Sambodhi 2012 Vol 35

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 82

72
Dinanath Sharma
SAMBODHI
bh letters are found changing. c, ja and cerebral s seem to be older than that of Brahmi. 1, and I are independent, i.e. separate. This takes us to the notion that this is older than Ashokan ones. Taxla Mudra Brahmi Biruda- On the basis of palaeography and coin, they seem to be of earlier age to Ashokan inscriptions.
3.
Mahasthana Prastara Abhilekha- This is found in the Bogara district of East Bengal (now Bangladesh) and contains donation to the Pancavargiya monks who were the beneficiaries of the first preaching of Lord Buddha after his enlightenment.
Sohagaura Tamrapatta Inscription- This has been found in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh. It contains the description of arrangements of fodder and food grains made at the time of famine.
Piparahava Bauddha Kalasha Inscription- In the year 483 B.C. when Mahatma Buddha was cremated after his imancipation in Kushinara (now known as Kushinagar in Deoria district, U.P.), his remnants were put into eight pots for Rajagrha, Vaishali, Kapilavastu, Allakappa, Ramagrama, Pava, Vetha Dipa and Kushinara to erect a tomb. Kapilavastu was the capital of Shakyas to which clan Mahatma Buddha belonged. The pot, on which the above event is inscribed, has been unearthed from the tomb of Piparahava, a place in Basti district of Uttara Pradesha. The tomb is supposed to have been erected immediately after Buddha's death. Badali Inscription- This was found from Badali village of Ajmer district in Rajasthan. The inscription reads as follows- atera ad aria a | It is dedicated to Lord Mahavira on his 84th year of emancipation which happened in the year 527 B.C. If we deduct 84 years from 527, the age of the inscription comes to 483 B.C.
The oldest bark of birch (Bhojapatra) on which Sanyuktagama, a Sanskrit work on Buddhist tenets, is written, belongs to 4th century A.D. and was found by Dr. Styne from Khadgalika, a place in Khotana area.
The oldest palm-leaf manuscript containing a dramatic work, of course in a broken condition, goes back to 2nd century A.D. and it was published by Dr. Ludders in Kleinere Sanskrit Text Part 1.
The oldest paper manuscript with four Sanskrit works was found by