1832.] Analysis of the Kah-gyur, 385 



man for his wife. This story is related in justification of Sakya's dis- 

 ciple and successor Ananda, who married a girl of the Sudra caste. 

 The tract contains an enumeration of castes and citations of several 

 Hindu works. In the 23rd and 24th, the Sun/a and Chandra Sutras, 

 the sun and moon, apply to Sakya when seized by Rahu, and are 

 liberated from the demon at the command of the sage. 



Two or three of these works are described as translated into Tibetan 

 from Chinese, but with these exceptions they are rendered professedly 

 from Sanscrit, and the names of the pundits and translators are given. 

 They are much the same as those met within the Dul-va class, or Jina- 



MITRA, SuRENDRA BoDHI, DaNA-SiLA, PrAJNYAVERMA, MuNIVERMA, 



&c. Few names of the Lotsavas or Tibetan interpreters are given ; the 

 chief is Ye-siies-de, the translator of the Lalita Vistdra and other 

 principal articles in this class. 



The M. Do class of the Kah-gyur may be considered as that part 

 of the course of Buddhist scriptures which is especially addressed to the 

 lay votaries of this faith. It is not like the Due-v a, intended for the guid- 

 ance of the priests, nor is it like the Sher-chin, addressed to the philo- 

 sophers, whilst it is also distinguished from the last great division of 

 ihe Kah-gyur, by being free, with one or two slight exceptions, from any 

 taint of mysticism. Although some of the treatises are of a specula- 

 tive and metaphysical tendency, yet by far the greater number have a 

 more practical bearing, and either in the legends they narrate or the 

 lessons they convey, are evidently composed to enforce belief in Sakya, 

 and consequent diligent practice of those virtues which it was the end 

 of his mission to inculcate. 



Several of the works contained in this collection belong to the Nava 

 Dherma, or nine Dhermas, mentioned by Mr. Hodgson, as objects of 

 adoration, as well as high authorities in Nepal; such are the Lalita vis- 

 tdra, Lankdvatdra, and Sat Dherma Pundarika. 



VI.— Myang Das. 



The smallest division of the Kah-gyur is the Mya-nan-las-das- 

 pa, or Myang Das: in Sanscrit the Maha-parinirvdna, or simply Nir- 

 vana Sutra. It is confined to two volumes,\vhich give an account of the 

 concluding scene of Sakya's life ; his Nirvana or attainment of that 

 state of spiritual quiescence which constitutes the summum bonum of the 

 Buddhists. Sakya's death took place in Asam or Kusa. The pos- 

 session of his relics was disputed by several of the cities aud princes 

 of India, and finally distributed amongst them. Stately chdityas or 

 mausolea were erected for their reception. 



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