40 11. P. Shu^ivi—E.cluhition of a MS. [March, 1899. 



mysteries of Budclliist philosophy and which he described as the largest 

 educational and monastic establishment in the world. We have here 

 a g'cnuine relic of the old monastery or university. 



The second point of interest is that it was copied in tlie 6th year 

 of the reign of Mahipala, the son of Bigraliapala, who flourished in the 

 beginning of the 11th century. The third point of interest is that the 

 date is recorded in a most curious fashion, '^firf^T^jiri^ ^T^'^ ^t^i^X, 

 in the year indicated in the pa^e mark about to be written. This page 

 mark is 303. So it was wM-itten in that year of a certain era. Which 

 era ? It cannot be the Gupta era ; it cannot be the friharsa era. In 

 both cases the manuscript would be earlier than Mahipala. The Xepal 

 era is out of the question. Because it was never prevalent at Nalanda, 

 and that would give a date too late for Mahipahi. The fourth point of 

 interest is that it is the gilt of one who describes himself ns ^'akj-acaryya 

 Sthavira Sadhu Gupta. Evidently this man was not aViksu; he was a 

 Grhastha, but a Buddhist priest with the sui'name Gupta, a title now 

 exclusivel}' assumed by the Vaidya caste in Bengal. The writer was 

 Cintamani wlio describes himself as Kalyananiitra, i.e., a Buddliist 

 priest. He wi-ote this at Nalanda. The exact day is given ^if^^ a^ 

 ^^ft^^ ^IP^^TT. The work shows many various readings and it would 

 be interesting to collate it with the printed text. 



Many of the illuminations are in very good preservation. The one 

 giving the scene of Buddha's death at the end is very good. The five 

 Buddhas in five different colours with five different positions of the hand 

 and fingers form the very frontispiece of the work. The curious 

 mixtm-e of Hinduism and Buddhism is exemplified in the picture of a 

 female Buddhist divinity being worshipped Hanuman. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. A neiv Copper-plate Inscription of Madauapala. from Dinajpnr.— 

 By N. N. Ya.su. 



2. On the antirjuity and traditions of the Jami^ Masjid and Itanza 

 of Ha zr at Mauland 'Arab, at Sailkupa.— By MaulayI Abdul Wall 



These papers will be published in the Journal, Part I. 



3. Notes on the Fauna of the Gilgil district (vjith e.vhibitlon of 

 specimens).— By Captain A. H. McMahon, C.S.I., CLE., F.G.S., I.S.C 



Tlie paper will be published in the Journal, Part II. 



4. On North Indian Folktales of the Bhea Sylvia and the Juniper 

 Tree Types.— By Sarat Chandra Mitha, M.A., B.L. Corresponding 

 Member of the Anthropological Society of Bombay. Communicated by the 

 Anthropological Secretary. 



5. On the legendary origin of the river Kumrul and BeJhahuJe, etc., 

 in the district of Jessore.—By MaulavI Addul Wall 



These papers will be published in the Journal, Part ill. 



