Actually, the object is botched in the manner of many Chinese manufactured objects drawing on esoteric Buddhist motifs. It has nothing to do with Tibetan. The central mantra is supposed to be Oṃ ma ṇi pa dme hūṃ svā hā, but in fact, if read clockwise it is

Oṃ dme pa ṇi ma hūṃ svā hā, or if read counterclockwise

Oṃ hā svā hūṃ  ma ṇi pa dme .

In other words, wrong either way.


The longer surrounding dhāraṇī in a sort of funky devanāgarī I've not tried to sort out.


Matthew Kapstein
Directeur d'études,
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes

Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies,
The University of Chicago
From: INDOLOGY <indology-bounces@list.indology.info> on behalf of Bill Mak via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info>
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2018 9:49:46 PM
To: Taylor McComas
Cc: indology
Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] Small dish with Ranjana inscription
 
Dear McComas,
This is a typical Buddhist votive object with Sinitic nāgarī script. The eight petals: oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ (counter-clockwise) and the bīja letter hrīḥ in the center. The outer ring must be another dhāraṇī. Tony Lin has a number of works in Chinese discussing all these objects. I am happy to share the bibliography if it is of interest to you.
BM

-- 
Bill M. Mak

Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University
Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501
Japan
〒606-8501 京都市左京区吉田本町
京都大学人文科学研究所

Tel:+81-75-753-6961
Fax:+81-75-753-6903

copies of my publications may be found at:
http://www.billmak.com

On Nov 19, 2018, at 12:12 PM, McComas Taylor via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

Dear Colleagues

I wonder if any of you multi-talented folk can help me read the inscription on this small Chinese ceramic from the Ardebil shrine?

Yours sincerely

McComas
McComas Taylor
Associate Professor
Reader in Sanskrit
College of Asia and the Pacific
The Australian National University
WSC Website| McC Website
Tel: +61 2 6125 3179
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