212 
Sarat Chandra Das —Contributions on Tibet. 
[No. 3, 
in Tibet. He found the country, Pugyal , (for such was the ancient name 
of Tibet, which in later times was converted into Bod, 5 ) widely peo¬ 
pled by a race of men, still in a primitive state. They welcomed him as 
their king. By his mild and peaceful behaviour he won their affection and 
ruled over them for many years. Under his and his descendants’ rule 
the people multiplied, enjoyed prosperity and developed the arts. From 
liupati to the foundation of monarchy in Tibet by Nah-Thi-tsanpo, 6 
in the beginning of the fourth century before the birth of Christ, the history 
of Tibet is very obscure. During this long interval, after the fall of the 
house of Rupati, the country was partitioned into several petty states, ruled 
by insignificant native chieftains and princes. Of this uninteresting period 
scarcely any reliable record, traditional or legendary, is extant, sufficient to 
throw any light on the earliest history of Tibet. Among the ancient 
records, the Debther-Nonpo 7 and the Chho Jun 8 are by far the most correct. 
Their authors appear to have been less influenced by love of the marvellous, 
or the appetite for wonders, which marks all early oriental writings, and 
to have collected their materials in an exemplary spirit of sober investigation. 
The Debther-Nonpo and the Chho Jun are therefore unique and rare 
ancient historical records of Tibet. According to them, the country was 
peopled at the same time as India, in the beginning of the present Kalpa, 
a fact accepted by most modem native historians. The Gyal-rab or 
royal pedigree, written by the fifth Gyalwa-Rinpochhe, and Mani Kali- 
bum, one of the oldest legendary works, ascribed to king Sron- 
tsan-gampo, besides other works of historical fiction, give altogether a 
different and fabulous account of the origin of the Tibetaqs. In the sacred 
books of Kalachakra, 9 Manjusii mula tantra, 10 and Ashta-sahasrika, 11 
Buddha foretold that his religion would be widely diffused in the snowy 
country of the north, where many Saints would also appear. 
5 The Tibetan b when unaccompanied by any other letter is pronounced like 
p slightly aspirated, and the final d in Tibetan is always mute. Therefore Bod or 
us is pronounced as Po or Pu of Pu gyal. 
w 
8 Chhos-Abyun; in Tibetan by when preceded by h is pronounced 
asy. 
•sS 
9 
