42. Two Buddhist Stone-images from Malda. 
By A. K. Marrra, B.L. 
The interesting image-relics, recently discovered in the 
District of Malda, include two stone-images, in fairly excellent 
preservation, one of which has an inscription on its pedestal. 
The find-spot is locally called Mahibhinta (literally the 
site of the homestead of Mahi), which may be connected with 
y h 
Rungpur, Mahipaladighi and Mahisantosh in Dinaj 
Mahibhinta is not far from Pandua, which: ea once a 
metropolitan city in Eastern India. The neighbourhood was 
- undoubtedly an important centre of Tantric Buddhism of the 
Mahayana school, which received a great impetus from the 
Pala kings of Benga 
e first find that attracted attention was the uninscribed . 
image. After it had been brought to Englishbazar, the dis- 
covery of the inscribed image was reported. It was, however 
mysteriously missing for a time, until it came to be soedentall 
recovered after information had been lodged with the Police. 
Theinscription is only a record of the well-known Buddhist 
votive formula, carefully incised on the pedestal, in three lines 
of unequal length. It runs thus :— 
“xe dharmma hetuprabhava hetum=tesam= 
tathagato 
i © aaa tesam = ca yo nirodha evam-vadi Maha- 
cramanah.’ 
ars to ay been a custom to have this votive 
formnile inscribed not only on Budhist images but also on 
Caityas, and Mr. Westmacott, a former Collector of ‘Dinajpe i; 
discovered it incised on a stone Caitya found near Patnitala 
within his jurisdiction. 
The formula in question purports to notify the superiority 
of the teachings of Buddha by alleging that ‘‘ Tathagata 
(Buddha) explained the causes of “Il tha ig proceed from a cause, 
and that he, the ees further expounded the causes 
of the cessation of all existence.’ 
The principal figure in this interesting stone-image has 
only two arms. The right arm is stretched out in the gift- 
bestowing posture salad the Varada Mudra, while the left 
holds a lotus-stalk, The right leg dangles down from the 
lotus-seat, in the well-known posture of Lalitaksepa. The 
