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Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia

Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, Research Journal

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Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia (AAV) is a scholarly journal of the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences dedicated to various aspects of the culture of the Asian continent. AAV publishes texts belonging to the humanities, in particular cultural and religious studies, history, as well as philosophy and literary studies.

The journal is published in English, but publications in the congress languages are also possible.

The journal is indexed in several international reference databases, including SCOPUS, CEJSH, DOAJ, EBSCO, ERIH Plus, Google Scholar, Index Copernicus.
All articles are available in Open Access.
Contact with the editorial board: [email protected]
Supervisors: Małgorzata Wielińska-Soltwedel, Ołena Łucyszyna, Małgorzata Gliwicka, and Nicolas Levi
Phone: +48 22 657 27 34
Address: Nowy Świat 72 St.
Room: 313
00-330 Warsaw
Poland

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Fudan University

University of Hamburg

University of Calgary

Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

University of North Georgia

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Université Paris Nanterre

Manchester Metropolitan University

Bar-Ilan University

Ishayahu Landa 藍山雅

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

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CALL FOR PAPERS by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia

Call for papers AAV 37

The editorial board of the scientific journal Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia invites authors to submi... more The editorial board of the scientific journal Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia invites authors to submit articles to its newest issue (37/2024). Manuscripts should be submitted by the 31th of July 2024 to the following e-mail address: [email protected].

The editorial board will take in consideration scientific articles. Texts should be written in English and prepared by the editorial instructions.

The journal is indexed in several international reference databases, including SCOPUS, CEJSH, DOAJ, EBSCO, ERIH Plus, FOASAS, Google Scholar, Index Copernicus.

All articles are available in Open Access. No fees are charged for submitting and publishing articles, as well as for making them available in Open Access.

Contact with the editorial board: [email protected]

ISSUE 36/2023 by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 36 (2023)

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 36 (2023), 2023

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 36, 2023

Andrijanić I., Bąkowski J., 'On the Authenticity of Prose Writings Attributed to Śaṅkara', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 5–38

Śaṅkara is traditionally considered the author of an exceptionally large number of works. Indolog... more Śaṅkara is traditionally considered the author of an exceptionally large number of works. Indological scholarship has attempted to filter out some of these works within traditional philological and historical frameworks. Many were, however, taken for granted to be authentic, and no serious research into their authenticity has been conducted. This paper attempts a computational stylometric approach to establish the authenticity of prose commentaries attributed to Śaṅkara. The General Imposters (GI) framework appears to be the most suitable existing method developed for the purpose of verifying authorship. The GI calculates the statistical distance between certain texts' features and estimates whether the disputed text is closer to the candidate author than to a set of texts that may not have been composed by him. The paper also presents a machine-based method for separating the words and resolving the sandhi in the Sanskrit text, crucial for the procedure. The success rate in verifying authors of undisputed texts appears to be acceptable enough to proceed to the next step, where 18 prose commentaries traditionally attributed to Śaṅkara are subjected to the GI verification procedure. The result conforms to the most conservative assessments of Śaṅkara's authorship; GI verified the authenticity of the commentaries on the principal Upaniṣads (with the exception of the commentary on the Śvetāśvataropaniṣad) and on the Bhagavadgītā. Besides these, commentaries on the Nṛsiṃha-(pūrva)-tāpanīyopaniṣad and the Adhyātmapaṭala were, rather unexpectedly, also successfully verified as genuine works of Śaṅkara.

Gacek, T., 'Some Remarks on the Perso-Arabic Nominal Lexica in Bollywood Movie Song Lyrics', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 39–67

The Indian film industry releases thousands of movies every year, with those in the Hindi languag... more The Indian film industry releases thousands of movies every year, with those in the Hindi language forming a significant part of that number. These movies, and the songs used in them, have been the object of research within the scope of various scientific disciplines, including linguistics. The author of the present paper, however, believes that there are still numerous language phenomena to study within the lyrics of the Bollywood songs. The present text is dedicated to research of the Perso-Arabic lexica in these songs over the period of 80 years (1940-2020). It also analyses the frequency of the Perso-Arabic forms as opposed to native Indo-Aryan ones. Particular attention is paid to the forms of the highest frequency, especially the Persian word dil.

Hu, E., 'Study of a Newly Identified Sanskrit Manuscript of the Saptajinastotra', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 69–90

This paper focuses on a newly identified Sanskrit manuscript of the Saptajinastotra (Praise of th... more This paper focuses on a newly identified Sanskrit manuscript of the Saptajinastotra (Praise of the Seven Buddhas) that was found at the Drepung Monastery in Tibet. By providing a critical edition and translation, as well as a comparison of the parallel Tibetan and Chinese texts, it presents the Sanskrit version of T 1682 Qi fo zan bai jia ta 七佛讚唄伽他 for the first time and corrects several mistakes, misspellings and misreadings of the manuscript, Tibetan and Chinese works.

Koniuch, P., 'Cultural Fluctuations of Tibetan Culture in Dharamsala and Their Reception among the Tibetan Exilic Youth', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 91–114

Dharamsala is probably the most known settlement of Tibetans in exile. It is based in India and i... more Dharamsala is probably the most known settlement of Tibetans in exile. It is based in India and is a popular tourist destination, so it is subject to various foreign influences. This paper aims to provide an ethnographic account of selected cases encountered during field studies and their reception among young Tibetans. Some new examples of multiculturalism, global and contemporary Indian influence and commodification of the Tibetan community and their culture will be provided, as well as accounts of interviewees on those phenomena.

Marciniak, K. 'The Story of Mālinī (Mālinī-vastu) in the Mahāvastu', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 115–157

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Katarzyna Marciniak

This paper presents a new edition and translation of the chapter Mālinīvastu as preserved in the ... more This paper presents a new edition and translation of the chapter Mālinīvastu as preserved in the Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit text Mahāvastu, together with a grammatical commentary and some notes on the structure of this chapter. The edition is based on the oldest manuscript of the Mahāvastu, the so-called ms. Sa, which often offers better readings than those proposed by Émile Senart in his editio princeps of the text from 1882-1897.

Mejor, M. 'Sudhana's Encounter with the Lumbinī-vana Goddess, according to the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra'', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 159–197

Two themes are presented in this paper: one concerns the name of the place where, according to tr... more Two themes are presented in this paper: one concerns the name of the place where, according to tradition, the future Buddha was born, Lumbinī-vana, and the other is devoted to the figure of the forest goddess who assisted at the birth, Lumbinī-vana-devatā. The briefly presented survey of the relevant texts attempts to show the increasing role for the Lumbinī grove deity, culminating in chapter 42 of the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra.

Qiu Y., 'Understanding the Career of Mongolian Speakers in the Mamluk Sultanate: A Comparative Perspective', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 199–228

As an aspect of the linguistic landscape in the Mamluk Sultanate, the role and career of Mongolia... more As an aspect of the linguistic landscape in the Mamluk Sultanate, the role and career of Mongolian speakers remain open to discussion. Through analysis of the primary sources of various genres from different parts of Mongol and post-Mongol Eurasia, this article overviews the Mongolian language and its speakers in the circle of Mamluk Sultan's Court. Furthermore, compared with the Persian and Chinese sources, I try to point out the similarities of Mongolian education in the Mamluk Sultanate and the Mongol Empire. In addition, the complexity of the relationship between language acquisition and knowledge of Mongol history will be discussed.

Sobczyk M., 'The Concept of “Buddha-Nature” in Women’s Salvation and Its Relationship to Japanese Buddhist Teachings on Menstruation', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 229–244

This paper explores one aspect in the evolution of "buddha-nature" (busshō) in Japan within the c... more This paper explores one aspect in the evolution of "buddha-nature" (busshō) in Japan within the context of Buddhist teachings regarding women's salvation. "Buddha-nature", symbolised by the lotus throne where buddhas and bodhisattvas reside, was fused with the notion of menstrual impurity due to syncretism with Shintō beliefs. The introduction of the Bloody Pond Sutra (Ketsubon-kyō) solidified discussions on menstruation's origin, attributing menstrual impurity to women's "mind" poisons. Practical manifestations of this complex idea included wearing chest talismans. This research sheds light on the evolving "Buddha-nature" concept in Japan and its implications for women's spirituality.

Sulich-Cowley M., 'Kauṇḍabhaṭṭa’s View on Negation in the Nañarthanirṇaya of the Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣaṇasāra', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 245–263

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Małgorzata Sulich-Cowley

Studies on negation in the school of Vyākaraṇa have focused on the early period of its developmen... more Studies on negation in the school of Vyākaraṇa have focused on the early period of its development, especially on the interpretation of prasajya and paryudāsa types of negation provided by early commentators starting with Patañjali and elaborated on by Bhartṛhari. The post-Bhartṛhari period requires thorough research when it comes to the theory of meaning and cognition proposed by Indian grammarians. The present article analyses the interpretation of negation proposed by Kauṇḍabhaṭṭa in the Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣaṇasāra and shows it against the background of theory of negation that had been developing for centuries within the school of Vyākaraṇa.

Tieken H., 'Kauṇḍabhaṭṭa’s View on Negation in the Nañarthanirṇaya of the Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣaṇasāra', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 265–297

This article aims to show that the term vīthī, the tenth in the daśarūpa list of plays found in t... more This article aims to show that the term vīthī, the tenth in the daśarūpa list of plays found in the early dramatic treatises, does not refer to a play but to a number of small-scale dramatic scenes. As such, the vīthī is an exception in the list, which otherwise is made up of fully-fledged plays. However, as a collection of scenes, it does form a group with numbers 8 and 9, the prahasana and bhāṇa, each of which has two lives, namely as complete plays and as scenes within plays. The vīthī plays we have are all late reconstructions based on the general characteristics mentioned in the dramatic treatises. In some of the treatises the daśarūpa list is extended by the lāsya, another term designating a number of minor dramatic scenes which involve singing and dancing. It will be argued that the lāsya-as well as another set of minor dramatic types, the uparūpakas-came to be included into the dramatic theory through its occurrence within the nāṭikā, a type of play that is presented as a mixture of the nāṭaka and prakaraṇa, numbers 1 and 2 in the daśarūpa list, and was consequently not counted separately. It will furthermore be shown that the daśarūpa list consists of three clearly distinct groups, namely of 1-2 (nāṭaka, prakaraṇa and supernumerary nāṭikā) and 8-10 (prahasana, bhāṇa and vīthī), separated by a group of five types of play (3-7) dealing with battle and its aftermath. Of the latter five no early, classical examples have come down to us; apparently their topics have fallen outside the sphere of interest of the kāvya literary tradition.

ISSUE 35/2022 by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 35 (2022)

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia, Nicolas Levi, and Malgorzata Wielinska-Soltwedel

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 35, 2022

This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuv... more This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuvābhyudaya, authored by Rājanātha Ḍiṇḍima ca. 1480 ad, to eulogise Sāḷuva Narasiṃha, the soon-to-be founder of the Sāḷuva dynasty of Vijayanagara. Focusing on the poem's second canto, which is built on the theme of divine intervention culminating in the miraculous conception of the future, I argue that depiction of Sāḷuva Narasiṃha as the Ahobilanarasiṃha incarnate-a rather locally known form of Narasiṃha presiding over a Vaishnava religious centre in Ahobilam (currently Andhra Pradesh)-was aimed at enunciating his martial power and justifying his claims to the Vijayanagara throne, while simultaneously revealing the growing interests of Vijayanagara rulers in cooperating with temples and religious institutions.

Dębicka-Borek E., 'On Poetic Modes of Glorifying a Ruler and Telling His Past The Sāḷuvābhyudaya Narrative on Sāḷuva Narasiṃha the Ahobilanarasiṃha Incarnate', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 5–38

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Ewa Dębicka-Borek

This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuv... more This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuvābhyudaya, authored by Rājanātha Ḍiṇḍima ca. 1480 ad, to eulogise Sāḷuva Narasiṃha, the soon-to-be founder of the Sāḷuva dynasty of Vijayanagara. Focusing on the poem's second canto, which is built on the theme of divine intervention culminating in the miraculous conception of the future, I argue that depiction of Sāḷuva Narasiṃha as the Ahobilanarasiṃha incarnate-a rather locally known form of Narasiṃha presiding over a Vaishnava religious centre in Ahobilam (currently Andhra Pradesh)-was aimed at enunciating his martial power and justifying his claims to the Vijayanagara throne, while simultaneously revealing the growing interests of Vijayanagara rulers in cooperating with temples and religious institutions.

Hartmann J.-U., Maue D., 'Ein sanskrit-uigurisches Fragment der Tridaṇḍamālā in Brāhmī-Schrift: Reedition des Texts TT VIII D', , Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 39–130

The subject of this article, a manuscript rediscovered during the First Prussian Turfan Expeditio... more The subject of this article, a manuscript rediscovered during the First Prussian Turfan Expedition, was the first sample of the then unknown Uigur variety of the Brāhmī script, whose decipherment was greatly facilitated by its bi-linguality, with Sanskrit as the source language. Though a whole series of scholars have dealt intensively with the text, it has not been possible to assign it to a specific work. Recently, however, a parallel has been found in the Tridaṇḍamālā, a collection of ritual texts in forty chapters, each consisting of a sūtra framed by stanzas. The fragmentary Sanskrit-Uigur bilingual preserves part of chapter 5. Here, the text of both languages is edited, translated and commented on (§ 3), preceded by the history of research (§ 1) and a short introduction to the Tridaṇḍamālā (§ 2), followed by the graphematical profile of the manuscript (§ 4) and glossaries (§ 5).

Kania S.-J., 'How Do the Cārvākas/Lokāyatas Fit into Udayana's Statement of Universal Worship? On Nyāyakusumâñjali 17,3: loka-vyavahāra-siddha iti cārvākāḥ', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 131–154

In his influential work concerned with rational argumentation in defence of Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika theis... more In his influential work concerned with rational argumentation in defence of Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika theism, the Nyāya-kusumâñjali, Udayana (10th-11th cent.) makes a puzzling claim that all seekers of puruṣârtha, theist or not, worship God, albeit under a different form or name. Included in the provided enumeration of different traditions of Indian thought is the irreligious school of the Cārvākas (also known as the Lokāyatas), declared by Udayana to be worshipping God as loka-vyavahāra-siddha (lit. '(the) established by common usage'). In this paper, I attempt to shed light on the meaning behind both loka-vyavahāra-siddha and the statement of universal worship as a whole. Specifically, I argue that Udayana imposes on non-theists and atheists the need to resort to (broadly understood) belief, and in the case of the Cārvākas/Lokāyatas this is manifested in their acceptance of everyday inference warranted by mere common usage. I reject the interpretations by Udayana's commentators and by the modern scholar of Indian materialism, Ramkrishna Bhattacharya.

Liu Z., 'New Manuscript Evidence for Suprabhātastava by Śrīharṣadeva: The Drepung Texts critically examined', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 155–200

The Suprabhātastava is one of the two hymns ascribed to King Śrīharṣadeva (c. 590-647 ce), who ru... more The Suprabhātastava is one of the two hymns ascribed to King Śrīharṣadeva (c. 590-647 ce), who ruled over Kannauj. There are five modern editions of this text, which roughly follow eight extant Sanskrit manuscripts and a Tibetan translation. Recently, scholars discovered two unknown Sanskrit manuscripts of the text in Drepung Monastery. One of them has unique contents and readings. For this reason, the present article compares the said manuscript with other extant versions. In this respect, the article demonstrates that the newly discovered manuscripts belong to a different transmission lineage. Moreover, the article discusses the authorship and genre of the Suprabhātastava.

Riotto M., 'Notes on a Lost Book: Philological Questions and Symbols of the Sui-jŏn', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 201–231

This article deals with Sui-jŏn, an almost unknown work not only in the West but also scarcely st... more This article deals with Sui-jŏn, an almost unknown work not only in the West but also scarcely studied in Korea itself. Written most likely between the 10th and 12th centuries, on the basis of older, unidentifiable sources, the Sui-jŏn appears to have been primarily a collection of fantastic tales. Today it is largely lost, but its partial reconstruction is possible through various fragments reported in later works. Precisely on the basis of these fragments, in the first part this article attempts to reconstruct, as far as possible, what must have been the nature of the book, its author, its genesis, its dating. In the second part, the symbology of some natural elements that appear in the fragments of the work is spoken of. It is a symbolism that belongs, in similar forms, to many cultures of the world, but which in the case of Korea becomes, in its presentation, a real milestone, being present in the oldest Korean work of its kind that came down to us, although partially.

Schneider, J., 'Synonyme in der Mahāvyutpatti. Zum Verständnis der mit (ma) 'dom na gebildeten Einträge', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 233–262

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Johannes Schneider

At the beginning of the 9th century, official guidelines for translating Indian texts into Tibeta... more At the beginning of the 9th century, official guidelines for translating Indian texts into Tibetan were issued. A Sanskrit-Tibetan dictionary, called Mahāvyutpatti, was also compiled at that time: its approximately 9,500 entries had a lasting influence on Tibetan lexicography. For many Sanskrit words, the Mahāvyutpatti offers several possible translations (synonyms). This paper deals with entries which characterise synonyms by means of the terms ʼdom na and ma ʼdom na. The structure and function of these definitions are examined in detail, the text of the critical edition by Ishihama and Fukuda (published in 1989) is corrected if necessary. In fact, these definitions follow a general rule given in the Sgra-sbyor-bam-po-gnyis-pa: literal translations should only be used if in the context (ʼdom na) synonyms are given that enable an easy understanding; if not (ma ʼdom na), more common but less precise renderings should be chosen from the outset. The Tibetan equivalents marked with ʼdom na are very often loan translations: as a rule, they render the traditional etymologies of the underlying Sanskrit words quite exactly. However, they are often difficult to understand, especially in Tibet, outside the Indian context from which they originated. Thus ma ʼdom na and ʼdom na are tags referring to the usage of the words in question. Except for minor irregularities these prescriptions are confirmed by findings from the ʼDul ba, the Tibetan version of the Vinaya. This shows that the rules in the Mahāvyutpatti are consistent with the older canonical literature. The (ma) ʼdom na entries in the Mahāvyutpatti thus provide important clues to the historical development of the vocabulary of classical Tibetan.

Trynkowska A., 'Pigeons and Doves in Classical Sanskrit Literature', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 263–280

The main aim of the present study is to indicate the most salient elements of the image of pigeon... more The main aim of the present study is to indicate the most salient elements of the image of pigeons and doves in Classical Sanskrit literature (kāvya). The author has identified three groups of such elements, which are dealt with in three separate sections of the paper: pigeons and doves are discussed as birds closely associated with humans, as well as symbols of love and sorrow. With the help of this information, in another section of the paper, selected kāvya stanzas featuring pigeons or doves are analysed in more detail.

Call for papers AAV 37

The editorial board of the scientific journal Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia invites authors to submi... more The editorial board of the scientific journal Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia invites authors to submit articles to its newest issue (37/2024). Manuscripts should be submitted by the 31th of July 2024 to the following e-mail address: [email protected].

The editorial board will take in consideration scientific articles. Texts should be written in English and prepared by the editorial instructions.

The journal is indexed in several international reference databases, including SCOPUS, CEJSH, DOAJ, EBSCO, ERIH Plus, FOASAS, Google Scholar, Index Copernicus.

All articles are available in Open Access. No fees are charged for submitting and publishing articles, as well as for making them available in Open Access.

Contact with the editorial board: [email protected]

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 36 (2023)

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 36 (2023), 2023

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 36, 2023

Andrijanić I., Bąkowski J., 'On the Authenticity of Prose Writings Attributed to Śaṅkara', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 5–38

Śaṅkara is traditionally considered the author of an exceptionally large number of works. Indolog... more Śaṅkara is traditionally considered the author of an exceptionally large number of works. Indological scholarship has attempted to filter out some of these works within traditional philological and historical frameworks. Many were, however, taken for granted to be authentic, and no serious research into their authenticity has been conducted. This paper attempts a computational stylometric approach to establish the authenticity of prose commentaries attributed to Śaṅkara. The General Imposters (GI) framework appears to be the most suitable existing method developed for the purpose of verifying authorship. The GI calculates the statistical distance between certain texts' features and estimates whether the disputed text is closer to the candidate author than to a set of texts that may not have been composed by him. The paper also presents a machine-based method for separating the words and resolving the sandhi in the Sanskrit text, crucial for the procedure. The success rate in verifying authors of undisputed texts appears to be acceptable enough to proceed to the next step, where 18 prose commentaries traditionally attributed to Śaṅkara are subjected to the GI verification procedure. The result conforms to the most conservative assessments of Śaṅkara's authorship; GI verified the authenticity of the commentaries on the principal Upaniṣads (with the exception of the commentary on the Śvetāśvataropaniṣad) and on the Bhagavadgītā. Besides these, commentaries on the Nṛsiṃha-(pūrva)-tāpanīyopaniṣad and the Adhyātmapaṭala were, rather unexpectedly, also successfully verified as genuine works of Śaṅkara.

Gacek, T., 'Some Remarks on the Perso-Arabic Nominal Lexica in Bollywood Movie Song Lyrics', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 39–67

The Indian film industry releases thousands of movies every year, with those in the Hindi languag... more The Indian film industry releases thousands of movies every year, with those in the Hindi language forming a significant part of that number. These movies, and the songs used in them, have been the object of research within the scope of various scientific disciplines, including linguistics. The author of the present paper, however, believes that there are still numerous language phenomena to study within the lyrics of the Bollywood songs. The present text is dedicated to research of the Perso-Arabic lexica in these songs over the period of 80 years (1940-2020). It also analyses the frequency of the Perso-Arabic forms as opposed to native Indo-Aryan ones. Particular attention is paid to the forms of the highest frequency, especially the Persian word dil.

Hu, E., 'Study of a Newly Identified Sanskrit Manuscript of the Saptajinastotra', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 69–90

This paper focuses on a newly identified Sanskrit manuscript of the Saptajinastotra (Praise of th... more This paper focuses on a newly identified Sanskrit manuscript of the Saptajinastotra (Praise of the Seven Buddhas) that was found at the Drepung Monastery in Tibet. By providing a critical edition and translation, as well as a comparison of the parallel Tibetan and Chinese texts, it presents the Sanskrit version of T 1682 Qi fo zan bai jia ta 七佛讚唄伽他 for the first time and corrects several mistakes, misspellings and misreadings of the manuscript, Tibetan and Chinese works.

Koniuch, P., 'Cultural Fluctuations of Tibetan Culture in Dharamsala and Their Reception among the Tibetan Exilic Youth', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 91–114

Dharamsala is probably the most known settlement of Tibetans in exile. It is based in India and i... more Dharamsala is probably the most known settlement of Tibetans in exile. It is based in India and is a popular tourist destination, so it is subject to various foreign influences. This paper aims to provide an ethnographic account of selected cases encountered during field studies and their reception among young Tibetans. Some new examples of multiculturalism, global and contemporary Indian influence and commodification of the Tibetan community and their culture will be provided, as well as accounts of interviewees on those phenomena.

Marciniak, K. 'The Story of Mālinī (Mālinī-vastu) in the Mahāvastu', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 115–157

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Katarzyna Marciniak

This paper presents a new edition and translation of the chapter Mālinīvastu as preserved in the ... more This paper presents a new edition and translation of the chapter Mālinīvastu as preserved in the Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit text Mahāvastu, together with a grammatical commentary and some notes on the structure of this chapter. The edition is based on the oldest manuscript of the Mahāvastu, the so-called ms. Sa, which often offers better readings than those proposed by Émile Senart in his editio princeps of the text from 1882-1897.

Mejor, M. 'Sudhana's Encounter with the Lumbinī-vana Goddess, according to the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra'', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 159–197

Two themes are presented in this paper: one concerns the name of the place where, according to tr... more Two themes are presented in this paper: one concerns the name of the place where, according to tradition, the future Buddha was born, Lumbinī-vana, and the other is devoted to the figure of the forest goddess who assisted at the birth, Lumbinī-vana-devatā. The briefly presented survey of the relevant texts attempts to show the increasing role for the Lumbinī grove deity, culminating in chapter 42 of the Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra.

Qiu Y., 'Understanding the Career of Mongolian Speakers in the Mamluk Sultanate: A Comparative Perspective', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 199–228

As an aspect of the linguistic landscape in the Mamluk Sultanate, the role and career of Mongolia... more As an aspect of the linguistic landscape in the Mamluk Sultanate, the role and career of Mongolian speakers remain open to discussion. Through analysis of the primary sources of various genres from different parts of Mongol and post-Mongol Eurasia, this article overviews the Mongolian language and its speakers in the circle of Mamluk Sultan's Court. Furthermore, compared with the Persian and Chinese sources, I try to point out the similarities of Mongolian education in the Mamluk Sultanate and the Mongol Empire. In addition, the complexity of the relationship between language acquisition and knowledge of Mongol history will be discussed.

Sobczyk M., 'The Concept of “Buddha-Nature” in Women’s Salvation and Its Relationship to Japanese Buddhist Teachings on Menstruation', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 229–244

This paper explores one aspect in the evolution of "buddha-nature" (busshō) in Japan within the c... more This paper explores one aspect in the evolution of "buddha-nature" (busshō) in Japan within the context of Buddhist teachings regarding women's salvation. "Buddha-nature", symbolised by the lotus throne where buddhas and bodhisattvas reside, was fused with the notion of menstrual impurity due to syncretism with Shintō beliefs. The introduction of the Bloody Pond Sutra (Ketsubon-kyō) solidified discussions on menstruation's origin, attributing menstrual impurity to women's "mind" poisons. Practical manifestations of this complex idea included wearing chest talismans. This research sheds light on the evolving "Buddha-nature" concept in Japan and its implications for women's spirituality.

Sulich-Cowley M., 'Kauṇḍabhaṭṭa’s View on Negation in the Nañarthanirṇaya of the Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣaṇasāra', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 245–263

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Małgorzata Sulich-Cowley

Studies on negation in the school of Vyākaraṇa have focused on the early period of its developmen... more Studies on negation in the school of Vyākaraṇa have focused on the early period of its development, especially on the interpretation of prasajya and paryudāsa types of negation provided by early commentators starting with Patañjali and elaborated on by Bhartṛhari. The post-Bhartṛhari period requires thorough research when it comes to the theory of meaning and cognition proposed by Indian grammarians. The present article analyses the interpretation of negation proposed by Kauṇḍabhaṭṭa in the Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣaṇasāra and shows it against the background of theory of negation that had been developing for centuries within the school of Vyākaraṇa.

Tieken H., 'Kauṇḍabhaṭṭa’s View on Negation in the Nañarthanirṇaya of the Vaiyākaraṇabhūṣaṇasāra', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 36 (2023), 265–297

This article aims to show that the term vīthī, the tenth in the daśarūpa list of plays found in t... more This article aims to show that the term vīthī, the tenth in the daśarūpa list of plays found in the early dramatic treatises, does not refer to a play but to a number of small-scale dramatic scenes. As such, the vīthī is an exception in the list, which otherwise is made up of fully-fledged plays. However, as a collection of scenes, it does form a group with numbers 8 and 9, the prahasana and bhāṇa, each of which has two lives, namely as complete plays and as scenes within plays. The vīthī plays we have are all late reconstructions based on the general characteristics mentioned in the dramatic treatises. In some of the treatises the daśarūpa list is extended by the lāsya, another term designating a number of minor dramatic scenes which involve singing and dancing. It will be argued that the lāsya-as well as another set of minor dramatic types, the uparūpakas-came to be included into the dramatic theory through its occurrence within the nāṭikā, a type of play that is presented as a mixture of the nāṭaka and prakaraṇa, numbers 1 and 2 in the daśarūpa list, and was consequently not counted separately. It will furthermore be shown that the daśarūpa list consists of three clearly distinct groups, namely of 1-2 (nāṭaka, prakaraṇa and supernumerary nāṭikā) and 8-10 (prahasana, bhāṇa and vīthī), separated by a group of five types of play (3-7) dealing with battle and its aftermath. Of the latter five no early, classical examples have come down to us; apparently their topics have fallen outside the sphere of interest of the kāvya literary tradition.

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 35 (2022)

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia, Nicolas Levi, and Malgorzata Wielinska-Soltwedel

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 35, 2022

This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuv... more This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuvābhyudaya, authored by Rājanātha Ḍiṇḍima ca. 1480 ad, to eulogise Sāḷuva Narasiṃha, the soon-to-be founder of the Sāḷuva dynasty of Vijayanagara. Focusing on the poem's second canto, which is built on the theme of divine intervention culminating in the miraculous conception of the future, I argue that depiction of Sāḷuva Narasiṃha as the Ahobilanarasiṃha incarnate-a rather locally known form of Narasiṃha presiding over a Vaishnava religious centre in Ahobilam (currently Andhra Pradesh)-was aimed at enunciating his martial power and justifying his claims to the Vijayanagara throne, while simultaneously revealing the growing interests of Vijayanagara rulers in cooperating with temples and religious institutions.

Dębicka-Borek E., 'On Poetic Modes of Glorifying a Ruler and Telling His Past The Sāḷuvābhyudaya Narrative on Sāḷuva Narasiṃha the Ahobilanarasiṃha Incarnate', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 5–38

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Ewa Dębicka-Borek

This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuv... more This paper discusses the poetic modes of recounting the past in a Sanskrit mahākāvya titled Sāḷuvābhyudaya, authored by Rājanātha Ḍiṇḍima ca. 1480 ad, to eulogise Sāḷuva Narasiṃha, the soon-to-be founder of the Sāḷuva dynasty of Vijayanagara. Focusing on the poem's second canto, which is built on the theme of divine intervention culminating in the miraculous conception of the future, I argue that depiction of Sāḷuva Narasiṃha as the Ahobilanarasiṃha incarnate-a rather locally known form of Narasiṃha presiding over a Vaishnava religious centre in Ahobilam (currently Andhra Pradesh)-was aimed at enunciating his martial power and justifying his claims to the Vijayanagara throne, while simultaneously revealing the growing interests of Vijayanagara rulers in cooperating with temples and religious institutions.

Hartmann J.-U., Maue D., 'Ein sanskrit-uigurisches Fragment der Tridaṇḍamālā in Brāhmī-Schrift: Reedition des Texts TT VIII D', , Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 39–130

The subject of this article, a manuscript rediscovered during the First Prussian Turfan Expeditio... more The subject of this article, a manuscript rediscovered during the First Prussian Turfan Expedition, was the first sample of the then unknown Uigur variety of the Brāhmī script, whose decipherment was greatly facilitated by its bi-linguality, with Sanskrit as the source language. Though a whole series of scholars have dealt intensively with the text, it has not been possible to assign it to a specific work. Recently, however, a parallel has been found in the Tridaṇḍamālā, a collection of ritual texts in forty chapters, each consisting of a sūtra framed by stanzas. The fragmentary Sanskrit-Uigur bilingual preserves part of chapter 5. Here, the text of both languages is edited, translated and commented on (§ 3), preceded by the history of research (§ 1) and a short introduction to the Tridaṇḍamālā (§ 2), followed by the graphematical profile of the manuscript (§ 4) and glossaries (§ 5).

Kania S.-J., 'How Do the Cārvākas/Lokāyatas Fit into Udayana's Statement of Universal Worship? On Nyāyakusumâñjali 17,3: loka-vyavahāra-siddha iti cārvākāḥ', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 131–154

In his influential work concerned with rational argumentation in defence of Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika theis... more In his influential work concerned with rational argumentation in defence of Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika theism, the Nyāya-kusumâñjali, Udayana (10th-11th cent.) makes a puzzling claim that all seekers of puruṣârtha, theist or not, worship God, albeit under a different form or name. Included in the provided enumeration of different traditions of Indian thought is the irreligious school of the Cārvākas (also known as the Lokāyatas), declared by Udayana to be worshipping God as loka-vyavahāra-siddha (lit. '(the) established by common usage'). In this paper, I attempt to shed light on the meaning behind both loka-vyavahāra-siddha and the statement of universal worship as a whole. Specifically, I argue that Udayana imposes on non-theists and atheists the need to resort to (broadly understood) belief, and in the case of the Cārvākas/Lokāyatas this is manifested in their acceptance of everyday inference warranted by mere common usage. I reject the interpretations by Udayana's commentators and by the modern scholar of Indian materialism, Ramkrishna Bhattacharya.

Liu Z., 'New Manuscript Evidence for Suprabhātastava by Śrīharṣadeva: The Drepung Texts critically examined', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 155–200

The Suprabhātastava is one of the two hymns ascribed to King Śrīharṣadeva (c. 590-647 ce), who ru... more The Suprabhātastava is one of the two hymns ascribed to King Śrīharṣadeva (c. 590-647 ce), who ruled over Kannauj. There are five modern editions of this text, which roughly follow eight extant Sanskrit manuscripts and a Tibetan translation. Recently, scholars discovered two unknown Sanskrit manuscripts of the text in Drepung Monastery. One of them has unique contents and readings. For this reason, the present article compares the said manuscript with other extant versions. In this respect, the article demonstrates that the newly discovered manuscripts belong to a different transmission lineage. Moreover, the article discusses the authorship and genre of the Suprabhātastava.

Riotto M., 'Notes on a Lost Book: Philological Questions and Symbols of the Sui-jŏn', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 201–231

This article deals with Sui-jŏn, an almost unknown work not only in the West but also scarcely st... more This article deals with Sui-jŏn, an almost unknown work not only in the West but also scarcely studied in Korea itself. Written most likely between the 10th and 12th centuries, on the basis of older, unidentifiable sources, the Sui-jŏn appears to have been primarily a collection of fantastic tales. Today it is largely lost, but its partial reconstruction is possible through various fragments reported in later works. Precisely on the basis of these fragments, in the first part this article attempts to reconstruct, as far as possible, what must have been the nature of the book, its author, its genesis, its dating. In the second part, the symbology of some natural elements that appear in the fragments of the work is spoken of. It is a symbolism that belongs, in similar forms, to many cultures of the world, but which in the case of Korea becomes, in its presentation, a real milestone, being present in the oldest Korean work of its kind that came down to us, although partially.

Schneider, J., 'Synonyme in der Mahāvyutpatti. Zum Verständnis der mit (ma) 'dom na gebildeten Einträge', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 233–262

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Johannes Schneider

At the beginning of the 9th century, official guidelines for translating Indian texts into Tibeta... more At the beginning of the 9th century, official guidelines for translating Indian texts into Tibetan were issued. A Sanskrit-Tibetan dictionary, called Mahāvyutpatti, was also compiled at that time: its approximately 9,500 entries had a lasting influence on Tibetan lexicography. For many Sanskrit words, the Mahāvyutpatti offers several possible translations (synonyms). This paper deals with entries which characterise synonyms by means of the terms ʼdom na and ma ʼdom na. The structure and function of these definitions are examined in detail, the text of the critical edition by Ishihama and Fukuda (published in 1989) is corrected if necessary. In fact, these definitions follow a general rule given in the Sgra-sbyor-bam-po-gnyis-pa: literal translations should only be used if in the context (ʼdom na) synonyms are given that enable an easy understanding; if not (ma ʼdom na), more common but less precise renderings should be chosen from the outset. The Tibetan equivalents marked with ʼdom na are very often loan translations: as a rule, they render the traditional etymologies of the underlying Sanskrit words quite exactly. However, they are often difficult to understand, especially in Tibet, outside the Indian context from which they originated. Thus ma ʼdom na and ʼdom na are tags referring to the usage of the words in question. Except for minor irregularities these prescriptions are confirmed by findings from the ʼDul ba, the Tibetan version of the Vinaya. This shows that the rules in the Mahāvyutpatti are consistent with the older canonical literature. The (ma) ʼdom na entries in the Mahāvyutpatti thus provide important clues to the historical development of the vocabulary of classical Tibetan.

Trynkowska A., 'Pigeons and Doves in Classical Sanskrit Literature', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 263–280

The main aim of the present study is to indicate the most salient elements of the image of pigeon... more The main aim of the present study is to indicate the most salient elements of the image of pigeons and doves in Classical Sanskrit literature (kāvya). The author has identified three groups of such elements, which are dealt with in three separate sections of the paper: pigeons and doves are discussed as birds closely associated with humans, as well as symbols of love and sorrow. With the help of this information, in another section of the paper, selected kāvya stanzas featuring pigeons or doves are analysed in more detail.

Wang A, 'Cliché-ridden Online Danmei Fiction? A Case Study of Tianguan ci fu', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 281–314

Popular literature online is often misconstrued as being cliché-ridden and formulaic, and has thu... more Popular literature online is often misconstrued as being cliché-ridden and formulaic, and has thus not attained as much critical attention as 'serious' literature. I propound that popular literature published in China's cyberspace deserves more attention and hermeneutic scrutiny, and I place an emphasis on danmei (耽美) fiction that features male-male romantic and/or erotic relationships and is predominantly published on a female-oriented website called Jinjiang Literature City. In this research, I investigate an online danmei novel entitled Tianguan ci fu (天官赐福) that concerns a homosexual romance against a background of 'immortality cultivation' (xiuxian 修仙 or xiuzhen 修真), which had been maintaining the highest ranking on readers' voting list since its release on Jinjiang Literature City in 2017. I postulate that Tianguan ci fu does not deploy clichéd plots pertaining to quasi-heterosexual relationships, which frequently occur in danmei fiction. Apart from conveying the theme of love, the narrative concerns the complexity of human nature via an array of characters possessing multifaceted personality traits. More significantly, with a setting of mortal and immortal realms, the narrative entails religious ideologies, especially the indigenous Daoist ascension, mortality-immorality polarity and yin-yang integration. Furthermore, ethic-religious Confucian precepts such as benevolence and filial piety are also demonstrated, along with the Sinicised Buddhist creeds of reincarnation and retribution, which embodies the amalgamation of (sub)religions as a preponderant ideal of 'the unity of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism' (san jiao he yi 三教合一). Therefore, analysing this exemplary online novel can shed light on (a)theistic attitudes adopted by creators and consumers of Internet danmei literature.

Zin M., 'Nagarjunakonda: Monasteries and Their School Affiliations', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 35 (2022), 315–344

Narrative representations have not been found in all Buddhist monasteries. In some areas, for ins... more Narrative representations have not been found in all Buddhist monasteries. In some areas, for instance in the region of modern Sannati in ancient Āndhradeśa, only one stūpa, known today as Kanaganahalli, was decorated with opulent narrative reliefs, while the others display none at all. It appears that some Buddhist schools were interested in narrative representations while others were not. The area now known as Nagarjunakonda-the historical Vijayapurī of the Ikṣvāku dynasty in the 3rd century ce-offers the best opportunity to investigate which monasteries the narrative reliefs came from. Among the approximately 40 Buddhist complexes that have been excavated, some of which actually name the schools the resident monks belonged to, and which were built following different layouts, all narrative reliefs were discovered in only a few of the complexes. All of these complexes show a very similar layout with a stūpa outside the monks' cells, which are positioned in a U-shape, and two apsidal temples facing each other. One of these complexes gives the name of the related school as Aparamahāvinaśaila. It seems that this school was one of those interested in narrative representations, while all the others mentioned in inscriptions at Nagarjunakonda (Theravādins, Mahīśāsakas, and Bahuśrutīyas) were not.

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 34 (2021)

by Xiaoqiang Meng and Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia

although the androgynous form of Viṣṇu is little known, some stone and metal sculptures as well a... more although the androgynous form of Viṣṇu is little known, some stone and metal sculptures as well as painted scrolls of the deity have been discovered in nepal, kashmir, rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. this paper discusses literary and epigraphical references to this deity starting from the ninth century ce. It then presents additional materials from Nepal which suggest that this deity has been continuously worshipped in Nepal from at least the eleventh century down to modern times. It also gathers information to show that this composite form of lakṣmī and Viṣṇu is still worshiped in Bengal, odisha, and rajasthan. even more importantly, it reports on a tantric text surviving in a palm-leaf manuscript dated to nepal saṃvat 372 (equivalent 1252 ce) that focusses exclusively on the eight-armed androgynous form of Viṣṇu, and narrates some selected themes from this text.

Wielińska-Soltwedel, M., 'Editorial', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 5

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Malgorzata Wielinska-Soltwedel

Acharya, D., 'The androgynous Form of Viṣṇu and the yet unpublished Vāsudevakalpa', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 7–27

Although the androgynous form of Viṣṇu is little known, some stone and metal sculptures as well a... more Although the androgynous form of Viṣṇu is little known, some stone and metal sculptures as well as painted scrolls of the deity have been discovered in nepal, kashmir, rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. this paper discusses literary and epigraphical references to this deity starting from the ninth century ce. It then presents additional materials from Nepal which suggest that this deity has been continuously worshipped in Nepal from at least the eleventh century down to modern times. It also gathers information to show that this composite form of lakṣmī and Viṣṇu is still worshiped in Bengal, odisha, and rajasthan. even more importantly, it reports on a tantric text surviving in a palm-leaf manuscript dated to nepal saṃvat 372 (equivalent 1252 ce) that focusses exclusively on the eight-armed androgynous form of Viṣṇu, and narrates some selected themes from this text.

Cielas, H., 'Elements of Animate and Inanimate Nature in the Practice of Avadhāna', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 29–49

This paper focuses on the practice of avadhāna, which is based on highly developed cognitive skil... more This paper focuses on the practice of avadhāna, which is based on highly developed cognitive skills (ability to concentrate, memory) and showcasing of manifold strengths and knowledge during partially improvised spectacles. Various challenges to be met involve the elements of animate and inanimate nature. The main purpose of the article is to investigate the occurrence of these components and their role in the avadhāna, as well as to examine the possible sources of specialised knowledge in equinology (aśvaśāstra), elephant lore (gajaśāstra) and visual poetry (citrakāvya) required from the avadhāna performers.

Deeg, M., 'Indian Regional nāga Cults and Individual nāga Stories in Chinese buddhist Travelogues', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 51–78

this paper attempts to link the archaeological and epigraphic evidence of nāga veneration in sout... more this paper attempts to link the archaeological and epigraphic evidence of nāga veneration in south asia (Mathurā, ajaṇṭā) with the textual sources about nāgas and their veneration from the chinese Buddhist travelogues (Faxian, xuanzang). as a specific case study, the information about the nāga dadhikarṇa attested in Mathurā is compared with Faxian's description of the cult of the nāga 'white-ear' in sāṅkāśya and other texts referring to rituals or festivals dedicated to nāgas.

Levi, N., Husarski, R., 'Buddha under Control. buddhism's Legacy in North Korea', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 79–96

This paper explores the significance of the legacy of Buddhism in north korea. our primary concer... more This paper explores the significance of the legacy of Buddhism in north korea. our primary concerns in the north korean context are twofold: the presence of Buddhism in north korean culture and the role of Buddhism in north korea cultural and propaganda policy. we argue that the religious revival in north korea seen from the 1970s onwards was part of a project created by the workers' Party of korea and had certain political goals. Fieldwork and analysis of sources revealed that the north korean state has used Buddhism to repair the country's international image by creating a facade of religious freedom to promote tourism and as a part of policies towards unification. while seemingly peripheral, Buddhism still has relevance at state and social levels in north korea.

Luo, H., 'The Karmabhedavastu of Guṇaprabha's Vinayasūtra, ', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 97–143

The karmabhedavastu is the fourteenth chapter of guṇaprabha's Vinayasūtra. It concerns disputes r... more The karmabhedavastu is the fourteenth chapter of guṇaprabha's Vinayasūtra. It concerns disputes related to ecclesiastical acts in the buddhist monastic community. The chapter consists of two sections, which are collected from different texts of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya corpus. a first critical edition of the sanskrit text of the karmabhedavastu, the tibetan translations in the bstan 'gyur, and an annotated translation are the main contributions of this paper.

Łucyszyna, O., 'Sāṃkhya on the Validity (prāmāṇya) and Invalidity (aprāmāṇya) of Cognition', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 145–176

one of the well-known polemics of indian thought, in which many darśanas participated, is concern... more one of the well-known polemics of indian thought, in which many darśanas participated, is concerned with the problem of the validity (prāmāṇya) and invalidity (aprāmāṇya) of cognition (jñāna). the problem has two main aspects: the origination and ascertainment of validity and invalidity. Mādhava's Sarvadarśanasaṃgraha and other external sources attribute to sāṃkhya (a tradition of thought recognising the authority of the Vedas) the view that both validity and invalidity are intrinsic, and many researchers hold that this view is sāṃkhyan. in this article, i reconstruct the sāṃkhya view on validity and invalidity of cognition on the basis of classical and postclassical sāṃkhya texts, that is, all extant sāṃkhya texts from Īśvarakṛṣṇa's Sāṃkhyakārikā to Aniruddha's Sāṃkhyasūtravṛtti. i come to the conclusion that the sāṃkhya view is different from the view attributed to sāṃkhya. according to sāṃkhya texts, validity is intrinsic and invalidity is extrinsic in terms of both origination and ascertainment. Keywords: sāṃkhya, means of valid cognition (pramāṇa), validity (prāmāṇya) and invalidity (aprāmāṇya) of cognition (jñāna), intrinsic (svatas) validity, extrinsic (paratas) invalidity ołena łUcyszyna, Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of sciences, warsaw;

Marciniak, A., 'The thirty-two Marks of a great Man in two Metrical Lists in the Mahāvastu', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 177–204

The paper presents an edition, translation, and analysis of two metrical lists of the major marks... more The paper presents an edition, translation, and analysis of two metrical lists of the major marks of a great Man (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), which occur in the Mahāvastu. the lists consist of one-word designations pertaining to particular features. The edition is based on the oldest manuscript of the Mahāvastu, the so-called Ms. sa, which offers better readings than those proposed by Émile Senart in his editio princeps of the text from 1882-1897.

Meng, X., 'A Preliminary study of the dunhuang Tibetan Fragments of the Mūlasarvāstivāda-Ekottarakarmaśataka (i): Tarjanīyakarman', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 205–241

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Xiaoqiang Meng

This paper identifies a lost old tibetan version of the Mūlasarvāstivāda-Ekottarakarmaśataka (her... more This paper identifies a lost old tibetan version of the Mūlasarvāstivāda-Ekottarakarmaśataka (hereafter, ek) as preserved in dunhuang tibetan fragments. it firstly gives a brief introduction to the related tibetan manuscripts Pelliot tibétain 945 and indian office library tibetan j 596, and then analyses the textual nature of the old tibetan version of the ek preserved in these manuscripts by comparing with its cognate Chinese version, i.e., Genbenshuoyiqieyoubu baiyijiemo 根本說一切有部百一羯磨 (t 1453) translated by yi jing 義淨 (635-713 ce). Then, it focuses on the passage of the tarjanīyakarman (tib. bsdigs pa'i las, Chin. 令怖羯磨), one of the ecclesiastical rituals for punishment in the Buddhist order, as seen in the old tibetan version of the ek. it reveals that the tarjanīyakarman passage therein is textually related to, even derived mutatis mutandis from, Pāṇḍulohitakavastu. in sum, this paper introduces for the first time the 'true' tibetan version of the ek long forgotten yet preserved in dunhuang, and attempts to show its affiliation with the Mūlasarvāstivāda tradition.

Monkiewicz, M., 'Calendrical Terminology in the Early Vedic Astronomical Treatises of the Jyotiṣavedāṅga', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 243–261

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Marta Monkiewicz

Knowledge of Vedic time reckoning was preserved in the Ṛk-and Yajurveda recensions of the Jyotiṣa... more Knowledge of Vedic time reckoning was preserved in the Ṛk-and Yajurveda recensions of the Jyotiṣavedāṅga. Most of the verses of the two treatises convey the same meaning and provide a lecture on the measurement of time and its division. some basic mathematical operations are also applied in order to calculate specific data important for the performance of Vedic ritual. this paper discusses some of the stanzas and examines the terminology applied for the sake of time reckoning.

Pan, T., 'Tocharian A ārkiśoṣi ‘world with radiance’ and Chinese suo po shi jie ‘world of sabhā’', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 263–294

Tocharian A ārkiśoṣi 'world with radiance' and Chinese suo po shi jie 'world of sabhā' tao Pan Ab... more Tocharian A ārkiśoṣi 'world with radiance' and Chinese suo po shi jie 'world of sabhā' tao Pan Abstract: this article provides an explanation for the single and puzzling tocharian b 1 gloss śaiṣṣe 'world' (instead of tocharian a ārkiśoṣi) for sanskrit jagat-'world' on a sanskrit fragment sHt 4438 with all the other glosses in tocharian a. Based on a detailed study of the sanskrit and chinese texts, tocharian a ārkiśoṣi is very likely the loan translation of sanskrit sābhāloka(dhātu)-'a world with radiance', which is preserved in the chinese translations by kumārajīva and other translators connected with kucha. in the kucha area, the first part sābhāwas understood as containing-(ā) bhā-'radiance'. Buddhist sanskrit sa(b)hāloka(dhātu)-is built from sa(b)hāpati-'master of sa(b)hā world', epithet of the highest divinity Brahmā in the sahāloka-, which derives via Middle Indic from the older epithet sabhāpati-'owner of the assembly hall' in Atharvaveda. The excursus at the end offers a glimpse into the complicated transmission process of Chinese buddhist terminology based on the analysis of Chinese sha men 'monk' and he shang 'teacher, monk'.

Pierdominici, L., 'A New House for the God in Tenkasi: divine dreams and kings in 15th-16th-century Pāṇṭiya inscriptions and sanskrit courtly Production', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 295–312

This paper is devoted to a parallel study of the 15th-century tamil inscriptions from the kāśīviś... more This paper is devoted to a parallel study of the 15th-century tamil inscriptions from the kāśīviśvanātha temple in tenkasi (tamil nadu), describing the circumstances and building phases of this shrine, together with a modified retelling of the same episode by a 16th-century mahākāvya, the Pāṇḍyakulodaya. The comparative study of these passages aims to highlight significant changes in the traditional institution of Indian royal patronage. It will also enable considerations on the revolutionary transition in the description of the Pāṇṭiya kingship in the 16th century, marked by the rise of a new ideological idiom expressed by the Pāṇḍyakulodaya.

Stöcker-Parnian, B., 'The tomb inscription for liu zhi at the end of the Qing Period (1910). Commemoration of an Islamic Scholar by a Traditional Inscription to Support Modernisation', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 313–327

In 1910, a new stone stele engraved with a commemoration inscription was erected near the tomb of... more In 1910, a new stone stele engraved with a commemoration inscription was erected near the tomb of liu zhi 劉智 in nanjing. the reason for establishing such a classical stele for this famous Muslim scholar of the 17th/18th centuries will be discussed in this article, and also the intention of the initiators of the stone inscription and of jin ding 金鼎 (died 1922), the composer of the text. For a better understanding of the text and in view of the lack of english translations of chinese islamic inscriptions, the whole text is finally translated and commented upon.

Urbańska, H., 'The Twilight Language of Siddhas and Sanskrit Figures of Speech in Viśākha Ṣaṣṭi', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 329–355

The paper is an attempt to analyse the Viśākhaṣaṣṭi-the collection of sixty stanzas praising lord... more The paper is an attempt to analyse the Viśākhaṣaṣṭi-the collection of sixty stanzas praising lord Murukan of Paḻani temple composed by nārāyaṇa guru-the mystic, philosopher and social reformer from kerala. several stanzas of this mysterious hymn (22, 37, 39, 52, 55) have been selected as representative of guru's style of writing characteristic of compositions devoted to subrahmaṇyan. nārāyaṇan introduces to his works the twilight language of siddhas supported with a variety of figures of speech borrowed from sanskrit kāvya literature. An elaborate and highly sophisticated mixture of these two literary and philosophical traditions became the means by which guru releases the liberating power of each independent literary construction.

Wang, A., 'Breaking an Eagle and Pick-up artists in a Chinese Context', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 34 (2021), 357–375

in this paper, i analyse a thought-provoking 1986 novella concerning falconry from a contemporary... more in this paper, i analyse a thought-provoking 1986 novella concerning falconry from a contemporary perspective. Breaking an Eagle depicts a process during which a recalcitrant and adamantine wild falcon is tamed into an acquiescent hunting tool through a series of manoeuvres that annihilate its willpower. I propound this is analogous to a phenomenon dubbed 'Pua' that is permeating every section of contemporary chinese society. as a cultural import from the us, the terminology Pua (Pick-up artist) in the Chinese context preserves its original meaning regarding heterosexual courtships and entanglements, yet more significantly, it constructs novel connotations pertaining to emotional coercion and exploitation in the workplace. Parallel to the mentally manipulated and physically abused falcon depicted in the novella, the confidence and assertiveness of victims of interpersonal and workplace Pua are extirpated, bombarded with perpetual censure and nefarious carrot-and-stick approaches.

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 33 (2020)

This paper offers a brief insight into the history and culture of Pancasila. Called the Indonesia... more This paper offers a brief insight into the history and culture of Pancasila. Called the Indonesian National Philosophy, in force since 1945, it aims to embrace all aspects of life, to provide tolerance and justice in Indonesia to all. Since independence, however, Indonesia has been struggling with intractable problems of religious intolerance and minority communities, despite a functioning democracy today. Pancasila stems from compromises and alliances between the different major religious communities, both Muslim and non-Muslim, but which cause social exclusion of some groups at the same time. For years, during the presidency of Soekarno and Suharto, it served as a political tool to ensure relative peace and control in the state, and today seems to be only a set of phrases repeated in Indonesia without further reflection on their content.

Gląb, K. M., 'The Culture of Pancasila. An Indonesian concept that fuses the impossible, Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 33 (2020), 5–22

This paper offers a brief insight into the history and culture of Pancasila. Called the Indonesia... more This paper offers a brief insight into the history and culture of Pancasila. Called the Indonesian National Philosophy, in force since 1945, it aims to embrace all aspects of life, to provide tolerance and justice in Indonesia to all. Since independence, however, Indonesia has been struggling with intractable problems of religious intolerance and minority communities, despite a functioning democracy today. Pancasila stems from compromises and alliances between the different major religious communities, both Muslim and non-Muslim, but which cause social exclusion of some groups at the same time. For years, during the presidency of Soekarno and Suharto, it served as a political tool to ensure relative peace and control in the state, and today seems to be only a set of phrases repeated in Indonesia without further reflection on their content.

Han, S., '"Peking Opera Houses" and "Jiqing Opera Exchange" in the Modern Stage Market in China', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 33 (2020), 23–38

In the sixth year of the Tongzhi (1867), "Peking Opera Houses" and the "Jiqing Opera Exchange" em... more In the sixth year of the Tongzhi (1867), "Peking Opera Houses" and the "Jiqing Opera Exchange" emerged in Shanghai and Guangdong separately, changing the course of Chinese opera history and marking the emergence of a modern stage market in China. As transaction intermediaries of the market, they had an irreplaceable role and meaning in the development of the Peking Opera and the Cantonese Opera. This study argues that they profoundly reflect the influence of the capitalist market economy on Chinese traditional culture in the early age of globalisation and have an important historical position in the history of the modern stage market in China.

Levi, N., 'North Korean orphans in Polish Belles-lettres and literature: An overview'', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 33 (2020), 39–53

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Nicolas Levi

Between 1953 and 1959, more than four thousand North Korean orphans were sent to Poland. Their st... more

Gutowski, K., 'Center and Periphery in the Hymns of the Atharvaveda. Analysis of Image Schemas in Ancient Magic-religious Text', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 33 (2020), 55–72

The aim of the paper is to apply the cognitive theory of image schemas in the field of Vedic stud... more The aim of the paper is to apply the cognitive theory of image schemas in the field of Vedic studies. The study is based on analysis of selected magical formulas of the Atharvaveda. In the paper the possible presence of the CENTER-PERIPHERY image schema in the Atharvavedic formulas is considered. The conclusion is that the application of cognitive linguistics in Vedic studies can enrich our interpretations and understanding of Vedic worldview.

Marinescu, V., Rodidea, A., Dumitrache, T., A., 'Building a Cultural Superpower: The Impact of South Korean Popular Culture in Romania', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 33 (2020), 73–87

In this article, we examine how South Korean cultural exports have been adopted in Romania, but o... more

Zygadlo, P., 'Perception of space and the evolution of the Chinese psyche', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 33 (2020), 89–102

This paper is intended as an investigation of the conceptualisation of space in the Chinese conte... more This paper is intended as an investigation of the conceptualisation of space in the Chinese context. It takes the Kantian "form of sensibility" as a basic framework for the analysis of the specific linguistic and spatial representation of space. Through this investigation, it tries to establish how this accumulated perception emerged and in what relationship it remains with physical and imagined space. In conclusion, it will argue that despite numerous changes and adaptations, core perception remains relatively intact and as such, determines the uniqueness of Chinese psyche and its relation with the spatiality.

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 32 (2019)

Kim Jong Un in 2015 asserted North Korean institutional desire for the generation of "Forests of ... more Kim Jong Un in 2015 asserted North Korean institutional desire for the generation of "Forests of Gold." Forestry practice has been a vital element in North Korean developmental culture since its foundation in 1948. This paper will recount the forest histories of North Korean political and developmental culture. It will consider the interplay between nationalism, identity and narrative and the nation's forests, especially the role they have played within North Korea's sense of the authenticity of its own topography. The paper will consider Pyongyang's forest present, and contemporary focus on afforestation and arboreal practice in today's North Korea.

Winstanley-Chesters R., 'Forests in Pyongyang’s web of life: trees, history and politics in North Korea', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 5–23

Kim Jong Un in 2015 asserted North Korean institutional desire for the generation of “Forests of ... more Kim Jong Un in 2015 asserted North Korean institutional desire for the generation of “Forests of Gold.” Forestry practice has been a vital element in North Korean developmental culture since its foundation in 1948. This paper will recount the forest histories of North Korean political and developmental culture. It will consider the interplay between nationalism, identity and narrative and the nation’s forests, especially the role they have played within North Korea’s sense of the authenticity of its own topography. The paper will consider Pyongyang’s forest present, and contemporary focus on afforestation and arboreal practice in today’s North Korea.

Zabrovskaia L., 'Russia’s position on Korean conceptions of reunification', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 25–42

The article is devoted to analysis of the Russian position on this issue of Korean reunification ... more The article is devoted to analysis of the Russian position on this issue of Korean reunification and how it is conceptualized on the divided peninsular. It uses a comparative analysis of North and South conceptions of the reunification process and posits that the conceptions of both sides are moving closer to each other by step to step. The USSR authorities supported all North Korean ideas on methods for Korean reunification, but did not approve of North Korean plans to escalate tensions in South Korea. In contrast, authorities of the Russian Federation prefer to conduct a pragmatic policy and pursue a policy of supporting peaceful and democratic processes towards Korean reunification. The Russian authorities are also attentive to the steps taken by South Korea regarding the North. Such a policy helps the Russian Federation preserve peace and the status quo on her Far Eastern frontiers.

Streifer B., Sabitov I., 'Vindicating the USS Swordfish', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 43–60

In response to the North Korean seizure of the U.S. spy ship Pueblo, an armada of ships and subs ... more In response to the North Korean seizure of the U.S. spy ship Pueblo, an armada of ships and subs were sent into the Sea of Japan, including the USS Swordfish, a nuclear-powered submarine. Unfortunately, while conducting a covert surveillance operation off the coast of Vladivostok, Swordfish‘s mast struck a block of ice. So she departed the area for the U.S. Naval Base at Yokosuka, Japan for repairs. When tthe Russians saw a photo of the damaged Swordfish in a Japanese newspaper, they (wrongly) assumed the damage resulted from a collision with their nuclear-armed submarine K-129.

Kim N., 'Discourse on motherhood and childrearing: the role of women in North Korea', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 61–79

The implementation of socialism in North Korea required the large-scale involvement of women in e... more The implementation of socialism in North Korea required the large-scale involvement of women in economic relations. In order to align the rights of women and men in social life, the government pursued a policy of gender equality, conducting extensive advocacy among the female population aimed at a transformation of the understanding of women’s social roles and the nature of femininity. In the original context of women being encouraged to be workers and passionate contributors to the construction of the socialist state, the traditional stance on women as caring mothers and wives was supplemented with internationalist rhetoric on womanhood. However, with the transition to the Juche-oriented socialism, the discourse on women was modified, increasing the emphasis on motherhood and childrearing and reducing internationalism. Based on an analysis of the women’s magazine The Korean Woman (Joseon Nyeoseong), the present study analyses discourses on motherhood and childrearing in 21st century North Korea. The preliminary results of the research show that, while motherhood remains an essential component of the discourse on women, it is formulated in terms of building a powerful socialist state.

Calvo R., 'Parallel development and humanitarian crisis in North Korea, a case of extremes', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 81–98

North Korea often tries to hide the results of decades of communist authoritarian leadership and ... more North Korea often tries to hide the results of decades of communist authoritarian leadership and economic mismanagement. The military-first policy has caused a lack of economic development and half of the population is living in miserable conditions, suffering an acute humanitarian crisis. The UN has called for urgent aid, but to avoid it from being diverted into the military sector and the elite, it should be channeled directly to the vulnerable population and flow independently of the denuclearisation talks. There is a need of active diplomacy, international cooperation and engagement to enhance the standard of living of the North Korean people.

Levi N., 'A historical approach to the leadership of the Organisation and Guidance Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 99–115

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Nicolas Levi

A historical approach to the leadership of the Organisation and Guidance Department of the Worker... more

Dobrzeniecki I., 'Juche ideology in Africa: its origins & development', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 117-137

During the decolonisation of Africa between the 1950s and 1960s, the newly independent countries ... more During the decolonisation of Africa between the 1950s and 1960s, the newly independent countries looked for state-building ideas. Africa in this period of history was also a battleground of ideologies, which were represented by the Global Powers – the US and western states; the USSR and its allies, such as North Korea. Due to some aspects of socialism, like anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism, these kind of ideologies found fertile ground. One of them was also the Juche, which was promoted by North Korea. During many years until today many offshoots of this ideology have taken roots in Africa.

Tokarski S., Book review 1: Grażyna Strnad, 'Korea. Polityka Południa wobec Północy w latach 1948-2008, Zmiana i kontynuacja', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 139-141

Levi N., Book review 2: Ra Jong-yil. The Rise and Sudden Fall of JANG SONG-THAEK', Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia 32 (2019), 143-146

by Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia and Nicolas Levi

Acta Asiatica Varsoviensia vol. 31 (2018)

By exploring the institutional and political fishing histories of North Korea, this paper traces ... more By exploring the institutional and political fishing histories of North Korea, this paper traces developments in interactions with the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Drawing on newly found archival material from the Russian State Archive of the Economy and the Soviet Union's Ministry of Fisheries Archive, the paper considers the reality of such encounters. In particular it analyses research exchanges between North Korea and the Soviet Union, the security paradoxes created by these as well as interactions between North Korean and the Soviet Union in the Sea of Okhotsk. Fish, Fisheries Researchers and Fishing Technologies are certainly vibrant, active, lively matters in the landscapes of exchange between these two nations and their complex relationships of socialist fraternity.