Uyghur Buddhism, like traditions in the other Buddhist languages of Tangut, Mongolian, and Khotanese with less integration ito mainstream modern scholarship, still needs to be the subject of extensive comparative work in order to be located within the historical narrative of Central and East Asian Buddhism. Although extensive philological work has been done in cataloging the Uyghur texts of Turfan, Dunhuang, and elsewhere, it is still difficult to discuss the history of Uyghur Buddhism in terms of schools, doctrines, lineages, or social practices to as specific a degree as it is with more well-known traditions. Additionally, the Uyghur material appears abnormal in comparison with the textual traditions of the Jurchens, Tibetans, Tanguts, Mongols, and Chinese, all of which had identifiable textual canons, while in contrast it is currently not possible to talk about an Uyghur canon or an institutional effort to compile one in a systematic way comparable with these neighboring traditions. This situation is the result of the surviving textual corpus available to researchers today, which leaves many questions about the reasons for en masse conversion of the Uyghurs from Manichaeism to Buddhism at the end of the 10th century as well as the relationships that existed between it and the corpora of traditions in other languages, most notably Chinese, Tangut, Tibetan, and Tokharian, as well as Soghdian, the extent of whose influence is still quite problematic. The dearth of Uyghur sources, furthermore, was worsened by neglect and destruction coming after the Islamic conquest.

The 心 (Köngül) Uqitdaci Nom (Book of Instructing on Mind) is a Yuan-era Uyghur-language work that makes use of Yogacara concepts as well as aspects of the Uyghur tradition of Chan that had developed in the urban centers of religious exchange in China’s northwest. This is a verse summary of the book, which demonstrates the use of Chinese and Sanskrit words alongside the native Uyghur-language Buddhist discourse. In it can be seen a unique form of Buddhism that drew from several traditions. This text has been classified in several ways in the past, but Uyghur Buddhism still needs extensive work for its general social and intellectual history to be better understood.

1

The types of consciousness run to the viṣayas, beginning with color,

They spread the seeds of many black and evil ways.

The intelligent person will be ever watchful of that, never failing,

And thereby he opens the gate of infinite, lofty, greatest Nirvāṇa.

2

Buddha itself is köngül (mind), and köngül is simply Buddha.

If one separates these, then she will be reborn in saṃsāra.

If one is not attached to these two, she will find nirvāṇa.

Rare are they who have asked a teacher (baqshi) [about] this one word.

3

May you learn that the world is like a magic dream.

Without being bound to Šimnu (Māra), may you take control of kleśas,

may you recognize (tuy) the steadfast pure real köngül as Buddha.

This is the best nom (dharma, book, teaching); holding firm to it, may you give up effort.

4

Indicating the moon-Tengri in the sky,

do not let the jewel in the hand be lost.

Always seeking it from without,

do not be deceived such that you do not call the ice “water.”

5

To think correctly, remain vigilant and maintain wisdom,

go near to the holy one whose eyes are bright.

contemplate the two natures of köngül (mind) and viṣaya,

look to this for proof. What nom is there outside of köngül?

6

There is a single good word that I will say to you,

entirely entering into and holding to it, do not express doubt to me.

the maṇi (jewel) called prajñā is with you, make an offering of it,

If one finds any ratna inside, of what value is it?

7

They call the water of summer “ice” in winter,

just as in summer they call the ice of winter “water.”

If you are mistaken, you call the real (zhen) Buddha köngül (mind)

If you aren’t mistaken, you just call köngül “Buddha.”

8

If a person does not recognize this, that realm is this realm.

Upon recognition, this realm itself is that realm.

To say “I have recognized” is a great barrier for the yogin,

When recognition and no-recognition have gone into extinction, that is liberation.

9

If someone still has something remaining to recognize, he has not recognized,

But if he has nothing remaining to recognize, then recognition is not present.

…

If he had recognized, then he would not be so bound in saṃsāra.

10

There is no color, form, or resemblance of it.

Many thousandfold worlds appear out of it.

Penetrating quiet light will be completely full.

All the nobles present in the three times are seen (töy) through this.

11

Shining and glowing it exists in the ‘transition states.’

it bejewels the entire world always, but does not follow in recognizing.

There is not so much bodhi in it as in a grain of millet.

It dispels the appearance of Yama-Rāja.

12

If a person sees the root of stillness as one,

They allow the entire sky to be easily fit into a small hole.

If a person sees that his whole self is crammed in every kind of material,

then in three generations there is, without this, no nom or place at all.

13

Parāmitas innumerable and infinite

it allows to pass through the tip of a single finger.

The pure lands of the past, future, and present

will also be seen just so in the self.

14

letters (zi), syllables (akṣara) and words do not exist here at all

my noble one, to make it simple I prattled on at such length.

If you were casual and idle now,

and now are astonished, and become enraged, do not be angry at me.

15

Therefore methods, examples, and solutions are required from teachers.

Always be immature among the mature, and mature among the immature.

See through the six gates, and a broader way will become visible,

the pure, cleansed, expansive blessed land is there!

16

In the year of the mouse, the tenth day of the ninth month,

to the west of the beautiful wonderful Taidu, in the “lotus” (lianhua)Kaw/Gaw/Kav/Gav,

I wrote this to demonstrate the hope that the sky can be painted forcibly

through the countless colors of empty talk!

Chishuya Tutung (Baqshi)

1

öng bašlap aḍqanġularqa biligler qačar

öküš qara ayïġ yolluġ uruġuġ sačar

öglüg kiši istim tutčï yašmaqsïz bačar

öṣeliksiz yig nïrvannïng qapiġïn ačar

2

burqan kentü köngül erür köngül ök burqan

bularnï mat bölser bolur sansarta turġan

bodulmasar ikigüke bolur ol nïrvan

bu bir sözni setirek boldï baqṣïta sorġan

3

yirtinčüning yilvi tül teg ertükin uqġïl

yintsikmeṭin šimnularqa nïṣvanïġ utġïl

yintem arïġ öz köngülüg burqan tip tuyġïl

yig nom bu ol munï tutup iš simek kotġïl

4

akaštaqï ay tengrini atqanmïš bolup

ayataqï erdini ïčġïnïp salma

alqu ödte taštïn sïngar tilemiš bolup

anuq buznï suv timetin arsïqïp qalma

5

köni ögeli bügüš urġïl oduġïn saqïn

közi yaruq ïduqlarqa barġïl yaqïn

köngül višay ikigününg tözin saqïn

köngültin taš negü nom bar čïnqaru baqïn

6

bir aġïzqïa edgü söz bar sözleyin sanga

birdem kirtgünüp tudġïl yemü sizinme manga

bïratya tigli manï sinte tip birgil anga

birük tapsar ol erdinig ne satiġ munga

7

yayqï suvnï qïšqï ödte buz tiyürler

yana yayïn qïšqï buznï suv tip tiyürler

yangïlduqta čïn burqannï 心 tiyürler

yangïlmaduqta心ni ök burqan tiyürler

8

tuyunmaduqta ol qïdïġ bolur bu qïdïġ

tuyunmïšqa bu qïdïġ oq bolur ol qïdïġ

tuyundum timek yoġïqa ol uluġ tïdïġ

tuymaq tuymamaq arïsar ol bolur sïdïġ

9

tuyunġluġï bar erser tuyunmïš bolmaz

tuyunġuluġï yoq erser tuyunmaq bolmaz

…

tuysar mundaġ sansartaqï baġ öze bolmaz

10

öngi körki uqsadïġï anïng yoq erip

öküš 千lïġ yirtinčüler antïn belgürer

ödvi yitvi öčme yaruq top tolup erip

三 ödki alqu tüzünler mundïn töyürür

11

yarup yašup qatčïġlarta boldačï erip

yaba yirtinčüġ bir yintem iḍer tuymayur

yasïmuqča bodï intin anta yoq erip

yamarača körügin bušdačï erür

12

öčme amrïlma yintem bir tözon tuḍsar

ütkiete kök qalïqïġ king booš sïġurur

özining ed ed sayu sïġmïšïn körser

三 oġušta munïsïz neng bir nom orun yoq erür

13

ertingü sansïz asankï paramïtlarïġ

engrek soqïmï yirinte ertürmiš bolur

ertmiš kelmedük közünür arïġ ulušlar

engeyü özte atïrdlïġ közünür

14

usïq ekser sav söz intin yoq erip munda

ongardġuqa köp yangšadïm tüzünüm sanga

usal bolup sïmdasar šen muna bu tušta

una astïng kengrengeysen čimedme manga

15

anï üčün baqšïlartin yang kip bošuġ qol

alqu ödte bïšïġta yig yigte bïšïġ bol

altï qapïġča ičtin körgil kösüngey yig yol

arïġ süzük yig mengilig uluš anta ol

16

küšgü yïlïn toquzunč aynïng on yangïta

körkle tanggsuq taydu kidini kav lïnhuata

köp yangšamaqlïġ boduġïn kök qalïqïġ

küčeyü bedizegeli umunmïšïn körgü üčün bitidim

čïsuya tutung