574 Interpretation of the inscription [Jul*, 



The same epithet is found in conjunction with bhikhu in the interesting 

 passage quoted by Mr. Turnour in the preceding- article on the 

 Pitakattayan, (see page 506.) 



But it is possible that this expression has been misunderstood by 

 the pandit : mahdmdtd y Q. y ^ even if by shortening the a it be read 

 mahdmatd, the greatly wise, can only metaphorically be said to become 

 vydptd or * pervading* all orders of society, in order to conversion : 

 while Mr. Hodgson's epitome, above alluded to, gives us another 

 mode of interpretation perhaps more consonant with the spirit of 

 the system. Mahdmdtrd (in Pali mahdmdtd) is another name for 

 Dharma, as Prajnd Paramitd the great mother of Buddha — the uni- 

 versal mother, omniscience, illusion, mdyd, &c. — and as such may be 

 more correctly supposed to pervade than mahdmatd the priests, which 

 moreover is always written in Pali, mahdmati. 



It will be remarked that assemblies are mentioned (nikdydni), and 

 preachings (dhammasdvdndni), and ordinances of all sorts, but there is 

 no allusion to the vihdra by name, nor to the chaitya, or temple : no 

 hint of images of Buddha's person, nor of relics preserved in costly 

 monuments. The spreading fig tree and the great dhdtris, perhaps in 

 memory of those under which his doctrines were delivered* are the only 

 objects to be held sacred> or to have rites performed at them % and in 

 those rites, the meat-offering— the sacrifice of blood, is interdicted as 

 the highest sin. 



The edict prohibiting the killing of particular animals is perhaps 

 one of the most curious of the whole. — The particularity with which 

 it commences on the birds is ill supported by what follows regarding 

 animals, which are dismissed with a savachatupade ' all quadrupeds' — as 

 if the sculptor or scribe had found the engraving of such a list too 

 long a job to complete. — The two first birds, suke, sdrike, the green 

 parrot and maina, are the principal pet birds of the Hindus, still 

 universally domesticated, and not rivalled by the nightingale of Persian 

 introduction. Many of the names in the list are now unknown, and 

 are perhaps irrecoverable, being the vernacular rather than the classical 

 appellations. I have pointed out such endeavours as have been made 

 by the pandits to identify them, in my notes. Others of the names 

 in the enumeration of birds not to be eaten, will remind the reader of 

 the injunctions of Moses to the Jews on the same subject. The list in 

 the 11th chapter of Leviticus comprises • the eagle, the ossifrage, 

 the ospray, the vulture and kite : every raven after his kind, the owl, 

 night hawk, cuckoo and hawk ; the little owl, cormorant and great owl : 

 the swan, pelican, and gier-eagle ; the stork, heron, lapwing and bat* — 

 those marked in italics being found in our list. The verse imme- 



