only a benefactor; but he who causes a son or daughter to be ordained a minister of our religion, that person will become not a 'benefactor' (dáyako) but a 'relation' (dáyádo) of the faith." GOTIPUTRA had therefore earned the same title of dáyádo by the ordination of a son or daughter as a minister of the Buddhist religion. But the most interesting part of this inscription is the mention of the country of Dardábhisára as the scene of GOTIPUTRA's missionary labours. These countries lie along the Indus, the former (Dardu of the present day), being to the west, and the latter, Abhisára, (the Hazára of our maps), being to the east of the river. GOTIPUTRA's relics were also discovered at Sánchi. The other holy men of whom we have found relics, but of whom no mention is made in the Mahawanso, are the following:-1. Kosakiputra (Sánchi and Sonári). 2. Hariti-putra (Sánchi and Andher). 3. Maha Vinaya (Sánchi). 4. Majhima, the son of Kodini (Sánchi and Sonári). This Majhima must be different from the other, because the relics of Majhima, as well as those of Kodini-putra, were found together in the same tope at Sánchi. 5. Váchhi-Suvijayata (Sánchi and Andher). 6. Váchhi, race of Goti (Andher). 7. Alábagira (Sonári). 8. Upahitaka (Bhojpur). 9. Patito (Bhojpur). These discoveries appear to me to be of the greatest importance for the illustration of the early history of India, as they authenticate in the fullest manner the narrative of the most interesting portions of Asoka's reign. The various specimens of red and black pottery, especially those which are covered with a dark metallic glaze, seem to merit examination on their own account, while they are curious on account of their antiquity. The steatite vases and boxes are elegant in shape, but their ornaments are rough and coarse. The crystal boxes are also interesting, especially one of nearly cylindrical shape, which is about one inch and a half in height, and rather more in breadth, while it is less than one-eighth of an inch in thickness. An ink inscription, found at Andher, is worthy of special notice, as it records that the relics of HARITÍ-PUTRA were the "gift" of ASWA DEVA (Asa-Devasa dánam). This legend is written inside the lid of the steatite vase. In my account of Mogaliputra's relics, I mentioned that the term Atevasino was found coupled with Padaya in one of the inscriptions of No. 2 tope at Sánchi. It is as follows: O XXI FI PATI-BANASA BHICHIIUNO PADAYASA ATEVÁSINO-DÁNAM. "Gift of Prativarna, the Mendicant Priest, a Pándava of the race The inscriptions, which are found upon the rails, pillars, and coping-stones of the colonnaded enclosures at Sánchi, amount to about two hundred and forty. Some of them are of course of but little value; but the whole, taken together, are of considerable importance, as they record the names of cities and of races, and exhibit the language and alphabet of India at the time of Alexander and his successors. Every letter of the alphabet which James Prinsep found in the longer inscriptions, I have found in these short ones. Lastly, they prove most unmistakeably the predominance of the Buddhist religion by the use of names and terms peculiar to that belief; and they establish the early existence of the Buddhist triad of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha by the frequent occurrence of such names as Budha Pálita Budha Rakhita Dhama Pálita Dhama Rakhita Sangha Pálita A few of these inscriptions are partly obliterated; but I have copied and translated the whole, as I consider that every word of the language will lessen the difficulties of translating the longer inscriptions. A few specimens may be interesting: No. 90 of my list. Upedadatasadánam. No. 62. Ujeniya Upedadatasa pajavataya Máyádataya dánam. "Gift of MÁYÁDATTÁ, the mother of UPENDRADATTA, of Ujain.' No. 63. Ujeniya Upedadatasa Bhaginiya Himádataya dánam. "Gift of Himádattá, the sister of Upendradatta, of Ujain." I cannot now attempt any description of the numerous bas-reliefs further than to state generally that they exhibit the adoration of topes, of bo-trees, and of wheels, processions escorting relic boxes, apparently after a successful campaign for their acquisition; ascetic life in the woods, where both the Srámanas and Srámanás (Eeμvot and Zeuvai) are represented in various acts of meditative abstraction, &c. These are the Gymnosophists of the Greeks; for I believe that the term Buddha (the "wise") was literally translated by the Greeks, and that Sophists, Philosophers, and Gymnosophists, all equally mean "Buddhist Priests." The most remarkable object of adoration is a peculiar emblem which is found upon most of the old Hindoo coins, and upon all the coins of the Indo-Scythian Kadphises. This emblem is It surmounted each pillar of the Sánchi gateways; it forms the top of every standard and banner in the processions; it is carved upon the sword-scabbards; and, lastly, it is an object of worship singly and also as a triad, where three of these emblems are represented on an altar, side by side, thus After much consideration I have come to the con clusion that this holy emblem is nothing more than the monogram, formed of the radical letters (víja mantra) of the names of the four elements, which form "MATTER," joined to that of manasa or MIND:" thus ↓ ya, air; | ra, fire; ¿ va, water; Jla, earth. These are the names of the four material and visible elements; and these four letters when combined together form the above monogram; in which also is 8ma, the radical or initial letter of MANASA, or mind. The fifth invisible element of "infinite space" could not of course be represented. The three monograms arranged together, I take to represent the Buddhist Triad, or Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Buddha, or Supreme Intelligence, represents the Mind and the five senses; Dharma, or Matter, represents the Body and the five objects of sense; and Sangha, or Union, represents the junction of mind and matter, or of soul and body in the human being. Singly, therefore, the monogram represents the Triad of Buddha and Dharma united in Sangha, while the triple monogram represents each member of the Triad separately. This explanation is fully borne out by the proof which I have before given of the early existence of the Buddhist Triad, as evidenced in the frequent occurrence of the names of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in the inscriptions. Its simplicity is also in its favour. But the most curious fact connected with this triple monogram, is the certainty that the three famous figures now worshipped at Jagannáth are identically the same, as a single glance at any sketch of those figures will show. There is a wheel also on the summit of the Jagannath temple. Both Lieutenant Maisey and myself agree in identifying Sánchi with the Chetiyagiri of the Mahawanso. A. CUNNINGHAM, Gwalior, 26 March, 1851. Major, Bengal Engineers. ART. VII.-Documents illustrative of the Occurrences in Bengal, in the time of the Nawabs Mír Jaffier and Kásim Alí Khán. Communicated by PROFESSOR WILSON, Director. [Read February 1st, 1851.] A SHORT time ago, I purchased for the Library of the East India. Company, a few MSS. which had apparently been written or collected by a gentleman named R. E. Roberts, who in 1784-5 held the office of Persian Interpreter either to the Governor of Bengal or the Commander of the Forces. I have not been able to learn anything further of him, except that, as might be inferred, he was an officer in the Bengal Army, and was personally known, late in life, to some of our members. There is an Indian Glossary or Vade-Mecum, compiled by a Lieutenant Roberts, of the 3rd Regiment N. I.; but it was printed in 1800, and his designation is T. T. Roberts; he must be, therefore, a different person. The papers of R. E. Roberts indicate extensive acquirements, and comprise a very good Persian grammar and a translation of a Hindustani grammar, compiled in Latin by a missionary named Schultz, and printed at Halle by Professor Cullenburg in 1745. There are also various Persian documents, very carefully written, some of which serve to elucidate historical events of an early date, especially those arising out of the political relations that were first established with Mír Jaffier and his successor, Kásim Alí Khán; and although they do not add materially to our knowledge of the transactions of that period, they possess some interest as being original and authentic they are also, to some extent, new; and I have thought, therefore, that extracts from them might be acceptable to the Society. The earliest of these documents are of the time of Mir Jaffier, and relate to the incursion of Shah Alam; the later are various letters from Kasim Ali Khán to Mr. Vansittart and the Council of Calcutta. Some of these are translated in Vansittart's Memoirs, but not all; and as those which are now met with confirm the authenticity of those which are there given, I have thought that some of them might be again translated and published. Not having leisure myself to attempt the translation of these papers, Mr. Shakespear has been kind enough, at my request, to accomplish the task for the information of the Society. The first documents that I have to notice relate to a transaction coins of the Indo-Scythian Kadphises. This emblem is It surmounted each pillar of the Sánchi gateways; it forms the top of every standard and banner in the processions; it is carved upon the sword-scabbards; and, lastly, it is an object of worship singly and also as a triad, where three of these emblems are represented on an altar, side by side, thus After much consideration I have come to the con clusion that this holy emblem is nothing more than the monogram, formed of the radical letters (víja mantra) of the names of the four elements, which form "MATTER," joined to that of manasa or "MIND:" thusya, air; | ra, fire; & va, water; Jla, earth. These are the names of the four material and visible elements; and these four letters when combined together form the above monogram; in which also is 8ma, the radical or initial letter of MANASA, or mind. The fifth invisible element of "infinite space" could not of course be represented. The three monograms arranged together, I take to represent the Buddhist Triad, or Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Buddha, or Supreme Intelligence, represents the Mind and the five senses; Dharma, or Matter, represents the Body and the five objects of sense; and Sangha, or Union, represents the junction of mind and matter, or of soul and body in the human being. Singly, therefore, the monogram represents the Triad of Buddha and Dharma united in Sangha, while the triple monogram represents each member of the Triad separately. This explanation is fully borne out by the proof which I have before given of the early existence of the Buddhist Triad, as evidenced in the frequent occurrence of the names of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in the inscriptions. Its simplicity is also in its favour. But the most curious fact connected with this triple monogram, is the certainty that the three famous figures now worshipped at Jagannáth are identically the same, as a single glance at any sketch of those figures will show. There is a wheel also on the summit of the Jagannath temple. Both Lieutenant Maisey and myself agree in identifying Sánchi with the Chetiyagiri of the Mahawanso. A. CUNNINGHAM, Gwalior, 26 March, 1851. Major, Bengal Engineers. |