Research On Buddhist Vows Written In Old Uyghur From Dunhuang And Turfan

The Old Uyghur Buddhist vows text is a Buddhist application style which combines secularity and religion.It is the most direct expression of Buddhists in Buddhist activities.The format of the vows is neat and fixed.Vows often contain important content such as the identity of the petitioner,the occasion,time,reason,and wishes.It is an effective way to observe the changes in religious ideology and social culture in the Qo?o region from the perspective of Uyghur Buddhists.The Old Uyghur Buddhist vows originated from the tradition of Chinese Buddhism and were influenced by the emphasis on practical customs in Chinese Buddhism.Offering triratna in Buddhism has appeared in multiple vows,and it explains the merits of copying scriptures at a long length,becoming the guiding ideology for large-scale copying and printing of Buddhist scriptures to express prayers.The absorption of Buddhist concepts such as samsara and nirvana in the hymns of the leading religion——Manichaeism.Undoubtedly it contributed to the acceptance of Buddhism by the Uighurs and the formation of Buddhist vows.The time,place,and events recorded in Old Uyghur vows with complete structure can often provide materials for investigating the religious and secular life of Uyghur people.Uyghur Buddhist activities and ceremonies are influenced by Chinese Buddhist practices.Old Uyghur texts emphasize "auspicious time" when recording the timing of Buddhist practices,and the specific dates basically coincide with the "ten fasting days" in the context of Chinese Buddhism.In Old Uyghur texts,the person making the vows and the object of prayer are often named with personal names and relative titles,reflecting the close in-law relationship and closed family connection of Uyghur families at that time,which can also be seen in Uyghur contract documents.The Uyghur people had a major change in their concepts of life and death after they believed in Buddhism.The prayer part of the prayer is divided into the present world and the afterlife,and more focuses on the longing for the early encounter with Maitreya in the afterlife and the rebirth in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.In the process of evolution and creation,the Old Uyghur vows writing style has continuously absorbed and integrated different cultures,which has always retained the characteristics of the Uyghur ethnic group,providing a new window for investigating the integration and exchange of the Uyghur ethnic group and religious secular culture.