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ZSUZSA MAJER
After-Death Texts in the Regular Ceremonial System
of Mongolian Temples
Awidin €ogo or Diwajingin Cogo (Tib. ‘od dpag med kyi cho ga / bde ba can gyi cho
ga), ‘Ritual of Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light’ / ‘Ceremony of the Sukhavati
paradise’. For example in DaSüoilin monastery, but also in several other temples it
is held in once a month.
Lxog(o)toi giinreg / Giinregin Ixogo (Tib. lho sgo kun rig), ‘The south gate of
Sarvavid(ya) Vairocana’. In several temples it is held weekly. In many bigger Mon¬
golian monasteries it is held weekly, as for example in Gandan main monastery on
every Saturday, and in DaSéoilin monastery on every Sunday.
Oroin yeröl (Tib. smon lam), ‘Prayer’, ‘Evening prayer’ performed with the aim
of promoting better rebirth for the deceased ones. During this ritual, for example
all of the Six Prayers are chanted. It is also held weekly in several monasteries, for
example on every Saturday for example in DaS¢oilin monastery. In Gandan it is
held regularly at the request of individuals. The ritual is performed with the aim of
promoting better rebirth for the deceased ones, and also gathering virtues by this
way.
Sambalin Cogo (Tib. sham bha la’i cho ga), ‘Ritual of Shambhala’. According to its
recommendations, this riual is held for the deceased and for merits in the future re¬
births. This ceremony was actually found to be held regularly in only two Ulanbatar
temples. One of them is De¢ingalaw dacan / Diiinxor dacan (Tib. bde chen bskal pa,
dus ‘khor grwa tshang, Ix amgalant cag in Mongolian translation, ‘Fortunate Aeon
/ Kalacakra monastic school’) of Gandan monastery, where it is held on the 15"
of the first autumn month annually. In the other temple it is held, which is Lamrim
dacan / Janéub lamrim dacan (Tib. (byang chub) lam rim grwa tshang, ‘Monastic
school of the Gradual Path (to the enlightment)’, Lamrim monastic school) situated
on Janabajar Street, which leads to Gandan, on the right side, it is held similarly
annually although there is no fixed date for it.
Data from the ceremonial system of Mongolian monasteries is available to me from my previous field¬
works on the revival and ceremonies of Mongolian Buddhism for my PhD dissertation (Majer, Zsuzsa:
A Comparative Study).
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