Indian Antiquary Vol 10

SR No.: 032502
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 440
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1881.
READINGS FROM THE ARIAN PALI.
BY DR. A. F. RUDOLF HOERNLE. PART I.
the sequel that in the process of determining In the Journal of the Asiatic Society of the grammatical construction, the real meaning Bengal for the year 1863 (vol. XXXII, page of the record is sometimes discovered to be con139), General A. Cunningham wrote: "Thirty siderably different from what it was originally years have elapsed since the first Bactro-Pali supposed to be. inscriptions were discovered by Ventura, Court, The Arian Pali Inscription, of which I now and Masson,--and during that long period but | give a grammatical translation, is that comlittle progress has been made in their decipher- monly known as the Suê-Vihar Inscription." ment." And about the same time, in the A full account of its discovery will be found in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of 1863, the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol. (vol. XX, page 221; Old Series) Professor IV (N. S.), pp. 497-499, and in the Journal J. Dowson said: "I know of no inscrip- of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. XXXIX, pp. tion in this character (Baktrian or Arian Pali) 65-67 (both for 1870). It was found by the Rev. of which, up to the present time, a complete G. Yeates in February 1869, in a ruined old and convincing interpretation has been offered." Buddhist tower, (a view of which accompanies Although again nearly twenty years have passed this paper), in the neighbourhood of Bhawalpur since these remarks were penned, Professor to the north of Sindh. It is inscribed on a thin Dowson's words are as true now as they were then. copper-plate, which appears to have been imIt is true General Cunningham and Professor bedded in the middle of the floor of a chamber Dowson themselves as well as others (e. g., Sir near the top of the tower. It closed the mouth of E. C. Bayley) have, in the mean time, done not a shaft, which had a width of 16 inches square and a little towards clearing away the difficulties a depth of about 20 feet; the tower being solid that beset the reading of those obscure legends. with the exception of this shaft. The copperIt is impossible to speak too highly of the plate itself is 30 inches square, the corners ingenuity and success with which they have deter- being rounded off, and the record is incised in mined the value of the phonetic and numerical four lines along three sides and a quarter of symbols of the Arian PAli, so that, in this the fourth side, in the so-called Arian Páli respect at least, there appears hardly anything characters, which vary in size from to 1 inch. left for succeeding investigators to add. Still, It was forwarded by Major Stubbs to Sir E. C, it is true that, even now, with the exception of Bayley, who appears to have presented it to a few very short inscriptions, no “complete the Asiatic Society of Bengal. It now forms and convincing interpretation" has been offered; part of the Society's collection of inscribed nor will this be the case, until also the gram. copperplates. A very fair representation of it is matical construction of those records, which given in the Journal, vol. XXXIX, pl. ii, though both in an etymological and syntactical respect it is not a facsimile, as it might appear at first has hitherto baffled the efforts of interpreters, is sight, but a very reduced copy. The copy of fully and correctly determined. This, I believe, the inscription itself is, on the whole, accurate, I have succeeded in doing in the case of one, with the exception of eight letters (11 to 18) at least, of the longer inscriptions; and I hope on the top-line (the third of the inscription), to be able to do the same with regard to a which are quite untrustworthy. There are also few others. This is all I claim. The honour a number of minor, though, for the decipherer, of unravelling the mysteries of the Arian Pali no less important inaccuracies, which have is mainly due to the two writers already men- arisen from the fact that parts of some letters tioned. I merely supply the grammatical order have almost disappeared in consequence of the to what has been already, more or less fully, oxidation of the copper. On the whole, however, read by them. However, it will be seen from the plate is in a good state of preservation; "I take it up first, because it so happens that the
ningham kindly placed at my service. original is here in Calcutta. I have also had the advan. Especially letters Nos 17 and 18. Or No. 17, one tego of copy published in the Journal of the Ariatic portion is altogether omitted, while the remainder in Bociety of Bengal, and of another which General Con- I made to form one single letter with No. 18.