Indian Antiquary Vol 58

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 165

AUGUST, 1929]
NOTES ON KHOTAN AND LADAKH
151
the father-king, wore ready to bow to the present king, seem to refer to the times when the Chinese power once more overshadowed that of the Tibetans.
Then, again, the Tibetan power rose, and we know from archæological finds that what the Tibetans say of their hold on Turkestan is well founded. The great multitude of Tibetan documents on wood and on paper, in which the Tibetans appear as governors and men in authority, leave no doubt that for about half a century (say, 780-330) they were firmly established in Turkestan. Of great interest are the Tibetan letters of recommendation, handed by Tibetan officials to Chinese Buddhist pilgrims on their way to the west and south. They were translated by F. W. Thomas in JRAS., 1927.
If we look at the Chinese designation of Turkestan as the land of "the Four Garrisons," we learn from the Li-yul-lun-batan, that this term was known to the Tibetans, although they speak of "three places" only (yul-gsum). These three piaces are mentioned in that book as follows: Liyul (Khotan), Shu-lig (Kashgar, Sule); and Anse (Kuchâ, An-'hsi). In the fragments of correspondence found in the desert Kashgar is called Sulig; and for Khotan Li and U-then are often given. The difference between the two designations seems to be that Li means the whole kingdom, and U-then (O-don) the capital only.
As regards the title of A-ma-ca, it seems to have been used only as a title of the kings of Khotan, and no longer of the kings of Kashgar, in those days.
The following is the continuation of the list of these kings, the first half of which was given in the previous chapter.
(12) Vijayakîrti. First Tibetan invasion of Khotan, A.D. 665, Chinese name, Fu-tu-hiung. (13) Vijayasangrama, sent an embassy to China in A.D. 717, Chinese name, King; killed by the Drugu.
(14) Vijayasangrama or Vijayavikrama, entered into an alliance with the Drugu and was killed by the Chinese A.D. 728 Chinese name, Fu-shih-chan. (15) Vijayadharma, had a Chinese minister called Sir-the-si, A.D., 736 Chinese name,
Fu-tu-ta.
(16) Vijayasambhava, Chinese name, Sheng; A.D. 740.
(17) Vijayavahana (bohan). Chinese name, Wei-cheh-yao; A.D. 760. (Last in Sarat Chandra Das' list.)
The first scholar to identify these kings with names found in the Sâkian documents of the desert was Sten Konow. In one of the documents, he discovered the name Visabohan, and this was found to correspond with Vijayavahana, who also occurred in some of the manuscripts already searched by Hoernle (JASB., 1901, p. 36). Then in a Sâkian document entrusted to him by Stael-Holstein, he discovered the name Visasambhat, which was identified with Vijaya-sambhava. Together with Karlgren, he also successfully compared the reigns of all these kings with the Chinese accounts. We may say that their identification has become complete. (JRAS., 1914, p. 339 ff.; Ostasiat. Zeitshr. VIII, p. 223 ff.; Acta (or. 1928, p. 16). Although this is very satisfactory, any further material which can be added from other sources will be greeted with pleasure.
It has been possible to adduce such fresh material from Tibetan sources. Among the Tibetan documents found in ruined sites in Turkestan, there are several which contain the title a-ma-ca. Now, a-ma-ca, amâtya, minister, was the title given by the Tibetan government to the kings of Khotan, and if we meet with such a title in documents from Turkestan, wo at once, suspect that under this title is hidden one or other of the old kings of Khotan. It was thus that, when all such documents available were examined, the following kings could be identified :-a-ma-ca lha-Zun-gre with Sangrama; a-ma-ca-Zen-do with Sambhata or Sambhava; a-ma-ca-Wen-du with Vahana.
Another Tibetan name of Kucha was Kva-chu.
7 Instead of No. 15, Vijayadharma, the Tibetans mention his minister, Sir-the-si, calling him Shir-de of Li (Khotan),Sitzungsberichte pr. Ak. d. Wiss, 1923, XXXI.