Indian Antiquary Vol 04

SR No.: 032496
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 410
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
yanaputra and the other Arhanas and Bodhisatvas had given him charge; the whole Vaibhashya contained a million of gáthas. After their composition, Katyayanaputra engraved a command on stone that no person, knowing this doctrine, should cause it to spread out of Kipine, and also that the composition itself should not pass beyond the frontier. He also took care that the other schools and the Mahâyâna should not profane or change this pure doctrine. This command was also confirmed by the king. The kingdom of Kipin e was surrounded on all sides by mountains, and there were gates only on one side; all the prelates had set their guard of Yakshas as sentinels to allow all those who wished to be instructed to pass in, but not to allow them to go out again. In the kingdom of Ayodhya lived the master Vasasubhadra,* who was gifted with intelligence and a good memory; as he wished to learn the Vaibhashya, he feigned madness and repaired to Kipine, where he listened for twelve consecutive years. Sometimes while they were explaining to him he began to inquire about the Rámáyana; and on that account he was disdained by all, and was allowed to go out of Kipine, although the Yakshas had prevented the priests. After his return to his birthplace he declared that every one should hasten to learn of him the Vaibhashya of Kipine, and, as he was old, his disciples wrote as quickly as he spoke, and in short everything was conducted towards a good end.
[MAY, 1875.
of stone, but his work Sene-ge-lune has been preserved till the present day. When, upon his return, Vas ubandhu learned this circumstance, he caused a search to be made for the Tîrthika; but as he had been changed into stone, Vasubandhu composed the Tzi-shichyane-shi-lune, in which he refuted all the propositions of the Sene-ge-lune, and for that he received from the king a gift of three lakshas of gold, with which he set up three idols,-one for the Bhikshunis, another for the Sarvâstivâda school, and the third for the school of the Mahâyâna; after that the true doctrine (that is to say Buddhism) was established anew. Vasubandhu first studied the meaning of the Vaibhashya; then, having adopted this teaching, he composed every day a gátha in which was contained the meaning of all he had been teaching during that day; after having written this gátha on a leaf of copper, he caused it to be carried about on the head of an intoxicated elephant, and called by the beating of a drum those who wished to dispute the meaning of the gátha; but no one was found able to refute it. In this way more than 600 gáthas were composed, which contain all the meaning of the Vaibhashya; it is the Kosakarina, or the Kosa in verse. When Vasubandhu had added to it fifty pounds in gold, he sent it to Kipine to all those who were masters of the Abhidharma, who were greatly rejoiced that their true doctrine was spread abroad; but as they found in the verses some incomprehensible passages, they themselves added other fifty pounds in gold, and desired Va - subandhu to write an explanation in prose; he then composed the Abhidarmakosa, in which he has introduced the Sarvâstivâdine ideas, and refuted whatever deviated from the principles of the Sutras. When this composition arrived at Kipine, the masters in these districts were irritated at seeing their opinions overturned.
The son of king Vikramaditya, who bore the name of Prâditya ('new sun') made his vows to Vasubandhu; and his mother, who entered the religious calling, became his pupil. When Prâdity a mounted the throne, the mother and son besought Vasubandhu to stay at Ayodhya and enjoy their fortune, which he consented to do; but the brother-in-law of Prâditya, the Brahman Vasurata, who had Po.soso.siui.ba.to.lo.
About the ninth century after the death of Buddha the Tirthika Vindhyâkava sa lived; he demanded the work Sene-ge-lune from the dragon who dwelt near the lake at the foot of the Vindhya mountains, and after having adapted it to his point of view, he came to Ayodhya and asked king Vikramaditya to allow him to enter into discussion with the Buddhist priests. At this time the great masters, such as Manirata, Vasubandhu, and others, were away in other kingdoms. The only one remaining was Buddhamitra, the master of Vasubandhu, a very old and feeble man, but one who had deep knowledge; he was called to argue, but he could only repeat what the Tîrthika had said, and he was vanquished. The king recompensed the Tirthika, who, upon returning to the Vindhya mountain, was changed into a pillar