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MAY, 1880.]
BUDDHIST SYMBOLS, &c.
137
proceed to make some reference to the scenes Undue importance, I think, has been attriof the sculptures on the gates and beams at buted in later arguments on the subject to the Sánchi. But before doing so, I would start the illustrative label attached to one of the scenes at query, whether there is any proof to be gathered | Bårahat; comprising the words Bhagava to dharfrom the character of these sculptures, that the ma chakam. This definition of the purport of the followers of Buddha worshipped either the Tree sculpture would, undoubtedly, be of the highest or Naga ? If they did, nothing in the world importance, if we could only fix the period of its would more effectually destroy the theory of their incision, or if we could pretend to determine religion. The Buddhist convert; theoretically how soon after the death of Sakya Muni, the first at least, acknowledged no superior to himself adaptation and appropriation of "wheel worship" in heaven or earth."18
was received into the Buddhist formula 1 M. E. Senart, who has more recently gone If the Amaravati Tope took anything like over the whole ground of Indian symbolical the three centuries to finish, which is claimed for devices, in bis La Légende du Buddha, ex- its fellow mound at Sanchi," there was room presses his couclusions and convictions in an enough, in all conscience, for the growth and equally positive way: “ Quoiqu'il en puisse interchange of religious and their authorized être, l'expression chakrai pravartayituin forme symbols. Such an inference would, in a meala partie fondamentale et vraiment significative sare, account for the apparent variety of creeds dans notre formule. Tout nous interdit de depicted in the several groups of sculpture, and séparer son emploi dans la légende da Buddha explain, in the plenitude of pilgrim's gifts of de son application, précédemment examinée, au "rails and pillars," the reason for the slow Chakravartin. Dans la roue du Chakravartin progress of, what England irreverently calls, nous avons sans peine reconnu le disque de the preaching-up of a church steeple. Vishņu et les images empruntées à la roue solaire; The 123 nominal rolls, mostly proclaiming la roue da Buddha n'a point à l'origine d'autre small danarns or donations collected as a prelimisens; c'est en sa qualité de véritable Chakra- nary list in Genl. Cunningham's Bhilsa Topes," vartin que le Baddha la met en mouvement sufficiently indicates the law of progress in this (Rig Ved. viii. 5, 8)."14
instance. But we have more direct and material I quote M. Senart, in this instance, on ac- evidence to this end, in the appropriation of a count of his more comprehensive knowledge sculptured stone of ancient date by the Badof Buddhism and Buddhist literature. I have dhists themselves, where they are seen to have ordinarily sought to form my own independent taken advantage of the unadorned back of a opinion from the Indian point of view, of ques- slab of a much earlier period of art, with an tions before us.
original design of a tree and Vishņu padas-to
سال بود تا آنرا عمارت می کردند و رفعت او بقد رصد و پنج گز برد خراب کرد
13 J. R. A. 8., (N.S.) vol. V. (1871) page 168. See also The Travels of Fah-Hian, (London, 1869) pp. 108, 127. Gen. Cunningham, in somewhat the same sense, remarks: "With respect to the title of this last work of Mr. Fergusson,
Tree and Serpent Worship,' I submit that it is not borne out by the illustrations; and farther, that as serpent worship was antagonistic to Buddhism, such a title is not applicable to a description of the religious scenes sculptured on a Buddhist Stupa."- Archeological Reports, (Simla, 1871), vol. I. page xxiv.
1. Journal Asiatique, 1875, vol. VI. p. 116.
15 Since this was written, my saepicions of the authenticity and good faith of these labels has been signally confirmed. The more important ones are, in many casos, obviously after-insertions, cut in at hazard in any vacant space available. Furnishing, indeed, a new proof of the cuckoo propensities of the Buddhists.
10 The sathor of the Tabakat-i-Nasiri, in adverting to the partial destruction of the Bhilsa Tope by Altamsh in A. H. 631, A.D. 1283, adds the information that it originally took 800 years to build, and stood at a height of 105 gaj.
The passage in the Persian text runs as follows (Calcutta Text, 1864, p. 176) :
Major Raverty is inclined to consider that it was the Temple at Dijain, that took 300 years to finish ; bat the text, under his own interpretation, does not sanction such an inference, even if the great elevation of the structure alluded to by the Muhammadan author, was not altogether opposed to the conclusion. Translation of the Tabakat-i Neširi (1875), p. 621; see also Elliot's Historians, vol. II. p. 328.
While adverting to the Bhilsa Tope, I desire to advert to an opinion expressed by Mr. Hall of the solar indications 888ociated with the name and the place:
"I have discovered that, in the middle ages, the sun was worshipped in Central India, under the designation of BhAills,- from bha, 'light, and the Prakrit termination illa, denoting possession. There was a temple to Bhdilla at or near Bhilss, which I take to be a corruption of bhAilla + isa, or bh&illesa."- Mr. Hall, Vishnu Purana, vol. II, p. 150. See also Jour. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, (1862), p. 112. The transcription of the name as Bhaylesan, Mahdbhalesuar, &c. by Reinand, quoting Albirunt, seems to support Mr. Hall's pronunciation. See Elliot's Historians, vol. I. p. 59.
? Bhilas Topes, London. 1854,-plates xvi, xvii, xviii, Pp. 235, &c.
رحمن وشهر بهیلارا بگرفت و بتخانه که سیصد
