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THE JĀTAX’A BOOK
199
But while the Indian artist has not hesitated lo suggest in his plate so many points in the story, he omits all reference to the verse, or even to that episode in which the verse occurs. The bas-relief, however, resembles the verse in one important respect. It would be absolutely unintelligible to anyone not familar with the story as told in prose. It is the same with all these bas-reliefs. None of them, except as explained below, illustrate the verse, or the framework of the story. None are intelligible without a knowledge of the prose.
The exception referred to is the figure on the Bharhut Stūpa (Plate xxvi.), unfortunately broken, but bearing in clear letters the inscription, “ Yam bamano avayesi Jätaka." These are the opening words of the verse in this story which, in the printed edition, is called the Andhabhūta Jātaka. This is exactly as if the deer story above were called the “ Follow rather the Banyan ” Jātaka. The fact is, as I painted out already in 1880, that very great uncertainty prevails as to the titles of these stories, the same story being very often called in the existing collection by different names. Even one of these very old bas-reliefs itself has actually inscribed over it two distinct names in full. The carving illustrates a fable about a cat and a cock; and it is labelled, in Pali, both “Cat Jātaka ” and “ Cock Jātaka." ? As I then said:
“The reason for this is very plain. When a falla about a lion and a jackal was told (as in No. 157) to show
1 Fausböll, vol. i. p. 289. ? Cunningham, Stupa of Bharhut, Pl. xlvii.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
| SR No. | 035274 |
| Book Title | Story of Nation Buddhist India |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | T W Rhys Davids |
| Publisher | T Fisher Unwin Ltd |
| Publication Year | 1916 |
| Total Pages | 356 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 88 MB |