Dear Dr
Roebuck,
Following your enquiry sent through
the Indology list, please allow me to send you below my translation of the two Udānavarga verses from the Tibetan. As you surmised, there is no mention of a spider!
With best wishes,
Dylan Esler
Institut Orientaliste, Université
catholique de Louvain
CERES, Ruhr-Universität
Bochum
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Udānavarga (Ched-du
brjod-pa’i tshoms), in
bKa’-’gyur, sDe-dge edition, vol.72 (mdo-sde, vol.sa), pp.417-505.
Chapter 1, vv.13-14 (p.418.1-2)
dper na thags ni brkyang ba la/ spun ni gang dang gang bcug pa’i/ spun gyis rting la gtugs pa ltar/ mi rnams srog
kyang de bzhin no/
Translation:
For instance, just as when a fabric is stretched out,
Whatever yarn has been inserted (i.e. woven)
Must later be sewn together,
Such is human life.
dper na
nges par bsad pa dag/ gom pa gang dang gang bor bas/ gsad sa’i drung du bsnyen pa ltar/ mi rnams srog kyang de bzhin no/
Translation:
For instance, just as one who is surely to be killed,
Wherever he takes a step,
Will approach the vicinity of the place of execution,
Such is human life.
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