Indian Antiquary Vol 21

SR No.: 032513
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 389

INSTALMENT OF THE BOWER MANUSCRIPT.
DECEMBER, 1892.]
Gandharva, 5, Asura, 6, Daitya (instead of our Maruta), 7, Garnḍa, 8, Kinnara, 9, Mahoraga, 10, Kumbhanda. The remainder, with the exception of Dustâraka, are mentioned in the 200th chapter on the Yidags or 'evil spirits,' in nearly the same order: Prêta, Kumbhanda (here again enumerated), Pisacha, Bhúta, Patana, Katapâtana, Unmada, Skanda, Apasmâra, Chhayâ, Rakshasa. Skanda is here explained to mean an evil spirit that "makes dry or causes consumption," and Chhayâ (spelled thus), one that "causes defilement." In the Suéruta (Uttaratantra, chapter 27), however, Skanda is said to be the Grahâdhipati, or Chief of the Grahas' which affect children. In the Suéruta and the Vangasena (p. 910), skanda-graha is explained as 'convulsions' (gátrasya spandana-kampanam, and samrabdhaḥ kara-charanais-cha nṛityati), &c. Chhayá is generally said to mean 'nightmare.' Unmáda mania and apasmára 'epilepsy' are treated in the Charaka and other medical books as ordinary diseases. After the grahas the spell proceeds to mention ordinary ills or diseases.
APPENDIX II.
The Khandavatta Jataka.
There is such a remarkable agreement of portions of this Játaka with the story of our MS. that a translation of the substance of it may be welcome for comparison.76
365
The commentary of the Játaka narrates the occasion of giving it thus:
The Master related this Játaka concerning a certain monk, while he was staying in Jêtavana. That monk was chopping wood at the door of the firing-room (jantaghara-dváré), when he was bitten in a toe (pádánguliya) by a snake which came from out a Pûti tree (pútirukkh-antará); and he died then and there. The fact of his death became known in the whole monastery. In the religious assembly the monks began to discuss the occurrence among themselves. The Master on entering asked them what they were talking about; and when he was told what it was, he said to the monks: "if that monk had cultivated the friendship of the four snake-kings and their races, the snake would not have bitten him; for Buddha in a former ascetic existence cultivated the friendship of the four snake-kings and their races, and thus, so far as those snake-kings were concerned, he was not exposed to the risk of a re-birth (through being bitten to death by a snake)." He then proceeded to relate the following legend:
In the past, when Brahmadatta was king of Banaras, the Bodhisattva was born in the family of a Kasi Brahman; but when he came of age, he retired from the world and made for himself a hermitage in a bend of the Ganges in the interior of the Himalayas, where, in the company of other Rishis, he devoted himself to a life of meditation. That place was infested by snakes of various sorts, and in consequence the death of a Rishi was a thing of frequent occurrence. The ascetics represented this state of things to the Bodhisattva. He advised them that they should cultivate the friendship of the four Snake-kings and their races, then no snake would bite them; and for this purpose he taught them the following gåthâ (álóka) verses:
1, Virupakkheh me mettah mettam Erápathéhi me | Chhabbyápattéhi mé mettcm Kanhá-Gôtamakéhi cha 11
2, Apádakéhi mé mettam mettam dipádakéhi mé
chatuppadêhi me mettai mettam bahuppadehi me 3, Má mam apádako hinsi má mam himhsi dipadako
má mam chatuppadô himsi má mam hishsi bahuppado ||
4, Sabbé sattá sabbé páná sabbé bhútá cha kévalá |
sabbé bhadráni passantu má kañ-chi pápai ágama ||
14 There appears to be a similar passage in the Chulavagga V, 6 (see Ját., Introd., p. LII. and Academy, 29th August 1891, p. 178), but that book has not been accessible to me here (Darjeeling).
17 This and the other plurals are explained in the Pâli commentary to include the races (hula) of the respective Snake-kings. The Tibetan Vyutpatti gives Dhritarashtra as the first, or at the head, of the race of (eleven) Gan. dharvas, and places Sankhapala as the first, or at the head, of the Nagarajas. See Appendix I.