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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



tree which E'rapatra is worshipping is a flowery tree of a 

 totally distinct species, but for the identification of which 

 the photograph is not sufficiently clear. Although, therefore, 

 the Professor's emendation may make the inscription more 

 grammatical, — on this I am not competent to express an 

 opinion, — it appears to me to have the insuperable defect that 

 it contradicts the facts represented in the bas-relief to which 

 it is attached. The General's interpretation, on the contrary, 

 perfectly accords with them." 



On the receipt of the copies of the Academy I searched 

 for the story of E'rapatra Naga Raja, and was fortunate 

 enough to meet with it. I have found it in Buddhaghosa's 

 AtthaJcathd on " Dhammapada," a work well known in Europe 

 from Dr. Fausboll's edition, and Professor Max Miiller's 

 translation of the text. Dr. Fausboll, however, does not 

 give the legend of E'rapatra, although he inserts a few scholia 

 from the Commentary explanatory of the verse in which the 

 story is founded {vide Fausboll's "Dhammapada," p. 344). 

 The moment I read the legend I felt that my esteemed 

 friend Professor Childers had committed a mistake, and it 

 was with much regret that I found myself opposed to his 

 views. I lost no time in communicating to him the sub- 

 stance of the legend as found in the " Dhammapada " Attha- 

 kathd, and the grounds on which I felt compelled to differ 

 from him. [Appendix D, E.] 



The legend distinctly states that E'rapatra Naga Raja 

 "worshipped Buddha," and that he (Buddha) was seated 

 at the foot of a Sirisa tree when the serpent king 

 came to pay him his respects ; and so, I think, there 

 can be no doubt that the tree before which the 

 Naga Raja was kneeling must be the " Sirisa tree," at 

 the foot of which Buddha sat when receiving the serpent 

 king. 



The legend thus seems to me to remove all the doubts on 

 the subject, and to harmonise in a most remarkable manner 

 all the discordant elements which, in the absence of the story, 

 seemed to surround the legend depicted in the stone. 



