36 L. A. Waddell— On the site of Buddha s death. [No. I, 
side of this are identified with Buddha’s two chief disciples, viz., Sari- 
putra and Maudgalaputra. This triad of peaks is seen from a great 
distance, and it is only on near approach that the smaller hillocks are 
observed. These latter number about sixteen and are called Nc-ten chu - 
du* or ‘ the sixteen disciples ’ of Buddha. 
The most holy site, according to the Buddhists, is a bare flattisli 
shoulder of rock, about eight yards in diameter, situated at the north-west 
base of the hill. This is stated to be the Si-wa tsha-gi tnr-dof or ‘ the 
pyre of the cool grove ’ where Buddha died, and where his body was cre¬ 
mated. The rock here bears several roughly cut inscriptions in Tibetan 
characters of the mystic sentences ‘ Om mani padme hung,’ ‘ 0?n ah 
hung ,’ ( Om ’ &c., and coloured rags torn from the vestments of the pil¬ 
grims are tied to the bushes in the neighbourhood. The Hindus have 
carved here on the rock a figure of the four-armed Vishnu, which the 
Brahman priests call Bhuhi, or 1 the washerwoman of the gods and the 
rock they call ‘ Letai dhupinir pat.’ 
It is worthy of note that the Lamas, for the benefit of the resident 
population of Tibet have made copies of this spot in at least four places 
in Tibet, viz., at:— 
(I). Ra-gyab,X in the south-east outskirts of Lhasa city. 
(II). Pha-pong kha,§ in the north suburbs of Lhasa. 
(III) . Phur-mo chhe, || about twelve miles to the north-east of 
Tashilhunpo. 
(IV) . She-dag.% 
These sites were consecrated by placing on them a piece of rock 
brought from this Asam site, now under report; but the latter spot 
bears the distinctive prefix of Gya-gar or Indian, implying that it is the 
original and genuine site. 
A high cliff, close to the west of this spot, is called ‘ the vulture’s 
mound hill,’** as in Tibet vultures usually frequent the neighbourhood 
of the tur-dd cemeteries. 
A short distance beyond this spot, in the jungle, is a roughly hewn 
stone basin, about six feet in diameter, called by the Lamas, Sang-gydmd 
ho-ho, or the pot in which the Sin-je— the death-demons—boil the heads 
of the damned. The Brahmans, on the other hand, assert that it is 
the bowl in which S'iva or Adi-purusha brewed his potion of lust-excit- 
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