Indian Antiquary Vol 16

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 61

FEBRUARY, 1887.)
EARLY ACCOUNT OF THE DAKHAN.
THE DAKHAN IN THE TIME OF GAUTAMA-BUDDHA, BY THE REV. THOMAS FOULKES, CHAPLAIN OF COIMBATORE.
(Concluded from p 8.) W E now turn to the inland routes within through Magadha to LAļa." In the Maha
V the Dakhan, and from places within the wasiusa version of the Vijayan legend, a party, Dakhap to others beyond its limits in North-of merchants, whom the daughter of the king ern India. They are traced mainly from of Banga joined on their way, were travelling incidental references in the journeys of Bud- by this route" when they were met by the liom dha and his converts.
which carried the princess off to his leir. It (1) One of these routes extended from was traversed also by Vijaya's father when he Suppäraks on the western coast to Sewet fled from the lion's cave;and again when he
(Srivasti) in Oudh' Punna, who has been returned from Banga to Lala." mentioned above, and his merchant com- (8) The Sling-ki version of this legend has panions in Suppâraka. need this route in the a route from an unnamed kingdom in ordinary course of their mercantile pursuite, Southern India, probably Kalinga, to LALA, about the commencement of Buddha's publicsepposing the lion's Lair of this version to have career. During • visit of curiosity from his been in LALA tart-encampment near Sewet to see the new (4) The legend of Bavari has a north-andprophet, 'he first heard Buddha prench, and south route renning from Sravasti in became one of his most hearty disciples and Northern Kósala to Alaka in the kingdom of he was apparently the first convert to Buddhism Assaka on the banks of the Godavari. The from the Dakhap. Baddha himself subsequently | Brakman ascetic Båvari travelled by this road travelled along this route with a large to establish kis monastery on the banks of that retinue of his disciples on his visit to Panna in river: and by this route he subsequently sent his hermitage near Suppåraka to receive and his disciples to Sravasti to Buddha to seek consecrate the new vihára which he had induced some means of relief from the persecution under his former mercantile associates to erect in the which he was suffering." It was a cart-road; grove of Mulu with a portion of the red-sanders for the materials for the monastery were brought timber which they had brought home on one of by it all the way from Sewet." their sea-voyages. The direction of this route (5) Another north-and-soutk route with is shown by the circumstance that Buddha on capacity for wheeled traffic, ran parallel to the his retorn joarney crossed the Narmada eastern coast from the port of Adseitta where it washed the Yôn country of subsequent mentioned above through Ururals in the times and the unidentified Sachabaddy neighbourhood of Bodh-gaya to Suvama." rock, mentioned above, the abode of another of The Barmese merchant-brothers, Tapusa and Buddha's hermit friends, and from which he Paleka ksed this route after transferring their made his third visit to Ceylon, lay in the line merchandise from their ship into carts which of the remaining northern section of this route. 1 they hired at Adzeitta Buddha and his company travelled on this road (6) The legend of Vijaya's marriage with a in litters,' or palanquins," or Beats: but Påndyan princess has a route from Madhura it was used for wheeled traffic also; for Punna to a sea-port on the coast of Tinnevelly carried his merchandise upon it in a large opposite Ceylon. Vijaya's embassy to the caravan of wagons."
Påndyan king to solicit the hand of his daughter (2) Another of these land-routes, part only travelled by this route; as did also the princess of which lay within the Dakhan, ran east and her retinue on their way to her new and west across the peninsula from Bongal home. Man. Byd. 259.
Uph. 11. 21.
20 Man. Bud. 259. • Uph. II. 21: III. 113: Man. Bud, 57, 209, 260: u Uph. II. 164, 165: Turn. 43. Sacr. Bks. XIX. 244
13 Turn. 43.
13 Turn. 4. Uph. II. 21 . 118: Man. Bud, 57.
1. Turn. 46.
25 Si-yu-ki, II. 236,
1. Man. Bud. 884, 362: Sacr. Bks. X. (pt. 2), 181. Man. Bud. 260. See Sacr. Bks. XIX. 244.
11 Man. Bud. 884
18 Ibid. • Man. Bud. 210.
Man. Bud. 260.
1. Bigandet, 101, 425. Uph. II. 113: Man. Bud. 209.
30 Turn