Oriental Studies (Sep 2020)
Texts from One Kalmyk Astrological Collection Revisited: Preliminary Notes
Abstract
Introduction. Concerns for the health of community members are universally widespread and most essential at all times. The significance attached by the Kalmyks and their ethnic ancestors Oirats to the nation’s physical health can be traced in various sources, including medical essays (Gyuzhi and related comments, lhantabs, etc.), dhāraṇī texts and astrological collections. Materials and Methods. The paper introduces a textual analysis of the mentioned Clear Script (Oirat-language) collection containing minor Tibetan-language fragments, and employs research methods of auxiliary historical disciplines. Results. While purely medical texts prescribed specific diagnostic and healing methods, astrological works tended to focus on preventive measures and recommendations for maintaining health and social well-being. Available Kalmykia-based collections of Buddhist written monuments once owned by priests with differing Buddhist expertise (medicine, astrology, and philosophy proper) — also differ structurally, thematically, and functionally. One such collection used to belong to the astrologer Borlga Utnasna Serksh (Chkalovsky village, Ketchenerovsky District, Kalmykia), and includes separate independent works, thematic clusters of texts, and graphic images. Kalmyk astrologers considered periods of human life in accordance with Buddhist knowledge and ideas of life components that emphasized — when it came to a certain individual and his/her birth circumstances — respective new year (Oriental) dates, place of a year in the 12-year animal cycle, actual period of the five (or primary) elements, menge (congenital marks), etc. In astrological practices, special attention was (and still is) paid to the removal of ‘obstacles’ resulting from the ‘disharmony’ (Oir. xarši) between bride and groom’s birth years (and what should be done thereto); the latter also received recommendations explaining which deity was supposed to bless the marriage. Conclusions. The examined texts are a valuable historical source providing insights into actual practices of Kalmyk astrologers (Kalm. zurхači) and ethnic standards of behavior prescribed by astrology, and how the latter accumulated worldview attitudes and orientation patterns developed by Buddhist dogma at large.
Keywords
