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MISCELLANEA.
AUGUST, 1878.]
manner the least anger, prevented his being put to death. The king himself questioned him thus:"What wrong have I done to you, that you should make such a criminal attempt P" "Great king," said he, "your goodness is free from partiality, and men from within and from without owe to you their happiness; but I, fool that I am, and incapable of forming noble aims, I have allowed myself to be duped by a word from the Brahmans. All at once I have become an assassin, and bound myself to kill your Majesty."
The king said to him: "Why have the Bråhmans formed so wicked a purpose?"
"Sire," answered he, "after bringing together the princes of all kingdoms, you have emptied your treasury and stores to honour the Sha-men (Śramanas) and to make a statue (in gold) of Buddha; but the Brahmans, whom you have made come. from far, have received no mark of attention from your Majesty. They have felt greatly disgraced by it, and charged the madman with whom you speak to make this shameful attempt."
Further, the king severely questioned the heretics and their partizans. There were five hundred Po-lo-mea (Brahmans), all endowed with superior talents, who had presented themselves at the call of the king. Jealous of the Sha-men (Śramanas), whom the king had loaded with honours, they had thrown a fire-arrow which had set the precious tower in flames. They hoped that during the efforts that would be made to extinguish the fire the crowd would be scattered in disorder, and they would take advantage of the occasion to kill the king. Having missed the opportunity they hoped for, they had hired this man to run upon him in a bye-path and stab him.
At this moment the ministers of all the kings demanded the extermination of the Brahmans. The king punished the chiefs of the plot and pardoned their partizans. He banished five hundred Brahmans beyond the limits of India, and returned to the capital.15
On the north-west of the city is a Stúpa, built by king Wu-yew (Asoka). At this place Ju-lai (the Tathagata) had expounded the most excellent laws. Near by are places where the four past Bud
15 Hiwan Thsang tells us that, in accordance with a prediction made ten years previously, "the king Kiai-ji (SIAditya) died at the end of the period Tong-hoei," or A.D. 650 (Vie et Voyages, p. 215); Ma-twan-lin places his death, however, in the 22nd of the years Ching-kwan, or A.D. 648 (Pauthier's Examen, pp. 53, 54, or Jour. Asiat., 30 sér., 1839, pp. 309, 310); and, as he had probably ruled upwards of forty years; we may place the beginning of his reign about the same time as that of Pulikêst's, or a little before it, in A.D. 607,-the date given by Reinaud, Mém. sur l'Inde, pp. 136-143; Frag. Arab. et Pers., p. 139, note 1. Canningham (Bhilsa Topes, p. 164) places To ra mâna in A.D. 520 to 550, while Bhau Dajt (Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. vol. VIII. p. 249) places him about 500. There seems little reason to doubt that this was the brother of Hiranya (Rájatarangint III. 102-104, 122). Matrigupta, the
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dhas had sat, and where they had walked in exercise. There is, besides, a small Stúpa which contains the hair and nails of Ju-lai (the Tathagata), and another called the Stúpa of the Exposition of the Law.16
On the south side and close to the Ganges are three Kia-lan (Sañghârâmas), which have walls alike and the gates different. The images of Buddha are of striking beauty; the monks are grave and given to silence; they are served by many thousands of Brâhmans. In a casket ornamented with precious stones, which occupies a pure house (Vihara), there is a tooth of Buddha, an inch and a half long. It is of remarkable brilliance and extraordinary colour which changes from morning to night. It is visited from everywhere; the magistrates and representatives of the people unite in giving their homage to it. The daily crowds are reckoned by hundreds and thousands. The keepers, observing the noise and confusion increasing daily, have imposed a heavy tax, and have made it known everywhere that whoever wishes to see Buddha's tooth must pay a large gold piece. Nevertheless the devotees who come to see and worship the tooth are still as numerous, and willingly pay the tax of the piece of gold. Every fastday it (the box?) is brought out and placed on a raised pedestal. Hundreds and thousands of men burn perfumes and offer handfuls of flowers. But though they do so the tooth casket never disappears under the heap of flowers.
Before the Kia-lan (convent), right and left, there are two Vihâras, each nearly a hundred feet high. The foundations are of stone, and the building of brick. The statues of Buddha which are set up inside them are decked with many precious stones. They are cast partly of gold or silver, and partly of yellow copper. Before each of these two Viharas is a small Kia-lan (convent) to the south-east, and at a little distance from the Kia-lan is a great Vihara, built of brick on stone foundations. In the middle of it is the image of Ju-lai (the Tathagata), represented standing. It is nearly thirty feet high. It is cast of brass, and decked with precious stones of exquisite beauty.
On the stone walls which surround the Vihara
successor of Hiranya, is represented as having been placed on the throne by Harsha-Vikramaditya of Ujjain, who is described as ruling over all India (ib. III. 125, 242, 265, 281-2, 285, 307, 323). And Harsha's son and successor is called Prat&pasila and Silâditya (ib. III. 325). This Siladitya of Milava seems to be the same as is spoken of by Hiwan Thsang (Vie et Voyages, pp. 204-206; Mém., tom. II. p. 156) as having lived sixty years before his time, and who had reigned fifty years, probably about A.D. 530-580,-but who must not be confounded with Harshavarddhana of Kanauj. Conf. Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. vol. VI. p. 226; Ind. Ant. vol. II. pp. 128, 194, note; vol. IV. p. 365.
10 A stapa raised in the place where the law had been expounded.
