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396
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(NOVEMBER, 1891.
which cannot be translated by single words into of the Vendidad describes separately two differEuropean languages.
ent methods of disposing of the dead. One At the meeting of 30th October, a communi- consisted in laying the corpse on the summit of cation was read from Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, the
a mountain, exposed to the rays of the sun, and P&rs High Priest at Bombay, regarding the the other in collecting the bones after the flesh receptacles for human bones, brought from
has been devoured. The Dadistan-i-dint, a Pah. Persin by M. Dieulafoy, and deposited in the
lavi work, describes the olsuaries, called astoddns, Museum of the Louvre. While the modern
in which these remains were kept. The preserPârsis deposit their dead in Towers of Silence,
vation of the bones had for its object to render where the flesh is devoured by birds, and the
possible the future resurrection of the dead, who bones are accumulated, the ancient Persians must, according to the Parsi doctrine, "rise from appear to have had the custom of depositing the
their bones." bones in isolated receptacles. The sixth chapter
G. A. GBIERBON.
NOTES AND QUERIES. CUSTOMARY OFFERINGS TO PRIESTS IN course, contained a corresponding diminutive BENGAL.
quantity of food. Is this is a breaking down of At Raniganj and elsewhere I found miniature the custom of dan P or is it an old established brass plates and oups, etc., made and sold in custom by which the poor man could ostensibly large quantities for the purpose of being used in gain as much merit by ddn as the rich man P the customary offerings to purihits. These, of
R. O. TEMPLE
BOOK-NOTICE. THE VEDANTASUTRAS, WITH THE COMMENTARY BY portant conclusion that a number of Ramanuja's
SAXKARACHARYA, translated by GEORGE THIBAUT. explanations seem to be in better accordance with Part I. (SACRED Boox® OF THE EABT; Vol.
the real tenets of Badar yana, while Sarkara's XXXIV.). Oxford, 1890. Pp. cxxviii, 443.
explanations are often forced and artificial. "If, This stately volume contains the first half of now, I am shortly to sum up the results of the the standard work of the Advaita school. preceding enquiry as to the teaching of the Those who have tried to study any of the philoso- Satras, I must give it as my opinion that they do phical systems of the Hindus from the original not set forth the distinction of a higher and text-books, can form an estimate of the difficulties lower knowledge of Brahman ; that they do not which Dr. Thibaut had to overcome in the task acknowledge the distinction of Brahman and of rendering the actual words of one of the deepest Isvara in Samkara's sense ; that they do not hold philosophers of ancient India into plain and the doctrine of the unreality of the world; and elegant English, and of thus enabling the general | that they do not, with Samkara, proclaim the reader to acquaint himself with the metaphysics absolute identity of the individual and the highest of Sarkara as easily as with those of Spinoza. Sell" (p. c). Samkara's great work breathes the spirit of a In connection with the present short notice of noble and independent thinker. The bold and Dr. Thibaut's new volume, it may not be out of consequent manner in which he tries to solve the place to draw attention to his translation of highest problems, ensures him a prominent place an elementary treatise on the Parva-Memarnsd among the philosophers of all nations and ages. system, the Arthasangraha by Laug&kshi. The perasal of his work will modify the views of Bhaskara, which appeared in 1882 as No. 4 of the the editor of a European hand-book which states Benares Sanskrit Series. This difficult little in full earnest that KAlidasa's Salcuntald is one book treate of the general maxime, according to of the chief sources of our knowledge of Hinda which the kalpasutras or rules for sacrifices are philosophy. In the masterly introduction which built up on the Sanhitds and Brdhmanas. Thus Dr. Thibaut has prefixed to his translation, he the Parva-Memdusd is a half-sister of the Uttaracontraste Samkara's commentary on Badarêyana's Mindrsd or Vedanta, which is based on the sátras with that of Ramanuja, the head of the Aranyaka portions of the Veda, and the chief VisishtAdvaita school; and arrives at the im representative of which is Sarkara's Bhdshya.
10 [All this is according to Dr. Leitner, be it under be noted in this connection.-R.C.T.) stood.-R.O.T.)
1 Ueberweg's Geschichte der Philosophie, 5th edition, 11 [The customs of the North American Indians may | Vol. I. p. 16.
