1881.] 
Sarat Chandra Das —Contributions on Tibet. 
237 
translator Rinchhen Ssanpo as his chief priest. He left three sons, viz., 
Hod-de, Shi-va-hod, and Chyan Chhub-hod. The last acquired great pro¬ 
ficiency both in Buddhism and in heretical philosophies, and was very much 
attached to the great translator. He became an illustrious personage in 
Tibet. Being greatly interested in the restoration of Buddhism to its 
former glory, he thought it urgently necessary to invite an eminent 
Indian Pandit who should be profoundly versed in all tlie S'astras and particu¬ 
larly qualified in the three branches of Buddhism, viz., theory, meditation,and 
practice of rites and observances, besides possessing a thorough acquaintance 
with the five Buddhist learnings. Pie sent emissaries to India to see if such 
a man was to be found in i^ryavarta. Being informed by some of his 
ministers of the great fame of Lord Atisa, the king became anxious to 
invite him into Tibet. Accordingly he equipped an expedition under the 
leadership of Nagtsho Lochava. Pie sent large quantities of gold and other 
valuable presents for this celebrated Pandit, in charge of his envoys. The 
party safely reached their destination, the city of Vikrama S'ila, then 
the head-quarter of Buddhism in Aryavarta, where they obtained an 
audience with the ruling king called in Tibetan Gya-Tsomsenge. After 
prostrating themselves, they laid their master’s presents before Lord Atisa, 
and related to him the history of the rise, progress and downfall of 
Buddhism in their mother country, and its recent revival therein. Under 
such circumstances, they represented, the cause of Dharma could not 
he promoted by any other Pandit than himself. They exhorted him 
to accept the invitation. The Lochavas became his pupils and waited 
upon him as his servants. At last after a long and careful consideration 
Atisa consented. Having consulted his tutelary deities, and the divine 
mother Tara, and believing that if he went to Tibet, he would render 
valuable service for the diffusion of Buddhism, more particularly because 
it was predicted of him that he would be of great service to a certain 
great Upasaka. 53 Although the journey would be beset with dangers to his 
life, yet the aim of that life being devotion to the cause of religion and the 
welfare of living beings, he quitted his monastery Vikrama S'ila, for Tibet, 
in the year 1012 A. D. at the age of 59. Arrived in Nah-ri he took 
his residence in the great Lamasery of Tho-ding. He instructed the 
king in aphorisims and tantras. Then gradually he visited U and 
Tsan where he turned the wheel of Dharma (preached religion). He 
wrote many useful S'astras, such as Lam Don “the lamp of 
the true way.” He died at the age of 73, in 1055 A. D. During the reign 
of Tse-de, the son of Plod-de, he assembled all the Lamas and monks of 
53 This was the celebrated Brom-tan-Gyalwai Junne, who succeeded Atisa in the 
Pontifical chair of Tibet. 
