A Study On The Tangut Version Of Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra Of Volumes 37 And 38

The Tangut version of Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra is mainly collected in the Institute of Oriental Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences in addition to China and Britain.This article will translate and annotate the Volumes 37(инв.№3543+467)and 38(инв.№468)preserved in Russia by using the sūtra photos provided by Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House in order to offer material for Tangut philology,philology and Buddhism study.The article consists of four parts:The first part is an introduction,which introduces why we choose the Tangut version of Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra of volumes 37 and 38 to study,the significance of the study and the current study situation.The paper analyses the significance of Tangut philology,philology and Buddhism study of the Tangut version.And it points out that the relevant study of Tangut Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra is insufficient.The second part is a brief introduction of the Tangut and Chinese versions of Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra.The Chinese version are divided into Beiben and Nanben.It proves that the Tangut version is translated from Tan Wuchen’s Chinese version by comprehension of the texts.The Tangut version of volume 37(инв.№3543+467)is completed during Renzong period and 38(инв.№468)is written in Huizong period.The third one is the main part of this paper.First of all,type-in the Tangut text of volumes37 and 38 and the word for word translation is given.Secondly,the obscure Buddhist words and the differences between Tangut and Chinese texts are stated by annotating.At last the chinese translation and the comparison table of words is appended to the paper for searching.The fourth part is a summary,summaring the translation method,the translation characteristics and philology phenomenon of the Tangut version Mahāparinirvāna-sūtra.The Tangut version uses different words to traslate the same Chinese word.Meanwhile,it uses disyllabic words to translate the Chinese monosyllabic words.In addition,it uses synonyms to translate the Chinese words,etc.At last,the paper points out the missing and mistaken words and summarizes the 13 interchangeable words in the Tangut version.