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

1st

2nd

3rd

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 2nd 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 3rd 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

1st

suburGa/su:me (‘stupa’)

2nd

aGula (‘mountain’)

3rd

onGoc^a (‘boat’)

4th

arsalan (‘lion’)

5th

c^inua (‘wolf’)

6th

naran (‘sun’)

7th

keriye (‘crow’)

8th

sara (‘moon’)

9th

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 1st 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

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 1/100th & 1/10th of ounce

soul hath returned alone

   

much more

"evil spirits will have followed it."

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