Confronting the Supernatural [Mongolian]

Confronting the Supernatural [Mongolian]

p. 8 cardinal directions from the obo

*direction*	*divine animal*	*pretious substance*
east	white tigre	crystal [quartz]
south	blue dragon	lapiz lazuli
west	magpie	ruby
north	black frog	gold

p. 8 [& also p. 121] family-relations among tree-species

*tree*	*is __ of trees*
juniper	father
reed	mother
tamarisk	son
u:ndu:su:-tei qusu ("rooted birch")	uncle
willow	daughter

p. 8 objects around upper course of the obo

*direction*	*1^st*	*2^nd*	*3^rd*
east	bilj^uqai (small bird)	dragon	tas ("black eagle")
south	tigre	qarc^aGai (falcon)	qayinuG (female yak)
west	eagle	sarluG (male yak)	elephant
north	lion	alaG sibaGun (pied bird)	egg

p. 8 in the 4 secondary points

stag

monkey

bat

"white crane"

p. 8 objects around 2^nd course of the obo

*direction*	*object*	*with __*
east	wheel	c^oG-tu j^iruqai
south	ilaGuGsan c^imeg ("victory token")	waterlily
west	vase	umbrella
north	fish	conch-shell

p. 8 between cardinal & secondary points, the signs of the 8 trigrams;
around the 3^rd course, the 12 year-signs, beginning with monkey in east;

around the bottom course, amulets & talismans for averting evil from birthmarks

p. 9 the 12 dharan.i-s

	*centre dharan.i*	*right dharan.i*	*left dharan.i*
*east*	Prajn~a-paramita	Man~ju-s`ri	Bisman tegri
*south*	C^aGan siku:r-tei	Mari	Parn.a-s`avari
*west*	Ayusi	Bacara	Dara eke
*north*	Bidarana	Arsalan daGu-tu	Vajra-pan.i

p. 12 the 9 Muna Qan brethren

wear	golden armour
above them	fly falcons
on their shoulders	lion & tigre (skins?)
praeceding them	"black bears"
following them	hounds & s^aralGa

p. 14 deities of places in the cardinal directions

*direction*	*place*	*deity*
centre	Jambu-dvipa (Cambudib)	S`ri Vajra-asana
east	Wu T>ai S^an	Man~ju-s`ri
south	Potala	Qonsim
west	Od.d.iyana (U-rgyen)	d.akin.i-s
north	S`ambhala	Guhya-dharan.i

p. 18 numerics

360 ada-daimones

404 diseases

80,000 todqar-daimones

pp. 43-44 remedies against ailments

p.	*ailment*	*remedy*
43	hoarse	"large beans"
	bloody flux	"red bean"
	cannot urinate	"corn stalks"
	extravagant menstruation	"wren’s nest"
	anthrax	"bones of a cat"
44	eye going dark	"eye of a crow"
	cannot urinate	"salt"
	teeth hurt	"ox’s urine"
	a burn	"fish bones"
	plant-spines	"hair-dirt"
	overcome by spirits	"hoofs of a donkey"
	difficult childbirth	"snake’s spittle"

p. 48 the 9-coin divination

#	*omen*
1^st	suburGa/su:me (‘stupa’)
2^nd	aGula (‘mountain’)
3^rd	onGoc^a (‘boat’)
4^th	arsalan (‘lion’)
5^th	c^inua (‘wolf’)
6^th	naran (‘sun’)
7^th	keriye (‘crow’)
8^th	sara (‘moon’)
9^th	bumba (‘vase’)

p. 57 omens from the horse ridden when one is going to examine a sick man

*if the horse __*	*prognosis*
yawneth	chronic sickness
snorteth	"swift recovery"
cougheth	acute sickness
stretcheth	death within a day
gnaweth its bit	"there will be a way"
’s saddle-cloth & saddle lie crooked	"don’t go"
neigheth	serious sickness
defaecateth	"recovery will be swift"
urinateth	"(recovery) will be slow"
biteth its body	patient will improve
attempteth to get loose	" " "

pp. 57-60 omens from the messenger who hath come to summon the curer

p.	*posture of messenger*	*cause of ailment*	*remedy for ailment*
57	speaketh from outside	"sick person"	"black clothes"
58	sitteth with legs crossed	"grey-haired man"	"on horseback"
59	squatteth	"house-slave"	"expose a blazed animal"
	with one knee bent	hath "eaten carrion"	"body-substitute"
60	cometh in, chattering before into tent	hath "killed birds and wild beasts"	"saddle, bow-case, bow, arrows"

p. 61 (MS Mong. 299 Copenhagen) [mentioning skulls of animal-species in rituals of those who have died in the several naks.atra-s]

pp. 101-102 various Louvain Mongol MS

p.	MS	*description*
101	35	"manual of investigation of sickness"
	37	"observations of one’s horse"
101-2	38	"ritual for performing a "life-ransom"."
102	39	"manual for conducting the departed soul safely on its way beyond."
	40	"manual for the construction of a horoscope, using black and white stones."
	41	correlation of "birth-years with planets of different efficacy."
	36	"manual for the performance of burial ceremonies"
	24a	"invocation to local deities and a litany for calling the soul"
	33	"fire" sutra
	11	*"White Mahakala" sutra*
	18	*"eulogy of CaGan Siku:r-tei"*

p. 105 aetiologies and treatments for ailments occurring on the 1^st day of the month, with hands & feet aching, body warm above and cold below

*aetiology*	*treatment*
golden onGod in the west	5-colored silk 70 paces to the east
ghost	5 pieces of yellow paper on highway to southeast
daimon of 5 highways	5-colored paper

p. 106 objects confining daimones to hole in ground covered with a stone

*object*	*when daimones could be released*
boiled egg	"when chickens come out of the egg,
horse-skull	flesh grows on the skulls, and
hound-skull	flesh grows on the skulls, and
boiled millet	new shoots come out of the millet."

p. 117 sheep from which scapulae are examined

*scapula*	*sheep*
grey, fatty	black-bellied, flecked with black on forehead
white, with little fat	yellow-headed, red-spined
blue, with many veins	blue-grey-headed, red-bodied
ash-colour	with blue head-fleck
very thin	mixed grizzly

p. 118 owners of various sheep-scapulae [‘mirror’ = large flat area of scapula]

*scapula*	*its owner*
thin mirror is broad	rich in goods; a good man
mirror is cramped	ill-favored & unhappy
thick, of great width	moderately rich in goods; miserly & stingy
mirror inside is broad	intellectual & sagacious
narrow & long	crooked & of evil ways
thin & hard	a liar, deceitful

p. 120 "The Goldi, like the Mongols, proceed by laying the bone upon the fire, not by placing hot substances on the bone, a practice known to the Chuckchee, Lamut and Koryak."

p. 123 locations of Gaj^ar (‘areas’) of the scapula

*location*	*"Area of __"*
below the nose	the "Neck"
the socket	"Cauldron’s Mouth"
between Cauldron’s Mouth & the Neck	the "Handle"
upper edge opposite slender point of nose	"Heaven"
right-hand corner	"Dragons"
left-hand corner	the "Enemy"
high corner of nose	"those who have departed"

p. 123 the 5 parts of the scapula, from top to bottom through the middle

"called in order the Areas of Emperor, Prince, Minister, Self and Slave. ...

Investigate the old by means of the Emperor’s Area. With the Slave’s Area one should investigate infants, and corresponding" the others.

p. 124 prognostication by cracks in Fields of the scapula

*if the __ breaketh*	*then __*	*therefore do __*
"neck in the Field of Self"	"in that year there will be repentance and sorrow"	recite Yu:m
"neck in the Outer Field"	"one will not be able to be overcome by enemies and demons"	recite 100 times each the Vais`ravan.a, the "Bond of Goods" and Water-balin

p. 124 praediction of weather by colors of the "Cauldron" (socket)

*if its color be __*	*then __*
pale ashes	things will be bad
blue & red	wind will rise
black	rain will fall
yellow	it will be warm

p. 125 prognostication by colors of cracks in Areas of the scapula

*if a crack in the Area of __*	*be __*	*then __*
Protection	white	it is good
"	black	offer ablutions, lamps
Heaven	black	*perform the "Service of Satisfaction", and "fly a ki-mori* flag."**
the Dragons	black	"worship the springs and vapours."
the Enemy	black	*"recite C^aGan siku:rtei* and Prajn~aparamita many times"**
Those who have Passed Beyond	black	"perform a Completion of years and a Life Ransom."

p. 129 examining the Aeternal Great Way on the scapula

*what is called the "__’s Tongue"*	*is a sign that __*
Companion	"other people will aid you."
Enemy	"men and demons will cause disorders."

pp. 152-155 "Revelation of the illusion portents to be seen on the shoulder-blade of the sheep, disseminated in the region of the O:lets"

p.	MS p.
153	2r	*sheep-scapula*	*sheep*
		grey, fatty	variegated, head & navel black
		white, not fatty	yellow-headed with black patch
		blue with many veins	blue-headed, red-bodied
		ash-colored	speckled body, blue
		very thin	grey

	2v	*sheep-scapula*	*owner*
		broad & wide	rich, good
		short & narrow	miserly
		cauldron big & thick	wise
		narrow & long	of evil behaviour
		thing & hart	liar

154	3r	*color*	*weather*
		white	good
		ashy grey	bad
		reddish blue	wind will blow
		black	rain
		yellow	it will be warm

		*location*	*area of __*
		tip of nose	rescue
		opposite nose of mouth	god
		right & left tip	dragon, enemy
		tip of handle	the dead

	3v	*if __*	*then __*
		god’s area black	"satisfaction" ["oblations made to terrible deities" (p. 158, n. 38)]; fly flags
		dragons’ area black	"worship springs and lakes."
		enemy’s area black	**White Parasol & Prajn~aparamita-hr.daya**
155		area of the dead black	c^edub & c^ibele

	4r	*if split __*	*then __*
		crosswise	illness will come
		along the direction	thieves & robbers
		blocking a way	all helped will be weakened

p. 169 [& also p. 199] qaGan-s of various creatures

*deity*	*is qaGan of __*
Manaqan	beasts
Garud.i	birds
Keu:ken Gu:rgu:m	grasses

pp. 180-181 similes for parts of a musket [matchlock (p. 180, fn. 55)]

p.	*part*	*part*	*of __*
180	body [barrel]	body	lion
	voice [report]	voice	dragon
	em (‘medicine’) [gunpowder]	"holy water"	Man~ju-s`ri
	shot [pellets]	stars	firmament
	masi (‘cock’)	claw	garud.i
181	match	lightning	dragons
	su:mbe (‘ramrod’)	medicine	medics
	stock	grab	"strong lion"

p. 188 lists of game-animals requaested, from Manaqan Tngri, by hunters

p. 188 (Rintchen, item xxi)	*which cannot be __*	p. 188, fn. 82 (Rintchen, item lxviii)	p. 191 (Rintchen. item xxvii)	p. 193 (Damdin, p. 112)	p. 196 (Rintchen, item xxiv)
		striped tigres	4. tigre
		panthers	5. panther	6. panther
		maqai (‘big bears’) {polar bear?}
		*maj^alai (‘Gobi bears’) ["mazalai* or Gobi bear ... feeds on rhubarb." (p. 189, fn. 82)]**
2. black bear	bridled	"black bears"
		pigs
1. elk	herded	elks
		12-tined maral-deer			8. maral
		6-tined roebuck	1. deer	1. deer
		musk deer
		"yellow-speckled lynx"		3. lynx
3. blue wolves	driven	"blue-grey wolf"	2. grey wolf	4. blue wolf	2. wolf
4. yellow foxes	led	"shaggy red fox"	3. fox
					3. "white-muzzled" sheep
		"stunted-horned" mountain sheep			4. "stunted-horned" mountain sheep
		ibex
		goat
		asses (donkeys)	6. ass		7. ass
		horses	7. horse		6. horse
		antelopes		5. antelope	1. antelope
					5. "slender white antelope"
		"black sables"		2. sable
		"pied wolverines"
				7. squirrel

Rintchen : Les mate’riaux pour l’e’tude du chamanisme mongol. 2 vols.

p. 206, fn. 1 calendar of soul

"The human soul is said to reside in a different part of the body on each of the 30 days of the month . ...

The soul of the ground spends

four days of the twelve animal cycle in the firmament,

four in the earth, and

four in the middle area {atmosphaere}.

On the four days when it is in the earth one should not dig in the ground, or marry off one’s daughter or take a daughter-in-law, or became a sworn friend (Mong. 375 fols. 35v-36r)."

p. 215, fn. 4 pieces of equipment used by shamans

sorbi "magic knife"

toli ‘mirror’

seter "ribbons to be attached to devoted animals"

p. 216, fn. 5 cradles for infants, with the covering of animal-skin specific to each

*wood of cradle*	*its animal-skin covering*
birch	lamb
willow	sable
kig	squirrel
‘jointless’	fox
siluGurun (‘straight’)	lynx
kig [again!]	steppe-fox

pp. 223-226 Louvain Mongol MS No. 24a

p.	*MS p.*	*category*	*specific*
223	10v	may __ partake of the holy water	Esrua chief of 8 classes of white deities
			the 8 Rahu ["listed in the Copenhagen MS Mong. 301" (fn. 5)]
224	11r		the all-powerful one
			lord of the blue wind, etc.
			Tsangun [Tsan-kun K>yab-pa sa-bdag (fn. 1)]
	11v		"Gold-headed one at the head of the Royal Ones"
			the 4 world-protector gods
	12r		Gandharva-s & Kumbha-an.d.a-s
			Manus.a & Maha-uraga-s
	12v	why __ of Erlig ?	going to realm
			cross water
			pale road
225	13r	come, leaning on the arms of the __	D.akin.i-s
			Eliye
			lords of the earth [sa-bdag]
			male daimones
			female daimones
			sprites in the south
	14r	allow not thy soul to __	stay in the rocks & stones
			go into the ground
		thy __ is here	mother
			homeland
			elder brother
			younger brother
			young sister
			father’s elder sister
226	15v	if soul hath fled in fear of __	Qormusda [Ahura Mazda] from realm of Aginista
			daimones from 4 + 8 directions
			hungry hosts [preta-s] of hell
			men & beasts in middle sphaere
	16r		tutelary genii
			dead beings

pp. 232-240 – Ulan Bator MS 294.2 X 983 17246.6 "Ritual for summoning the soul"

p.	*MS p.*	*category*	*specific*
234	1v	recitation	om a-a giligili huum huum bam huru pat [phat.] sova [swaha] ha-a 108 *
	2r		om tsa tsa tsa huum bam huru samaya sova ha-a
235	2v		om agaru nogag darma [dharma] qan adaya o:dben-e dunda om a-a huum 7 & 3 *
		if soul fled fearing __	oath of protectors of faith
			heaven, planets & stars
			examples of discourses
			asura-s & gandharva-s
	3r		daimones & ghosts
			messengers of Erlig
			sway & power of countries
			knives
			women
236			scolding stupid-touchy
	3v		kings of dragons
			mountains, praecipices, diches
			the 5 elements
			Garud.i
			footed & footless ones
237			small thorns
			bad odors
	4r		sicknesses, ulcers, tumors, infections
			colors; era, year, month, day, hour
			corpses
		here are thy __	father & mother
			brethren & relatives
			food
			silks, ornaments
	4v		su:lde (tutelary genius) etc.
238		thou must not __ of the Erlig-s	go to the realm
			travel the road
			dwell in the land
			eat the food
			drink the water
			put on the powder
		the __ of the Erlig-s is like a __	father daimon
			mother ogre
			son hungry-ghost
			daughter revolting-seeming
	5r	come for sake of __	master of lineage
			friends
			"oath-body"
			bla-ma
			"between day and hour"
			turquoise-gem
239	5v		"beckoning with the arrow with the white silk"
	6r	weighing of soul	*if weight be __*	*then __*
			between 1/100^th & 1/10^th of ounce	soul hath returned alone
			much more	"evil spirits will have followed it."

Charles R. Bawden : Confronting the Supernatural. Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1994.