YQ I.6

Known as:	YQ I.6; YQ 1.16
Cite this page as:	"YQ I.6". 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-yqi6 (accessed 15 Nov. 2025).
Provenience
Main find spot:	Qigexing
Collection:	Xinjiang Museum (Ürümchi)
Language and Script
Language:	TA
Script:	classical
Text contents
Title of the work:	Maitreyasamiti-Nāṭaka
Passage:	Act 1.6
Text genre:	Literary
Text subgenre:	Drama
Verse/Prose:	prose; verse
Meter:	543 (4x); 4343 (4x); 5555 (1x), 444343 (1x), 55 (1x), 4443 (1x)
Object
Manuscript:	Yanqi
Material:	ink on paper
Form:	Poṭhī
Number of lines:	8

Images

Transliteration

a1	/// – hma(·) ṣñi wa ṣtwaṃ ka kmu ra¯ ¯s̝ plu mā
a2	/// ·n· eṃ tsā lune pe ṣo kyo pā plu śā stra ntwaṃ : wsā
a3	/// – [s]u kyo ska ssu nä¯ ¯s̝ : 1 \|\| tma¯ ¯s̝ ku mnä¯ ¯s̝ ni rdha ne brā
a4	/// ·ka¯ ¯s̝ bho bho upā dhyā \|\| ya śo dha ra vi lā paṃ \|\| sne wa ste śśi
a5	/// [kk]· [ṣa]¯ ¯nt kra¯ ¯ñśä wra sa¯ ¯ñä pa llā nta rci pu¯ ¯k tkaṃ saṃ : wä ṣpā ne tā¯ ¯t puki¯ ¯s e
a6	/// ¯nt ti nā ra¯ ¯s lyu tña mpa re tā¯ ¯m ska ssu : 1 \|\| śla na ta¯ ¯k klo pa su¯ ¯nt a kma
a7	/// ṣṣu ni ṣpa¯ ¯l ntu kā kro pu¯ ¯nt ṣe¯ ¯ñcä to sa mnä¯ ¯s̝ klyo ma¯ ¯nt me tra kna śśä lṣi ya
a8	/// [lyo] • puki spu¯ ¯k e ssi pra ti myā mu • śä kwe pi puka¯ ¯l sa rva pā ṣā ṇḍi kño mā ta
b1	/// – puki¯ ¯s pu¯ ¯k ā kā¯ ¯l knä ssi pke : śä kwe pi puku¯ ¯l wsā e la¯ ¯nt ā ra rñi pu
b2	/// ·s· : pa¯ ¯ñä kśā ñmā ne¯ ¯ñcä tā pa¯ ¯rk kucä s̝pa ñkä¯ ¯nt tñā yi¯ ¯m ti nā ra¯ ¯s : 1 \|\| yu
b3	/// ·[ā] rūṃ pyā mtsā¯ ¯r upā dhyā : pa ṣñi tā lo ntā ppa re lu ta ssi pa ñkä¯ ¯nt ti nā ra
b4	/// – [k]· [km]· na sa¯ ¯m kupre ne mā e tñi wtā kṣa kka¯ ¯ts dha nī ke pro tkaṃ pru tkā ṣñi 1 \|\| ta
b5	/// – k[uy]a¯ ¯l śkaṃ sma le tra ṅka msaṃ o kā¯ ¯k ti nā rmā śkaṃ na ṣñi ku
b6	/// [k](·)·¯ ¯ts ku ro mo¯ ¯k ku pre ne e tñi kā su śā waṃ ā kā
b7	/// [pa] lske¯ ¯s ka la mci ā ri ñcwā ka laṃ : s̝a pta ñciṃ
b8	/// e sa mwe ñā¯ ¯s̝t : ā kā ko naṃ ṣo¯ ¯m

Transcription

a1	/// (bādhari) (brā)hma(ṃ) ṣñi waṣtwaṃ kakmuräṣ plumā¬
a2	¬(nn)n1 n2 n3 (oki)

1a	12σ /// (:)
1b	(s)n(e) eṃtsāl_une pe ; ṣokyo pāplu ; śāsträntwaṃ :
1c	wsā a3n4 11σ
1d	7σ /// – sukyo ; skassu näṣ : 1 ॥

*	tmäṣ kumnäṣ nirdhane brā¬
a4	¬(hmaṃ)n5 /// (träṅ)käṣ bho bho _upādhyā ॥ yaśodharavilāpaṃ ॥

1a	sne wasteśśi ; a5n6 10σ
1b	1σ /// (pu)kk (e)ṣant ; krañś wrasañ ; pällāntar-ci ; puk tkaṃsaṃ :
1c	wäṣpā ne tāt ; p_ukis ea6(ṣant)n7 ; 7σ
1d	/// (paṣ-ñi) (päñ) (kä)nt ; tināräs ; lyutñam pare ; tām skassu : 1 ॥

*	śla natäk klopasunt akma¬
a7	¬(lyo)n8 n9 /// (mtsā)ṣ ṣu niṣpalntu kākropunt ṣeñc tosäm näṣ klyomänt metraknaśśäl ṣiya¬
a8	¬(k)n10 /// (ākā)lyo • p_ukis puk essi pratim yāmu • śäk we pi p_ukäl sarvapāṣāṇḍik ñomā ta¬
b1	¬(lke)n10 n11 n12

1a	7σ /// – ; p_ukis puk ākāl ; knässi pke :
1b	śäk we pi p_ukul ; wsā elant ; ārar-ñi pub2(k)n12 n13 ; (niṣpalntu) (:)
1c	(ni) 12σ /// ·s· 1σ :
1d	päñ kśāñ mā neñc ; tāpärk k_ucäṣ ; päñ känt tñ= āyim ; tināräs : 1 ॥

*	yu¬
b3	¬(tkont)n14 (akmalyo) /// (k)ārūṃ pyāmtsār _upādhyā : paṣ-ñi tālontāp pare lutässi päñ känt tinārä¬
b4	¬(s)n15 (:) (lok) (tkanäṣ) (ṣu) (ṣokyo) /// – k(a)km(u) nasam k_upre ne mā et-ñi wtā-k ṣakkats dhanīke protkaṃ prutkāṣ-ñi 1 ॥ tä¬
b5	¬(rmmāṃ)n16 n17 (waśenyo) (bādhari) (träṅkäṣ) /// – k_uyal śkaṃ smale träṅkäm säṃ okāk tinār mā śkaṃ naṣ-ñi ku¬
b6	¬(c)n18 n19 n20 (śkaṃ) (päñ) (känt) (tāke-ñi) (॥) (räskrä) (arū) (nirdhane) (träṅkäṣ) /// (ā)k(na)ts kuro mok kupre ne et-ñi kāsu śāwaṃ ākā¬
b7	¬(läntu)n20 n21 n22 (knāsam-ci) (•) (kupre) (ne) (nu) (mā) (et-ñi) (•) (॥) (samakkorenaṃ) (॥)

1a	(ṣpät) (koṃsaṃ) (ywārckā) ; 5σ /// ; pälskes kalam-ci ; āriñc wākaläṃ :
1b	ṣäptäñciṃ b8n23 (koṃ) ; (śla) (klop) (wraṣäl) ; (ṣpät) (pāk) (ats) (lap) ; (wākñam-ci) ; (okäm) (pätstsār) ; (sne) (kip) (mok) (:)
1c	(śäk) (we) (pi) (pkäl) (pkis) ; (el) esam weñāṣt :
1d	ākā konaṃ ṣom

Translation

a1+	... (Bādhari the Bra)hmin, having come back to his quarters, floating (as it were) ... (He says:) ...
a2	Not clinging to property is also highly praised in the Śāstras.
a2+	I have given ...
a3	... I am very happy.
a3+	Then comes Nirdhana the Brahmin...
a4	... he says:
a4	My respect, oh teacher!
a4	\|\| In the Yaśodharavilāpa [tune] \|\|
a4+	For the helpless ones
a5	... oh giver of (everything), good people praise you, in all places.
a5+	Indeed, you are going to be an (almsgiver) to everyone.
a6	... (Give me five hundred) gold pieces.
a6	I will pay my debts and be happy.
a6+	Reluctantly and with a sorrowful face...
a7	... These properties were brought together from everywhere;
a7+	I (gathered) them with (the intention) of coming together with the noble Metrak.
a8+	... I made the resolve to give all of them away to all kinds of people. For twelve years I performed the sacrifice called Sarvapāṣāṇḍika.
b1	... I intended to make my wish come true completely.
b1	For twelve years I gave alms;
b1+	gone are all (my properties) ...
b2	Now that I do not even have five copper coins,
b2	how could I give you five hundred gold pieces?
b2+	With a sorrowful face (Nirdhana says:)
b3	Take pity on me, oh teacher!
b3+	Give me miserable one five hundred gold pieces so that I can pay my debts!
b4	I have come (a long way from a far-away place);
b4	if you do not give me (the money), the rich man will surely have me shut up in prison!
b4+	(With trembling voice, Bādhari says:) ...
b5	And why should I tell you a lie?
b5	I do not have a single gold piece -
b5+	how (am I going to have five hundred?
b6	Nirdhana says greatly angered:)
b6+	... You ignorant, feeble old man! If you give me (the money), (I will make your) great wishes (come true!)
b7	If, however, you do not give it to me,
b7	\|\| In the Samakkore [tune] \|\|
b7	In one week ... of your mind.
b7	I will cause your heart to break.
b7+	(day with sorrow and pain I will split your head into seven parts.
b8	Be on your guard, you shameless old man!
b8	For twelve years) I have given (alms to all), you said.
b8	In the end now, on one single day...
a3	1. \|\|
a6	1. \|\|
b4	1. \|\|
b7	On the seventh

Other

a5	If you are indeed giving (away) everything, … (Peyrot 2013b: 647)
a6	(Give me five hundred) gold pieces. I will get out of [my] debts and be happy. (cf 45) (Peyrot 2013b: 265)
b2	[I] do not [even] have five copper coins—how could I now give you five hundred gold pieces? (cf 45) (Peyrot 2013b: 231)
b4	If you do not give me (the money), the rich man will surely have me shut up in prison again! (cf 45) (Peyrot 2013b: 246)
b5	And why should I be telling a lie? (cf 45) (Peyrot 2013b: 229, 231)
b5	I do not have a single gold piece—how am I going to have five hundred? (45) (Peyrot 2013b: 229, 231)
b6	If you give me (the money), then [it is] good [and] I will fulfil your great wishes! (cf 283; see also 45) (Peyrot 2013b: 247)
b7	If, however, you do not give it to me, … (Peyrot 2013b: 633, 634)
b7	Within one week … of your mind … I will cause [lit. bring] your heart to break. On the seventh day, with sorrow and pain, I will split your head into seven parts. (cf 45, 47) (Peyrot 2013b: 633, 634)

Commentary

Linguistic commentary

*	The commentary is adapted from Ji et al. 1998: 48.
n1	eṃtsālne. The common form is eṃtsālune. The translation adopts the suggestion of Thomas 1990: 14). This word belongs to the second pāda of a stanza of 4 x 12 (7/5) syllables.
n2	wsā is a complete verbal form: prt. act., 1st sg. of e- “to give”.
n6	pällāntarci is to be corrected to pällāntär-ci.
n7	Ji et al. 1998 woul dlike to interpret lyutñam as subj. act. 1st sg. See TEB I: § 414: Konjunktivklasse VII: Suffix AB -ñ-.
n8	niṣpaläntu: the common form is niṣpalntu, see Sieg et al. 1931: § 140; TEB II: 111.
n12	puk niṣpalntu is completed according to A 215: a2.
n13	kśāñ: the word doesn’t appear in any known TA text; it is certainly identical in origin with TB kuśāne, pl. nom. kuśāni, obl. kuśāneṃ, see especially m-tht490. According to the Uy. (cf. Ji et al. 1998: 18), it is translated here into “copper coin”. Vide Tekin 1980: 47, Taf. 117 (+ 10), v. 16f.: “Ich habe nicht (einmal) soviel Besitz wie fünf Kupfer(münzen), wie sollte ich gar imstande sein, fünfhundert yaratmaq zu geben!” [I do not (even) possess as much as five copper (coins), how should I be able to give five hundred yaratmaq].
n14	yutkont akmalyo is completed according to A 215: a3. The word a(kmalyo) is restored by Ji et al. 1998. For pare lutässi, compare line a6: lyutñam pare.
n16	For the middle part of this line, cf. Thomas 1991: 12): träṅkäm\ is wrong; the virāma is not there in the manuscript.
n18	träṅkäṣ is completed according to A 215: a6.
n21	Since there is a trace of the first syllable, ///lskes may be completed to pälskes, which is the gen. sg. of pältsäk. The meaning of kalam is not clear. Due to a gap in the Uy. Ji et al. 1998: 48 find themselves unable to venture a guess.
n23	okäm is not clear. In Sieg et al. 1931: § 83, Anm. we find no interpretation. TEB II: 86 translate it to “Vorsicht?” [Watch out]. This seems to be correct. The Uy. here is different from Tocharian, it can in no way help to solve this problem. we pi pkäl is completed according to A 215: b1. Cf. MaitrHami 1, 13 a1-3 (cf. Ji et al. 1998: 18).

Parallel texts

*	A 215; MaitrHami 1, 12-13; MaitrSiŋgim

Remarks

*	This fragment contains part of the first act of the Maitreyasamitināṭaka; the text here more or less continues on YQ I.7. The Uy. parallel is MaitrHami I, 12a1-13a4. The text running from YQ I.6 a8 to YQ I.7 a7 (= A 215) has the following Uy. parallels: MaitrHami 1, 12a (end)-13a30 and MaitrSiŋgim, Taf. 117 (+10) v. 12f. (Tekin 1980: 47). See also Pinault 1999: 193-4.
*	The translation and the following commentary are basically adapted from Ji et al. 1998: 48.

Philological commentary

n3	eṃtsāl_une: corrected after Schmidt 1999b: 281.
n4	nirdhane: cf. MaitrHami 1, 12 a10 ff; the end of this leaf corresponds roughly to MaitrHami 1, 13, recto (for both cf. Ji et al. 1998: 18).
n5	yaśodharavilāpaṃ: stanza of 4 x 14 (7/7) syllables.
n9	niṣpal_\ntu: corrected after Schmidt 1999b: 281.
n10	Cf. A 215: a1. This sheet finds its equivalent also in the Turfan recension of Maitrisimit, see Tekin 1980: 47, Taf. 117 (+ 10), v. 12.
n11	Carling et al. 2009: 32 translates: “I intended every wish of all people to be realized”.
n15	For the forst part of the line, cf. A 215: a4. Vide Tekin 1980: 48, Taf. 11, r. 2f.
n17	For the first part of this line, cf. A 215: a5. naṣñi: the Uyghur text has apparently “copper” coin. Vide Tekin 1980: Taf. 11, r. 12, p. 48: “Ich habe nicht (einmal) so viel Besitz wie ein Kupferstück.” [I do not (even) possess as much as a copper piece.]
n19	kuro mok: the Uyghur text seems to be a little different, cf. Tekin 1980: Taf. 11, r. 15-16, p. 48: “O törichter und unwissender Brahmane” [Oh foolish and ignorant Brahmin].
n20	Peyrot 2011: 36 translates: “if you give me (the money), then it is good and I will fulfil your great wishes”.
n22	samakkorrenaṃ: stanza of 20 (5/5/5/5) + 22 (8/7/7) + 10 (5/5) + 15 (8/7) syllables. For the following part, cf. A 215: a7. The interpretation of āriñc wākaläṃ (cf. A 215: b1: (āri) [ñcä\] wākaläṃ) is doubtful.

References

Edition

Ji et al. 1998

Translations

Peyrot 2013b: a5 (647), a6 (265), b2 (231), b4 (246), b5 (229, 231), b5 (229, 231), b6 (247), b7 (633, 634), b7 (633, 634)

Bibliography

Carling et al. 2009

Carling, Gerd, Georges-Jean Pinault, and Werner Winter. 2009. A dictionary and thesaurus of Tocharian A. Volume 1: Letters a-j. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

Ji et al. 1998

Ji, Xianlin, Werner Winter, and Georges-Jean Pinault. 1998. Fragments of the Tocharian A Maitreyasamiti-Nāṭaka of the Xinjiang Museum, China. Transliterated, translated and annotated by Ji Xianlin in collaboration with Werner Winter, Georges-Jean Pinault. TLSM 113. Berlin/New York: de Gruyter.

Peyrot 2011

Peyrot, Michaël. 2011. “Review of: A Dictionary and Thesaurus of Tocharian A. Volume 1: letters a-j.” Kratylos 56: 30–50.

Peyrot 2013b

Peyrot, Michaël. 2013b. The Tocharian subjunctive. A study in syntax and verbal stem formation. Vol. 8. Brill’s Studies in Indo-European Languages & Linguistics. Leiden/Boston: Brill.

Pinault 1999

Pinault, Georges-Jean. 1999. “Restitution du Maitreyasamiti-Nāṭaka en tokharien A: Bilan provisoire et recherches complémentaires sur l’acte XXVI.” Tocharian and Indo-European Studies 8: 189–240.

Schmidt 1999b

Schmidt, Klaus T. 1999b. “Review of: Fragments of the Tocharian A Maitreyasamiti-Nāṭaka of the Xinjiang Museum, China.” Tocharian and Indo-European Studies 8: 277–85.

Sieg et al. 1931

Sieg, Emil, Wilhelm Siegling, and Wilhelm Schulze. 1931. Tocharische Grammatik. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

TEB I

Krause, Wolfgang, and Werner Thomas. 1960. Tocharisches Elementarbuch. Band I. Grammatik. Heidelberg: Winter.

TEB II

Thomas, Werner, and Wolfgang Krause. 1964. Tocharisches Elementarbuch, Band II. Texte und Glossar. Heidelberg: Winter.

Tekin 1980

Tekin, Şinasi. 1980. Maitrisimit nom bitig. Die uigurische Übersetzung eines Werkes der buddhistischen Vaibhāṣika-Schule. 1. Teil: Transliteration, Übersetzung, Anmerkungen. 2. Teil: Analytischer und rückläufiger Index. Schriften zur Geschichte und Kultur des Alten Orients, Berliner Turfantexte, IX. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag.

Thomas 1990

Thomas, Werner. 1990. Tocharische Maitreya-Parallelen aus Hami. Vol. 1. SbWGF, XXVII. Stuttgart: Steiner.

Thomas 1991

Thomas, Werner. 1991. Zwei weitere Maitreya-Fragmente in Tocharisch A. Vol. 1. SbWGF, XXVIII. Stuttgart: Steiner.