1892.] L. A. Waddell— Note on the ' Mri-gu-ta 1 Stupa. 187 



lithograph of its more modern appearance with its additional buildings 

 and investing wall. But no description or account of the monument 

 seems to be on record. 



As I have obtained a copy of the printed booklet which is sold at 

 the stupa to the pilgrims, I here give a short abstract of its contents, 

 which are interesting as showing how the Stupa is brought into in- 

 timate relations with the chief legendary and historic persons of early 

 Lamaism. The print is a new revision by Panya Vajra and another 

 disciple of "the great Lama Zhab-tZkar.' This latter Lama, I am 

 informed, lived about thirty years ago, and gilded the short spire of 

 the stupa and built the present investing wall. 



The book states as follows : — 



" This Stupa enshrines the spirit of the Buddhas of the ten 

 directions, and of the Buddhas of the three times, (i. e., the present, 

 past and future), and of all the Bodhisatwas, and it holds the Dharma- 

 kaya. 



"When King Thi Srong Detsan 1 asked The Guru, 2 at Samyas, 3 to 

 tell him the history of the Ma-gu-ta stupa in Nepal, made by the four 

 sons of ' the bestower of gifts ' named ' the poor mother Pya-rdsi-ma 

 (Fowl-keeper),' then the Guru thus related (the story) : — 



" In a former Kalpa — time beyond conception — the Bodhisatwa 

 Mahasatwa Avalokiteswara, approached the Tathagatha Amitabha and 

 prayed for the animals immersed in the miry slough, and after saving 

 these he went to Mount Potala. There he saw hosts of unsaved animals, 

 innumerable like unto mounds of muriva^ lees, and (seeing this he) wept. 

 Two of his pitying tears were born into Indra's heaven as god's 

 daughters, named respectively Kangma and the Little Kang-ma or Kang- 

 chhung-ma. This latter having stolen in heaven some flowers, was as 

 a punishment, reborn in earth, in a low pigherd's family in Maguta in 

 Nepal, under the name of Sambhara or ' the Chief Happiness,' her 

 mother's name being Purna. On marriage she had four sons, and her 

 husband's early death left her with the sole care of the family. She with 

 her family undertook the herding and rearing of geese for the wealthy, 

 ami in this pursuit having amassed much wealth, she — Ma-pya-rdsi-m;i 

 (or mother Fowl-keeper) — decided to built a large Stupa in honor of 

 the Tathagatha. She, thereon, went to the king and begged for a silo, 

 saying, she wanted only so much ground as one hide could cover. 



1 The king of Tibet who introduced Lamaism. 



* i. e., Padma Sambhava, or Ugyan the founder of Lamaism. 

 8 The first lamaist monastery in Tibet. 



* The millet seed (elusine crocanum) about the size of mustard soed, from which 

 is made the Himalayan beer. 



