272 NOTES. 



rcncc, by Chinese writers, is about coincident with the 

 Great Deluge. It is related that during the Fu-shi 

 dynasty (3100 B.C.), a rebel of the name of Kung-kung 

 caused a great inundation. This is an allegorical imper- 

 sonation of the Evil spirit in the following legend, quoted 

 by Klaproth : — Kung-kung proceeded with Chuan-shu to 

 conquer the world ; in his rage he struck a tremendous 

 blow at Mount Pu-shan, Avhich broke the pillars supporting 

 the heavens and tore asunder the bands confining the 

 earth. The heavens fell on the north-west, and part of the 

 earth split off in a south-east direction, causing a great 

 inundation, and this devastated the north-west of Central 

 Asia and swept away the south-eastern part of the conti- 

 nent ; the remains of which are the Australian islands of 

 the present day.' 



THE GANDJUR OR KANJUR. THE SACRED 



LITERATURE OF ТП5ЕТ. 



P. 211. 



The collection of sacred books — the Tibetan Bible, is 

 entitled Kanjnr, i.e. Translation of the Word (of Buddha). 

 It was translated entirely from Sanskrit originals in the 

 eighth and ninth centuries, w^hen the canon was closed. 

 It consists of 100 volumes, in some editions extending to 

 108 vols. — oblong folios of separate leaves, 400-700 in each 

 volume, unbound, placed between two rough boards, and 

 fastened with a rude strap and buckle. The Kanjur con- 

 tains not less than 1083 distinct works, which relate to the 

 teachings of Buddha, and which were set down by three of 

 his disciples, and after certain revisions formed into the 

 present codex. It is divided into seven parts, each con-' 

 taining several volumes. 



In addition to this great compilation — the Bible of the 

 Lama JiicrarcJiy, — the Tibetans possess a still greater col- 

 lection, called the Taiijuv, i.e. Translation of Doctrine, in 

 225 folio volumes. This, however, is not included in the 



' See Ritter's ' Erclkunde von Asian,' i. 158-160. — Deguignes' 'Hist, 

 des Huns,' t. i. p. 7. 



