𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽲𐽰𐽺

Old Uyghur

Etymology

Calque of Sanskrit बुद्धराजा (buddharājā, “Buddha-King”), nominalized compound of 𐽼𐽳𐽾 (bur, “Buddha”) +‎ 𐽲𐾄𐽰𐽺 (han, kan, “ruler, khan”). First element in the compound is borrowed from Middle Chinese 佛 (bɨut̚, “Buddha”), ultimately from Sanskrit बुद्ध (buddha, “awake, enlightened”).

Compare the variant 𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽲𐾄𐽰𐽲𐽰𐽺 (burhagan, burkagan), with 𐽲𐾄𐽰𐽲𐽰𐽺 (kagan, “ruler, khagan”) as the second element and Proto-Koreanic *Pwutukye (“Buddha”) and its descendants, also with the meaning "king Buddha".

Noun

𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽲𐽰𐽺 or 𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽷𐾂𐽰𐽺 or 𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽲𐾄𐾄𐽰𐽺 or 𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽲𐽺 (burhan or burkan or burḫan or burh(a)n)

1. (religion, Buddhism) Buddha

   Synonyms: 𐽼𐽳𐽸𐽰 (buda), 𐽼𐽳𐽾 (bur), 𐽼𐽳𐾀 (but), 𐫜𐫏𐫡 (fir)

   • 1687, Altun Yaruk Manuscript, Book XXX (Golden Light Sutra in Old Uyghur)‎^[1], AY.B01.05.v08 (S516):

     𐽼𐽳𐽾𐽲𐽰𐽺 𐽲𐾄𐽳𐾀𐽶𐽺 𐽼𐽳𐾁𐽳𐽼 𐾈

     […] Burhan kutïn bulup.

     […] finding the dignity of Buddha.

2. (religion) prophet

   Synonyms: 𐽰𐽾𐽲𐽰𐽺𐾀 (arhant), 𐽹𐽿𐽶𐽲𐽰 (méšiha), 𐫛𐫎𐫃𐫀𐫖𐫁𐫡𐫏 (patgambar), بیغامبار (pïgambar), 𐽶𐽰𐾁𐽰𐽱𐽰𐽽 (yalavač)

   • c. 1000, Xuastvanift Manuscript (Berliner Chuastuanift-Manuskript)‎^[2], Chuast_B 041 (T.II.D.178 III:verso5-7) (Chuast 041-043):

     𐫐𐫀𐫖𐫞 𐫁𐫇𐫡𐫒𐫀𐫗𐫓𐫀𐫡 𐫗𐫏𐫗𐫃 𐫵 𐫀𐫡𐫏𐫞 𐫗𐫇𐫖𐫗𐫇𐫗𐫃 𐫵 𐫀𐫔𐫔 𐫇 𐫒𐫏𐫓𐫏𐫗𐫢𐫓𐫞 𐫀𐫇𐫏𐫉𐫇𐫕𐫓𐫀𐫡𐫗𐫏𐫗𐫃 𐫵 𐫏𐫏𐫡

     […] kamag burhanlarnïŋ, arïg nomnuŋ, edgü kïlïnčlïg üzütlerniŋ, yér […]

     […] [which is] the origin, the root and the dwelling-place of all the prophets, of the sacred doctrine, of all the good souls […]

Alternative forms

• بورقان (burkan)
• 佛汗 (bu(r)han /⁠*bɨut̚ ɦan⁠/)
• 𐫛𐫇𐫡𐫄𐫀𐫗 (burğan /⁠pwrγʾn⁠/)
• 𐼔𐼇𐼘𐼖𐼀𐼎 (burhan /⁠pwrqʾn⁠/)

Descendants

• → Karakhanid: بُرْخَنْ (burχan, “idol, Buddha”)
• → Mongolian: бурхан (burxan, “god”)

References

• Caferoğlu, Ahmet (1968) “burḳan”, in Eski Uygur Türkçesi Sözlüğü (Türk Dil Kurumu Yayınları; 260) (in Turkish), Istanbul: Edebiyat Fakültesi Basımevi, pages 53, 54
• Wilkens, Jens (2021) “(1) burhan ~ burh(a)n”, in Handworterbuch des Altuigurischen, Göttingen: Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, pages 200, 201