1891.] 
51 
S. C. Das —Life of Atisa, 
vaded by the king of Karnya (probably Kanauj). Nyaya Pala’s armies 
suffered several defeats at the hand of the enemies who advanced near 
the capital. The Magadha king sued for peace, and a treaty was signed 
by which friendship was established between the two kingdoms. In this 
treaty Dipamkara took an active part. It was he who reconciled the 
king of Karnya to Nyaya Pala. 
He visited Tibet in the year 1038 A. D., accompanied by his bro¬ 
ther Viryachandra, Raja Bhumi-Samga, and Nag-tsho Lochava. The 
king of Tibet gave him a most cordial reception and commanded his 
people to receive his teachings with profound veneration. Finding that 
Dipamkara was the best and wisest of the Indian pandits whom he and 
his father had ever asked to visit Tibet, the king out of reverence for his 
deep learning and purity of morals gave him the name of Jovo Atisa (the 
Supreme Lord who has surpassed all). Arrived at Tholing Dipamkara 
preached the profound doctrine of the Mahayana doctrine and wrote 
several works on the principles and cult of the general and esoteric 
branches of Buddhism among which Bodhipatha Pradipa is pre-eminent. 
In short he revived the practice of the pure Mahayana doctrine b y shew¬ 
ing the right way to the ignorant and misguided Lamas of Tibet, who 
had all become Tantriks. He cleared the Buddhism of Tibet of its fo¬ 
reign and heretic elements which had completely tarnished it, and restored 
to it its former purity and splendour. Under his guidance the Lamas 
of Tibet discovered what is called the “ real and sure path of the exalted 
excellence.” After a residence of thirteen years which was distributed over 
the different parts of Tibet, during which he assiduously devoted himself 
to the propagation of pure Buddhism, enjoying uninterruptedly the good 
will and veneration of the people, Atisa died at Netliang near Lhasa at 
the age of seventy-three in the year 1053 A. D. He is remembered with 
deep veneration all over high Asia or wherever the Buddhism of Tibet 
prevails. He was the spiritual guide and teacher of iTBromton the 
founder of the first grand hierarchy of Tibet. 
Dipamkara wrote several works and delivered upwards of one hun¬ 
dred discourses on the Mahayana Buddhism. The following names of 
his works occur in mdo of Rstan hgjm\ 
( Bodhipatha pradipa. 
2 . 
3. 
C Charya samgraha pradipa. 
( Satya dvayavatara. 
