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INTRODUCTION
technicalities, nor can he be regarded as the author or commentator of the Guhyasamājatantra. It is worth noting that he elucidated the theoretical systematisation of the Yogācāra Idealism and though some stray references to the Tantric terminology might be traced in his works, he cannot be said to have been influenced by the technicalities of the Tantric tendencies. The Sādhanas ascribed to him do not seem to have been actually written by our author, but traditionally recorded to have been composed by another Tantric author . bearing the same name.
5. Paleographical Notes Regarding the Script
The MS. of the text on which the present edition of the ŚBh. is based was written in a period not earlier than the eighth century of the Christian Era. The base of the script seems to be Old Brāhmi, which was further diffused and developed into several scripts of North India including the Nāgari group of scripts prevalent about the tenth century A.D.
The discoverer of the MS. prefers to call it ‘kuțilā’l while scholars who have studied the MS., deciphered and edited it, categorise it as the twelfth century Nepalese script.
But a close examination of the present MS. clearly 1. Rahula Samkrtyāyana, JBORS, XXIV.138. 2. Alex Wayman, Analysis of the ŚBh. MS., pp. 1-18.
