However, shamanism, the ancient faith of the aborigines of the region, was not supplanted by the two world religions, which fought for their influence on the spiritual life of people without visible aggression, using more subtle methods of influence, such as moral and philosophical sermons, knowledge of psychotherapy methods and solemn rites of worship. The tolerance shown by the ministers of all confessions helped each of them find its own niche and coexist more or less peacefully until the establishment of Soviet power in the region. The persecutions that followed in the 30s against the activities of all religious trends, the destruction of temples and temple complexes, together with the spiritual educational institutions, publishing enterprises, libraries, art workshops for icon painting and cult sculpture that were part of them, caused irreparable damage to the culture of the people.
The revival of spiritual culture, which began everywhere in the 90s, is unlikely to restore all the lost values. Buddhism, as Academician N.I. Konrad is not only a religion, but also an art. In this regard, the Buddhist mystery of tsam, performed at the datsans of Buryatia during special rites of worship, can also be attributed to the irreversible losses. It is about this peculiar phenomenon that I would like to talk about.
Lamaism, northern Tibetan Buddhism, came to Buryatia at the end of the 17th century. Together with him, the Tibetan and Old Mongolian writing, the traditions of Eastern philosophy, and professional art became widespread in the Trans-Baikal steppes. The Lamaist clergy with its complex hierarchy appeared, temple and monastic complexes - datsans, dugans, hits - were erected; lavish religious processions and services are held, attracting masses of believers.
One of the most dramatized and colorful rites of worship was the Tsam Khural. Tsam (Tib. "Cham" - dance), a Buddhist mystery, which is sacred dances and masked pantomime, performed by siyatttennmkas under Lamaist monastkst - * - rt ^ n-
Originally originated in Tibet and is associated with the Tantric system of Buddhism and Lamaism. Tradition attributes the idea of \u200b\u200bperforming the first sacred dances in masks of the gods to Padma Sambhava during the construction of the Samyai monastery in the 8th century. Supposedly then this solemn ceremony of worship helped the great Teacher, the head of the sect of red-hats, to defeat the resistance of the local religion Bon-po. The origin of these dances is supposed to come from India, where "in ancient times special actors in masks and clothes of gods danced and conducted dialogues in the language of gods, demons and people." (Forman W. und Rintschen B. Lamaistische Tanzmasken. Der Erlik-Tsam in der Mongolei. Leipzig, 1967, s. 61.).
In Mongolia, the Gelug-pa sect gradually introduced in its monasteries various types of sacred dances and pantomimes with masks and without masks, and even with dialogues (Tsam Milorayba). In oriental literature there are detailed descriptions of the performance in Tibet and Mongolia of Zhaghar tsama or Erlik tsama, after the name of the main deity of this mystery - Erlik Nomun khan (Tib. Choichzhil), the king of law, the lord of hell. And it was this type of tsam that was introduced in Buryatia in the second half of the 19th century. In Buryatia, Zhaghar tsam was often called the tsam of the dokshits, for the main characters in it were dokshits (Skt. Dharma-pala) - the guardian geniuses of the Buddhist faith in their angry incarnation.
It is known that in the datsans there were kept special guides in the Tibetan language on the rite of sacred dances and there were tantrin lamas of high dedication who supervised the entire ceremony of worship and the performance of the actual dances and pantomime. They strictly, unswervingly adhered to the existing canon. At large monasteries, there were artists who owned icon-painting skills (they depicted gods on a cloth - tanka), they could also make masks of gods, people, animals, birds for the tsam. There also worked masters of sewing various and complex costumes for the characters of the mystery and artisans for the manufacture of props and props.
Acquaintance with the literature allows us to say that when the tsam dokshits were transferred to the Buryat datsans, loyalty to the existing canons in the performance of ritual dances was very strictly observed: the order of the appearance of masks, their number, the accuracy of costumes and attributes used by the characters. So if 87 masks took part in the presentation of the mystery of the dokshites (Zhaghar tsam) in Mongolia in the Erdeni-tzu monastery, then 78 characters appeared in the main temple of Buryatia, the Gusinoozersky datsan (residence of the hambo lama). A slight difference occurred due to a reduction in the number of Pochzhuts, minor deities who were part of the retinue of guardian geniuses, Dokshits.
A magnificent divine service, tsam-khural of dokshits, was performed one groove per goal at the beginning of July and a lot of veggies and
Tortured. Preparations for it began long ago, for one and a half to two months. Exotic musical instruments were put in order, costumes and masks were updated, performers were determined. Rehearsals of sacred dances began. Elderly priests who had danced in this rite many times passed on their experience to younger, physically strong and enduring lamas who had knowledge in Tantric mysticism. The newcomers were taught at once, one at a time, each movement was shown separately and the corresponding verbal formula (concordance) was shown, then they were united into groups and, finally, a moment came when all the participants went out to the monastery fence and there they rehearsed the whole performance in whole to the sounds of a ladies' orchestra. The dancers rehearsed for some time without masks, which they put on later, when the performers were already moving freely, having studied and memorized the drawing of their dances. A witness of such a general rehearsal without masks at the Gusinoozersky datsan, when all the participants quite clearly sensed and conveyed plastically and rhythmically the character of the deities,
Who was represented was a famous Buryat scientist
On the eve of the public presentation of the tsam, a closed service was held inside the temple, which was led by the chief master of ceremonies, the chambon. He is in a suit, but without a mask, in a gilded
A rounded hat with a high cone-shaped top at midnight opened the door of the temple and began a swift whirlwind dance. All the participants dance to the rhythm of the spells (tarni), which the chabon sings in a high tenor, holding a silver deber cup in his hand. Gelyun Lama, who serves him, pours symbolic blood from a ball (a bowl made of a human skull) into a bowl. The frantic music of the gesture comes on. Chambon walks away and pours blood from a bowl into a lamb’s mouth, ties and puts into a figurine of a man made of dough - Link, the enemy of faith, the embodiment of sins.
At dawn, a khural was held - the consecration of Sora, a three-headed pyramid made of dough and ending at the top like a human skull. The faces of the pyramid are painted bright red, symbolizing the flames. "Sor is one of
The main attributes are tsam dokshits and represents a sacrifice that supposedly has the power to burn the enemies of faith. This was the end of the closed part of the service.
The public performance of the Tsam of the Dokshites was held in the monastic fence. In the center of the square in front of the main temple, a table was placed and a silk canopy-canopy was erected above it. Around this canopy, several concentric circles were outlined with chalk or lime - the place where the masks were dancing. Close to the outer circle; arranged seats and awnings for guests of honor, lamas, rich God-men. Ordinary believers, laymen settled down as they could, sitting standing, row by row, occupying all the free space in the fence. The monastery fence in the days of the tsam-khural with these circles enclosed in a quadrangle was a mandala.
The tsam began with taking out Sora and Link, which were placed on a table under a canopy. The sounds of a lamas orchestra were heard, located near the outer circle and consisting of a kind of
Instruments, such as huge two- or three-meter metal pipes uher-buree, supported by people in front and behind, like ganlin, some parts of which were made from a human shinbone, tsan - copper plates, hangerig - a kind of bell, bishkhuur, woodwind instrument close to the oboe and so on. "Tsam's music is unusual and amazing" (B.Ya. Vladimirtsov). Under this
Music performers came out to the circle. In the beginning, there were two masks "hohimai", vladiks of cemeteries, which are human skeletons (black clothes that fit the body are painted with white paint), on their heads they have a mask - a human skull. They drive away from "Sora" (a sacrifice to the deities installed under a canopy) the Crow, who entered the inner circle together with the "Hohimai".
Then Khashin Khan appeared with eight boys, either sons or disciples. Their masks depict kind, smiling human faces. They do not dance, but they greet each deity with an offering of "hadak", leaving the door of the temple in a circle. The enforcers of order during the action are four masks of the inhabitants of Hindustan - two brown and two dark green with a stern expression. These are the Azars, they dance outside the circle and all the time
They are there, making sure that the audience does not go into circles, does not interfere with the dancers. The Azars hold whips
"Masks" came out on the circle either one by one, or in pairs, or in groups. After dancing and performing a pantomime, they retired to the temple or remained on the side of the platform, without disturbing the other participants.
The dance consisted in the fact that the "masks" then slowly, then quickly, in time with the music, took various plastic poses, jumped from one foot to another, circled the stage, moved back and forth. At the same time, they held in their hands any objects of symbolic content, and the manipulation of these objects during the dance had a special meaning. The dance movements of some of the "masks" were more lively, lighter and faster and not so monotonous. However, there were characters in the tsam who were whirling in a whirlwind of a real mad dance. This is how an eyewitness describes the action of the masks of a bull and a deer, the dance parts of which combined expressive pantomime with dance. "Under the fast pace of the music, the bull and deer perform a quick dance, then pause, look at each other with hostility and make a series of hostile threatening movements. With their heads bowed, their horns furiously shaking, they are ready to rush one at the other, but ... the mask came up" hohi- May "does not allow Oni, restraining their rage, marking time and, hearing the accelerated tempo of the music, begin a rapid dance on the inner circle." (Dm. Daursky. "Across Transbaikalia". Travel notes. "Siberia", 3 249, 3.11.1910)
Tsam characters fall into several groups. One of them includes masks of various animals: crows, buffaloes, lions, tigers (leopards), deer, bears. In Mongolia, this group also includes a dragon, the mythical bird Garudi, in Tibet - an elephant, a monkey, in Tuva - a camel, a reindeer found in the Sayan Mountains. The next group is the masks of dokshits, formidable deities, geniuses-guardians of the Buddhist faith. They have a human appearance, but their faces are distorted with an expression of rage, anger. Some have a third eye in their forehead, large canine teeth. The masks of high-ranking deities are adorned with a tiara of five human skulls on top. There are deities with three skulls, one skull. According to B. Ya. Vladimirtsova, "the masks themselves are for the most part made extremely skillfully and artistically." They are painted in different colors: blue, dark yellow, red, green, and all are quite large in size so that performers can freely put them on their heads.
There are ten main deities, keepers of faith, dokshits in this tsam. But they come out, accompanied by a retinue of Pochzhuts, gods of the lowest rank. In addition, Choichzhil and Chjamsaran dokshits also have their own "shakti", beings symbolizing the feminine principle of the Universe.
The third group of masks includes characters representing different people. These are twenty-two shanaks, contemplative monks who have an important function in the tsam and have a separate dance party. They do not wear masks Khashin Khan with boys, their kind masks have already been mentioned. "The White Old Man" - "Sagaan Ubuguun "And this should include the masks of the sabdaks, the patron spirits of the area. Each datsan had its own sabdak. In the Gusinoozerek datsan in the tsam of dokshites
The mask of the patron saint Huhe Yamaata participated
The tsam's costumes are bright and colorful, sewn from expensive fabrics - silk, brocade An apron decorated with embroidery (the head of the Burkhan-god), a special cape-collar with scallops hanging in front, back and over the shoulders was worn on a robe with long wedge-shaped sleeves. heavy rosary, gracefully carved from bone, encircling the entire body and fastened in front with a metal disc-roofing felts. At the bottom of the rosary were suspended miniature silver bells, there are 12 of them, they accompanied each dancer's movement with a melodic sound On the feet of the performers Mongolian shoes (gutal), embroidered with beads, beads
Among the characters of the Tsam, the mask of Dokshit Jamsaran left a great impression.It is red in color, is a skillful inlay of coral beads of various sizes and red beads. the bloody heart of the enemy of faith The dance of this deity is the slow solemn tread of a formidable force Eight little companions danced with Chzhamsar - "ditokjad" in red masks and robes They were usually performed by child novices (hu-baraki)
After the dance of Chzhamsaran, as a relaxation, the comedy interlude of Sagaan Ubuguun (the White Old Man), the beloved Tsam character, followed. He is the lord of the land, the keeper of pastures and herds, gives people longevity The mask depicted the good-natured face of an old man with a long gray beard He is dressed in a white Mongol robe, belted with a sash, walks, leaning on a wooden staff
The white old man brings animation to the tsam, makes the audience laugh, performing a pantomime of an old man waking up from sleep, straightens his beard, mustache, stretches, gets scared of loud music For a long time and unsuccessfully tries to get to his feet Finally, he manages to rejoice, Sagaan Ubuguun begins to dance quietly, gradually disperses, dances until exhaustion, falls Sometimes the White Old Man, lamenting that he was completely alone, kidnapped one or two of his boys from Khashin Khan, was terribly happy that he had found heirs, amused them and, having played out, due to his blindness, it seemed that he could not find the children hiding from him He started some other scene. He had a large stock of interludes.
And here, in connection with the function in the mystery of the mask of Sagaan Ubuguun, it is necessary to dwell on two very important points. The first is the esotericism of the Tsam. The second, connected with the first, is the nature of the theatricality of the Tsam and the introduction of elements of nationality into it.
Many researchers of Central Asia - travelers, scientists, who at one time observed the representations of tsams at the monasteries of Tibet, Mongolia, Buryatia, showed great interest in this distinctive phenomenon. In their descriptions of the tsam, along with signs of admiration, surprise, and sometimes bewilderment about what they saw, they left their reflections, assumptions, guesses about the origin of this mystery and the essence of its content. They did not hide the fact that they failed to penetrate the content of the tsam, that
In conversations with the lamas, they all the time felt the secret of the mystery, carefully guarded from outsiders. They were given information that lay on the surface: the names of the masked gods, the name of the attributes, clothing and props. This explanation did not go further. They learned that dances and pantomime were staged according to the script canon, captured in special manuals, and that they were engaged in the sacred rite of lamas, initiated into the Tangrian mysticism "It is impossible to study the tsam, reveal its essence, understand the meaning of its symbols and magical actions, because the teaching is shrouded in deep mystery.Tibetan books about tsam are written in symbolic verbal forms -
Lamy, which only an initiate can decipher. These words are not found in any European-Tibetan dictionary. . "(N.P.Sha-stina. Religious mystery" tsam "in the monastery" Dzunkhure ", f." Modern Mongolia, 1935, No. 1, pp. 92 ~ 93)
The fact is that the characters of the tsam, dancing to the music, to the beat of it said to themselves, and some, such as chambon in the night rite, loudly sang the texts of spells (tarni, mantras) and it was these mysterious formulas that were associated with dance movements.
Yami and made together something energetically holistic, complete and directed, such as dynamic meditation. But what was actually said - few people knew. We read from G.Ts.Tsybikov: "In tantra, darani (tarni, Tib. Gzins-snags) have become in great use. Special formulas by means of which one can achieve a particular goal. They are due to the difficulty of the content, they remain not even translated from Sanskrit into either Tibetan or Mongolian. Therefore, their meaning is not available. (G. Ts. Tsybikov. Lam - rim - chen - according to the works of Tsonghapy, into Mong. and Russian transl. Vladivostok,! 910, v.11, p. XX) And the well-known sinologist V. Vasiliev wrote that books of mystical content are called tantras, because through them constantly acquired powers are preserved. But time passed and the attitude to prohibitions and secrets gradually changed. Buddhist mystery.
Noted in his book on tsam, Academician B. Rinchen (Mongolia), published in the late 60s in Leipzig with wonderful color photographs by Werner Forman. These were the masks of Zhaghar tsam.
The second moment - theatricality of the mystery, its bright spectacle Impressively amazing harmony, brilliance of the whole ceremony, composed of thoughtful contrasting in tempo, rhythm and pattern of dances and pantomime, replacing each other to the sounds of such an unusual ladies' orchestra The masks themselves, bright in color, made an impression, varied in expression, frighteningly angry, formidable among the Dokshits, strict, restrained among the Azars, kind and even with a smile among Khashin Khan, his children, Sagaan Ubuguun Beautiful, spectacular masks of animals - deer, lion, tiger, buffalo, Garudi bird Attracted the attention of viewers the bright elegance of the costumes The whole picture of the dancing masks was a spectacle of rare impressive power It was a spectacle
It must be assumed that it was from this, from this spectacular ™ that the quite legitimate desire of researchers to consider tsam under the authority of the Buddhist church theater proceeded B Vladimirtsov describes the tsams of Tibet in an article called "Tibetan theatrical performances" A Pozdneev, N Shasgin, B Rinchen, noting the religious character of the tsams in Mongolia, they nevertheless consider it necessary to classify the performances of the mystery as a theatrical performance that brings tangible income to the monasteries. , and later the tsam was reborn into a theatrical action, into a spectacle, became a means for collecting money and donations "(N. Shastina, cit. op. 93) is hardly true, although here there is also a part of the undeniable truth. the example of "tsam" can be traced transformation from a religious mystery into a spectacle that is gradually losing its mystical character "" Economic preconditions forced to expand the audience, which in turn forced to bring the performances of the tsam to the square and accelerated the process of his reification, that is, transformation into a theatrical performance in which his religious side more and more receded into the background "(AD Avdeev The origin of the theater L, 1959, p. 176)
In our opinion, the theatricality of the tsam was not as simple as it looks here.You can safely say that tsam is not
It marched, did not degenerate and did not lose its religious purpose A ^ o in the fact that, judging by the descriptions in the literature and especially by the stories of the tsam performers themselves, the closed part of the khural, which took place inside the temple with the participation of a small number of persons initiated into the mysteries the open performance of ritual dances was also theatrical in nature In this internal rite, all participants were dressed in the appropriate ritual ceremonially bright braids and headdresses, a small orchestra played and dances performed by M. YOUNG lamas alternated with reading and chanting prayers and incantations (tarni) Chambon, effectively dressed, being the leader of the entire closed khural ceremony, conducted the Sora consecration rite, he himself always soloed as a dancer, using various symbolic at-
Ributas The ensemble of dancers-lamas completely obeyed his instructions. There was no audience in the temple, except for the participants in the ritual, and the solemn elation, theatricality, and spectacularity of the ritual were fully present. This means that solemn acting, full of mystical inspiration, was prescribed by the very content of the ritual
This is what leads to the idea that theatricality of the tsam existed from the beginning, was embedded in the written manuals to the rite, where everything was painted from beginning to end: every movement of the legs, the position of the fingers and hands (mudra), objects that were held in the hands different deities, the order of dances and pantomimes The music for the lamas orchestra was also painted according to the instruments, for each god its own melody, its own rhythm And the very masks and costumes of the mystery are multicolored, bright, made with great skill, carried very difficult information (after all, almost every character there was a legend of its appearance in the Buddhist pantheon) Hence, there can be a conclusion that all this was originally designed for entertainment, for impressibility, for perception from the outside, no matter who this perceiver was - the lamas themselves or simple laypeople-pilgrims. And, one must think that with the open performances of the tsam, it was they who were the most direct part of the public, ordinary people, laity, sincerely carried away by the vivid spectacle and appreciating above all the spectacular entertainment side of the ritual.Of course, ordinary people were well aware of the cult purpose of the tsam and understood in their own way him. N. Shastina and A. Poz-days cite in their works various interpretations of the tsam that they caught in conversations with the Mongol arats and the priests themselves. This gives grounds to speak about the ambiguity of the content of the tsam. The information contained in the complex ceremony of this ritual with its given spectacularity and theatricality can be read as multi-order, multi-layered, revealing itself in different ways for different circles of spectators and the participants in the mystery themselves, according to their level of consciousness.
It can be assumed that the Buddhist mystery, like other similar theatrical divine services-rituals (Eleusinian, Dionysian mysteries) had a secret (esoteric) meaning, carefully classified and protected from the curiosity of the uninitiated. There is evidence that it was undesirable for the fathers of the Lamaist church to penetrate the details of the sacrifice ritual for the mass spectator.That is why from time to time, small pantomimic episodes of a distracting nature were introduced in parallel to the dancing masks: for example, scenes of offerings by Khashin Khan and his children hadaks to each group of divine masks. This family made a comic impression in appearance with their kind, naive smiling faces. Or suddenly the attention of those present was focused on the actions of the Crow, encroaching on the sacred sacrifices, which were under the canopy in the center of the stage, and the hohimai (masks with skulls and in costumes painted like skeletons) furiously drove him aside. Or, during the dance of the dokshits, the Azzars, the guards of order, suddenly began to actively click their whips, pushing away the audience, who supposedly came close to the forbidden line of the rectangle outlined for the action of the mystery.
And, finally, after the dance of one of the formidable Dokshits - Chzhamsaran and, as it were, anticipating the exit of the main character of the Dokshit Tsam - Choichzhila, on the square
A character appeared in the clothes of a Mongolian (Buryat) commoner, in the mask of a kind and wise old man with a gray beard, with a staff in his hands, and the interlude of Sagaan Ubuguun began, bringing the audience great pleasure. In various descriptions of the pantomime of the White Old Man, its main plot outline remains unchanged - playing out all sorts of comedic situations in order to focus the attention of the audience on their figure, no matter what other masks do on the dancing circles. And this task has always been successfully carried out.
Dm. Daursky in his essays notes the great plastic skill of the lama, who plays the role of Sagaan Ubuguun, who was able to "convey with gestures, gait and various body movements the good-natured cheerful appearance of the humorous figure of the mythical old man."
The White Old Man again appeared during the dance of the shanaks (contemplating lamas) and again played comic scenes: sniffing tobacco, begging, collecting money, hadaks, if he liked it, thank you
Gave it. And stayed on the circle until the end. Note that these scenes took place in sync with the dances of the shanaks, i.e. here it was necessary to divert the attention of the public from the ritual actions of the contemplating lamas. Choichzhil (Erlik Khan), the main figure of this rite, wearing a mask of a buffalo head, was the last to emerge in the Dokshit tsam. He danced very close to Sor. After his dance, Link's khural began - reading prayers against the enemy of faith. During this prayer, Choichzhil, Zhamsaran and several other formidable gods dance around Link, reciting spells (tarni), and then dissecting him to pieces. And it was at this moment that "The white old man distracts the people from the mysteries of Link" (N. Shastina).
The final general dance began - the dokshits dance in the inner circle, the shanaks - in the outer one. Halfway through this dance, the llamas, those who read the prayers, rise and carry the Sor behind the monastery fence to the fire, where they burn it. And the masks at this time are dancing all together, a quick temperamental dance, and it was hard to tear yourself away from the spectacle of this collective dance. This mesmerizing general dance of masks served as the strongest distraction of the crowd from the Sora burning ceremony.
So, the conclusion suggests itself - the bright theatricality of the tsam was programmed by its inner content associated with magical ritual actions: the sacrifice "Sora", "Zhag-khara" and the Khural Link, that is, actions purely religious, but must be performed openly, publicly, with a significant crowd of people. Then it becomes clear why the scene
Riem Tsama provides for different types of distraction of the spectators' curiosity from the true sacraments of worship. And among the methods of distraction, as we see, the most effective in its entertainment was the pantomime of Sagaan Ubuguun, whose nationality it is not necessary to prove, it is obvious. There were special guides for this pantomime. This means that its nationality was laid down from the very beginning, it is deliberately used by those who once thought of introducing sacred dances into worship, densely including into the rite the popular clownish tricks, the techniques of the areal buffoonery jester. Moreover, this function of the folk comedian is given in the tsam to the charming figure of the White Old Man, a deity, in all likelihood, of the shamanic pantheon of the peoples of Asia, adopted by Lamaism in the host of its saints as the patron saint of pastures, animals, family well-being and longevity.
In addition to the White Old Man's interlude, the inclusion of the patron spirits of a given area, the Sabdaks, in the number of non-dancing masks of the Tsam, can also be attributed to the facts of admitting folk elements in tsam. Their religious
The hyious meaning, as you know, rested on the superstition of the population, but due to the prevalence of this phenomenon, the sab-daks that appear in the tsam of individual monasteries, as it were, expressed the interests of the inhabitants of the area, their hope that they too are protected from evil forces and misfortune a kind local deity. Hence, trust is born in the entire Tsam ceremony as a whole.
Not all monasteries could organize such large and solemn divine services as the Tsam Khural dedicated to the Dokshits. In Buryatia, abbreviated versions of the mystery existed, with a smaller number of masks, and therefore not so long in time. These were dui-be tsams. Old people passed on that in
Duibe tsame of the Songolsky datsan participated in the mask of sabdak lumen khan, in the Sanaginsky datsan - Bayan khan, Egeetuysky - Buriin khan, Anin-skom - Bural Baabai, Barguzinsky - Barkhan.
It is no coincidence that only lamas of a higher rank, initiated into the mysteries of the mysteries, could play the roles of angry deities, while the masks of secondary deities, Pochzhuts, were the Getuls and Bandi, lamas who had not yet separated from the life of their native uluses. The masks of the sons of Khashin Khan were danced by children-listeners. Therefore, almost until recently, in Buryat villages it was possible to meet people here and there who, in their youth, took part in the performances of the tsam. It is noteworthy that the mask of the Crow, who always lays down sacrifices in the tsam, was generally performed only by laymen for a certain fee.
In Buryatia, from the beginning of the 20th century, there was another kind of mysticism, where sacred dances were performed without masks. This is the so-called tsam Duinhora, or the Kalachakra mystery Kalachakra is a multifaceted phenomenon and the concept of esoteric Buddhism "Kala" (Skt.) - time, chakra "circle , the wheel of the Wheel of Time, Ieyu the many-headed and many-armed deity of Time And the ancient calendar system In Tibet, the statement at the beginning of the 11th century of Jupiter chronology (5 times 12 years) is associated with it, 60-year-old nikl according to the lunar calendar And this, one of the complex teachings Tibetan Buddhism Tradition links the emergence of the Kalachakra teachings in the land of snows with the names of Indian preachers Attisha and Somanatha. In the 20th century, the Roerichs NK Roerich showed great interest in Kalachakra in their book "Shining Sham Bala", published in 1930 in New York, perhaps , for the first time among the Europeans, he openly expressed his understanding of Kalachakra as a teaching that emerged from the reserved land of Shambhala and is a Fiery teaching, to which the future belongs
The eminent orientalist Yu N Roerich, having studied Tibetan sources, wrote a work "Towards the Study of Kalachakra", where the history of the question is investigated, the complexity of the doctrine itself, its closed nature,
The honor and the fact that the teaching is connected with Buddha Shakyamuni, who allegedly read his first sermon on Kalachakra in Shambhala and in the further development of this doctrine were engaged, namely, the kings of Shambhala, the bodhisattvas and many high saints
And again, this time with Yu N Roerich, we read "Is
The theory on the Kalachakra system is written in the Tantric style, replete with special Tantric terms and allegorical expressions, the secret meaning of which is known only to initiates "(YN Roerich To the Study of Kalachakra Kharkov, Osnova ed., KSU, 1990, p. 9)
The interest of the Roerichs in the ancient doctrine is all the more understandable, since it was in the early 30s that the work written down by E AND Roerich "The Fiery World in three parts, where in the first part it was possible to read the next neck" was published. It was rightly noted that the data about Kalachakra were passed over in silence , it is not only out of ignorance, but out of horror to touch the foundations of Humanity with the same shudder bypasses the wells of this knowledge about all the worlds, "(§ 97) And further," I approve of the Kalachakra being collected. gave this teaching. Many knowledge is combined in Kalachakra, only an open mind can understand these layers of all Worlds "(Agni Yoga Fiery World Novosibirsk, 1991, part 1, § 212)
As for Tsam Duinkhor or the Kalachakra mystery, that is, ritual dances included in the ritual of sacrifice to the deities of the mandala of Duinkhor, this unusual performance was performed at those monasteries where there were temples dedicated to the deity of Time, Duinkhor (Kalachakra). This mystery was performed by most of the performers without masks. The dancers were dressed in elegant Mongolian robes, on these clothes they put on a bone rosary, encircling the figure, and small silver bells hung down from the rosary. There were three types of hats worn by the participants of this rite - dancers, musicians, lamas who read prayers, and also sing special mantras at certain moments of worship.
The first type of headdress, nirmanakaya (Skt.), Was a tall crown consisting of five icons of deities (dhyani-buddhas), and in this case it expressed the visible image of the invisible body of the gods. Another type is sambhogakaya, a kind of a crown consisting of
Nogo, embroidered with a gilded hoop, decorated at the top with five small skulls, a black silk fringe (a symbol of hair) hung down from the hoop, covering the forehead and eyebrows to eye level. From the hoop upwards, the fringe gathers into a high hairstyle-bun, crowned with an ochir, on the sides the fringe hung down in the form of braids to the length of the elbow and two ribbons hung in parallel. Sambhogakaya meant the same thing as nirmanakaya, with the addition of the glory of three perfections, one of which: the complete extinction of all earthly concerns. The third type is the dharmakaya, also a crown with letter designations of the names of the gods (the first letter is in Sanskrit). This type denoted a spiritual body, an ideal consciousness, merged with the World Consciousness.
Tsam Duinhora is not numerous in its composition, 40 people (25 adults, 15 teenage novices), not counting the lamas orchestra. This mystery was arranged at the few datsans of old Buryatia, where there were Duin temples?
To teach Buryat lamas ritual dances at the beginning of the invitation
Shawls from Mongolia and Tibet are Buddhist monks who were initiated into Tangri mysticism and who mastered the ritual ceremony. So in the Aginsky datsan tsam Duinkhor was introduced in 1906-1907. He taught and staged the whole mystery in dances, that is, he was not only a dance master, but also the leader of the entire ceremony, lobon, a lama from Lavran (north-western Tibet), specially invited for this occasion and living in Aginsk for several years. He passed on his skill to a young boo-
To the Ryat lame-tantrin Dondoga Soi-nzon, who after the departure of his Tibetan teacher became "gara-baksha", that is, the dancemaster of the Kalachakra mystery at the Aginsky datsan. It was with him, Dondoga Soynzon, that I had a chance to meet in the Aginsky Buryat National District in the summer of 1967, talk to him and make notes from his words on Tsam Duinhor. He lived with relatives on the collective farm. Dylgyrova, was sociable, despite his eighty years he remembered a lot and willingly shared, was a little surprised that someone else was interested in it.
Around the same years, at the beginning of the century, the Kalachakra mystery appeared in the Aninsky datsan, where a "bearded lama" from Mongolia acted as a dance teacher and stage director, and then his Buryat disciples Shanzaba and. Mu ~ hain Sorzhi transferred sacred dances to the Egeetuy datsan. Subsequently, Tsyrenzhap Ga-tapov, a learned lama, tantrin in a high state, became the main administrator of the Duinkhor mystery in this datsan
Sane Dorzhi - zemba and laaramba. Information received from old Buryat lamas, former dance masters, allows us to get some idea of \u200b\u200bTsam Duinkhor, who continued his existence in Buryatia until the mid-30s and still remained mysterious and inaccessible to understanding not only of parishioners-spectators, but also of lamas the lowest rank. Like other tsas.my, the Kalachakra mystery was staged according to a specific and strict canon, had special guidelines, closed compositions in the Tibetan language. Hence, it is clear why, when performing sacred dances in the tsam of Duinhor, the monks-dancers memorized the text of the
Linaniy (tarni, or mantras), because the pattern of movements and the rhythm of the dance were associated with them, while not even trying to delve into the meaning of the formulas being pronounced, knowing in advance that this was not available. As you can see, the mystery and secrecy of the tsam was not invented by the lamas, they were not just guarded by them, for the most part they themselves did not know much about the inner meaning of the ritual, although, perhaps, they sincerely believed in the power of the pronounced formulas and the purifying power of the rite as a whole. Meanwhile, high-ranking tantrins (chambons, lobons, dance masters of garabak-shi), who zealously followed the exact pronunciation of tarni (mantras), were aware of the deep mystical meaning of what was happening. For them, yo-gins, the whole rite meant not only a dynamic meditation of a purifying nature, but also as a persecuting
The goals of the performers achieving a certain altered state of consciousness. Obviously, this was an access to direct contact with the Higher Cosmic Forces and, through the performed sacrifices, a request for the possibility of further progress in spiritual development.
Both old dance masters, Dondogoy Soinzon and Tsyrenzhap Gata-pov, emphasized the sacred, mystical meaning of dances in the Kalachakra mystery and the entire rite, as a sacrifice to the deity of Time. The main subject, without which the ceremony could not take place, is Dulsan Jinhar, the palace of God, in other words, a mandala, a symbolic diagram of the Universe. Usually the image of such a palace was drawn on the plane of a large wooden table installed in the center of the temple, then crushed multi-colored pebbles were poured along the line of the drawing.
Another view of this palace was also performed - Raibray Jinhar, a drawing (drawing) of the palace of the god Duinhor on fabric. Before the installation of the drawing by Raibray Jinhar in the temple and after it was hung, a divine service was going on, in which they asked the rulers (spirits) of the area for permission to consecrate the land for the ritual of sacrifice. And only after completing these important ceremonies could the tsam of Duinhor be arranged. This mystery at temples dedicated to Kalachakra was held twice a year: in spring - April-May, in summer in July. The ceremonies were different. In the spring, an internal, closed ritual of sacrifice to Duinkhor took place and was called sagar tsam. It was associated with the rite of sacrifice to the Earth (choga of the Earth). It was only for a narrow circle of initiates, it took place inside the temple behind closed doors. In sagar tsam, the reading of prayers was interspersed with the performance of dances. Twenty five people participated. The ceremony lasted for several hours. The steward of the ceremony was called Lobon.
In the sagar tsam, the Duinhor Van rite was sometimes performed - the initiation of a young lama, trained under the guidance of a tantrin, into tantric mysticism. For this rite, a drawing of Dulsan Zhinhar (the palace of the god) was certainly required.
In July, the Kalachakra mystery was performed in the courtyard of the temple in front of spectators and prayers, and was called shogor tsam. 40 people took part in the performance: 25 adults and 15 teenage khubaraks. There were also lama musicians and other participants in the ritual. The boy dancers occupied the inner circle, the adults danced in the outer circle. In the center there was a dancemaster-garban (gara-bakshi) and directed the dance part of the mystery. Lobon was in charge of the entire ritual.
The main sacrificial rite in the form of sacred dances was performed by 16 dancers - four fours were located in four cardinal directions: to the North - in white silk clothes, to the East - in yellow, to the South - in red, to the West - in blue. All headdresses are a crown with skulls with a high hairstyle, crowned at the top with an ochir. Each four had its own eldest (lobon). The dancers were turned to face inside the circle, to where the gara-bakshi (dance master) danced and directed the dances in the center.
In addition to the main dancing participants, several other characters came out into the circle: two or four azzara, the White Old Man with two boys, who performed a pantomime with him - played with him, then hid from him and ran away. Not finding them, the elder treated the audience to sweets from the bag, sometimes he suddenly began to beg, ask for money, etc. The main task of Sagaan Ubuguun in this tsam, as former dance masters said, is to focus attention
Spectators on themselves, distracting them from the ritual of sacrifice that the dancers performed.
The orchestra in Tsam Duinkhor was small, four or five musicians playing such instruments as san, salin, hangerig, two bishkhurs. The music did not play all the time, the main thing for the rhythm of the dances was the text of spells (tarni). The dance movements of the lamas (judging by the way seventy-seven-year-old Ts.Gatapov showed it to me in 1968) are very reminiscent of the character of the Indian temple dances, which were introduced to Soviet audiences in the 70s. famous Indian masters who toured the former USSR.
One important detail: the dance llamas offered sacrifices to Kalachakra on behalf of the female deities. Therefore, their movements are floating
We are graceful, feminine. Especially hand movements. In the dances of this mystery, mudras were of great importance - symbolic gestures and movements of the dancers' fingers and hands. The main mudras included in the vocabulary of the sacrifice rite were twelve. The dance lasted two hours. And if the meaning of the magical tarni formulas uttered by the dancers was for most of them sealed with seven seals, then the symbolic language of gestures (mudra), facial expressions, body movements was understandable, at least to adult llama dancers who already had initiation.
Each type of sacrifice required for its expression
A whole range of plastic and dance techniques: special mudra, dance movements of the legs, the whole body. In this regard, the text of one of the fragments of the manual on tsam Duinkhor, which was rewritten by hand, perhaps, by Gara-baksha Ts.Gatapov in Tibetan, and translated at the request of the author of these lines into Russian by a Buryat Tibetologist D. Dashie-vym. The tarni text, which has no translation from Sanskrit, is rendered in Russian transcription.
"Namo Guru!"
"Um-ma-e pad-e jara-e setpa krodha, haum, pad" is a complete step to the right, starting with the word "um-ma-e" and up to the word "haum, pad".
"Aum, ah, haum, hom, kisa, aum, shunyata jnana vajra svabhava amtakonya hom." Let them become shunyata! In large wide vessels of precious glass arising from the essence of shunyata, from "ophom" there is everything that is necessary for the sacrifice, as well as the goddess of sacrifice, represented by symbols in the form of the first letters of their names, the sacrifice and the goddess, being essentially shunyata and great bliss , let them generate innumerable bliss in the six senses! "
"Kum, argham, ah haum petyam prokshanam anjamanam vad-
Jragandhe, vajramale, vajrad-hupam, bajradipam, vajraksha-tam, vajranailvatyam, vajra-lasyam, vajrahasyam, vajrapa-tyam, vajraniratyam, vaj-ragritam, aum vajrakame, ah haum-svaha, aum to the left.
"Aum, ah, haum. Aum, ah, haum, hom, hom, hom," - to dance, raising and lowering the left leg.
In essence, in these tarni, all twelve sacrifices are listed in a certain order, which dancers on behalf of the goddesses offer to the gods of Duinhora's mandala, accompanying them with mudras and dance movements that are necessary on each occasion, which have symbolic meaning. If, however, prosaically translate and list the offered sacrifices, then it will be: fragrant water for ablutions, flowers and flower garlands, fragrant fragrant herbs, a lamp, food, fruits (grapes, raisins), the movements of heavenly dancers, smiles, music, chants, accompanied by a game on instruments, affectionate glances directed to God, etc.
But the dancers, presenting sacrifices on behalf of the goddesses, turned to God with a request: "Aum, ah, haum, ho," - Lord of the Three Worlds Duizhi Horlo, accept each sacrifice separately. Oh buddha, let those around you - me and other sentient beings - get the best. This is followed by tarni (three whole lines and ends with an indication of the dance - with the left foot "One fourth" (the name of the pas).
These sacrifices in six pairs are then offered to the deity separately. Tszate. "From near and far, born Drichamba (female name derived from the word" fragrant water "and Prenbama (name from the word" garland, necklace ") - dance, raising your right leg -" turn into a great multitude and fill the whole sky, become a victim for the gods of this mandala. "
"Starting with the left foot:" Tsapae, japae, enyapae, vajrapae, ... "and further in the same spirit.
The above text clearly demonstrates the encryption of the guide to tsam, and not only in relation to the closeness of mantras, but also in the dance itself. It would seem that everything is clear - it is indicated with which foot in which direction the movement should be made, and at the same time, much remains unknown: the pattern of the movement, the position of the hands and mudra and what
It is in the hands, and how these attributes are used in every moment of the dance.
Undoubtedly, it was enough for the great tantrin Ts.Gatapov to have at hand this fragment of the manual on tsam Duinhor, copied by hand, for he understood it from a half-glance, because he himself danced once, knew the whole pattern of movements. A fragment of the text allowed him to reconstruct a complete picture of the dance of all fours, to count the bars in accordance with the mantras and to observe the sequence of movements. But another thing is also clear - here there was an oral practical transfer of knowledge and skills from teacher to student. And in this case, the above passage of the manual is quite a sufficient basis for both parties.
The fact that it happened in such a plan and was passed on by the teacher to the student is confirmed by Sumbo Khambo's treatise titled Delightful Dances "- a guide to the dances (performed during the rite) of the Choga of the Earth and the dances of sacrifice. a monk who wrote in Tibetan gives a rather detailed description of how mandata dances and sacrifices are performed and what rituals are performed at the same time.
Sheniya: how the teacher prepares the student, how he checks him, what prayers are read by the student, to which god and how meditation is performed.
In the second part, which describes how ritual dances are performed, much is said about the nature of the movements, about steps - "a vajra step with one point", how to draw a vajra with two, three, or five points with a foot. Mudras are called: - "big lotus circle", "vajra fist", "earth suppression" mudra, "sea wave" movement, etc. This treatise very clearly combines mantras and dance movements of legs, body, mudras.
The author of the treatise gives instructions in several places how the music should be performed, the musical accompaniment is recorded using numbers and special icons above them. This is probably the drum part that sets the rhythm.
The guide to the dances of sacrifice in the finale concludes with a magnificent thanksgiving hymn, praise to the supreme deity of man-dala, which, in all likelihood, were recited in sync by all participants in the sacrifice rite.
So, we can conclude that the practical guidelines for the ritual dances of the Tantric system are very complex compositions - a whole complex of canonical requirements, instructions, recommendations, combined with theoretical knowledge of Tantric mysticism itself. And if the closeness of these works, associated with their esoteric content, made them inaccessible to researchers for a long period of time, then with the passage of time, the situation seems to change for the better. The achievements of modern scientific thought in many areas of knowledge now unexpectedly overlap with the most ancient esoteric information. Apparently, the timing is suitable for the Kalachakra teachings.
Continuing the theme of sacred dances in Buryatia and the termination of their tradition in connection with the prohibition of the practice of any religious expression, with the persecutions that befell the clergy and the destruction of temples and monasteries, we cannot but mention one vivid fact of the appearance of a fragment of the Buddhist mystery in the performance of a professional Buryat theater. It happened in the 1939-40 season, when the young Buryat-Mongolian music and drama theater, preparing for important performances in Moscow, included a dance scene in tsam masks in the second edition of the musical drama "Bair". This scene appeared in the third act of the play, at the celebrations in the khan's palace, where the hero of the drama, Bair, entered, hiding under a mask and then getting mixed up among the masquerade performance. He unnoticed enters the dungeon, where his beloved Bulagan, kidnapped by the khan's people, languished. The hero frees her and under masks they hide, flee outside the khanate. And the dance of masks, captivating all those present (as well as, say, the audience in the hall) continued. The director of the play, People's Artist of the USSR G.Ts. Tsydynzhapov acted as the author of the stage version of the Tsam. It was he who had to solve a difficult question - what from the mystery theater can be taken and shown on the Soviet stage, how to preserve the colorful theatrical and effective form of the mystery, replacing the religious and mystical content with other, worldly, folk motives?
As the central figure, the most democratic character of the Tsam was taken - the White Old Man, whose ethnic origin was beyond any doubt. The dance melody of Sagaan Ubu-guun, according to G. Tsydynzhapov, is based on the folk tune "Namsaraindolgan" (a challenge to happiness). Having seen the performances of the Dokshit tsam in Buryatia and Mongolia more than once, familiar with some written sources describing tsams, G.Ts. Tsydynzhapov himself sang many mystery melodies to the composer P.M. Berlinsky. He also spent many hours in conversations, trial searches, rehearsals, in search of an acceptable stage version of the tsam with an outstanding choreographer, however, then still young, People's Artist of the USSR I.A. Moiseev, clarifying the nature of the dances of individual characters, selecting the necessary plastic expressions.
The mime of the White Old Man, with his purely worldly concerns, contrasted with the dancing of Buddhist deities. Moreover, these deities were interpreted as deceiving, two-faced. The mask was double-sided. On the one hand, a beautiful woman's face was depicted - the mask of the goddess Sagaan Dara ekhe (White Tara), on the other - the angry appearance of the Dokshits.
The dancers first appeared on the stage in the guise of a good goddess, turning to the Old Man with a female mask, seducing him, dragging him along into a smooth rhythmic dance. The old man willingly communicated with the beauties, entered their circle, danced and missed the moment when the charming female creatures turned into angry monsters, now advancing on him in a formidable procession.
All shaking with fear. The White Old Man was looking for protection from the terrible dokshits, but now other masks went on the campaign, death was going on - khokhimai. And, finally, a dragon, whose head and body (several meters long) were impregnated with phosphorescent paint, swept across the stage in the air, wriggling and belching smoke and flame from its mouth.
The old man collapsed in exhaustion, surrendering, capitulating to such a formidable invasion of monsters, and in half-oblivion rang a small bell, which has a magical property. At the sound of the bell, several bators (heroes) appeared and a pantomime dance began - a battle with monsters, ending with the victory of light forces.
The costume of the tsam in "Bair" did not present any great difficulties, since partly the original costumes of the mystery were used, which were still preserved in some places in the economy of the datsans, after they were closed in the mid-30s. In the beginning, the masks were also genuine, but they turned out to be so heavy that, at the request of the dancers, the theater had to order lighter and smaller papier-mâché masks.
Thus, for the first time, a fragment of the Buddhist mystery, skillfully transformed for that time, entered as one of the colorful moments in the folk-poetic performance of the Buryat theater. Numerous approving responses in the press after the Bair show in Moscow confirmed that the directors' solution to this far from simple task was correct. Let's cite the statement of People's Artist of the USSR S.V. Obraztsov: "The dance of masks -" Tsam ", which we saw in the play, is a great event. It certainly enriches each of us, theater masters. This is a wonderful example of truly folk art. Perfectly staged on a harmonious plot the basis of the dance is truly a fabulous phenomenon. " ("Buryat-Mongolskaya Pravda", 1940, October 24).
In the second half of the 40s, when the musical drama "Bair" was no longer on the stage of the Music and Drama Theater, the dance of masks as a purely concert dance-pantomime number was transferred to the repertoire of the state song and dance ensemble "Baikal" under the name "Dream old man "and for several decades decorated the program of the latter, was shown in many cities of Russia, the former Soviet Union and abroad. This long life of one fragment of the Buddhist mystery on the professional stage speaks of the great attractiveness, spectacularity, and the special magnetism of theatricality underlying this ancient mystery rite.
And if today the time has come to collect stones in order to restore, build a temple of our Heart inside each of us, and then restore anew the great connection of an ordinary person with the Higher Cosmic Forces, which was once natural and strong as breathing, if modern scientific thought is already breaking through to the secrets hidden in the allegories of occultism, it means that one should expect - the secrets of the Kalachakra teachings will also be revealed.
And then, perhaps, young talented dance masters will appear, grow up, who will be able to understand the meaning of sacred dances, the meaning of spiritual sacrifices as a person's gratitude to the Higher Forces, will be able to combine the lofty meaning of the mantra with the beauty of its plastic and dance expression.
We were going to go to Zanskar just like that, but we were lucky that on the days of our arrival there in Karsh a monastery holiday was planned. I have long wanted to get to such a holiday just in such a wilderness as Zanskar. Last year, there were so many white tourists near Le in the Hemis gompa that the locals were hard to spot. And, accordingly, there are dozens of photographers, so any desire to run among them and snatch their pieces has disappeared. Too much work reminded. In addition, all the beauty of the Cham dance took place against the backdrop of crowds of yawning elderly Europeans in dark glasses and with video cameras. And in Karsh, on the contrary, there were a lot of locals who came from the most distant corners of Zanskar, one and a half photographers and about 15 random tourists-trackers who, just like us, were just lucky with the time of arrival.
In this photo story, I will probably insert quotes from various materials about the Cham dance (the Tsam mysteries, as it is called in Russia and Mongolia). I will designate them in italics, and cite the sources at the end.
Here's a little to get you started:
“As part of large-scale rituals, the costume dances of the Tsam (Tib. Cham) Mystery are rooted in ancient ceremonies performed by the pre-Buddhist Tibetan Bon tradition. Subsequently, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama described a number of dances and approved the order of their performance. These descriptions were included in Cham Ig, a special text dedicated exclusively to ritual dance. With the appearance of this collection, monastic dance became firmly established in the life of monasteries of all traditions . "
Others describe it this way:
“Initially, tsam was performed as a religious event inside the monastery: in the monastery courtyard or temple, where only initiates could see it. Its complex magical and mystical content was available only to those who had a special spiritual initiation, and was carefully guarded from the laity. the tsam's performance was transferred to the square in front of the monastery, and the formidable mystery became a means for collecting donations, was reborn into a theatrical spectacle. "
Well, let's start with how I got to Karshi and waited for the ceremony to start.
Karsha is located about nine kilometers from Padum to the north, but is visible from afar even when entering the valley. A large complex of white-walled gompa buildings "adhered" to a very steep slope of the mountain, which seems almost vertical from Padum.
The sky that morning was overcast, the road to Karshi was mostly on good asphalt (just as luck would have it on the road from Kargil), so we chattered with our teeth while we flew on the bike to the gompa. Ajay gave me a lift to the base of the mountain, and he returned to do the bike.
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While crawling along the steep rise, I met a monk hurrying to the holiday with all the parade. Only his bike did not pull up the hill, and he puffed with his feet for a while, then spat and left the bike by the fence.
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The ascent to the gompa is laid out with a neat path. The pandemonium is not visible, so it has not yet begun.
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In the courtyard of the gompa, the nuns play with the instruments prepared for the musicians.
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I climbed even higher, found a part of the gompa under restoration.
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Some of the walls were missing, and their fragments with frescoes lay nearby.
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It's very quiet so far, as if nothing is planned.
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Climbed even higher.
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Met a "colleague" in funny socks))
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The younger monks began to trumpet. The first call to action.
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Cool and mods are those still.
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In the main hall of the gompa there were prepared masks.
"Tsam is performed in special costumes, of which a mask is an integral part. Masks for Tsam are made from various materials. In the Himalayas, they are usually carved from wood, and their manufacture is equated with high art. The names of skilled carvers are immortalized in religious tradition and are transmitted from word of mouth Wooden masks are rather heavy, and therefore, before putting them on, monks wrap soft cloth around the head, neck and shoulders.Lightweight version of the masks is made of papier-mâché.
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The masks depicting the highest tantric deities are endowed with three eyes. The mask of a deity belonging to the wrathful form is adorned with a crown with a certain number of miniature human skulls: five for the highest dharmapalas, three for the deities of lower rank, and one for the local protectors. Hair was traditionally made from black yak tails. The mask is often two to three times the size of a human face, so masked dances look not through the eyes, but through the nostrils and mouth. In this regard, the mask is slightly tilted back, which produces a strange effect - as if all the characters, dancing, are gazing into the sky. The mask must be consecrated before use. The lama reads the appropriate prayers by throwing the consecrated rice grains. Masks, especially those passed down from generation to generation, are considered sacred relics with magical properties. "
The lamas walked back and forth, but had not yet begun to change their clothes.
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In their usual "office" places were ghosts)
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All the locals and pilgrims who came to the holiday rushed to the hall with several statues of deities behind glass.
Bows, prostrations, offerings.
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Everyone wants to exchange a few words with the lamas.
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A very charming and cheerful lama accepted the offerings. He fed me buns and did not put on airs at all, let me take pictures of everything and everywhere.
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I followed a pretty girl, embarrassed to point the lens at her, she was very busy bowing. I pretended that I was not photographing her, but she suddenly looked at me, I already shuddered and accidentally pressed the trigger.
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"Well, has anyone started to change there?"
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The grandfather-lama, who played the role of the "white old man", was impatient to start everything, he put on and then took off the mask. Grimaced and amused the pilgrims.
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Meanwhile, some were already ready to leave. These are llamas musicians and one mysterious character with a sword, whose role I did not yet understand.
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The youngest are preparing - the assistants of the white elder, a couple of boys in masks of boys)
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The grandpa lifts the old man's mask so as not to wrap himself up, stepping over the high threshold of the gompa. And here I get in the way under my feet.
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“Tsam is usually performed in the front yard of a monastery temple, while the temple itself serves as an excellent backdrop for a fancy-dress mystery. Sometimes its facade is decorated with thangkas, picturesque images of deities represented in the dance, and Buddhist teachers. Since the mystery is performed in the open air, the weather is extremely good. important, because otherwise expensive masks and costumes may suffer. In this regard, on the eve of Tsam, many monasteries traditionally turned to a magician who could disperse the clouds by resorting to appropriate rituals. "
The picture shows that the weather is still not very good, but the rain does not threaten the masks. The sun begins to break through the clouds, and some of the ladies have unfurled their umbrellas, so God forbid not to get tanned.
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The white old man and the boys are ready to leave, hiding while in the stairwell of the gompa.
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"The general laughter causes the appearance of the White Elder - he tries to fall asleep in the midst of the dancers, begs for tobacco from the audience and distributes sweets to the children. The White Elder is the patron saint of all living beings, the head of the spirits of earth and water. According to folk legends, in the past he was one of the great shamans, who lived a righteous life and later canonized in Buddhism. He was one of the popular Lamaist deities. In Tsam he is a comic character, portrayed a commoner, which was attractive to the audience of the mystery ... Sometimes the White Elder, lamenting that he was completely alone, kidnapped from Khashin khan of one or two of his sons, was terribly happy that he had found heirs, amused them and, having played out, due to his blindness, it seemed that he could not find the children who were hiding from him. And he began some other scene. He had a large stock of interludes. tobacco, begging, collecting money, hadaki and stayed on the circle until the end. "
While the elder amused the audience on the site, I tried to get in among the locals.
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But then I had to understand the role of a man without a face and with a sword. This was the so-called adzar. He was always outside the dance circle and made sure that the audience did not enter the site and did not interfere with the dancers. He also "cleared" from the "extra" spectators the passage through which the dressed lamas descended from the gompa into the dance circle. There I was hanging around and hitting his sword all the time. He did not spare anyone, no old women, no children, no photographers) One row of spectators on the stairs was still acceptable, but he dispersed the second.
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In general, I liked being in the gompa and filming preparations more))
The main master of ceremonies is preparing to leave. A very important uncle. One of the shanaks, the so-called "black caps", participating in a dance that tells about the feat of the monk Palje Dorje. I'll give you a quote about dance later.
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Senior lamas disguise themselves as main deities.
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"Most of the Tsam's performers are lamas or simple monks, only some of the roles, for example, the role of warriors or clowns, can be played by laymen. Only men can take part in Tsam. The role that is entrusted to a particular lama depends primarily on his knowledge in the field of Buddhist philosophy and the mystical foundations of Tsam. So, for example, only high lamas are entrusted with the role of the main deities and the leading performer in the dance of the "Black Caps", the lamas of the middle level can play the roles of the deities of the retinue and the main participants in the dance of the "Black Caps." the monks are usually engaged in skeletal dancing, although sometimes they are allowed to play the roles of the heavenly messengers of the dakinis. "
“Costumes for Cham are usually made of brocade and silk. Some of them are tailored like the robes of the Tibetan nobility that monasteries received as offerings in ancient times. Like Tibetan oracles, Cham performers wear costumes over monastic robes. deities usually consist of a robe with wide, long sleeves and a beautiful carved collar worn over it.The wide sleeves are shaped like a quiver - it is implied that all protector deities hide a bow and arrow in them, so that at any time, if necessary, they can hit the enemies of the doctrine.
For some dances, a breast ornament made of wooden, but more often bone beads, or even a whole tantric costume, which is called "six bone ornaments", is required. Sometimes the breast ornaments are replaced by the so-called "mirror" - a metal medallion with the seed syllable of this deity depicted in the center. Different types of weapons and ritual objects correspond to different tantric deities: triangular flags, bowls, swords, wands, etc. "
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"The masks came out on the circle either one by one, or in pairs, or in groups. Having danced and performed a pantomime, they retired to the temple or remained on the side platform, without disturbing other participants."
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The Azzar is still watching me, although I tried to squeeze myself into the line of spectators as much as possible))
The sun has already begun to bake with might and main the poor pilgrims in yak hats.
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"A very important role in Tsam is played by musicians who accompany dancing monks. Up to a hundred musician monks dressed in ordinary monastic robes can be involved in especially important ceremonies. In Tsam, almost all instruments that sound in ordinary temple rituals are used: long trumpets, shells, gunlins, big drums and cymbals of all kinds to create a rhythmic pattern for the dance. "
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The dance of the deer and the bull is the most energetic.
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"The dance consisted in the fact that the" masks "then slowly, then quickly to the beat of the music took various plastic poses, jumped from one foot to another, circled the stage, moved back and forth. At the same time, they held in their hands any objects of symbolic the content and manipulation of these objects during the dance had a special meaning. The dancing movements of some of the "masks" were more lively, light and fast and not so monotonous. However, there were characters in the tsam who were spinning in a whirlwind of a real mad dance. This is how the eyewitness describes the action of the masks a bull and a deer, dancing parts of which combined expressive pantomime with dancing. "Under the fast tempo of the music, the bull and deer perform a quick dance, then pause, look at each other with hostility and make a series of hostile threatening movements. With their heads bowed, their horns shaking furiously, they are ready to throw themselves on top of one another ... "
Despite this, the most important lama, sitting on the honorary throne, is almost asleep)))
42
Although, I'm lying. It was he who most likely also went into a trance along with the shanaks performing the dance of black caps.
43
Here's what they write about this dance:
"The expressive" Dance of the Black Caps "tells about the feat of the monk Palje Dorje, the defender of the faith, the killer of the evil king Lang Darma, who during his reign set out to eradicate Buddhism in Tibet. The monk managed to kill the king and escape from the crime scene safe and sound, using After smearing his own face and his white horse with soot, putting on a black cloak with a white lining and a black hat, hiding a bow and arrows in the wide sleeves of his clothes, he went to the court. In this vestment he looked more like an evil spirit than Presenting himself in front of the palace, he began to perform the frantic ritual dance of the magician-sorcerer. When the king, becoming interested, approached him at a shot distance, Palje Dorje immediately hit him with an arrow, jumped into the saddle and rushed to the river. having washed off the soot from himself and the horse, he turned his cloak and hat upside down and turned into a white magician - the pursuers could no longer find each other oh side of the black sorcerer river ... "
"Shanaki, as already mentioned, do not wear masks, but instead they put on special hats, consisting of a black oval crown with wide brim. These hats are crowned with a miniature human skeleton, carved from wood and truncated to the waist. Above this whole pyramid, starting from fields, two arched horns made of papier-mâché rise, which are connected by the image of Chintamani inserted between them - a jewel that fulfills any desires. "
44
One of the formidable protector deities is also "worried" before going out. The girls are giggling and scared.
45
"In traditional analogy, defenders are compared to parents who act intimidating in order to keep children from making mistakes."
46
Young llamas begin to dress up as skeletons.
47
They are apparently terribly popular with viewers. There is a queue for photographing.
48
Each of the four skeletons pours flour into the sleeves. I have not yet found an explanation for this in the texts.
49
"These skeletons belong to high-ranking deities and are therefore adorned with a crown with three or five miniature skulls. To their mask, which is an enlarged copy of a human skull, is attached a pair of fans of rainbow colors. These fans Tibetans call" decorations of the protectors of cemeteries. "The Mongols call them "Butterflies" and the same name for the dancers performing this type of dance. They are dressed in tight white suits with a skeleton drawn on them. "
50
51
When their turn comes, skeletons run out to the audience, throwing themselves at them, sprinkling them with flour and grimacing in every possible way. The people are screaming.
52
53
"After that, Link's khural began - reading prayers against the enemy of faith. During this prayer, several formidable gods dance around a figurine of Link made of dough - the enemy of faith, the embodiment of sins, pronouncing spells (tarni), and then cutting Link into pieces."
Linka personifies the very evil king who wanted to eradicate Buddhism. In our case, a figurine made of dough was tormented by someone like a deer. And one of the lamas leading the ceremony was filming everything on a mobile phone at that time)
54
It was the climax. At the key moment, all the spectators made a terrible noise - whistling, shouting, stamping and laughing.
At the end, the shanaki came out to the circle again and began to dance. Their meditative, trance-inducing dance lasted sooooo long, over an hour. This is how it ended.
55
The musicians, free from the crowds, chopped off the last sounds.
56
Now you can take off your masks and costumes and have tea in the gompa.
57
"Tsam always had several ultimate goals, and in different schools the emphasis was on different things: Tsam as a means leading to enlightenment; Tsam as a way to pacify and neutralize evil spirits so that the coming year would pass safely for the community of people conducting the mystery; Tsam as preparation for what awaits a person after death during his stay in the transitional state of bardo. "
Previously, I have already observed Tsam more than once, but only out of the corner of my eye, so in Karsh, where I could be among the masks as much as I wanted, and where nothing interfered with my perception, I was especially impressed by this action. I do not know how enlightened I was, but only thanks to this day I finally read more about Tsam in order to find out what's what. So, at least she enlightened)
Yes, and, in principle, any trip to the gompa contributes to pacification. Especially as beautiful as Karsha. There all summer long rosehip blooms, which is called in these places a wild rose.
58
On the way back, I walked on foot to once again look at the gompa stuck to the slope ...
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and generally to the wild beauty of Zanskar that surrounds me.
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Next time we will "walk" with you around Paduma in order to see this beauty even closer.))
Sources of citations:
http://www.legendtour.ru/rus/mongolia/informations/religious-mask-tsam.shtml
http://www.gnozis.info/?q\u003dnode/3518&page\u003d0%2C0
www.savetibet.ru
v-svjatogor.narod.ru
The first abbot of the monastery Chopelu Sangpo in the form of a yak appeared the enlightened protector Yamantaka, whom he contemplated for a long time in meditation and to whom he turned his prayers for Enlightenment. The abbot, who was in deep concentration, saw how one after another the enlightened deities appeared before him, accompanied by a retinue of formidable defenders in crowns crowned with skulls.
The deities performed a bizarre dance, every movement of which Chopela Sangpo somehow memorized to the smallest detail. Soon he decided to recreate the mystery revealed to him, teaching his monks the unearthly dances of the enlightened deities. He clearly remembered every movement, the clang of the iron trident in the hands of the goddess Tsamudi, the unrestrained leaps of skeletons, the triangular flag of the Mahayaksha protector soaring skyward, and the trumpets filling with their low voices all space for many miles ahead.
The Mystery of Chopela Sangpo, recreated by the great lama in the smallest detail, to this day remains the main event in the spiritual life of the Dzongkar Chode monastery. In Tibet this type of ritual service is called "Cham", in Russia it is better known in its Mongolian pronunciation "Tsam".
The Tibetan word cham means "dance", "dance". The Mystery, performed annually in Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia, looks bewitching. Exotic costumes: scary, bird-like or animal-like masks with fangs in bared mouths, decorated with skulls; the sharp, frightening movements of the dancers - this is the first impression of the mystery. Scientists find prototypes of tsam masks in ancient petroglyphs and rock paintings of Central Asia. Each monastery has its own set of masks, costumes and musical instruments.
The ritual of the Tsam mystery is complex and multifaceted. It includes religious, philosophical, esoteric and exoteric layers. This is a colorful and solemn ceremony dedicated to the defenders of Buddhist teachings, the triumph of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas over the world of samsaric life and the enemies of faith.
The number of participants in the mystery ranges from 4-5 to 108 - the sacred number of Buddhism. As a bridge between the invisible world of enlightened deities and the world of people, Tsam requires numerous and careful preparations. Long before the beginning of the ritual, the lamas playing the roles of the main characters undergo a long seclusion, contemplating the deity, which will then be represented in the dance. Addressing him with prayers, reciting his sacred syllables-mantras, imagining themselves in his image, they strive to absorb his energy and spiritual strength, so that then, dressed in an old mask and costume made of golden brocade, become a deity, showing people his blessing.
The Dzonkar Chode monastery belongs to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, therefore the central character of the monastery Tsama here is Kalarupa, the main protector of this school. The dance of Kalarupa and his wife Tsamudi, as well as numerous deities of the royal retinue, makes up the backbone of Tsam, into the narrative canvas of which the appearances of other heroes are gracefully woven - the three-meter Palden Lhamo (the guardians of Tibet and the Dalai Lama), lightning snow lions, skeletons-guardians of cemeteries and black caps. "
The dance of the black hats dates back to the time of the non-Buddhist king Landarma, who favored the followers of the Bon shamanic religion and mercilessly destroyed Buddhist monasteries and temples. He was killed by a Buddhist monk who escaped from the crime scene unharmed using a simple disguise trick.
Having smeared with soot his own face and his white horse, dressed in a black cloak with a white lining and a black hat, hiding a bow and arrows in the wide sleeves of his clothes, he went to the court. In this dress, he looked more like an evil spirit than a servant of the Dharma. Appearing in front of the palace, he began to perform a frantic ritual dance of the Bon magician-sorcerer. When the king, having become interested, approached him at the distance of a shot, he immediately struck him with an arrow, jumped into the saddle and rushed to the river. Having swum across the river and washed off the soot from himself and the horse, he turned his cloak and hat upside down - the pursuers could no longer find the "black sorcerer" on the other side of the river ...
This thousand-year-old story is well known in Tibet, because it is a reminder that hard times fell to the lot of the Land of Snows before. After the brutal rule of Landarma, only three Buddhist monks remained in the country. But today there are thousands of them, and they have preserved for us dances and images of the enlightened worlds.
Angaeva Narana, student of the 10th grade, RBNL-I No. 1
The article is devoted to the study of the history and cult significance of the Tsam Mystery - an ancient Buddhist theatrical rite of worship based on an analysis of the memories of its participants and eyewitnesses.
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Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Buryatia
Education Committee of Ulan-Ude
MAOU "Buryat Gymnasium No. 29"
Section: cultural studies
"Mystery of Tsam in the memoirs of participants and eyewitnesses"
Scientific adviser: Dorzhieva Darima Anatolyevna, teacher of history and social studies, Ph.D.
Place of performance: GBOU "RBNLI No. 1" Ulan-Ude
ulan-Ude
2016 year
Introduction
1.1. From the history of Tsam
1.2. Memories of old-timers about carrying out Tsam in Buryatia
Chapter II. Revival of Tsam
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
The relevance of research:
The years of Soviet power, marked by the persecution and oppression of all religions, the destruction of churches, theological educational institutions, the loss of many cultural religious traditions and practices, caused irreparable damage to the culture of the people. At present, the process of restoring Buddhist religious and philosophical thought, reconstruction of a number of traditions lost during decades of persecution of Buddhism and Buddhists, has just begun. Buddhism, as Academician N.I. Konrad is not only a religion, but also an art. In this regard, the problems of studying and mastering forgotten forms of cult practice, to which the Buddhist mystery of Tsam, performed at datsans during special rituals of worship, is extremely important.
In Buryatia, 83 years after the last celebration, the Mystery of Tsam took place for the first time in July 2011 in Duinkhor datsan. This year I was fortunate enough to be present at the datsan on Verkhnyaya Berezovka at the ceremony of the Tsam Mystery, which took place according to all the most ancient canons. This theatrical and colorful rite of worship made an indelible impression, which prompted me to turn to the study of this ancient religious tradition. In the context of the recreation of partially lost and forgotten religious practices and rituals, the introduction into the scientific circulation of the memories of participants and eyewitnesses of the Mystery of Tsam, which are valuable documents and have significant information potential, is of particular relevance, because the brightest, most reliable, truthful, time-tested information is those which are kept in the memory of the people, in the memory of the participants in the historical event. Oral stories, memoirs, letters are living memory. The primary task of historical research is not only to reconstruct historical events, but also to convey the feelings and feelings of their participants and eyewitnesses.
Purpose of the study: Study of the history and cult significance of the Tsam Mystery based on the memoirs of its participants and eyewitnesses.
Research objectives:
- Analyze the memories of participants and eyewitnesses of the Mystery of Tsam for the reconstruction of the celebration
- Find out the sacred ritual meaning of the mystical Tsam dances
- Compare the conduct of the Mystery of Tsam in the past and in the present
This work uses the followingresearch methods: local history search, analysis of printed sources and scientific literature, historical reconstruction, source study and comparative historical analysis, method of participatory observation, method of theoretical analysis and generalization.
Chapter I. History of the Mystery of Tsam based on the memoirs of its participants and eyewitnesses
From the history of Tsam
Lamaism, northern Tibetan Buddhism, came to Buryatia at the end of the 17th century. Together with him, the Tibetan and Old Mongolian writing, the traditions of Eastern philosophy, and professional art became widespread in the Trans-Baikal steppes. The Lamaist clergy with its complex hierarchy appeared, temple and monastic complexes - datsans, dugans; lavish religious processions and services are held, attracting masses of believers.
One of the most dramatized and colorful rituals of worship was Tsam Khural. Tsam (Tib. "Cham" - dance) is a Buddhist mystery representing sacred dances and masked pantomime.
Tsam originally originated in Tibet and is associated with the Tantric system of Buddhism and Lamaism. Tradition attributes the idea of \u200b\u200bperforming the first sacred dances in masks of the gods to Padma Sambhava during the construction of the Samyai monastery in the 8th century. The origin of these dances is supposed to come from India, where "in ancient times special actors in masks and clothes of the gods danced and conducted dialogues in the language of gods, demons and people."
In Mongolia, the Gelug-pa sect gradually introduced in its monasteries various types of sacred dances and pantomimes with masks and without masks, and even with dialogues (Tsam Milorayba). In oriental literature, there are detailed descriptions of the performance in Tibet and Mongolia of Zhaghar tsama or Erlik tsama, after the name of the main deity of this mystery - Erlik Nomun khan, king of law and lord of hell. And it was this type of tsam that was introduced in Buryatia in the second half of the 19th century. In Buryatia, Zhaghar tsam was often called the tsam of the dokshits, for the main characters in it were dokshits (Sanskrit dharma-pala) - the guardian geniuses of the Buddhist faith in their wrathful incarnation.
It is known that in the datsans there were kept special guides in the Tibetan language on the rite of sacred dances and there were tantrin lamas of high dedication who supervised the entire ceremony of worship and the performance of the actual dances and pantomime. They strictly, unswervingly adhered to the existing canon. At large monasteries, there were artists who owned icon painting skills (they depicted gods on a cloth - tanka), they could also make masks of gods, people, animals, birds for Tsam. There also worked masters of sewing various and complex costumes for the characters of the mystery and artisans for the manufacture of props and props.
Memories of old-timers about carrying out Tsam in Buryatia
From the memoirs of Zimbe Vanchinovich Norboev
The performances "tsam" were held only in six datsans out of 33 available in Buryatia. Near Goose Lake there was a Khamby datsan, there were datsans in Yuroo, Sanag, Dyrestuy. Tsams were held in these and also Sartuul-Bulag, Sartuul-Gegetuisky datsans. Although the Sartuul-Bulag datsan was not far away, I have never been there. While I was going to visit it, it was closed. But the tsams in the Sartuul-Gegetuisky datsan not only saw, but also danced the dance himself, wearing a mask.
The big tsam took place in the middle of summer, on the 9th of the lunar calendar. Several years ago I was asked if it was possible to revive the celebration of tsam. “It's difficult,” I replied. - After all, now there are no people left who know this rite well to carry it out according to all the rules. Yes, and clothes, masks, where can you collect them? "
Not long before the destruction of the datsan, I took part in the Tsam holiday. Both high-ranking lamas and we, the huwaraki, portrayed different gods, wearing masks. More than a hundred people took part in the performance (mystery), and the number of spectators is difficult to name. A lot of people gathered: a few days before the tsam, large prayers were held, parishioners came to the datsan with the expectation of several days.
Some masks were very scary, some, especially small children, were even scared. At the beginning of the tsam, two performers came out dressed as skeletons (khokhima). They danced to the sounds of timpani, drums, striking the ground with striped staves. Then came Tsagaan Ubgen (White Elder), Huhe Ubgen (Violet Elder), Hashan Khaan with eleven sons, and many other deities. And if the "skeletons" inspired fear, the performances of the Startsev caused laughter.
The four of us (Gulgyn Sambuu from Upper Ichotui, Sandak, Tsyndo and I) went out in brown, green, blue and red clothes. We were wearing masks that had no holes for the eyes, and we could only look down at our feet. We were led out onto the porch by the arms, and we made our movements according to the sounds of the musical accompaniment. It was hard to wear carnival costumes, heavy masks in the summer heat, we were suffocating, sweat poured down. They withstood only because they underwent a lot of training in preparation. And the lamas depicting the gods of the highest ranks, the costumes were even heavier, they still had expensive jewelry.
The costumes for the tsam were made of very expensive material, after the performance we examined the clothes very carefully so that various attributes of the costume would not be lost.
From the memories of old-timers about the Tsam
The Tsam holiday is now forgotten among the people. Only people of my generation, when they visited khurals in datsans, had time to see this colorful sight. These holidays were not only religious - in the old days - they were truly a national holiday for Buddhists.
The disseminators of Buddhism adapted many elements of folk festivals to the Buddhist religion. Now young people have the right to ask: "What is the Tsam holiday?" In modern terms, I would answer like this: it was a performance with dances, elements of ballet. The holiday took place after a prayer service held in the middle of summer. After this khural, those present saw performers in masks of various deities. In each datsan there were many huvaraks (novices), and most of them were mobile, plastic, capable of performing dances. They trained for many months, rehearsed, preparing for this holiday. This training, it seems, was called "dag". Each performer had to play the role of some deity. Each datsan had a large orchestra with brass percussion instruments like cymbals, bells, drums, wind instruments made of sea shells (bure, yachil). There were also huge storms two to three meters long.
On the night before the tsam, a special prayer service was held called "Tsam khangal". At dawn, percussion instruments began to sound, the storm, and in the room outside, dancing, Burkhan Dalchidba appeared. He was considered a formidable, terrifying Burkhan, and his mask had a frightening appearance, and the so-called inner tsam began.
After that, the tsam continued inside the datsan fence. Most of the spectators came to the Khural mainly to watch the tsam. From the premises of the datsan, on one leg, jumped out one after another, knocking, clicking their jaws, "artists" depicting skeletons, wearing masks depicting skulls with red eyes, in black robes painted with white paint, like the ribs of a skeleton. They also portrayed formidable creatures, intimidating some of them. With two-meter striped sticks in a certain place, to the sounds of instruments, they knocked on the ground. The duties of the "skeletons" also included keeping order.
After them, four mythical creatures appeared - azars (two brown, two green) with short striped sticks in their hands. Gritted teeth, menacing gaze, dressed in banzal (part of the lamas' clothing that resembles a skirt). They quickly ran out of the building of the datsan, in two or three jumps overcame the high porch of the datsan, vigilantly examining the four cardinal points. After them appeared the mythical bird Garudi, the crow, Tsagaan Ubgen (White Elder) and Nogoon Ubgen (Green Elder), Hashan Khaan (hashan-slow, clumsy, lazy) with children, all with musical instruments. The White Elder begs for alms from those present, he himself treats them to tobacco from a snuff-box. The White Elder is a funny character, his actions cause smiles, laughter, and he collects a lot of money. But the crow, Garudi, are trying to steal sweets from the dish with a treat, but they are very afraid of the "skeletons", the azars.
On the largest tsam, a dozen sahyusans (guardian geniuses) appeared, led by Zhamsaran sahyusan with two students, eight teenagers, little boys (there were 21 of them). After them, the sahyusans Lhama, Gombo, Zamandi, Choizhol, Gongor, Namsaray appeared. The performances of Gongor and Namsaray were slower. After the sakhuusans, Izubr and Byk ran out quickly, having performed their dances, ran back to the datsan.
The final tsam performed 21 shanaga burkhans (shanaga-bucket). They wore brass buckets over their heads. They had a lot of jewelry (beads), small bells. They were performed by young lamas dressed in colorful materials, including brocade.
During the tsam, performers in masks, depicting the masters (spirits) of the local sacred mountains, also sat near the trees. When the deities finished their performances and retired to the datsan, the sounds of storm, beshkhuurs were heard again, and the characters of the tsam again came out and made joint performances. At first, the dances were performed slowly, then they accelerated, became more and more impetuous, arms and legs flashed so that it was difficult to keep track. The White Elder came out later, with awkward falls and other tricks he amused everyone. During the dance, the characters of Tsam sing loudly the texts of spells - tarni, mantras to the beat of the music, they have something energetic, holistic, complete, this is something like a dynamic meditation.
Due to the difficulty of the content, most of the spells remain untranslated, inaccessible to ordinary people, have a mystical content. Tibetologists continue to study their innermost meaning.
Chapter II. Revival of Tsam
At the present time, we know little about the state of cult practice in Tibet; there is information that the mystery is being held in a number of monasteries in Tibet. In the late 90s. there was an attempt to reconstruct the Tsam mystery in Mongolia, however, due to the interruption of the tradition of transmitting the sacred "script" of the mystery from the highest lamas to their disciples, etc. the mystery of Tsam at the present time is quite difficult to restore. The reason for this is also the lack of lamas of the highest initiation who know the religious and philosophical foundations of the mystery, its varieties (related to content), who have the secrets of logical practices, who have experience in practicing meditation.
Similar problems are facing the Buddhists of Buryatia, Tuva, Kalmykia. Only with the revival and restoration of Buddhism, its basic structures, the emergence of a new generation of educated lamas of the highest ranks, in general, the consolidation of Buddhism as a religious worldview, will it be possible to talk about the renewal and reconstruction of the Tsam mystery. Tsam has not been held in Buryatia since 1929.
With the blessing of XXIV Pandito Khambo Lama Damba Ayusheev, the Tsam Mystery, with the support of the outstanding Tibetan Kalachakra Tantra Master Aghvan Chzhamtso Bagshi, was restored by the Duinkhor datsan lamas 83 years after its last performance on the territory of Buryatia. On July 3, 2011, the first tsam took place on the territory of the Khambyn Khure datsan, which became an outstanding event in the history of traditional Buddhism in Russia. A week later, on July 10, the Mystery took place on the territory of the Tamchinsky Datsan, at the same historical place where it was held for the last time.
“Initially, Tsam was intended to give believers the opportunity to more deeply understand religious texts,” said Rygzen Lama Yeshiev. - If in ancient times the lamas could, after reading the text, imagine everything that the teachers say or is written in the book, then it was difficult for ordinary illiterate people to imagine all this. What is this or that deity, what it does, how it looks, moves and other details. For them, religious texts were translated into the language of mysteries, performances with different characters. So they became closer and more understandable. In those days, people did not have radio or television. All the characters of Tsam were easily recognizable, every believer knew them. It is more correct to call this mystery Cham, but, unfortunately, we have a slightly changed name. The Tsam characters should be like their descriptions in the books, down to the details. There are many detailed descriptions in religious books. For example, sahyusans are guards, protectors of the faith. It is necessary to display what shoes they wear, what they are wearing, what they hold in their hands, what kind of rosary they have, where they live, what character traits they have. What a sakhyusan has eyes, what a crown he has, what is decorated. Or evil characters - when people read books, many found it difficult to understand all their nightmarishness. And then they saw them in reality, watched with trepidation and awe as they were being fought against. This made an indelible impression. Tsam was usually held during the warm season. It was always held only after large prayers, giving them even more importance. In Tibet, it is held at the end of the prayer services associated with the onset of the New Year according to the lunar calendar.
Conclusion
The sacred meaning of this ancient Buddhist religious tradition is to grant all living beings purification and blessing for a better path in this life, the elimination of all obstacles - internal and external, and for the departed the gift of liberation from being in bad situations, receiving birth in good fortunes. It is important to relate to the Mystery with faith in the power of what is happening. Tsam is a dance of the Deities, in which all the negative of the surrounding space is destroyed. Where the Deities are present, there is no room for bad thoughts, bad deeds, and bad speech. Mystery bestows great blessing on everyone who is fortunate enough to be present.
Lamas say that having seen the mystery of Tsam at least once, a person develops good deeds that will help him find a better rebirth in the next life. Now the residents of Buryatia will have more opportunities to improve their karma than the representatives of other Russian regions: it is assumed that the Tsam mystery will become an annual rite. This should be another stage in the long process of the revival of Trans-Baikal Buddhism. Although it was once one of the most impressive religious performances, its cultural significance for the inhabitants of Buryatia is comparable to the ancient Greek or Japanese theater. Many lay people always gathered to watch the performance played by the clergy. Believers could again, as at the beginning of the twentieth century, see firsthand the eternal struggle between good and evil.
In conclusion, I would like to say that Tsam is a magnificent, impressive mystery. She has a huge impact on believers. This is not only a colorful sight, Tsam has a deep inner meaning. Seeing this action with their own eyes, people become even more strengthened in faith, penetrate deeper into the ideas of Buddhism, receive an incentive to further study the scriptures, and promote religion.
Bibliography:
- Galdanova G.R. Dolamaite beliefs of the Buryats. - Novosibirsk, 1987.
- Newspaper "Inform Policy" - July 17, 2013
- Mikhailov T.M. National identity and mentality of the Buryats // Current situation of the Buryat people and prospects for its development. - Ulan-Ude, 1996.
- Naidakova V.Ts. Buddhist mystery Tsam in Buryatia. - Ulan-Ude, 1997.
- Sanje-Surun. Memory of bygone times. T. 1. Ulan-Ude, 2010.
- Internet resources
Lamaism spread to Mongolia in the 16th century, having already come in its developed form from Tibet, bringing its own traditions and culture.
Nevertheless, the Mongolian mystery "Tsam" and, especially, the masks made for it are interesting.
At the monasteries, masks were made for a religious ceremony. The masks were made of papier-mâché and were brightly colored. They depicted various deities and mythological characters, were worn by monks along with a bright silk robe when performing religious dances and performances in monastic courtyards with a large crowd of people.
postcard, Tsarist Russia, Buryatia, Tsam holiday
The essence of this ceremony is to show the struggle of the characters of the Lamaist faith with the Gentiles. After the ceremony, masks were hung in monasteries next to tan-ka (Lamaist icons), as they were considered of great value.
"Tsam" means "dancing in a circle". The rite itself originated, according to some sources, in India, while in Mongolia it appeared only in the middle of the 18th century. There is no exact information about the origin of this mystery. MAXANTO believes that the following version can be considered the most reliable:
“One monk from the“ red ”trend of Buddhism, Lovon Badamzhunayn, arrived in Tibet in 775, where he founded the Samyaa monastery. To pacify the spirits possessing inhumanly black power, he performed the Zhahar prayer, combined with ritual dances, which was the beginning of the performance of "Tsam" in Tibet ".
Tsam 19-20 century
There is another version that deserves attention, at least for its poetry. So, according to the famous Russian scientist-Mongolian N. Shastina, one legend tells how "the Tibetan emperor" Landram "(841-901), who is a worshiper of shamanism and hates Buddhism with all his heart, destroyed monasteries and oppressed monks in every possible way. fled to the mountains and began to live in caves. Of the 70,000 monks survived, only 7. Choijin monk Lhal Khumbaldorj sewed himself a black and white suit with wide sleeves, a bow and arrows were hidden in them. His horse was repainted from white to motley. Putting on his outfit with the white side out and arriving at the imperial palace, he began a dance in front of the palace gates. He jumped and waved his sleeves. Interested, the emperor went out to look at the monk, and then he pulled out his bow and shot Landram. Turning his robes on the black side, he he jumped into the river, fleeing the imperial guard. From that time he hid in the mountains, living as a hermit. And his dance became popular as a mystery against the enemies of Buddhism.
Currently, the "Tsam" dance is widespread in many monasteries in Mongolia, where it attracts the attention of thousands of spectators.
Today "Tsam" in Mongolia is a dance pantomime performed by lamas. Half of them put on masks (which we have already written about above) and are called dokshits (keepers), the second group of lamas do not wear masks, they are called shanaks (contemplating lamas). They all begin to dance, moving in a circle and waving their arms. The dance tells about the struggle between good and evil.
Skeleton dances are an interesting part of the Tsam mystery. Among them are the "defenders of the four cemeteries" who belong to high-ranking deities. On them are crowns with three or five miniature skulls. Fans of rainbow colors are attached to their masks. They are called "butterflies" by the Mongols. The dancers are dressed in tight white costumes with a skeleton painted on them.
Drying cabinets for clothes and shoes are produced by many companies. Most of the Russian market is occupied by manufacturers from our country. Here we will consider two brands "KUBAN" (Amparo) and "RShS" from the Moscow plant Rubin. The Moscow production association "Rubin" produces both traditional drying ovens and infrared ones. Production is certified, products have been on the market for 23 years. ...
Drying cabinets for clothes and shoes
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MAXANTO invites you to watch a video about a serf talking about the eccentricities of a Hindu master and the mysterious and incomprehensible Sansara! ...
One Actor Theater: Serf, Hindu Master and Samsara
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They say that actors are people who reveal the human essence. Emotions overflowing, pantomime on the verge of a foul. All this is in the video that MAXANTO posted right under this text. ...
Who are you in fact? You have changed?
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Annie Veitch is an artist from Ontario (Canada). In her oil paintings - female figures. She explores and presents us with the simple beauty of the body, and also tries to convey the spectrum of complex human emotions. ...
Sleep paintings on the canvases of Canada Annie Veitch
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The history of the emergence and development of Urdu is extremely interesting. In the 9th century, with the advent of Muslim conquerors in India, the North Indian Hindawi — a developed language with rich folklore — began to enrich itself with a multitude of Persian and Arabic words and adopted a somewhat modified Arabic script. ...
India: Urdu (Hindustani) language
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When the time comes for the documents to be ready for connecting the gas, you need to start choosing a gas boiler. There are a lot of brands of boilers, and in this variety of equipment, it is necessary to choose a boiler that would satisfy all your requirements. Conversations with neighbors who have had gas connected for a long time, as a rule, do not give anything definite. Everyone tells their stories, who praises the boiler, and who has the third, and the last is very good. ...
How to choose a gas boiler, water heater, remote access system, etc.
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Now there are many companies on the Internet that offer their customers a wide range of very different products. In this article we will tell you about popular online stores that sell cleaning equipment and equipment. So, top 5: ...
Review of online stores where you can buy cleaning equipment
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The construction of the Tupden Shedudling temple complex in Otradnoye is taking its course. The Stupa of Enlightenment has already been built next to the Temporary Stupa. ...
Stupa of Enlightenment of the Tupden Schedubling Temple Complex - Moscow
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The unfoundedness of thought haunts me. Radiant boys sing their speeches from YouTube channels, collecting millions of subscribers. Catching my breath, I realized that I did not envy them, but somewhere I even admire them. Just imagine how many people who want to study business and become a "Big Boss". ...
Trainings: how to learn so as not to leave disappointed?
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Instructions on how to connect a combined indirect heating boiler to the heating system of a gas boiler. ...
Connecting a combined indirect heating boiler (BKN) to the heating system of a gas boiler
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Procedure and terms of paperwork and execution of work on gas connection. Provided that a gas main runs near your house. ...
Gas supply to a private house in the Moscow region, in TSN.
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As soon as the conductor bows to the audience, waves his wand, at the wave of which the red theatrical curtains open and the orchestra enters, you understand: this is Imre Kalman. His music, solemn and eternal, takes you to the wonderful world of Viennese operettas, even if they are now called musicals. ...
Circus princess of the Moscow Musical Theater
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New video by Queen with vocals by Freddie Mercury for the song All Dead, All Dead from the album News of the world. ...
New music video by Queen with vocals by Freddie Mercury
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On October 12, 2017, the Central Bank of Russia presented banknotes, whose denomination was 200 and 2000 rubles. ...
Central Bank introduced new bills of 200 and 2000 rubles
0 1959
Scientists believe that the first clock was created and made public domain by the ancient Greeks. In order for the townspeople who lived in ancient Athens not to feel out of time, special people scurried along the streets of the city, for a small fee, informing where the mark of the sundial's shade is at the moment. ...
Who invented the clock? History of invention
0 1920
"Bath heals the soul", so they said in Russia, and they were right. You can remember how in the film "Midshipmen", a Frenchman, who decided to go to the Russian steam room, shouted obscenities in his own language and fled in shame from the walls of the holy place. For a Russian, a bath is a part of his life. In the bath, a person cleanses the body and soul after a week of work. ...
Bath for body and soul
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Sleepwalking, sleepwalking is a special state of sleep, observed more often in children and adolescents. With sleepwalking, a disorder of consciousness is noted, accompanied by automatic complex actions during a night's sleep. ...
Sleepwalking
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Traditionally, in northern countries, a stove was used to heat a house in cold weather, while in southern countries they were content with fireplaces. This was until recently, when some manufacturers have created a symbiosis of a stove with a fireplace, which combines the aesthetics of an open fire and the warmth of a real stove. We will tell you about the Swedish manufacturer KEDDY, which for the third decade has been producing a whole range of ovens with super cassettes - glass-covered fireboxes through which you can watch the fire devour wood. ...
Swedish fireplace stoves Keddy Maxette
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Registration of a land plot and a country house in the ownership of a plot intended for the construction of housing (if it is not a garden and not a summer cottage partnership). state register of real estate). The extract from the USRN included: an extract from the USRR (rights) and the state real estate cadastre. ...
Registration of a land plot and a country house in ownership
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After watching the show Just the same, where Gennady Khazanov acts as a judge, a painful impression is formed. Looking at him, one can decide that the era of acting is over. That is why the MAXANTO correspondent went with caution to the performance of the Anton Chekhov theater "Supper with a Fool"; what was his surprise when he passed the verdict that Khazanov was perhaps the only one who "inherited" the enchanting manner of playing with strokes, a little bit peculiar to Arkady Raikin. And not just inherited, but carried through the thickness of the decades, without splashing the liquid from this precious vessel. ...
Dinner with a fool - Gennady Khazanov
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There is such an anecdote when a monk knocked on a woman's door for the night. The woman set a condition for the night: drink with her, eat meat, or spend the night. The monk refused, but there was not much choice, otherwise he would freeze at night, as he was in the mountains where there was snow. And the monk agreed to drink some wine with her. And only after drinking, he ate meat, and after that he slept with her. ...
Vegetarian confession or how I started eating meat again
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Moscow. Red Square. How much has been said, how much has been written. Military parades have been and are being held on Red Square, people go to a meeting with Lenin in the mausoleum. It's still a miracle, what if they will soon be removed? ...
Moscow. Red Square. Summer 2017.
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On May 31, on the eve of summer, a MAXANTO correspondent attended a club meeting held by Andrey Veselov on the topic: "Strategic changes: awaken the power of 5P!" ...
Strategic changes: awaken the power of 5R
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Those who are used to looking at their feet in the summer know that in nature, and in the urban jungle, many different beetles crawl on the ground. At the same time, sometimes we even somehow do not even think about the fact that some species are included in the Red Book ... One of the endangered species is the Caucasian ground beetle ...
Ground beetle Caucasian - beetle from the Red Book
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Many are thinking about building a country house. What to pay special attention to when building and installing engineering communications? Where to begin? ...
Errors in the construction of a country house
0 1919
A plant is under construction in Kaliningrad, where it is planned to produce automatic transmissions. According to the business plan, the production area will be 80 thousand square meters, and the planned production volume should reach 30 thousand ACPs per year. ...
KATE: Russian automatic transmissions
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Elon Musk proposes a cardinal solution - the construction of new metro lines specifically for cars. At first glance, this looks futuristic and unrealizable. But let's digress for a moment and remember that another no less plausible project by Elon Musk - Hyperloop (the construction of pipes in which trains will move at a speed of over 1200 km / h) is already being implemented. Therefore, let's see how the developers see the underground for cars. ...
Subway for cars
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Installation of heating elements in the indirect heating boiler Baxi Premier Plus
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The first UAZ DEVOLRO will be ready in early July 2017! Orlov set the date for the appearance of the first car in the United States. UAZ DEVOLRO can be seen (and purchased) for the first time in July 2017! The price will depend on the configuration, starting from $ 15,000 to $ 35,000. ...
The first UAZ DEVOLRO will be available for purchase in early July 2017
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Dispensers are no longer amazing devices today. In many apartments and country houses, their use has become commonplace. Nevertheless, among the general population it is not yet complete confidence that they are really needed. Moreover, the phrase "food waste shredder" is sometimes confusing, because it is not entirely clear why grind something at all? ...
Bone Crusher and InSinkErator Disposers
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It is known that there are no two identical people in nature. Even the doubles, on close inspection, are not at all identical. Nature has laid down an infinite variety of species, which, ultimately, is an element of evolution. Surely, many paid attention to the fact that everything in a person is different: even ears. So, there are several classifications of auricles. Of course, when it comes to personal identification, first of all, we mean the identification of corpses in forensic science. So, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, every year more than twenty thousand (!!!) unidentified corpses are found in the country. Therefore, this problem is of great interest to experts in the criminal investigation department. ...
Identification of a person by auricles in forensic science
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Caterpillars are known pests. Of course, later they will become butterflies and, although they will remain the same crop destroyers, they will acquire a certain color and will delight the eye. As for their forerunner - caterpillars, or, as they are also called, larvae, they do not evoke sympathy. Some of them are definitely photogenic though. ...
Caterpillars are phytophages that eat leaves
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In addition to Russia and Europe, "agile lizards" live even in the northwest of Mongolia. However, perhaps it was from Mongolia that they came to Russia together with the hordes of Genghis Khan! Take a look at two maps - the habitat of the "agile lizards" and the delineated border of the Mongol Empire - they overlap. There is an alternative opinion that this is not without reason. ...
The path of the lizard: from Mongolia to Europe
0 1817
Ipoh is a city in Malaysia that began to develop rapidly at the turn of the 19th century. Now it is home to over seven hundred thousand inhabitants, around - modern buildings. However, buildings from the colonial era have also survived. The graffiti on the walls of the Old town, which were created by Ernest Zakharevich, are also quite interesting. The drawings appeared after the artist's trip around the country. This is how images such as "cycle rickshaw", "an old man with a cup of coffee", "children on a paper airplane", "tea bags", "a girl on a stool" and "hummingbird" were obtained. ...
Graffiti on the walls of Ipoh, Malaysia
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MAXANTO correspondents attended the training "103 new chips of active sales", which was conducted by the famous sales coach Dmitry Tkachenko. ...
103 new active sales tokens
0 2020
Today the international edition motor1.com has published a series of photographs of "a mysterious prototype of a large sedan." The pictures were taken by the photographers of the publication during the sea trials on one of the frozen lakes in Sweden. And if some foreign readers are not completely familiar with the design of the future presidential limousine, which should be ready for the upcoming inauguration in 2018, MAXANTO readers can easily guess the future AURUS limousine under camouflage, and not Rolls-Royce or Bentley. ...
Test of the presidential limousine (project "Cortege") in Sweden
0 1976
They say that you cannot teach how to trade. But this is not the case. For example, recently deceased David Rockefeller Sr., despite inherited capital, studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science. It is not the first year that Moscow has hosted the Sales and Marketing 2017 conference organized under the auspices and with the direct support of B2Bbasis. MAXANTO correspondents attended this interesting event to get acquainted with all the current trends in the field of marketing and promotion of services to the market. ...
Sales and Marketing 2017: Trends this Year
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When Jean-Claude Van Damme showed the splits in two moving Volvo trucks, the world was overwhelmed with applause. But the video with Van Damme is far from the first time when artists showed stretching between moving objects. Of course, circus performers were the first to show people such tricks. MAXANTO managed to find a photograph of Vladimir Durov's students. In all likelihood, the picture dates back to the 60s of the last century. The picture shows the circus artist Vladislav Varyakoene. ...
Twine on elephants, trucks, motorcycles
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Over the past decade, Satoshi Saikusa has created a number of projects that touch on themes such as night, memory and the fragility of being. Whether he works in a series of portraits, still lifes or installations, through all his work, he says, the Buddhist concept passes. impermanence - with an emphasis on memento mori. ...
Photographer Satoshi Saikusa: Themes of Death, Birth and Sleep
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Eva Green is a femme fatale from the latest reboot of the James Bond films. The same Vesper Lind who left scars on the heart of 007. We will not speculate about the attractiveness of this woman. Today MAXANTO will show you images she created in collaboration with Japanese photographer Satoshi Saikusa. ...
Eva Green: Bond girl in a Japanese lens
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Of course, we won't be original if we say that praying mantises are alien creatures. Of course, they live on Earth and are very common on it. But take a closer look at them: weren't their heads copied and copied by American film studios, creating their films about terrible aliens from outer space? Looking at them, only one thing calms: praying mantises are small insects. If you imagine that they would be at least the size of a cat or a dog, we assure you that meeting them would make you feel uneasy. ...
Praying Mantises: Fiends of Hell from Another Planet?
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The performance is conceptual, however, as is the place where it is played - after all, the Zuev House of Culture is one of the brightest and most famous monuments of constructivism in the world, but today we are not talking about that. The fact is that Oleg Dyachenko's film "Faster Than Rabbits" is completely devoid of a video sequence about phobias from the play, which immediately seems to decapitate the narrative. Comic episodes with Hamlet and in the Third Reich are also noteworthy. MAXANTO offers to watch the episodes not included in the film. ...
Faster than rabbits: phobias, Hamlet, Buratino and the Third Reich
