Safarali Shomakhmadov | Institute of Oriental Manuscripts RAS (original) (raw)

Papers by Safarali Shomakhmadov

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2024

The article comprises an analysis of the Sanskrit manuscript fragment of the Buddhanāma-sūtra (SI... more The article comprises an analysis of the Sanskrit manuscript fragment of the Buddhanāma-sūtra (SI 3446) of the Serindia Collection at the IOM, RAS. The fragment is of special interest, since it contains the names of the Buddhas, and dhāraṇīs belonging to each name, as well as a narration explaining what benefits the one who utters these dhāraṇīs gets. The authors present an analysis of the dhāraṇīs according to the Slavic spells study.

Humanitarian Vector. 2024. Vol. 19. No. 1, 2024

The article provides the analysis and typology of the enumerations of the names-epithets of Buddh... more The article provides the analysis and typology of the enumerations of the names-epithets of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas recorded in Buddhist texts that were spread throughout the Buddhist area. Despite the fact that texts united under the common title ‘Buddha’s Names’ were very popular among Buddhists during Ancient and early Medieval time (the article contains titles’ list of relevant texts in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese languages) the author points out weak study of these texts in the modern Buddhology. Moreover, there are also similar texts praising various gods (Viṣṇu, Śiva, etc.) in Indian orthodox tradition. The study of such written sources is very urgent since the lists of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas names, in addition to the functions of the spells protected from various adversities, can represent a kind of matrix lists encoding various aspects of the Buddhist doctrine. Moreover, some initial typologies are already present in Buddhist written sources. To solve the problems posed in the article, historical-genetic, historical-typological and systemic approaches were used. Based on the lists of Bodhisattvas names containing in the Prajñāpāramitā (‘The Perfect Wisdom’) texts, the author makes the assumption that these names mark the stages of the Buddhist yoga practice – levels of the Eightfold Noble Path. The analysis of Bodhisattvas names semantics allowed us to develop three typologies of the names-epithets: 1) stages of the religious practice; 2) spheres of the Buddhist cosmology; 3) aspects of the Noble Path (wisdom, morality, yogic practice). In conclusion, we state that all analyzed names are epithets of the four main Bodhisattvas, whose cult was widespread throughout Buddhist world – Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Vajrapāṇi (Mahāsthāmaprāpta) and Maitreya. In their turn, they also mark various aspects of yogic practice.

Sudan and the MENA. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. Igof V. Gerasimov, 2024

The article presents three variants for interpreting the image of the six ways of 'shaking the ea... more The article presents three variants for interpreting the image of the six ways of 'shaking the earth', widespread in Buddhist canonical sources. All three interpretations are inextricably linked with the description of the yogic practice of Buddhist ascetics, presented in detail in the authoritative post-canonical treatise “Encyclopedia of Abhidharma” by Vasubandhu (5th c.). The most complete interpretation of the analyzed image became possible because of the reliance on the voluminous thesaurus of Buddhist terminology - Mahāvyutpatti, as well as on the Prologue (Nidāna) of the significant text monument of the Mahāyāna tradition - “The Sutra on Perfect Wisdom in 25,000 lines” (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā).

Written Monuments of the Orient, 2023

The article continues a series of publications of Sanskrit manuscript fragments written in the Pr... more The article continues a series of publications of Sanskrit manuscript fragments written in the Proto-Śāradā script and kept in the Serindia Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IOM, RAS). This article contains passages of stories from the “Garland of Jātakas” (Jātakamālā) by Āryaśūra. The article argues that the fragment from the Serindia Collection of the IOM, RAS belongs to the same manuscript as folios from the Turfan Collection (Berlin, Germany) and the Lüshun Museum (Dalian, PRC). All these scattered folios, which appear in different collections, used to be parts of one and the same manuscript of Āryaśūra’s Jātakamālā. The Sanskrit fragment of the Mahābodhi-jātaka from the Serindia Collection of the IOM, RAS, analyzed in this article, is a passage from a dispute between a Bodhisattva and various Indian teachers, in which the Buddhist ascetic refutes the arguments of his opponents.

Śāntamatiḥ. Manuscripts for Life — Essays in Memory of Seishi Karashima, 2023

The article comprises the analysis of methods for studying the European/Slavic spell tradition fo... more The article comprises the analysis of methods for studying the European/Slavic spell tradition for its application to the dhāraṇīs and mantras studies. This approach fully corresponds to the cross-disciplinary approach advocated by the late Prof. Seishi Karashima in ‘Advanced Buddhology’. The article analyzes, on the one hand, the Buddhist terms of the Indian and East Asian traditions of the sacral formulas reciting of and, on the other hand, the corresponding terms of the European/Slavic spell tradition. It is indicated that the terms of both traditions are associated with two key concepts – ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Word’. The article demonstrates that the scheme, demonstrating the structure of the spell text (‘five spell’s participants’) in Slavic invocations is quite applicable to the analysis of the structure of the texts of dhāraṇīs and mantras. The possibility of applying the tripartite scheme, developed by A. van Gennep for the study of rites of passage, to the research of dhāraṇīs and mantras in their inseparable connection with the ritual aspect is noted.

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2022

The article completes the introduction into scientific circulation of two Tangut xylographs, cont... more The article completes the introduction into scientific circulation of two Tangut xylographs, containing Dhāraṇīs Collections, from the manuscript collection of the IOM RAS. The Dhāraṇī text (SI 6564) is a reverse reconstruction of the ‘Sanskrit original’ from the Chinese phonetic transcription. This publication contains the xylograph facsimile and the text transliteration. The discrepancy between the text of the Tangut xylograph SI 6564 and the well-known Sanskrit texts, as well as the Chinese versions of the spells contained in the Chinese Buddhist canon, is indicated.

WRITTEN MONUMENTS OF THE ORIENT, 2022

The article continues a series of publications of the Sanskrit manuscript fragments written in th... more The article continues a series of publications of the Sanskrit manuscript fragments written in the Proto-Śāradā script, kept in the Serindia Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The authors introduce into scientific circulation a fragment of the Varṇārhavarṇa, the work of the famous Buddhist thinker and poet Mātṛceṭa. The article provides the paleographic analysis of the manuscript fragment, as well as brief information about the author, his works, the Varṇārhavarṇa structure. The article provides transliteration and translation of the fragment.

Orientalistica, 2022

The article comprises an analysis of Buddhist texts with protective verbal formulas – parittās. I... more The article comprises an analysis of Buddhist texts with protective verbal formulas – parittās. It is based upon research of the Buddhist canonical and non-canonical texts of Tipiṭaka – Pāḷi Canon. Special treatment is given to the three-fold ‘functional’ classification of Theravāda canonical texts – Suttas and Jātakas, containing parittās. Following the classification, one can distinguish ‘protective’ parittās (equivalents of folk spells); ‘ benevolent’ sacral formulas, which grant the success in the good undertaking; ‘soteriological’ ones, the main goal of which is to obtain the nirvāṇa. It comes out that parittās can be mundane with strictly utilitarian aims and super- mundane that have transcendental goals. The multi-functional characteristics of parittās are summarized in the article. The article comprises an analysis of plots of the non-canonical Theravāda text “The Questions of King Milinda” that contain the critical discussion on parittās. As a result, the author concludes as follows. Despite Buddhist doctrinal critics of parittās reciting the fact of discussion of this practice in non-canonical Theravāda texts confirms the value of parittās chanting in the tradition of Southern Buddhism.

Written Monuments of Orient, 2022

The article introduces the Sanskrit fragment of Kṣāntivādi-jātaka kept in the Serindian Fund of t... more The article introduces the Sanskrit fragment of Kṣāntivādi-jātaka kept in the Serindian Fund of the IOM, RAS. A brief review of the script ‘proto-śāradā’ (in which the jātaka’s text is written) is given. The author points out that this fragment is a part of a certain Jātakamālā manuscript ‘edition’. The article includes transliteration, translation and comments on the text of the fragment.

Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies, 2018

The author points out the three stages of Dhāraṇī Studies since the beginning of 19 th c. up to t... more The author points out the three stages of Dhāraṇī Studies since the beginning of 19 th c. up to the present day. Thus, the first stage (the beginning of 19 th c.-the first third of the 20 th c.) is characterized by the fact that the study of dhāraṇīs' texts occurs within the framework of Buddhist written sources publication in general. The article emphasizes the significant contribution of Acad. V. P. Vasiliev in Dhāraṇī Studies: ideas on the study of Buddhist sacral invocations formulated by Vasiliev, defined the main vectors of Dhāraṇī Studies. The second stage of these Studies (the first third-the end of 20 th c.) is marked by a specification-the emphasis of researchers' attention directly on Buddhist written sources containing dhāraṇīs. Analyzing the second period's researchings devoted to Dhāraṇī Studies, the author singled out four main streams: 'Historical' (the dhāraṇīs' functioning in a certain historical period); 'Cultic' (praxeological aspect of Buddhist dhāraṇīs); 'Iconographic' (studies of artifacts connecting with dhāraṇī tradition); 'Conceptual' (analysis of terminology and concepts associated with the practice of reciting dhāraṇī). The article points out the prospects of using the interdisciplinary method, which allows to use the results of not only adjacent oriental disciplines (Indology-Jan Gonda, Tatiana Elizarenkova), but also to involve methods used in Slavic/Indo-European spells Studies (Vladimir Toporov, Svetlana Tolstaia, Aleksey Iudin).

This article presents the preliminary results of the study on the Sanskrit manuscripts of the Ser... more This article presents the preliminary results of the study on the Sanskrit manuscripts of the Serindia Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, RAS. Basing on the previous researches, as well as on the results of the efforts of the ‘Sanskrit Group’ within Serindica Laboratory, the authors outline the structure and repertoire of the Sanskrit part of the Serindia Collection, supplementing it with the description of paleographic and codicological aspects of the Sanskrit manuscripts.

Статья посвящена этапам формирования буддийского учения о Вселенском правителе – харизматиче-ском... more Статья посвящена этапам формирования буддийского учения о Вселенском правителе – харизматиче-ском государе. В ее основу положены тексты Трипитаки – Буддийского канона и произведения постканони-ческой традиции, созданные в раннесредневековой Индии. В статье представлен сравнительный анализ буд-дийской и предшествующей, брахманистской, традиций воззрений на светскую верховную власть в культуре Древней Индии; дана классификация буддийских канонических источников, затрагивающих проблематику власти.Ключевые слова: буддизм, политическая культура, буддийский канон, теория власти

The article deals with the specifics of the formation of the ‘Dhāraṇīs Collections’ (Dhāraṇī-piṭa... more The article deals with the specifics of the formation of the ‘Dhāraṇīs Collections’ (Dhāraṇī-piṭaka) in the traditions of Mahāsāṃghika and Dharmaguptaka schools as well as the legitimation of these texts within the Buddhist Canon, regardless of the Abhidharma position that denied the practice of sacred formulas reciting as a Brahmanic heritage of the Vedic hymns proclaiming. The article examines the structural and formation features of Dhāraṇī-piṭakas both Mahāsāṃghika and Dharmaguptaka. It is pointed out that the ‘core’ of the Mahāsāṃghika’s “Spells Collection” was composed based on the texts representing the ‘autochthonous level’ of the religious practice (so called ‘folk magic’) that influenced the formation of both Buddhist (Mahāyāna) and Śaiva ‘pantheon’. The Dharmaguptaka’s dhāraṇīs, on the contrary, are distinguished by their reliance on the ‘mnemotechnical principles of the Buddhist syllabary-arapacana which were used in the prajñāpāramitā text's structure. Therefore, th...

Статья посвящена рассмотрению проблем распространения и бытования санскритских буддийских текстов... more Статья посвящена рассмотрению проблем распространения и бытования санскритских буддийских текстов и индийских письменностей в тангутском государстве Си Ся («Западное Ся») (X–XIII вв.), располагав-шегося на территории современных провинций Шэнси и Ганьсу (КНР). В статье рассматривается история кросскультурного взаимодействия тангутов с соседними регионами – Тибетом и, главным образом, Китаем. Также в статье указаны причины укоренения буддизма в Си Ся. Отдельно рассматривается распростране-ние тантрических текстов буддийской Ваджраяны («Алмазной колесницы»), весьма популярных в тангутском государстве. Кратко освещена проблема передачи санскрита средствами иероглифики при письменной фиксации буддийских заклинаний-дхарани. Анализируются бытовавшие на уровне простонародных форм буддизма буддийские заклинания, оказавшие существенное влияние на повседневную культуру регионов Центральной Азии.Ключевые слова: индийская письменная культура, буддизм, тангуты, Ваджраяна, заклинания-дхарани

Orientalistica, 2021

Written Monuments of Orient, 2019

The article is devoted to the substantiation of the statement that the Buddhist vyākaraṇa is the ... more The article is devoted to the substantiation of the statement that the Buddhist vyākaraṇa is the method of rational ‘forecast’ and at the same time the ‘fore-knowledge’ (from Greek prognosis) itself. The proofs that the conventional meaning ‘prophecy’ is invalid are given. The reasons of the opinion that vyākaraṇa is the ‘prognosis’ are based of Buddhist canonical and post-canonical texts. Vyākaraṇa as the dialectical method of the Buddhist philosophy allows to model the scheme of the good conduct that leads to the obtaining of the final goal of the Buddhist spiritual practice — the attainment of nirvāṇa.

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2019

The article continues to acquaint readers with results of the study of a xylograph from Khara-Kho... more The article continues to acquaint readers with results of the study of a xylograph from Khara-Khoto found by Pyotr Kozlov during the Mongol-Sichuan Expedition (1907 - 1909). The author analyzes short dhāraṇīs and mantras included in the xylograph SI 6563 and points out commonly occuring errors in this reconstruction. The transliteration of the dhāraṇīs text is given.

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2019

The article presents the first part of results of the study of a xylograph from Khara-Khoto found... more The article presents the first part of results of the study of a xylograph from Khara-Khoto found by Pyotr Kozlov during the Mongol-Sichuan Expedition (1907—1909). A palaeographical description and approximate dating of the xylograph are given in this article. The author shows that the Sanskrit text of dhāraṇīs written in Siddhaṃ script is a backward reconstruction made from Chinese Buddhist incantations written by Chinese characters. The article points out commonly occurring errors in this reconstruction. The transliteration of the dhāraṇīs text is given.

Mitrasampradānam. A collection of papers in honour of Yaroslav Vassilkov, 2018

The article gives classifications of sacred formulas — dhāraṇī, contained in the Buddhist canonic... more The article gives classifications of sacred formulas — dhāraṇī, contained in the Buddhist canonical and post-canonical texts. It is pointed out that the leading principle in all classifications is the functional aspect that proves the inseparable connection between the dhāraṇī reciting practice and religious ritual. The emphasis is placed on the fact that dhāraṇī in Buddhist post-canonical texts are regarded as a special states of consciousness achieved through a certain «meditative-mnemotechnical» practice and called to keep in memory all nuances of Buddhist religious doctrine.

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2024

Humanitarian Vector. 2024. Vol. 19. No. 1, 2024

Sudan and the MENA. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. Igof V. Gerasimov, 2024

Written Monuments of the Orient, 2023

Śāntamatiḥ. Manuscripts for Life — Essays in Memory of Seishi Karashima, 2023

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2022

WRITTEN MONUMENTS OF THE ORIENT, 2022

Orientalistica, 2022

Written Monuments of Orient, 2022

Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Asian and African Studies, 2018

Orientalistica, 2021

Written Monuments of Orient, 2019

Manuscripta Orientalia, 2019

Mitrasampradānam. A collection of papers in honour of Yaroslav Vassilkov, 2018

Boris Yakovlvich and Andrei Vasilevich met in 1911, when both were young men, in northwestern Mon... more Boris Yakovlvich and Andrei Vasilevich met in 1911, when both were young men, in northwestern Mongolia during Vladimirtsov's scientific trip from 2nd July till 9th September. At that time Burdukov had been already living and working for 15 years in a trading post in Mongolia. In a report about his journey Vladimirtsov thanked Burdukov for helping him to collect linguistic and ethnographic material. Being of a similar age and having an interest in Mongolian culture they quickly became friends. Vladimirtsov was teaching Burdukov Mongolian grammar and transcription, advised him to pay attention to pronunciation, not to confuse sounds in Oirat and Khalkha dialects in order to not compromise the recoding of the texts. This was recorded by A.B.Burdukov's daughter T.A.Burdukova in the memoirs about her father. The next journey to northwestern Mongolia that B.Ya.Burdukov undertook was longer and lasted from 1913 till 1915. As a result of those two journeys B.Ya. Vladimirtsov wrote-Examples of Mongolian Folk Literature (North-Western Mongolia)‖ that was published in Leningrad in 1926. They were in correspondence with each other from 1912 until 1924 when A.B.Burdukov moved to Petrograd thanks to B.Y.Vladimirtov's help. In his letters Boris Yakovlevich encouraged Burdukov to get more knowledge about Mongolia, recommended him to write more, edited the articles that Burdukov had written and gave advice on what should be clarified or added. Private meetings, mutual interest in Mongolian studies and long correspondence made them lifelong friends.

Divani Husseinia masterpiece of Oriental book art. Hussein Baykara left behind a name not only as... more Divani Husseinia masterpiece of Oriental book art. Hussein Baykara left behind a name not only as a mature representative of the Timurid family, a patron of science and culture, but also as a talented poet. His sofas are now stored in various libraries and museums around the world. One of the ancient copies of-Divani Husaini‖ is currently kept at the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. This manuscript, numbered B-284, was copied on fine paper and decorated with luxurious illustrations. The collection also includes four exquisitely executed miniatures. The miniatures were created in the traditions of the Safavid period. In Husseini's poetry, it is noticeable that he relied on the traditions of lyrics in a secular spirit, the lyrics of Alisher Navoi. At the same time, the poet's consciousness and the creator's sharp artistic gaze are truly revealed. This report describes the composition of this manuscript, the uniqueness of its miniatures, calligraphic traditions and its difference from other manuscripts. The facsimile edition of the manuscript was carried out in 2017 with the support of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts on the initiative of the World Society for the Preservation, Study and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan, which is carefully studied by Uzbek scientists.

The First All-Russian Academic Conference “The Written Heritage of the Orient” was hold in memory... more The First All-Russian Academic Conference “The Written Heritage of the Orient” was hold in memory of M. I. Vorobyova-Desyatovskaya, a distinguished scholar of Sanskrit and a specialist in Tocharian and Sogdian manuscripts.
The following themes were addressed at the Conference:
1. Oriental manuscripts and their study;
2. Current issues of paleography and codicology of the written heritage of the Orient;
3. Contributions by manuscript scholars of Russia and foreign countries to the study of Oriental manuscript traditions;
4. Expeditions in Asia and archaeography of the written heritage of the Orient;
5. Activities of modern centres of research and conservation of Oriental manuscripts;
6. Conservation and restoration of the written heritage of the Orient.