________________
160
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JUNE, 1878.
has pointed out that this fragment shows that a strong additional proof for the correctness of the northern Buddhiste, too, originally recog- the proposed interpretation of the edicts. nized two Asokas, of whom most of their I do not see that there is at present any posbooks have made one person, and that it consibility of saying whether the belief, prevailing firms the authenticity of the southern tradition. in Asoka's time, that between the Nirvana and I do not see how this conclusion can be avoided, the king's coronation upwards of 218 years had and how it can be denied that the date for elapsed, deserves implicit credence or not. That Asoka's coronation, according to the era of the would depend on a knowledge of the nature of Nirvana, must have been settled in India before the materials which were at the disposal of the Buddhism was introduced into Ceylon. As the Buddhist chronologists, and this knowledge we assertion of the southern Buddhists that the do not possess. Mr. Rhys Davids. is therefore conversion of the Ceylonese took place during right in pointing out that the new edicts do not Asoka's reign has not been doubted, and as there absolutely prove the length of the interval beis no reason to doubt it, the date, if calculated tween the Nirvåņa and Asoka, but merely the in India, must have been calculated just during helief on this point entertained by Asoka and Asoka's own reign, and must be, as far as the be- his contemporaries. But the smallness of the lief of those times is concerned, perfectly genuine. period, sixty years of which are besides covered The effect of this conclusion on the question of by the reigns of Chandragupta and Bindusara, the authorship of the new edicts is obvious. As where Brahmans and Buddhists agree in the the date of the edicts agrees with the date for the figures, makes a considerable deviation from the coronation of Asoka in 219 A.B., and as the latter truth improbable, and for practical purposes is shown to have been settled during Asoka's the number of years given by the Buddhists may reign, the agreement of the dates itself becomes be accepted as a fact.
MISCELLANEA. GOLDEN MASKS.
unknown, it being looked upon as an image of Major West, in the Indian Antiquary, vol. VII. Siva only. Masks with five faces are also to be seen p. 26, expresses his belief that the practice of using
here and there, and I hear the practice is common golden masks will appear on further investigation
enough with the Marathas. If such be the case, to be widely spread in India. He is right in his ! it is most likely that ti
it is most likely that the masks are only intended conjecture as far as Gujaråt is concerned; for, to image forth the idea of the Five-faced god (Siva) being myself a native of this province, I can say in a more tangible manner than is done by the with some confidence that the practice of using linga. This also leads me to suspect the high masks is here prevalent to a great extent. There
antiquity assigned to the practice, and to look is hardly a temple of Siva in Surat which does not
upon it as a very late innovation. The Dharma possess a mask, and though the practice is not so Sindhu, a standard work upon Hindu ceremonies, general in Ahmadábåd or Khedå, masks are by
seems to be ignorant of the existence of such a no means uncommon there, being found even in
practice. I simply mention this fact for what it village temples. In this part of Gujarat also the is worth, without laying any undue stress upon practice prevails, and but a few days ago I had it, as I am aware that numerous works must be occasion to see it at Rajkot.
consulted before one can build any argument I may note that the practice is confined to the upon their silence to prove the non-existence of temples of Siva only, and the masks are only this practice among the old Aryans. gilt or plated-evidently on account of the poor
N. L. P. endowments in Gujarat. There is, however, one Rajkot, 14th March 1878. circumstance connected with this practice which inclines me to believe that it has been imported The third and concluding volume of Spiegel's from the Dakhan into Gujarat. Whenever the Eranische Alterthumskunde, a work worthy to rank masks are used, a turban like that of a Maráth& by the side of Lassen's great work Indische Brahman is always placed over its head, and the Alterthumskunde, has appeared. Besides concludpractice appears to be more prevalent as we ad- ing the Eranian history, it describes the political vance towards the Konkana.
and family life, and the state of kpowledge and As in the Dakhan, they are here used only on art. In a lucid chapter the author gives his refestive occasions. The idea that a mask repre- sults as to the origin and date of our text of the sents the founder of a temple is here entirely Avesta.- Academy, March 9th.
