ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a short survey of adaptations from China, Tibet, Central Asia and Mongolia. It will then outlines the history of the Rama story in the Tibetan tradition and highlights some main features of the Tibetan versions. The 'northern' tradition of the Rama story broadly comprises Chinese translations, early Tibetan, Tocharian, Khotanese, and Uighur manuscripts and manuscript fragments from Central Asia, and later adaptations in Tibetan and Mongolian. While the Mahabharata never became very popular in Buddhist circles, the story of Rama and Sita seems to have had much more appeal for Buddhist writers and artists. After Sita's abduction, Rama encounters the monkey brothers Valin and Sugriva who are fighting over the monkey kingdom. Rama promises to support Sugriva if he in turn becomes Rama's ally in winning Sita back. This Central Asian version, the model of the Tibetan Ramayanas, was the epic story of Ravana and Rama rather than the romantic story of Rama and Sita.
