831

MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

LANKAVATARA SUTRA. When I had just brought out two fasciculi of the Lankavatara Sutra for the Buddhist Text Society of Calcutta, I heard that Professor E. J. Rapson had under- taken to publish a text of the Sutra in the Bibliotheca Buddhica Series of St. Petersburg. In reply to a letter of mine in October, 1900, Professor Rapson very kindly informed me that he had very little leisure to carry out his design of publishing the Lankavatara, but that Professor Minayeff had already begun the work. Since that time we have published no further fasciculi of the Sutra in the Calcutta Buddhist Text Series, and do not know if the work of Professor Minayeff has been carried on since his death by other scholars. By way of drawing the attention of scholars to this very important Sutra, I would venture to give here a very brief account of it. The Lankavatara gives an account of a miraculous visit which Buddha paid to Ravana, the monster-king of Lanka. Though the visit was altogether an imaginary one, the work is very valuable, as it gives a copious explanation of the Buddhistic metaphysical doctrines as well as an account of several non-Buddhistic sects. It is one of the nine most sacred books of the JSTepalese Buddhists, called their Nava Dharmah.1 The Lankavatara Sutra was translated into Tibetan by order of the Tibetan king Ral . pa . can in the ninth century A.D. In Tibetan it is called ZTphags . pa lah . kar . gsegs . pa theg. pa. chen. poAi. mdo, and is included in the Bka^ . gyur, sect. Mdo, vol. v.2

1 Cf. Hodgson's Illustrations, p. 19. * Vide Csoma de Koros's Analysis in the Asiatic Researches, vol. xx, p. 432. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803 832 LANKA VATARA SUTRA.

There are three Chinese versions1 of the Sutra, the first of which was prepared in 443 A.D. Hwen-thsang,2 while travelling in Ceylon in the seventh century A.D., mentions the Sutra as having been delivered by Buddha in olden days. The Sutra was known by name to the Sanskrit scholars of India from a reference to it in the Sarvadarsanasangraha of Madhavacaryya in the fourteenth century A.D. Madha- vacaryya quotes a passage from the Lankavatara Sutra, saying:— "Tad uktam Bhagavata Lankavatare— Buddhya vivicyamananam svabhavo navadharyyate | Ato nirabhilapyas te nihsvabhavas ca darsitah || " (Sarvadarsanasangraha, chapter on Bauddhadarsana.)

The passage quoted here is identified with the following lines of the Laiikavatara Sutra, chap, ii:— "Buddhya vivecyamananam svabhavo navadharyyate | yasmat3 tasmad nirabhilapyas te nihsvabhavas ca desitah 11" (Lankavatara, Bengal Asiatic Society's MS., chap, ii, leaf 50.)

The Tibetan version runs:— " | bio . yis . rnam . par . gzigs . na . yah | | gan . phyir . ran . bzin . mi . rig . ste | | de . phyir . de . dag . brjod . du . med | | no . bo . fiid . kyah . med . par . bstan | " (Bengal Asiatic Society's Tibetan MS., BkaA . gyur, Mdo, vol. v, leaf 150.)

The same lines occur again in the tenth chapter of the Lankavatara with a little variation:—

1 Vide Bunyiu Nanjio, Nos. 175, 176, 177. 3 Beal's Buddhistic Records, p. 251. 3 From the metre it appears that this yasmat is here redundant, or yasmat tasmad is an explanation of ato. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803 LANKAVATARA SUTRA. 833

" Buddhya vivecyamananam svabhavo navadharyyate | yasmad anabhilapyas te nihsvabhavas ca desitah. | " 1 (Lankavatara, Bengal Asiatic Society's MS., chap, x, leaf 115.)

The Tibetan version of the above lines runs as follows :— " | gan . phyir . bio . yis . rab . gzigs . na | | ran . bzin . dag . ni . mi . dmigs . te | | de . phyir . de . dag . brjod . du . med | | no . bo . fiid . kyan . med . par . bsad | " (Bengal Asiatic Society's Tibetan MS., Kangyur, Mdo, vol. v, leaf 253.)

The Lankavatara Sutra consists of ten chapters, named respectively — (1) Eavanadhyesana parivarta, (2) Sarva- dharmasamuccaya parivarta, (3) Anityata parivarta, (4) Abhisamaya parivarta, (5) Tathagata - nityanityatva, (6) Ksanika parivarta, (7) Nairmanika parivarta, (8) Mamsa- bhaksana parivarta, (9) Dharanlparivarta, and (10) the Parisamapti parivarta, which bears no special name. Throughout the Lankavatara Sutra the speaker is Buddha himself. The first chapter of the book is addressed to Eavana, while the person spoken to in the remaining nine chapters is Mahamati. Eavana prayed to Buddha for the solution of two questions, viz.: (1) what is the distinction between dharma and adharma, and (2) how could one pass beyond both dharma and adharma ? Buddha's answers to these questions form the subject-matter of the first chapter. Thereafter 108 questions were asked by Mahamati, and Buddha's answers to these questions form the topics of the remaining nine chapters. Some information about the author of the Lankavatara Sutra may be gathered from the following verses occurring in the tenth chapter of the work:—

1 Madhavacaryya, in his Sarvadarsanasangraha, reads dars'itah for desitah. But the Tibetan synonyma bstan and bfed show that deUtah was the correct reading. Anabhilapyah and nirabhilapydh (Tib. brjorf du . med) stand for Madhavacaryya's mrabhilapyah. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803 834 LANKAVATARA SUTRA.

" Mata ca me Vasumatih pita viprah prajapatih | Katyaya[na]-sagotro 'ham namna vai vijito* Jinah 11 Campayaham samutpannah pitapi sapitamahah | Soma-Gupteti namnasan Soma-vamsa-samudbhavah || " (Bengal Asiatic Society's MS. Lankavatara, chap. x,. leaf 143.) The Tibetan version of the above runs thus:— " | na . yi . ma . ni . nor . ldan . te | | pha . ni . bram . ze . skye . dgu/u . bdag | | na . ni . ka . tya . ya . na . hi . rigs | i min . ni . rdul. med . rgyal. baAo | | yab . dan . mes . dan . na . bdag . kyah | | yul. ni. tsam . par . skyes . pa . ste | | mtshan . ni . zla . ba . skyabs . ses . bya | | zla . ba/d . rigs . las . de . skyes . so | " (Bengal Asiatic Society's Tibetan MS., BkaA . gyur,. Mdo, vol. v, leaf 292-3.)

The above lines may be translated thus :— "My mother is Vasumatl, my father the Brahman Prajapati. I belong to the same clan as Katyayana, my name is Jina the passionless one. I was born at (from) Campa. My father, with my grandfather also, sprang from the Lunar race. Soma-Gupta was he (my grandfather) by name."2 From the above it is evident that the author of the Lankavatara was a native of Campa (near Bhagalpore, in Behar), and a protege of Soma-Gupta.3 He was by birth, a Brahman and a kinsman of Katyayana. He accepted Buddhism, and was named Jina. Nothing is known about

1 Vijito is a wrong reading for virajo. It is evident from the Tib. synonym, rdul-med. 2 [It has been pointed out that the translation of this passage, and also perhaps- the discussion of authorship in the following paragraph, and one or two other points in the article, are open to objection, which no doubt would have been met had there been time to await the author's revised proofs.—ED.] 3 The Sanskrit manuscript reads Yajnavarna, which is a mistake for Yajna-- valhya (Tib. mchod . sbyin . bal . ka). Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803 LANKAVATARA SUTRA. 835

Soma-Gupta. Katyayana, referred to in the above, may be identified with the well-known author of the Hindu Socio- religious Institute called Katyayana - Dharma - Sutra, as is evident from the following verse of the Lankavatara:— "Katyayanah Sutrakarta Yajfiavalkyas tathaiva ca | " (A.S.B. Lanka MSB., chap, x, leaf 143.) The Tibetan version runs thus:— " | ka . tya . ya . na . mdo . byed . pa ] | mchod . sbyin . bal .ka.de. bzin . te | " (A.S.B. Tib. MS. BkaA . gyur, Mdo, vol. v, leaf 293.) " Katyayana is an author of a sutra, such also is Yajnavalkya." In the tenth chapter Buddha predicts several important events. The following passage is quoted as a specimen :— " Mayi nirvrte varsa-sate Vyaso vai Bharatas tatha \ Pandavah Kaurava Nandahl pascat Mauri bhavisyati 11 Mauryya Nandas ca Guptas ca tato Mleccha nrpadhamah | Mlecchante sastra-samksobhah sastrante ca Kaler yugah 11" (A.S.B. Lanka MSS., chap, x, leaf 142.) The Tibetan version runs thus:— " | mya . nan . na . Adas . lo . brgya . na | | rgya . dan . khur . phel . de . bzin . du | | pan . da . ba . dan . ko . hu . ra . ba | | dga/* . hohi . hog . tu . moAu . ri . Abyun | | mohu . rya . dga.h . bo . skyabs . hog . tu | | kla . klo . rgyal . -pohi . tha . sal . mams | | kla . kloM . rjes . la . mtshon . gyis . khrug | | mtshon . gyi . rjes . la . rtsod . dus . so | " The lines quoted above may be translated thus :— " One hundred years after my Nirvana, Vyasa and Bharata will be, and the Pandavas and Kauravas and Nandas. Afterwards the Mauryyas will arise, and the Mauryyas, Nandas, Guptas; then the Mlecchas, the vilest

1 The Sanskrit manuscript reads Varna, which is a mistake, as is evident from the Tibetan synonym d gaA . ba [Nanda). Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803 836 LANKAVATARA SUTRA.

of kings. At the end of the Mleccha rule will be tumult of arms, and at the end of arms again will be the Kali yuga." Not only in the tenth, but in some of the previous chapters too, the Naiydyikas (logicians) and Tdrkikas (disputants) are repeatedly mentioned:— " Naiyayikah katham bruhi bhavisyanti anagatah || " (Chap, ii, leaf 11.) The Tibetan version runs thus:— " | sde . ba . rnams . kyan . ji . lta . bar | | ma . ^ons . dus . na . Abyuri . ba . gsuiis | " (Chap, ii, leaf 94.) " Tell me how in future times the Naiyayikas (logicians) will flourish." The very first question asked by Mahamati was about the Tarka (argumentation):— " Katham hi sudhyate tarkah kasmat tarkah pravartate | " (Leaf 11.) The Tibetan version runs thus:— " | ji . ltar . rtog . ge . rnam . dag . hgjuv | | rtog . ge . ci. yi . slad . du . ^byun | " (Leaf 93.) " How is reasoning corrected and what is the process of reasoning ? "

The doctrines of the Sankhya and Vaisesika philosophy are elaborately discussed (Sanskrit MS., A.S.B., leaf 132). Several non-Buddhistic sects are also mentioned thus:— "Samkhya vaisesika nagnii viprah pasupatas tatha | asatsaddrstipatita viviktarthavivarjitah || " (Sanskrit MS., A.S.B., leaf 132.)

The Lankavatara Sutra consists altogether of 3,000 verses, each verse containing 32 syllables. Thus at the close of the work the author says:— Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803 MO-LA-P'O. 837

" Katyayana-sagotro 'ham suddhavasad vinihsrtah | desemi dharmasatvanam nirvana puragaininain 11 pauranikam idarh dharmam aham anye ca tathagatah | tribhih sahasraih sutranarii nirvanam iti desayet 11 " (Leaf 14.) " I belong to the same clan as Katyayana; I have come from the Suddhavasa heaven. I teach sentient beings the doctrine which leads them to the city of Nirvana. The doctrine which I preach is an old one. I and other Tathagatas have taught this doctrine of Nirvana by means of 3,000 sutras." SATIS CHANDRA VIDYABHUSANA, M.A., M.R.A.S., Professor of Sanskrit. Presidency College, Calcutta, India. May, 1905.

MO-LA-P'O. In the Z.D.M.GK for 1904 Mr. V. A. Smith has shown conclusively from the text of Hiuen Tsang that the Mo-la-p'o visited by the Chinese pilgrim should not be identified with the Malwa, the capital of which was Ujain. In discussing the question an important inscription seems to have been overlooked. This is the record of Pulikesin II found at Aivalli, and published by Dr. Fleet in the Indian Antiquaryf viii, pp. 243-5. The inscription is dated in 634 A.D. (37, 305 Kaliyuga, or 556 Saka), that is, six years before Hiuen Tsang visited India. The relevant portion consists of the following: " Being subdued by his prowess, the Latas and the Malavas and the Ghirjaras became, as it were, worthy people, behaving like chieftains brought under subjection by punishment." It has generally been taken for granted, even by Mr. V. A. Smith,1 that this refers to a conquest of the modern Malwa. The mention of the three tribes in close connection has, however, presented difficulties of

1 " Early History of India," p. 324. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. INSEAD, on 12 Oct 2018 at 17:56:27, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0035869X00033803