : – s·· – k· kaṃ ñcaṃ /// |
Transcription
| lf | 100-10-6 |
| 1b | a2n1 /// t{†ä} tām ; puk(i)s dakṣinak : |
|---|---|
| 1c | ā(kṣiññam) 14σ /// a3n1 – – – – – |
| 1d | wlesm(āṃ) (puttiśparṣṣ)āṃ ; sne (lyutār) w(ā)km(tsāṃ) wl(es) ; k(a)lkam nervān(aṃ) : 1 ॥ |
| * | sās waśeṃ āṣānikyāp meträ(kyāp) /// |
|---|---|
| a4 | – (mäs)k(a)tr-äṃ • täm ṣurmaṣ māk śo(ṣ)i wra(sañ) (t)r(i) āpāyntwäṣ śalpanträ ॥ täm kaklyuṣuräṣ weyeṃ nāṃtsuṣ tk(anā) (ākāśā) /// (sā)¬ |
| a5 | ¬(dhu) sādhu wewñuräṣ āñcālyī tsaränyo bodhisatvānac lkāmāṃ (träṅki)ñc pälkāc pälkāc krañś āṣānikāṃ metra(käṃ) (bodhisatvāṃ) (ko)¬ |
| a6 | ¬spreṃ ciñcär ॥ keśikaṃ ॥ |
| 1a | pol(k)ā(ts) tärkräṣṣ oki ; mācri kā(tsäṣ) (lä)c säm ; wsāṣi letky o(ki) (:) |
|---|---|
| 1b | kesār śiśäkk oki ; pälkāt śtwar kälymentwaṃ ; ts(eṃ-yo)k (aśänyo) (:) |
| 1c | (sapta)a7rṣ(i)n2 (ś)ress oki ; ṣpät ṣikā(s) (ṣikorä)ṣ{†ä} ; nmäsmāṃ kañcaṃ tkaṃ : |
| 1d | lyokäs swāñcenāsyo ; tatrisäk waśenyo ; poñcn ārkiśoṣi : 1 ॥ |
| * | tmäṣ puk tkanā āk(āśā) (ñäktañ) |
|---|---|
| a8 | (nape)ñi tsopatsäṃ ynāñ(muneyo) (ā)ṣānikāṃ metrakäṃ wināseñc ॥ tmäṣ meträkyāp pācar brahmāyu purohit • triwamāṃ oki su(kyo) (kuc) (śkaṃ) (ne) (ñä)¬ |
| b1 | ¬(kcinäs) s lāñcsā ke esmāṃ bo(dhisattvāṃ) lkālṣiṃ ākālyo wiyo oki śla natäk bodhisatvānac yäṣ ॥ tmäṣ bodhisatvāp krant lyaly(päntwāśśi) (okoyā) |
| b2 | n3 wu ñäkciñi wraṣiñi molka(ñ) (epre)räṣ klār sas sāt wät nu kuraś tämyo bodhisattu wraṣi wram yatär tmäṣ cami parnontāp mācri (anap)rä – – – – – |
| b3 | ṣet wäryo ypic ñemiṣi kärtkāl pākär mäskatär camyo s(ām) mänwā särki wraṣiṃ wles (yatä)r ॥ tuṣitabhavnaṃ ॥ |
| 1a | ārkiṃ ñäkciṃ ; wtsi skamat ; (ciñcräṃ) (lapā) ; (spa)b4(rcwatär) r ; bodhisatvāp : |
|---|---|
| 1b | swiñc warsaś(śäl) ; y(w)ār (ñ)äkcyāñ ; oplā(ñ) (kumudā)ñ ; sumanāñ ; puṇḍarikāñ : |
| 1c | ñemiṣinä – 0σ ; – – – ; – – b5 – – ; eṃtssanträ ; bodhisatvāp : |
| 1d | (klyo)mu(neyo) ; – – – ; (tkan=) (ā)kāśā ; puk wrasañ ; plāntiñc sukyo : 1 ॥ |
| * | tä /// |
|---|---|
| b6 | n4n5 – – – – neyo a – ·s·räṃ pyā(py)ā(s) bodhisattu(ṣinās) (peyuyac) kanweṃ tkanā to ts(eṃ) śākwaṣiṃ tär(kä)ryo /// |
| b7 | /// s : (sā)s (tkaṃ) (o)k(i) kaṃñcaṃ /// |
Translation
| a2 | ... I will be (a monk), worthy of gifts from all. |
|---|---|
| a2+ | I will teach (the good Law) ... |
| a3 | ... Carrying out the unsurpassable and excellent task of Buddhahood I will go to the nirvāṇa. |
| a3+ | This voice of the venerable Maitreya is (to be heard). |
| a4 | For this reason many people [and] beings are released from the three bad classes of existence. || |
| a4+ | Having heard that (the beings) on earth (and in heaven) were amazed ... having said "sādhu sādhu", with their hands in añjali, looking at the bodhisattva, say: |
| a5+ | "Look, look, o good ones, at the venerable (bodhisattva) Maitreya, how charming [he is]! |
| a6 | || In the tune Keśika: || |
| a6 | Like lightning out of a cloud, this one went out of the womb of his mother, like a golden liana. |
| a6 | Like the Kesarin lion he looks in the four directions. |
| a6+ | Having made seven steps like the stars of the Big Dipper, making the golden earth bow. He illuminated the whole world with rays and made it resound with his voice. |
| a7+ | Thereupon, in all of heaven and earth (the gods and the mortals) revere the venerable Maitreya with great respect. || |
| a8+ | Thereupon, the father of Maitreya, the purohita Brahmāyu, as if dazed both with joy and by the fact that the chance is given by the divine kings, according to his desire to see the bodhisattva, frightened, as if were, he goes to the bodhisattva with restraint. |
| b1+ | Thereupon, due to the fruit of the good actions of the bodhisattva, two divine streams of water fell down from (the sky), the first warm, the second cold. |
| b2 | With that the bodhisattva undergoes the cleansing. |
| b2+ | Thereupon, in front of the glorious mother ... a jewel fountain full of water appears. |
| b3 | With that, she performs the cleansing, according to her intention. |
| b3 | || In the tune Tuṣitabhavana: || |
| b3+ | A white divine parasol (is) always (turning over the charming head) of the Bodhisattva. |
| b4 | It is raining amidst perfumes divine lotuses, kumuda, sumana, puṇḍarika flowers ... |
| b4+ | (with) bejeweled ... they seize ... of the bodhisattva. |
| b5 | Because of the glory ... (on earth and) in the sky, all beings rejoice with happiness. |
| b5 | 1 |
| b5+ | with ... flowers ... (at the feet of) the bodhisattva having placed both knees on the ground ... (with his head adorned) with a top knot of blue hair ... |
| b6+ | ... this golden earth, as it were, ... |
Other
| a2 | … I will be (a monk), worthy of gifts for all. (cf 147) (Peyrot 2013b: 228) |
|---|---|
| a3 | Carrying out the unsurpassable and excellent task of the Buddha rank I will go to the nirvāṇa. (Peyrot 2013b: 221) |
| a4 | Deswegen werden viele Menschen aus den drei schlechten Geburtsklassen erlöst. (Schmidt 1974: 116) |
| a6 | Wie ein Blitz aus einer Wolke (ging) er (aus dem) Bauch der Mutter wie eine goldene Liane (heraus); wie ein Kesara-Löwe schaute er in die vier Himmelsrichtungen... (Schmidt 1974: 189) |
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. | |
| Fragment of a manuscript which includes A 251 - A 294 (cf. Geng et al. 2004a: 64-5). Lines a1 and b8 are lost. | |
| The Old Turkic parallel is edited in Geng, Klimkeit, and Laut 1988: 332-334 (text) and 352-355 (translation). |
Parallel texts
| MaitrHami 11, 11-12 |
Philological commentary
| This fragment contains part of the eleventh act of the Maitreyasamitināṭaka; an Uy. parallel is MaitrHami XI, 11a6-12a12. See also Pinault 1999: 199-200. | |
| n1 | The meter is most probably 4x17 (6/6/5). |
| n5 | Sieg and Siegling 1921: 133 read . However, the nominative singular is incompatible with the Old Turkic parallel, in which the Purohita Brahmāyu lays his head at the feet of the Bodhisattva (bodiswt adaqınga 12a 6-7, cf. the translation in Geng, Klimkeit, and Laut 1988: 354). The Old Turkic version uses an uninflected form (bodiswt), rather than a genitive, which may indicate the use of a possessive adjective in the Tocharian original. |
Linguistic commentary
| n2 | The restitution of the absolutive form ṣikoräṣ is admittedly uncertain. The phrase ṣikās ṣikoräṣ would match the figura etymologica ṣikonta attested in TB (e.g. in THT 3 b6). A preterite stem of class I would complement the subjunctive V attested in TB (cf. ). The restoration proposed in Siegling's personal copy of Sieg and Siegling 1921 p. 133 does not complete the colon. |
|---|---|
| n3 | The expression wraṣi is a calque of the Sanskrit compound udakakṛtya, which occurs in the parallel episode in the Mahāvadānasūtra (Vorgang 5e). |
| n4 | The form preceding pyā(py)ā(s) is most probably a verb form with a 3sg suffixed pronoun. One possibility would be to correct and restore swāsästr-äṃ "s/he lets rain". |
References
Miscellaneous
Online access
Edition
Sieg and Siegling 1921: 132-133; Sieg and Siegling 1921 p. 132, p. 133
Translations
Adams 2012a: a7 (27); Carling 2000: a3 (249), a6 (109), a7 (47), b3 (341); Hackstein 1995: a6 (68), a7 (68, 70f, 101f, 125, 1); Peyrot 2013b: a2 (228), a3 (221); Pinault 1991b: a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 a8 b1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7; Pinault 1999: a2 a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 a8 b1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7; Schmidt 1974: a4 (116), a6 (189); Thomas 1952: b1 (63); Thomas 1968: a6 (206), a6 (207), b1 (213); Thomas 1969: a7 (254), b6 (257); Thomas 1970: a6 (276); Thomas 1983: a7 (12); Thomas 1997: b1 (75)
