1837.] from the Buddhist Tope at Sanchi near Bhilsa. 459 



also one dinar, day by day, for charitable distribution*, and a lamp 

 shining like a jewel in the middle of the enclosure, are caused to be 

 providedt- 



In the ratnagriha\ also are deposited three dinars. With the in- 

 terest, of these three dinars in the ratnagriha or treasury of the 

 four Buddhas§ day by day three lamps are to be lighted. For the shrines 

 of the four Buddhas also is given a chakra\\ of dinars, with the interest 

 of which in the four shrines in like manner the lamps of the four 

 Buddhas are to be kept lighted daily. And thus the beauty of all this 

 (sculpture) durable as the sun and moon has been designed (or repaired) 

 by HARiswAMiNi,the disciple of the unchangeable sculpture-enshrined 

 Siddha bhdryyd (or emancipated wife). 



Samvat. . ?. . Sravan. . P. . Aditya." 



All we learn from this inscription is, that a female devotee, Harx- 

 swamini' the pupil of the defunct lady abbess, probably, of the convent 

 to which she belonged, either designed or repaired some of the basso- 

 relievos we so much admire in their fallen state ; — and we may thus 

 account for the chasteness and elegance of the sculpture, while we do 

 homage to the superior taste and imagination of the fairer sex. The 

 provision for applying the interest of the small sums deposited by the 

 same lady in the treasury of the Buddhist shrine to particular purposes, 

 seems to imply that the establishment mixed in secular mattei's, and 

 probably acted the part of bank to the surrounding district ; in fact, 

 the priesthood then possessed all the knowledge, the power, and the 

 activity of the country, and we have adduced probable evidence on 

 other occasions of their exercising the privilege of fabricating coin. 



* Literally, to be given to beggars seated witbin the enclosure holding their 

 bands out but not importuning passengers, as is to this day customary witbin 

 the precincts of the most frequented temples. 



t The dsan here intended is probably the wooden carved platform on wbicb 

 religious devotees reside in temples — using them at once as pulpits and as beds. 

 The expression rudhasvacch&sanu siddh-bharyyayah seems to imply a wife who 

 bad turned priestess, and who had died on her sacerdotal coucb. Siddhdsan is a 

 seat so pire that the devotee sutting in it can, at will, be transported any where 

 thereon. Siddha bharyya my also be a name. 



X Jewel bouse, treasury, or perhaps the sanctum of the shrine. 



§ There are four niches containing images of Buddha on the four sides of 

 the dehgopa. 



|| Chakra signifies a heap or quantity, but it would hardly thus be indefinitely 

 used in such a place ; it may then also denote 60, the number of the Vrihaspati 

 chakra or cycle, or 12 for that of the sun : it is impossible to decide between 

 them. 



