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152
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1877.
but that the dates of Tishya's and of Mahendra's
Yrs. m and Sanghamitra's ordinations fall in the 4th | (8) Asandhimitrå died in the 12th year and 6th years after Asoka's abhisheka, i.e. in the after that ........... .............. 1st and 3rd years after his conversion. If that is í (9) Asoka married her attendant in the conceded in the case of these two events, it fol- 4th year after that .................. 3 3 lows that all the other dates have to be taken in (10) The Bodhi-tree was destroyed in the same manner. The second question-as to the 3rd year after that............... how the dates given under 8-11 are to be recon- (11) Asoka died in the 4th year after ciled with the statement under 12, that Asoka that ..... reigned 37 years-has attracted the attention of Professor Lassen, who is of opinion that the Maha- The total of Asoka's reign was then... 37 la varsa contradicts itself. He maintains that as and that is just what the Mahl visa says, prothe death of A sandhimitrA fell in the 12th vided its total 37 is taken to refer to completed year after the 18th year of Asoka's accession years only. the marriage of Asoka in the 4th year after that the figures assigned for the months are, as event, the destruction of the Bodhi-tree in the I have stated, entirely fictitious, and, as far as 3rd year after the marriage, and the death of the statements of the Mahavarisa are concerned. Asoka in the 3rd year after the destruction of the surplus over 37 years may be just as well the Bodhi-tree, the total of Asoka's years ought ten days as ten inonths. But it seems obvions to be 41, instead of 37. The Mahá namsa to me that the above interpretation of the pascertainly does express itself very loosely, but sage is more accurate, and more in accordance still its statements may be reconciled with each with the literal meaning of the text than that other. For it does not assert that the last four proposed by the Țika, which declares it necesevents took place at intervals of 12, 4, 3, and 4 sary to avoid counting the last year of each years, but at intervals of
period twice. 11 years + a months or days.
If w now turn to consider the adjustment 3 years + %
of Buddha's years and of Asoka's, we shall 2 years + 2 > >>
again find an element of uncertainty in the 3 years + 2 »
statement of the Mahavamsa. But it will also Nor does it say that the Bodhi-tree was sent appear that, under certain suppositions which to Ceylon 18 years after Asoka's abhisheka, but the text by no means disallows, the statements in the 18th year, i.e. after 17 years and x months of the Mahavarisa and of those of the new or days had elapsed. If we now assume that inscriptions completely agree. The Mahávarsa the number of the months or days in excess of says, V. 21, that 218 years after the Nirvá na hud the full years elapsed on the occurrence of passed when Asoka's abhisheka took place. This each of the last five events does amount to obviously means, according to our manner i more than one entire year and to less than two expressing ourselves, that the abhisheka was perentire years, and if we concede that, as Turnour formed in 219 A.B. The text leaves it doubtful and others have already conjectured, the total | if the 218th year had only just closed, or if a of Asoka's reign, 37 years, refers only to the number of months had elapsed since its coin number of completed years, and leaves out odd pletion. On this point, regarding which, I repeat months and days, then the two statements will it, no certainty can be gained from the Mahavarisa. agree perfectly. In order to make my meaning as well as on the other point, which according plainer, I will, merely for argument's sake, put to the preceding discussion is equally uncertain. down definite figures for the unknown number the amount of the excess over the total of 37 of months or days, and the agreement of the years, depends the determination of the year of two statements will appear at once :
the Nirvana in which Asoka died. If at the time
Yrs. m. of the abhisheka 218 years of the Nirvana plus (7) The Bodhi-tree planted in Ceylon
few months, say two or three only, had elapsed. in the 18th year after abhisheka... 17 7 and if the excess of months over the tota!
Lassen, Ind. Alt. vol. I. p. 283, 2nd ed. He has over. luoked the fact that the Tika of the Mahavamsa-Turnour,
Introd. p. xlvii.-warns against this 'laughable mistake.
• Turbour, Mahav., Introd. p. Elvü. .
