Tod Mongolian Stone Scriptures of Nilah River

Abstract

This video explores the Tod Mongolian Stone Scriptures along the Nilah River. As depicted in the footage, Batjav presented historical documents detailing the stone scriptures dating back to the Qing era, while Ochirjav showcased the primary site from which the stone scriptures were discovered and collected. Batjav's documentation verifies the tradition's existence during the Jungar Khanate, and Ochirjav's demonstration illustrates its continuity up to recent times. The stone scripture tradition, which clearly bore the influence of Tibetan Buddhism during the Jungar Khanate period, is about carving scriptures onto small plate-like stones. This practice served as a test for Mongol lamas to elevate their status and fulfil their Buddhist missionary calling. In the Tibetan context, this evolved into a system where Buddhist lamas carve entire sutras onto small stones and pile them as stone cairns for believers to visit. This is one of the ways of production and reproduction of Buddhist texts. Historical records reveal that influential Buddhist figures, including Zaya Pandita, endeavoured to translate Buddhism into Tod Mongolian from the Tibetan language. Zaya Pandita created the Tod Mongolian scripture based on classical Mongolian scripture, aiming to spread Buddhism not only within the Jungar Khanate but also among the broader Mongol audience. The discovery of numerous Tod Mongolian scriptures indicates that, during his lifetime, Zaya Pandita translated over 170 sutras, and his apprentices and other Oirat Mongolian lamas continued this work for many years. The primary motivation behind these translation efforts was to enable Mongolians to believe in Buddhism by providing them with an understanding of the religion. Interestingly, an increasing number of individuals visit the site in search of these stones to sell for profit. Ochirjav remarked, "I remember three stone scriptures on a large stone from my youth. However, by the 1980s, two of them had been lost, and since then, people—mainly Chinese, Kazakhs, and Uyghurs—frequently come to the area to excavate the mountains in search of more stones.”