March 31, 2012

x + དོར་བ། x + བོར་བ།

x + dor/’dor ba, x + bor/’bor ba:

1. rgyan dor ba (= rgyal btsugs pa) “to cast a lot, to gamble” (Bod.rgya)
2. bro dor ba (= mna’ bskyal ba = bro bor ba) “to swear” (Bod.rgya)
3. bsnyon dor ba “to deny (something undeniable outright)” (Bod.rgya)
4. dmod pa dor ba “to curse” (Bod.rgya)
5. sho dor ba “to cast the dice” (Bod.rgya)
6. gom pa dor ba “to take steps, to stride/tread” (Bod.rgya)
7. mna’ dor ba “to swear” (Bod.rgya)
8. la dor ba (lit.) “to cross the pass” but means “to make progress on the path”?*

1. gom pa bor ba “to take steps” (Bod.rgya)
2. tha tshig bor ba “to promise?” (Bod.rgya)
3. mdud pa bor ba “to tie a knot” (Bod.rgya)
4. ’dems ka bor ba “to make a choice” (Bod.rgya), cf. “to cast a vote”
5. bro bor ba “to swear” (Bod.rgya)
6. dmod bor ba “to curse” (Bod.rgya)

Only those that are lexically significant or interesting have been listed here. 

See Dan’s comments below. This expression is also used in rNying-ma writings in the context of discussing Tantric topics (rgyud kyi dngos po), particularly qualifying praxis/conduct (spyod pa: caryā). It is used at least in two ways: (a) la dor ba spyod pa and (b) la spyod pas dor. Often, it goes like this: thag lta bas bcad | la spyod pas dor | rim pa dbang gis bgrod | and so on. I just have one reference at hand. Mi-pham, ’Od gsal snying po (p. 434.3): de kho na nyid lta ba | mi g.yo ba ting nge ’dzin | la dor ba spyod pa gsum….

7 comments:

  1. la dor ba is a peculiar case

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  2. Dear P,

    Are you sure? Did you mean la zlo ba instead?

    D.

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  3. He meant blo dor-ba. Or blo bor-ba. Both are very peculiar cases. Ha ha ha. April fools Pavel & Dorji!

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  4. Yes, I mean la bzla ba - (DM) [= la dor ba]

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  5. April Fools is already past and I'm the biggest fool at last!

    I should fix that entry for la-bzla-ba, since anyway la-dor-ba has its main lexical attestation in the glossary of Tenzin Namdak,* and might therefore be considered a Bon form... I imagine it could be explained as an alternative way of writing la-zlo-ba, actually. La-dor-ba does occur in Bon works. I could come up with real-text examples, as in the chapter title "Lta-ba La-dor-ba..."

    *That means Tenzin Namdak, Rgyal Gshen Rnam-thar (Life of Lord Shenrab) (excerpted from original texts by Tenzin Namdak), Tibetan Bonpo Monastic Centre (Dolanji 1971), in 2 vols.

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  6. Dear Dan, dear Pavel,

    I am revoking my scepticism. Both of you are right. I do remember the expression la dor ba now. It may NOT be the same as la blo/bzla ba. I shall add lo dor ba to the list.

    Best,

    D.

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