Historical treatise transcribed into Cyrillic now available in ‘MUST’ library

The valuable intellectual heritage, the great treatises ‘Ganjur and Tanjur’ are under the process of being re-written into Cyrillic from traditional script by ‘Tsogt Tsagiin Khurden’ Cultural Centre since 2008. The people who were concerned about Mongolians’ insufficient usage of these great treatises have started the work of writing Ganjur and Tanjur in Cyrillic. We only revive and cherish them without intending to seek the magic of Ganjur and Tanjur. They possess much scientific knowledge. As 30 of the volumes are already written in Cyrillic so far, published volumes were installed in the library of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology on June 6. Below is an interview with the director of ‘Tsogt Tsagiin Khurden’ Centre G.Buyandelger:

-When did you start the work of writing Ganjur and Tanjur in Cyrillic?

-We started to plan this work ten years ago, preparing our apprentices. A year ago we started the translating and currently we have 30 books rewritten in Cyrillic with 18 of them published. Eight of them are being published now. 

-Are the treatises being translated into contemporary Mongolian language or just being written in the Cyrillic alphabet?

-Though we are writing them from National Mongolian Script, which was passed down from our ancestors, into Cyrillic, we have to look words up from languages of Tibet, China and Manj. We are encountering many words that are not understandable for Mongolians today. So the help we are receiving from professional linguistics is of great significance. 

-How many people are working on this enormous project?

-Linguists from the National University of Mongolia and 40 monks who are specialists in Buddhist studies and philosophy as well as proficient in the languages of Manj, Tibet, China, Sanskrit and Mongolia are working on this project. 

-When are you planning to finish this work?

-Our work is proceeding smoothly. We are aiming to publish 6-8 volumes a month and if everything goes as expected, the work will finish in May 2016. But we will try hard to finish sooner without making careless mistakes. 

The very word ‘Ganjur’ means ‘Translation of an Order’ in the Tibetan language. It is said that the oral order of Buddha was transcribed by the holy monks headed by Anand 3000 years ago. The work of translating Ganjur into Mongolian language started in the late 13th Century by King Ligden’s order, involving scientists Gungaa Odser, Samdansenge, Bilegt-Erdene and Toin Sanduv. They completed the translating in 1628-1629. The ‘Tanjur’ treatise consists of 226 volumes that includes the enriched materials such researches made by scholars and descriptions of meaning of ‘Ganjur’. Though ‘Tanjur’ focuses on Buddhism, it contains a great number of volumes that embody literature, dictionaries, linguistics, philosophy and geography. The Mongolian ‘Tanjur’ was entered into the UNESCO Documentary Heritage List last year.

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