Indian Antiquary Vol 32

SR No.: 032524
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 550
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 444

420
THE INDIAN ANTIQUART.
[NOVEMBE, 1908.
" assistant annalists and travellers charged with the daty of going over the imperial domain" (Biot: Essai sur l'histoire de l'instruction publique en Chine, 104, 106, 109). It is a remarkable coincidence that, among the officers sent to India to search for Buddhist books in Ming-ti's reigo (65 A.D.), there were some poro-cheu ti-taeu (see Kao seng tehoan, ch. I. p. 1", biogr. of Käsy. Mätanga; T'i-fenn l'ing-tai-cheu, composed by the emperor T'ai-taoung of the T'ang, 627-650; Japanese edition, XXXI., fasc. 7, ult. pag.).
How did King-lou, a Chinese official, enter into communications with the Yue-tchi ? Did he receive an envoy from the Yue-tchi king, as the Compendium of the Weis seems to indicate? Was he intrusted with a mission to (19) the Yue-tchi, as two texts of the 7th century expressly state ? The question is a secondary one, and must stand over. But the fact is certain, that King-lou received Buddhist works from the Yne-tchi, and that by word of mouth. The reading of the two encyclopeedias, tardily compiled with the carelessness customary in that kind of work, cannot prevail against the original text of the Compendium, supported as it is besides by compilations still more numerous : the Geography of the Tangs, Ma Toan-lio, and the Pien-i-tien. There is, moreover, an independent ancient compilation, which confirms the reading in the Compendium of the Wei, The learned Tao-siuen (595-667), Hiouen-tsang's contemporary and a zealous defender of the Buddhist faith, roviewing the progress of religion in China, thus reports this episode : "In the year Youan-tcheou, “[20] of Ai-ti (2 years before our era), King-hien was sent into the kingdom of the Great Yue-tchi; " that is why, after having learnt by heart sacred texts of the Buddha, he returned to China. Then " by degrees the observances of the Buddha were practised." The celebrated Buddhist encyclopaedia Fa-imen-tchou-lin, compiled by Taw-cheu in 668, reports the fact in identical terms (800 Fa-luontchou-lin (Nanjio, 1482, Japan. ed., XXXVI. 5-10), chap. 12 (= chap. 20 of the od: of the Mings), p. 108). Although the name is slightly altered, the agreement of two such important works proves that at that period the Buddhist tradition regarding King-hien's journey was quite fixed. Thos the fact remains. China received the sūtras of the Buddha for the first time two years before Obrist, a'd this through the Yue-tchi.
By means of coins we can follow the religious history of the Yue-tchi from the foundation of the Kushana dynasty. Here we may refer to Cunningham: Coins of the Kushdns or Great Yue-ti, in Numismatic Chronicle, 1892, 40-82 ; 98-159. The only divinities on the coins of Kujalakadphisēs and Hemakadphisēs are the Greek Bēraklēs and the Indian Siva; Hemakadphisēs even shews & marked predilection for Siva, who appears under different aspects, alone, armed with the triáūla or accompanied by Nandi.? The Buddha does not appear on [21] coins till Kanishka, and then at once. begins to take a large place. The abrupt and triumphant introduction of the Buddha during this reign is a good commentary on the Buddhist legend : in the glory surrounding the name of Kanishka in Buddhist records, in the story of the miraculous circumstances of his conversion predicted by the Buddha himself, we can still see the great importance attached at the time to the
. We may, however, copaider the expression chaos... chou, in the Compendium of the Wei, - PARTO form, and therefore translate it: "Ho Tumont on mission ..." W. thus re-establish, in this particular point, the agreement between the Compendium and Tao-siuen. Devéria lo adopta this interpretation; but thinks it necessary in this case to consider To-Two-tchi-wang," the king of the Great Yue-tohi," me the real agent of the action expressed in the PRGRIVO, and 1-to'un m the place-Dame governed by the verb cheow; he therefore transIntes" King-log was sent by the king of the Great Yue-tohi (lit., received from the king of the Great Yaetoli "a mission to I-ts'un." Deveria thinks he recognises under this transcription the name of Udyana or of Ujjayini.
If we admit this explanation, the fact related still probably leads us back to the time of Kaniahks. Master of dominion which covered a part of India and of China, it was lawful for this prince, and for this pridoo alone, to employ a Chinese official on a mission in Indian territory.
• Cho-kia-sang-tchi (Nanjio, 1470; Japan, ed., XXXV. 1, 1066). Ngai-ti yowdoheow-wierd, the Rings Wang Ta-Yue-tchi kouo. In soung Flow-t'ou king-hoan Han. Tang-chou chao hing Prow-t'ou thai-ktai.
+ The epithet mahisvarasa, applied to Hemakadphises on bis coins, ought not perhaps to be translated by mahölvaranya "the great lord" or by mahtivarasya " the master of the earth." The predominaboe of Balva emblems, and also the epigraphie uwage so much in vogue later (kinga of Valabhi, Harsha, eto.), oom to recommend
interpretation : māhôšvarasya " the devotee of Malobrara (Biva."