1896.] V. A. Smith and W. Hoey— Buddhist Siitrcts. 90 



The following papers were read ; — 



3. Buddhist Sutras Inscribed on Bricks found at Oopalpur in the 



Gorakhpur District. — B]/ Vincent A. Smith, Indian Civil Service^ and 



William Hoey, D. Litt., Indian Civil Service. (With Plate VII.) 



The tract of country south of Goi^akhpur lying between the Ami, 

 Kuana, and Ghagra rivers is singularly rich in ancient sites, which have 

 as yet received very slight examination. 



One of the most ancient of these sites is marked by the village 

 Gopalpur, which is situated about two miles west of the bazaar known 

 as Gola, a short distance from the northern bank of the Ghagra, and 

 about twenty-eight miles almost due south of Gorakhpur. See the 

 map, Plate VII. 



The largest mound north-west of the village is known as Kopgarh 

 orKOpwa Dih. The horseshoe shaped sheet of water called Barka, or 

 Barjita Tal, encloses another mound, which has the curious name of 

 Manjhratiya Dih, or ' the midnight mound.' 



Somewhere in these ruins a hoard of twenty gold Gupta coins was 

 found in July 1854, which included seven specimens of the coinage of 

 Chandra Gupta 11. (circa A.D. 400). ^ At a later date an indigo plan- 

 ter is said to have obtained a pot of cowries in Kopwa Dih, and the 

 curious little terracotta plaque herewith sent (see Plate VII) was obtained 

 by Dr. Hoey from the same place. The ruins also yield great earthen 

 vessels, pestles, and other utensils of terracotta, and numerous speci- 

 mens of spindle whorls (tikrl). Small stone stools (cauJct,) of which 

 Dr. Hoey possesses a specimen, frequently turn up, and indicate that the 

 buildings included a Buddhist monastery. These stools, which are com- 

 monly from twelve to fifteen inches long, and six inches high, with four 

 small feet, are found at many Buddhist sites, and were probably used 

 by the monks to stand on when bathing.' 



A small temple east of the village and an adjoining tank preserve 

 a reminiscence of Buddhism in the name Dharm Dehi. Though the 

 temple in its existing form is modern, it is built partly of ancient 

 materials. Moulded terracotta or brick ornaments, belonging to an 

 older building, are inserted in the walls. 



Folklore of the usual kind has grown up around the ruins, which 

 are supposed by the villagers to mark the site of the fort and city of a 

 Bhar Raja. They are haunted by two spirits, one male, and the other 

 female. The male deity is Bhaisasur, the buffalo demon, and is 

 appeased by offerings of oilcake and chopped straw. The female spirit 

 is simply called Dei, and is fed with sweetened rice cooked in milk. 



1 Mr. Thomas in J. A. S. B., xxiv. (1855), p. 499, and V. A. Smith ia J. A. S. B., 

 Vol. LIII, Pt. I. (1884), p. 152. 



8 Cunningham, BeTports, iii, 52; xi, 162; xvii, 4. 



