214 Farther Note on the Inscription from Sdrndth. [April, 



even larger, embracing the substance of all inanimate as well as ani- 

 mate entitv, thus: " All things are imperishable," or, " The uuiverse 

 is eternal," (without maker or destroyer.) The passage just quoted 

 from the Sata Sahasrika serves likewise (I am assured) to prove that 

 the signification of ye is not always strictly relative, but often exple- 

 tive merely : but let that paes. 



The points in question undoubtedly are, — existence in the Pravrittika 

 or versatile world, and cessation of such existence, by translation to 

 the world of Nirvritti ; and of such translation, animals generally, 

 &nd not human beings solely, are capable. Witness the deer and the 

 chakwa, which figure so much in Bauddha sculptures ! The tides of 

 their advancement to Nirvritti are popularly familiar. The word 

 nirodha signifies, almost universally and exclusively, extinction, or total 

 cessation of versatile existence ; a meaning, by the way, which con- 

 firms and answers to the interpretation of dharmd, by general exis- 

 tences, entities, and not by merely human actions. 



It is scarcely worth while to cumber the present question with the 

 further remark that there is a sect of Bauddha philosophers holding 

 opinions which confound conscious actions with universal entities 

 throughout the versatile world, making the latter originate absolutely 

 and physically from the former, (see my remarks on Remusat in the 

 Journal, No. 33, p. 431.) 



It is not, however, admissible so to render generally received texts, 

 as to make them correspondent to very peculiar schismatic dogmata. 

 " Dhdranatmika iti dharmd," the holding, containing, or sustaining, 

 essence (ens) is dharmd. The substratum of all form and quality in 

 the versatile universe, the sustainer of versatile entity, mundane sub- 

 stances and existences, physical and moral, in a word, all things. Such 

 is the general meaning of dharmd. How many other meanings it 

 has, may be seen by reference to a note at the foot of p. 502, No. 34, 

 of your Journal. The root of the word is dhri, to hold. Wilson's dic- 

 tionary gives Nature asAMERA Sinha's explanation of dharmd. This is 

 essentially correct, as might be expected from a Bauddha lexicographer. 



Note. — If Mr. Hodgson's general interpretation of y^ is the true one, 

 (which seems most probable, though its specification in the sense of moral 

 duties is more agreeable to M. Csoma's supplement) — its implication, in the 

 present reading, at least, appears manifestly atheistic. For that it cannot mean 

 " Tathagata or the A'di Buddha is the cause," is evident from the accusative 

 h£tun (which is also plural causas). Even if we were to strike out the word 

 avadat or aha — the former of which is on th&inscriptions, and the latter repeated 

 in Ceylon — still some word of that meaning is plainly understood : and this 

 may help to shew that the explication given by the Aisvaraka Buddhists (as though 

 the words were ^rT^lJ'j TF ^f ; 31 rf : h^tus t^sham TathagatasJ is a more recent 

 invention, — and that the Buddhist system properly recognizes no being superior 

 to the sage expounder of physical and moral causes, — whose own exertions alone 



