Indian Antiquary Vol 22

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 19

JANUARY, 1893.]
PO:U:DAUNG INSCRIPTION
action within the memory of man, a circumstance, on the grounds mentioned, extremely improbable. The occurrence, on the summit, of the common brakes, and doubtless of other plants of temperate regions, renders it probable that the close of the glacial period found its surface in a fit state to support vegetation."
Line 3. - The Jinachakka or Anno Buddhe, corresponding to the year of Sakkaraj or vulgar era, is indicated throughout the inscription by mnemonic words used in astrology. The method of expressing numerals by means of words is also a Soath-Indian practice, which is fully described at pages 57-59 of Burnell's Elements of South Indian Palmography. It may be noted that the Burmans reckon their Era of Religion from 544 B. C., the year, according to them of the parinirvúna of Gautama Buddha.
Line 4. - The Digumpacheti of the Pâli appears to be a translation of the Dagon Choti, now called the Shwe Dagon33 the celebrated pagoda of Rangoon. The correct appellation should be Tikumbhacheti according to pages 16-17 of Forchhammer's Notes on the Early History and Geography of British Burma. I., The Shwe Dagon Pagoda.
Reverse Face. Line 2. - It is the belief of the Buddhists of Burma that the Shwê Dagon Pagoda contains the relics of the four successive Buddhas of this Bhaddakappa, namely, the water strainer of Kakusandha, the bathing-robe of Kôngamana, the staff of Kassapa, and eight hairs of Gautama.
Lines 3-8.- The division of the Burmese Empire under S'inbyuyin into sixteen states or provinces is interesting, as it illustrates the substitution of classical names of India for native appellations. See Appendix B to Yule's Mission to Ava for similar classification effected during the reign of Dalan Mindaya in 1636 A. D.24
Line 7.- Kabèmweyin is the Burmese appellation for Manipur. Sir Arthur Phayre derives Mweyin from Mora nga or Moriya, and identifies it with the Kubo Valley in the Upper Chindwin District (Journal of the Asiatic Society, Bengal, Vol. XXXIII. page 15). In the Maháy drawin it is stated that Dhajarâjâ, a king of the Sakya race, settled bere, after his expulsion from Northern India about the middle of the 6th century B. C. Upper Pagân was built by him. He married Någachhinna, the Queen of Bhinnaka, the last of the Tagaung kings, who, on his expulsion by the TATÁrs, fled to Malè and died there. On the destruction of the Tagaung dynasty the people were divided into three divisions and one emigrated to the Shân States; the second to the country of the Pyús and Kàrràns, over which Muduchitta, son of Kånrâjâgyi, had formerly raled as king; and the third remained at Malè with Nagachhinna. The finding among the ruins of Tagaung of terra cotta tablets, bearing Sanskrit legende, affords some corroboration to the statement of the native historians that, long before Andrat'ázo's conquest of Daton in the 11th century A. D., suocessive waves of emigration from Gangetio India had passed through Manipur to the Upper Valley of the Irrawaddy, and that these emigrants brought with them letters, religion and other elements of civilization.
Line 8. - Joyavaddhana is the classical name of the ancient kingdom of Toungoo (Taang-ngů).
Line 9.- The Hàn S'inbyll, or the white elephant called Hàn, was one of the animals, from the possession of which King S'inbyllyin (Lord of the White Elephant) derived the title, by which he is known in history.
Line 11. - The charger called the Nathayinbyan, which is described, in the language of exaggeration, as being 4 taunga, 2 maiks, and 4 letbits, or nearly 22 hands high, appears to be an animal presented by foreigners. A Burman pony rarely exceeds 13 hands.
*[As a contribution to the orthography of this word I may note that French traveller of 1786 calls it la pagoda de Digon.' See Taung. Pao, Vol. II, p. 397 ff. Forchhammer's conclusions are, I think wrong. At any rato they are not atually supported by any authoritative document I have yet noon.- ED.
[Mindön named some of the quarters of Mandalay by Pali names.-ED.]