Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished dataDuka, Tivadar
History
Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished data
Duka, Tivadar
Kőrösi Csoma, Sándor, 1784-1842
It may be fitting to add here a few notes on the systems of reckoning
time in use among the Tibetans, which the author noticed at page 147 of
the appendix to his Grammar.
The Tibetans derived their astronomical and astrological knowledge, not
from India only, but also from the Chinese people.
The mode of reckoning, according to the Indian system, is called by
them “Karçis,” that derived from China, “Nakçis.” On both these systems
are to be found numerous works in the Tibetan language.
The most common mode of reckoning time, especially in calculating the
years of the present generation, or of determining the age of an
individual, is that by the cycle of twelve years, in which each year is
designated by the name of an animal, in this manner:—
Tibetan. English.
1. byi-lo the mouse-year.
2. glang-lo ,, ox-year.
3. stag-lo ,, tiger-year.
4. yos-lo ,, hare-year.
5. hbrug-lo ,, dragon-year.
6. sbrul-lo ,, serpent-year.
7. rta-lo ,, horse-year.
8. lug-lo ,, sheep-year.
9. spré-lo ,, ape-year.
10. bya-lo ,, bird-year.
11. khyi-lo ,, dog-year.
12. phag-lo ,, hog-year.
But in books, in correspondence, and in every transaction of greater
importance, the use of the cycle of sixty years has been adopted; and
this system is twofold, the Indian and the Chinese.
The years of the Indian cycle, prevalent south of the Nermada river,
exactly coincide with the Tibetan era, the Sanskrit names having been
translated literally, but the Tibetans count the commencement of their
first cycle from A.D. 1026; the Indians, on the contrary, date theirs
from the Kaliyuga, and sometimes from the reign of Salivahana.
The Tibetans, like the Chinese, divide each year into lunar months,
calling them first, second, third month, &c. During the period of each
lunar cycle, which corresponds to nineteen solar years, they insert
seven intercalary months, generally one in every third year, to make
them agree with the solar years. In this manner the calculation exactly
corresponds with the luni-solar system of the Hindus.
The Indian system differs from the Chinese in the mode of naming years.
The Chinese nomenclature is made up by the names of five elements, and
made ten by affixing the male and female termination to each, and this
series is repeated six times; therefore 6 × 10 = 60.
The second series is made up of twelve zodiacal constellations, and is
repeated five times, 5 × 12 = 60, thus making the cycle of sixty years.
The names of the five elements are as follows:—
Chinese. Tibetan. English.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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