1832.] Translation of a Tibetan Fragment. 27J 



The manner in which Fourmont was led to such a strange misrepre- 

 sentation of the original is explained by Mons. Remusat, from whom we 

 may take one instance as a specimen — Thus of the word brevis equus. 

 The MS., M. Remusat says, was read by Fourmont Tsrupd te, (Mr. 

 Csoma has cWhud-pd-des.) He found in the Dictionary chung-pd sig- 

 nifying ' short' and r-ta meaning i a horse', and these being the nearest 

 approach to the syllables before him, he adopted as essentially the same, 

 and rendered them accordingly. 



Muller's Translation. 

 " Firma conscientia mediante omnia parvi pendendo in principio 

 vivente cuicumque auxilium oritur inde. Quibus consummatis futurum 

 quid nemini notum est. Religio tota namque religionis explicatio. 

 Magnates autem intellectu (suo) ea non comprehendunt." 



The matter has not been made much more distinct by the aid of 

 the Tangutan monk and Mongolian student. 



Giorgfs Translation. 

 " Misericordia recreat et a cruciatibus absolvit Summus protector 

 viventes omnes qui earn adoratoribus suis revelat. Benefici largitoris 

 virtutem sciunt omnes, sed orationis invocationisque vim et efficaciam 

 exponere et aperire nesciunt : nomen ea exprimit arcanum illius legis 

 quae lex est spirituum, &c." 



How far either of these expresses the sense of the opening of this 

 fragment, may now be duly appreciated by the perusal of the following. 

 Mr. Csoma's Translation. 

 \Chomdan dus~\ u addressed his mind to meditation upon the affairs of 

 animate existences. The ignorant do not perceive the moral significa- 

 tion of moral things." 



Not a word of this appears in the preceding versions. Its accuracy 

 speaks for itself ; but in confirmation of its correctness, the original 

 Tibetan, both in Tibetan and Roman characters, is here reprinted, as 

 well as the translation of the entire passage. Those to whom the pro- 

 secution of the subject is of interest may readily estimate for themselves 

 the superiority of Mr. Csoma's labours, by comparing them at length 

 with the text and translations of Fourmont and Giorgi in the Alpha- 

 betum Tibetanum. 



Before proceeding to the new translation, however, a few further re- 

 marks upon the subject of the o!d are necessary. 



The Society is apprised of the general character of the contents of 

 the Gyut portion of the Kahgyur, to which our original belongs, and 

 will not be surprised, therefore, to learn that a great part of the extract 

 consists of Mantras, or mystical formulae, or invocations, and these not 



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