1840.] Trans- Himalayan Boodhist Amulets, 905 



Remarks on the above. By Csoma de Koros, Esq. Librarian to the 



Asiatic Society. 



With reference to the two scrolls which were sent to you from 

 Almora, and which you had left with me, together with a letter from 

 Mr. W. E. Carte, on the 1 7th ultimo, I beg leave to inform you that both 

 contain abstracts of some larger Tantrika works, or religious treatises, 

 in Tibetan, interspersed with mantras in Sanscrit. The first paper, 

 eight feet five inches long, of which the figures take two feet five 

 inches, and the text six feet, contains 244 lines (two and a half inches 

 long each) in printed Tibetan character. I cannot exactly tell you 

 what the figures may represent, but I think the first is the regent, or 

 ruler of the year, figured by a victorious king. The second is a tortoise, 

 with nine spots on the belly, representing the lucky and unlucky periods, 

 accordingly as the moon is affected by the planets and constellations, 

 during her daily progress in her path. Then come the twelve animals, 

 after which the years of the cycle of twelve years are called, opposite 

 one to another, thus : the rat or mouse and ox ; tiger and hare ; dragon 

 and serpent ; horse and sheep, or ram ; ape and bird ; the dog and hog. 

 Then the amphora and pices, for the twelve zodiacal signs ; — signs of 

 four planets, as the sun and moon, for all the rest. Then representations 

 of the four, eight, and ten corners of the world. A king, h's minister, 

 horse, elephant, soldier, sun, moon, eye, ass, &c. Afterwards, from the 

 head of a bird downwards, in. two lines, there are Chinese symbolical 

 figures, or characters, having perhaps the same meaning as the figures 

 above designed. These symbolical characters were used 200 years 

 before Jesus Christ, under the Han dynasty ; the Tibetans now also use 

 them on large square seals. 



There are on this paper five different abridged Tantrika works, or 

 siitras, under distinct titles, the Sanscrit being generally erroneously 

 written. 



1. Contents of the first sutra. The salutation, only in Sanscrit, 

 thus: Namo Shri Kalachakraye (which should be thus: Namas Shri 

 Kdlachakraya. English : " Salutation to the circle of Time." The year, 

 month, day, and hour, are figured by a prince, minister, soldier, and 

 weapon. All the regents of the year, month, day, and hour ; those of 

 the planets, constellations, stars, Nagas, and imps are requested to 

 look on these symbolical figures, and be favourable to the person who 



