1838.] Facsimiles of Ancient Inscriptions, 39 



the pillar itself, for there are no other relics in the neighbourhood. As 

 the inscription states, it is placed on the high road in a most conspicu- 

 ous position, although it had hitherto escaped the eye of an European. 

 We perceive from this specimen that the alphabetical character had 

 undergone no change since the time of Samudra Gupta, say in two 

 centuries. 



Tibetan Inscription from Iskardo. 



One of Mr. G. Vigne's first cares, on visiting Iskardo for a second 

 time, has been to re-examine the inscription on the base of a mutilated 

 image of Buddha of which a sketch was published in PL IX. of the 

 fifth volume of this Journal. He has kindly transmitted the facsimile to 

 me, and I have the pleasure to state that it has proved immediately 

 legible to M. Csoma, who has favored me with the subjoined transcript 

 in modern Tibetan Character, and with a literal translation. He deems 

 it to be an injunction to the people that they should pay respect and 

 adoration to the image, and to the priesthood that they should keep it 

 always in repair. 



The facsimile is lithographed in Plate II. 



>8S T T Jf'W ^tS T 5 



m$* IT ^3) T XA'CUIT 



-•a 



Translation* 

 « the eighty excellencies of the body (visible in the image repre- 

 senting Buddha) also (too or again), for along time (for long continu- 

 ance sake) — with collected clean offerings, by every one the eight-fold 

 prostration (i. e. touching the ground with his two feet, two knees, two 

 hands, the breast and the forehead) and prayer at large must be per- 

 formed. And then afterwards also, by the faithful ones, at certain 

 times, the paint (or color) must be cleansed, and the Sacristan (he 

 that has charge of the image) must inviolably observe the established 

 rule." 



