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MAY, 1924)
BOOK.NOTICES
113
MISCELLANEA. THE DISPOSAL OF DECEASED LAMAS. the age of 70 years, confine them, and let them The interesting note on this subject by Sir Richard die of hunger. This custom, although Scythian Temple reminds me of an important passage in in character, is more tolerable than that of the Strabo's Geography upon similar customs prevailing Bactrians and is similar to the domestio law of the in Central Asia at the time of Alexander the Great. Ceil; the custom, however, of the Bactrians is It runs as follows:
much more according to Soythian manners." Το μεν ούν πάλαιον ού πολύ διέφερον τοίς Bactria, the ancient Persian BAkhdhi and the βίοις και τους ήθεσι των Νομάδων οι τε modern Balkh, was the outpost of Iran on the borderΣογδιανοί και οι Βακτριανοί: μικρόν δ' όμως
land of the Scythian waste, and its population was
largely Soythian. It was intimately connected ημερώτερα ήν τα των βακτριανών, αλλά και περί with Zoroaster and his teaching. It is highly
τούτων ουτά βέλτιστα λέγουσιν οι περί Ονησι- probable, therefore, that the custom prevalent κριτου, τους γάρ άπειρηκότας διά νόσον ή γήρας among the Parsees of giving their dead to vultures παραβάλλεστθαι τρεφομένοις κυσίν, επιτηδες
was borrowed from the Soythian or Turki tribes
with whom the early Zoroastrians came into contact δε προς τούτο, ούς "Ενταφιαστάς” καλείσθαι
in Baotria. The explanation given by the Parsees τη πατρώα γλώσσή, και οράσθαι τα μέν έξω is that the Prophet wished them to avoid polluting Teiyous rs untpomóews Twv BáxTp kalapá, the elements of Earth and Fire. But the pre. των δ' εντός το πλεόν οστέων πλήρες ανθρωπίνων,
Zoroastrian Persians solved the question quite καταλύσαι δε τον νόμον Αλέξανδρος Τοιαύτα
satisfactorily by coating the body with waw before δε πως και τα περί τους Κασπίους ιστορούσι,
burial (Katarnpoov. See Herodotus I. 140, and τους
compare IV. 71.). It is noteworthy that all the γάρ γονέας επειδάν εβδομήκοντα έτη
great Achaemenian kings were buried in this way; γεγονότες τυγχάνωσιν, έγκλεισθέντες λιμοκτο. perhape, M Dr. Jackson suggests, they were νείσθαι. Τούτο μεν ούν ανεκτότερον και των embalmed also. It is curious that more was not οικείω νόμω παραπλήσιον καίπερ δν Σκυθικόν,
made of the historical aspect of the question in the πολύ έντοι Σκυθικώτερον το των Βακτριανών,
recent controversy between the orthodox and re(Geog. XI. XI. 3.)
forming Parsees on this subject. "Anciently the Sogdiani and the Bactriani did
The Tibetan custom of disposing of the dead not differ much from the nomads in their life and
in the revolting manner hore described (outting manner, yet the manners of the Bactriani were &
the body up and throwing the pieces to doge and little more civilized. Onesioritus, however, does not
birds), is only used in the case of the middle clamos. give us the most favourable account of the people.
The higher Lamm are cremated in the same fashion Those who are disabled by disease or old age are
as Glautama Buddha (nes the Mahd paranibbana thrown alive to be devoured by dogs kopt expressly
Sutta). The Grand Lamas are embalmed and placed for the purpose, and whom in the language of the
under chortens or dagabas. country they call "Entombers." The places on the It has been held that this custom is the real exterior of the walls of the capital of the Baotiang source of those Jatake stories which depict the are clean, but the interior is for the most part full Bodhisattva a giving his body to feed a starving of human bones. Alexander abolished this custiger and so forth. The whole question loroplete tom. Something of the same kind is related of the l with interest, and deserves fuller treatment. Capii also, who, when their parents have attained
H. G. RAWLINSON. BOOK-NOTICES. THE ELSTERN SCHOOL OF PRAKRIT GRAMMARIANS concerned with Paisaci, or Paibacik w Ramalar. AND Parboi PRAKRIT. BY BIB GEORG2 GRIERSON, man calls it. To this he has added an excellent K.C.LE.
Annotated translation, compared throughout with All who are interested in the vexed question of the relevant portions of MArkandeya's Prilepta.Pribdol will weloome Sir George Grierson's article sarvama, and has prefaced the whole with some
sarwas, and ne * The Eastern School of Prakrit Grammarians interesting remar
interesting remarks on the Western and Eastern and Paislei Prakrit' contributed to the Sir Schools of Prakrit Grammarians. Ashutosh Mookerjee Silver Jubilee Volumes. The author reports. his theory, first suggested In 10 Bir George Grierson has given us thone portions by Berth, that number of 30-called Bloi of Ramstarman's Prakrtakalpataru, which are dialects were only local varieties of Pall.
1 In the land of Coos, the food being limited, all over 60 were given hemlock. Om buracos y καλώς ου ζή κακώς, Bay Menande.
