The Waddell NGB: Codicological information for Volume Wa

The Catalogue of the Rig 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu rNying ma'i rgyud 'bum

Codicological information on Volume Wa

Modern library pagination and markings

In this volume, the western numbering is written in blue pencil numbers. At the front of the volume, there is a long unevenly cut rectangle of flower patterned western style cloth, on which is stuck a rectangular IOL paper sticker, which is white with red borders (as in other volumes, with a heart-shaped decoration in each corner). We find red handwriting, reading, '297 pages', blue writing, reading, 'MISC. COLN. GYUT 20', and in large Tibetan writing, 'rgyud wa'.

Paper composition

Some sheets are thinner than others (eg. 69, 227), although most are quite thick, appearing to consist of two layers of paper.

Size of folios

The size of the plain sheets is 576 x 125mm. There is some size variation (eg. 12 is 571 mm in length). Many sheets in this volume are not cut very straight. For instance, the top edge of 28 is 570 mm, its bottom edge 565 mm, its left edge 115 mm and its right edge 122mm. 49 and several sheets from 164-172, from 180-191, and numerous folios in the remainder of the volume, are similarly badly cut; the bottom edges of 143 and 149 are badly cut; the left-hand edges of 35, 45, 50, 55, and 58 come down to the right; the left-hand edges of 51, 53, 56, 110, and 251-4 go down to the left, all the edges of 11 are crooked, the bottom edge of 57 is wavy).

Sheet numberings

As in other volumes, many of the sheets have tiny Tibetan numerals written sideways, some of which are missing or partially cut off, and where they do occur, they do not seem to correspond to the page numbering in words.

Pagination

Page details are given in words written sideways in black ink, to the left of the writing on each recto side.

Page settings

Most sheets, as in other volumes, have 7 lines of black ink writing, with double red vertical lines to the sides of the writing. The lines are ruled with faint (diluted?) reddish ink. The writing is not always exactly square on the page (eg. the writing lines come up slightly to the right on 169).

Ornaments, openings and punctuation

Double yig mgo are found in the upper left corner of all recto sides, apart from 1-4. gNyis, gsum and bzhi each have a triple yig mgo, and the verso side of gcig also has a triple yig mgo. The regular double yig mgo usually start on or to the right of the red vertical margin delineators. There are some slight differences in style, with some larger or more elongated than others.

Handwriting

The writing in this volume varies a little in style, size of letters and thickness of ink; the letters are mostly rather small but clear and distinct.

Marks and blemishes

There are occasional ink smudges (eg. 13a, 73a, 222a 'Duplicate'). Some folios have dark blotches on them, eg. 198a, 206b, although the writing remains clearly legible.

State of preservation

Despite the poor general condition of the sheets, the writing in this volume is rarely obscured by tears and rips. There are occasional small holes and tears, and most sheets are brownish in colour or have brown spots and in many cases they are dirty. However, the clear writing is hardly ever obscured. 3, 67, 72, 76, 232 have edge tears. 4, 9, 10, 15, 17-22, 30-31, 34, 36-41, 43, 55, 57-61, 63-5, 79, 103, 105-9, 123-5, 127-130, 137, 146-149, 160, 162-171, 175-7, 179-184, 211-215, 218, 233-4, 238-241, 245-6, 248-252, 257-8, and 292-7 have edge indentations. Some sheets have small holes outside the writing area; eg. 10, 11, 14, 149, 183, 209 (marked in blue as 210), 235, 237-9, and 245. 132 has several small holes, mostly outside the writing area. They may have predated the writing; a hole on line 1 of 132a appears to have been avoided when writing. There are a number of tiny holes on 168, but the writing remains clearly legible. 265 and 274 both have small holes within the writing area, but no syllables are unreadable. Some sheets have attempted repairs eg. 17, 116, 127, 148, 174, 210 (marked as 211 in blue western numerals), 219, 221, 258 each have a small piece of paper stuck over a tear at one edge, 76 over a corner tear; 5, 24, 69, 88, 101, 118, 122, 128, 136, 209 (marked as 210 in blue western numerals), 212 (marked as 'duplicate' in blue writing), 296, each have a piece of paper stuck over an edge, covering both sides; 225a has a piece of paper stuck just below the writing area. 19, 87, 161, 260 each have a piece torn from a corner. 139, 178, 199, 258, 270 each have an edge tear, 140 has an edge tear and corner crease; 296 has a crease across a corner, making some of the letters rather difficult to read. 279 has a long edge tear, going into the writing area, but the writing is still legible.

Cover folios

There is no blue lacquered front folio in this volume. At the front of the volume, there is a long rectangle of flower patterned western style cloth, on which is stuck a rectangular IOL paper sticker (see above) with the volume identification.

Index Leaves

General Information

There are no index leaves in this volume.

Decorated first folios: construction

The first folio, gcig, is a laminate of about 16 sheets, 569 (top)/ 571 (bottom) x 122 mm.

The recto side is plain azure blue lacquer, but with gold margins ruled and the collection, volume, and folio identifications given at the left border, in gold writing. The box made by the ruled lines measures 442 x 71 mm, with the vertical lines not at exact right angles to the horizontal lines, but coming down slightly to the left. The blue sheet is torn slightly at the edges and corners (the upper left corner has several layers folded over) and there are a few tiny holes in the top layers of the sheets. The blue lacquer is rubbed off in parts. A strip of plain paper is stuck to the upper edge, presumably as a repair. Thick crossed stitches attach the folio together, two along the top, five along the bottom, and one to the left and the right of the folio.

Decorated first folios: frames [ TITLE PAGE]

The verso side of gcig (1b) is blue lacquer, with elaborate intertwining straight gold lines around the outside of the page, outlining exactly the same interlocking key design as we find in other volumes. The upper sheet has a rectangular window cut out for the text, 450 x 74mm, outlined (around the frame) with a red paint line. In this volume, there is some damage to the upper window frame: part of the blue layer is torn away at the edge, a small section from the bottom edge is torn off completely on the left and there is a small rectangle of plain paper stuck as a repair to the centre of the frame. The edge of the lower window frame also has small pieces of the upper layer missing, as do the edges of the page, although the legends are not obscured.

Decorated first folios: window curtain

There is a silk cover fitted over the window, with three layers sewn together, although the stitching to the left is coming away. The yellow layer is at the top, with gold thread around the outside, and it measures 428 x 63 mm visible beneath the frame to the left and 65 mm visible to the right (the upper part tucks under the blue frame above). A blue layer is the middle layer, with white thread around the outside, measuring 440 x 69 mm visible beneath the frame to the left and 71 mm visible to the right. The third and final layer beneath is orange, with green thread around the outside, measuring 449 x 75 mm visible beneath the frame. They are not exact rectangles of material; the orange left edge bulges out and its bottom edge forms a rather wavy line, and it does not quite cover the whole of the window frame, especially at the lower left, where there is a slight gap between the curtain and frame.

Decorated first folios: window layout

Beneath the cover is a double lined gold rectangle drawn on black lacquer, with 3 lines of gold writing, split across two sides of the page. There are miniatures to the left and right, besides which the areas for writing are bounded by vertical strips with a regular pattern of gold lines, in this case, the hexagon and dot design (see "General Information on Volumes") with 5-7 dots surrounding each central dot. The larger miniature in the centre, which breaks up the page, is bounded to the left and right by a thin double vertical gold line, outlining a rectangle, 81 x 69mm (left)/ 70mm (right). The lefthand miniature is within a rectangle 50 x 69mm, the righthand miniature's rectangle is 51 x 70mm. The legends for the miniatures are written below each, within the border of gold lines outside the window. Except for the righthand legend which appears to be incomplete (although undamaged), each legend is within double ornamenal brackets:

[first, to the left:] {{[yig mgo x 1]// rig 'dzin tshe dbang nor bu la na mo//}} [ second, to the left of centre:] {{[ yig mgo x 1]//lha lcam man da' ra ba// [yig mgo x 1]// sangyas gnyis pa oyan rje/ [Then continued to the right of centre, on the other side of the gold vertical strip transversing the text:] mkha'gro ye shes mtsho rgyal/}} [third, to the right:] [yig mgo x 1]//rgyal bas

Cloth volume wrapping

The whole text is wrapped in a coarse red cloth square with long strips of cloth at the corners to tie around the wrapped text.

Codicological notes on texts of Wa

Codicological notes on Wa.1

at beginning of text

Size of folios

The second folio, gnyis, measures 574 x 125 mm.

Decorated second folios

The recto side of gnyis is blue lacquer, with 4 lines of gold writing, within two double lined gold rectangular boxes, the outer measuring 473 x 80 mm, the inner, 458 x 70 mm. The margins are ruled as usual, with the collection, volume and folio identification to the left. The boxes are not exact rectangles; the vertical lines are not at exact right angles to the horizontal lines, coming down slightly to the left. The folio is a laminate of 5 thick layers, with thick cross stitches visible on both sides, two to the top and bottom, one to the left and right. Some of the inner sheets have red margins and lines ruled, and at least one side has some writing on it. The verso side is ordinary paper.

Page settings

As mentioned above, 2a has 4 lines of gold writing. 2b is ordinary paper. 2b - 5a have double red lined rectangular boxes and margins; in the case of 2b and 3a, with an inner double red lined rectangular box. 2b and 3a each have 4 lines of black writing; 3b - 4b, have 5 lines of slightly smaller writing, and 5a, 7 lines of writing. The boxes are not very exact rectangles, and the ink sometimes is of variable thickness. Sometimes, the lines overshoot the boxes or do not quite join up at the corners. Not all the writing lines are exactly parallel to the horizontal lines of the boxes: eg. the lines on 4b come up slightly at the right. The boxes measure as follows. 2b (outer): 473 x 80 mm; 3a (outer): 493 x 77 mm; 3b: 493 (top)/ 491 (bottom) x 80 mm; 4a: 479 x 78mm (left)/ 80mm (right); 4b: 490 x 81mm (left)/ 84mm (right); 5a: 500 x 82 mm. 5b starts the usual style of red margins down side and 7 lines per side.