7. Tunhuang Manuscripts and Obelisks

A major revelation on Tibetan history came with the discovery of ancient manuscripts from the Tunhuang caves in 1899 CE. The region is said to be at the intersection of west of Machu River in Tibet, Gansu prefecture of China, and the border of the Uighur region. This area was under Tibetan rule from 727 -848 CE^[1]. The Tibetan manuscripts are said to belong to the period from the eighth to tenth centuries. European scholars Aurel Stein and Paul Pelliot were among the first to study these manuscripts and make them known to the outside world^[2]. 'Bri gung skyabs mgon che tshang, in his book "Bod btsan po'i rgyal rabs" has meticulously reproduced some of the original manuscripts with explanations. Among the manuscripts, P1286, P1038 and PT0126 contain substantial information about the origin of the Tibetan king and the period around that time. Let us study these three manuscripts briefly.

P1286: Line 0006 to 0029^[3] has recorded the name of the 17 provincial states, its kings and the ministers, and it mentions about the King 'Od lde spu rgyal, who ultimately emerged as the lord of all these small states.

P1286-0030 to 0041 records:

"From the sky came the son of the highest of the majesty Yab lha bdag drug. He had three elder and three younger brothers. He was the middle one, Khri nyag khri btsan. The land was narrow, earlier his ancestor, King gTsug khri btsan po, had ruled the land, there he went. First he went to Mount lHa ri gyang do. King of the mountain, Mount Sumeru also bowed in respect, the trees also swayed in waves, water in the springs also appeared bluish, hard giant rocks also became supple to prostrate. He came as the king of six Ka g.yag of Tibet. Coming to the earth for the first time was also to assume the kingship of all under the sky: zenith of the sky, center of the earth, heart of the region, snow fortress, origin of all the rivers, high peaks, clean land, pure region, virtuous and brave people, following good religion, where horses abound. This land he chose and descended accordingly. He differs from other kings: his two hands are webbed like a duck's limb. On his forehead is a sphere of white light. Since then, the virtuous and nobles began to adopt honorific conversation, and they dressed similar to the king. Among the trees, pine tree was tallest and straightest. Among the rivers, Yar klung gtsang po was deepest and most blue. Yar lha sham po was the highest among all the gods."^[4]

P1308 (Line 0001-0018)^[5] : The manuscript talks about three theories as to the origin of the first king of Tibet. It notes:

"From the four regions with land and the fortresses came the first the sPu rgyal King of Bon, lDeu' rgyal po. Some says it was one of the twelve provincial regions, others do not agree. From the 13th Stages of the sky came Lha sku spyi ser, the lord of all Ma sangs and ruler of the universe. He was also known as Phyva'i g.yang phyva. The second theory says he was from the race of meat-eating barbarians and red-faced king, or the owner of the snow mountains, non-human goblin called dZa or a genre of king of wealth and fortune. The third theory says, from the 13th stages of sky, the middle of the seven siblings came to Sa ga dog drug to become the king of black-headed kingless people, and to be the owner of the ownerless beast with manes. Lho and rNyegs were the ministers. mTshe gtso was the Bon priest. Sheu' and sPug were the cook and server. Having served as the king of god, human and demons, he came to the six ka g.yag land of Tibet. Which is true, it is not clear. But the lineage is sPu bod and the King is proclaimed as sPu rgyal."

Samten Karmay has noted,

"The origin of the first king according to the historical tradition of the bsGrags pa bon lugs and the versions in the Dunhuang manuscript (PT 1038, 1286) bear certain similarities. This further corroborates the fact that the version presented in the bsGrags pa bon lugs is not entirely a fabrication dating from after the tenth century."^[6]

PT0126 (0104-0168)^[7] : The manuscript records the conversation between the envoy of Phyva and dMu country where the former was seeking a king from the later to rule their land. This manuscript allows us to give a fresh and more realistic and earthly interpretation to the origin of Tibetan kings. It talks of the land of dMu and Phyva at more earthly level.

Rock inscriptions and Pillars or Obelisks: Rock inscriptions found in the Nying khri region and compiled by Kongpo g.Yung drung 'zin have recorded the edict by King Khri srong lde'u btsan [774-815 CE]. The edict explicitly mentioned the first king being from the lineage of Phyva god Yab bla bdag drug and Nya khri btsan po who descend to Mount lHa ri gyang do.

Here is the rough translation of the inscription:

"During the reign of God king Khri srong lde brtsan and Prince lDe srong, rKong dkar-po was honored. Kar po mang po rje and his ministers are blessed by the Gods. In the beginning, the prince of Phyva Yab bla bdag drug, Nya khri btsan po came as human king. Since his descent on Mount lHa ri gyang do and to the time of Dri gum btsan po, for seven generation, they resided at Phying ba stag rtse….."^[8]

A Pillar erected in front of the tomb of King Khri srong lde'u btsan has recorded the lineage of the King as, "bTsan po divine prince, 'O lde sPu rgyal: one who came from heaven to become man's king…."^[9]. Another pillar erected as a part of peace treaty between King Khri gtsug lde btsan [802-841CE] and the Chinese king of Tang dynasty, the lineage of the Tibetan King was traced to "'Phrul gyi lha btsan po 'O lde spu rgyal"^[10]. The meaning is: Magical Divine King 'O lde spu rgyal.

The rock inscriptions in Kongpo are in alignment with the Yablha Daldrug theory of Bon tradition. The two 8th century pillars, although the name of the king is mentioned as 'O lde spu rgyal, subscribe to the theory of a king coming from sky to rule over men. There are difference of opinion about 'O lde spu rgyal and Nyatri Tsanpo being same or not, g.Yang mo mtso contends that the former could have been used to mean the overall lineage of the Tibetan king^[11], this is quite possible.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

'Bri gung skyabs mgon che tshang, p-08

[2]:

Aurel Stien visited the caves in 1907 and Paul Pelliot in 1908.

[3]:

'Bri gung skyabs mgon che tshang, p34-35

[4]:

'Bri gung skyabs mgon che tshang, p-67

[5]:

'Bri gung skyabs mgon che tshang p-64

[6]:

Samten Karmay, The Arrow & the Spindle-I, p-259

[7]:

'Bri gung skyabs mgon che tshang, p-43-46

[8]:

gYang mo mtso, p-35, "Lha btsan-po Khri-srong lde-btsan dang, lde-srong yab-sras kyi ring-la, rkong dkar-po k gtsigs gnang ba', kar-po mang-po rje dang, blon-po lha'I zung gis gsol-wa, thog-ma phya yab-la bdag-drug gi sras las, Nya-khri btsan po myi yul gyi rjer, lha-ri gyang-dor gshegs-pa tshun-chad, dri-gum btsan-po phan-chad, gdung-rabs bdun gyi bar-du, phying-wa stag-rtse na bshhugs bshhugs…" gYang mo mtso, p-35

[9]:

gYang mo mtso, p-38, "bTsan po lha sras, 'o lde spu rgyal, gnam gyi lha las myi'i rjer bshegs pa…"

[10]:

ibid, p-39, "'Phrul gyi btsan-po lha 'o-led spu rgyal…"

[11]:

ibid, p-238