o fM a g a d ’h a , who rvisited.Ceylon in th e re ig n ' o f M ah an am o ,
between-AvD; 4 1 0 a n d 4 3 2 # " * '
A s tro n g c o n firm a tio n o f th e a c co u n ts above cited from th e
e x tra c ts o f M r. T um o u r,‘ as re la tin g to th e h is to ry o f B u d d
h ism an d th e In d ia n m o n a rc h s, is t o ; h e fo u n d 'kif th e
admirab le-series?^ o f disco v erie s m ad e b y M r . Prid'se^Hin
v a rio u s partsL.of H in d u s ta n , i n t h e n um e ro u s in s c rip tio n s •
a t D e lh i;V A lla h a b a d , P a tn a , a n d B e ttia h , vengravéd» on
ro c k s a n d in caves, o n p illa rs a n d o th e r m o n um e n ts , w h ich
h e « h a s id fe y p h e re d . T h e la n g u a g e in w h ich m o ^ p a n d
n e a rly a ll th e s e in s c rip tio n s ■•are fo u n d to: h av e b e e n w ritte n
i # l “ n o t S a n s k r i t b u t th e v e rn a c u la r mo d ificatio n of%it?
w h ic h h a s 'befem só* fo rtu n a te ly p re s e rv e d fo r n s i in l h e P a li
s e rip tu re s -o f C ey lo n a n d A v a .” In a la te r com m u n icatio n ,
p u b lish e d in J a n u a ry ; 183&, M r. P rin s e p s S y s j'- th a t-thé
p illa r m o n um e n ts on th is (n am ely th e -eastern)*side O'f In d ia ,
a re o f th e th ird a n d fo u rth c e n tu ry b efo re th e C h ris tia n
e ra ; th e y a re o f B u d d h is t fo rm a tio n , a n d th e la n g u a g e is5
n o t S a n s k r it,b u t a lin k b e tw e en th a t g ram m a tic a l id iom a n d
th e P a li o f th e B u d d h is t s c rip tu re s . T h e a lp h a b e t a p p e a rs
to be th e v e ry p ro to ty p e o f a l l th e D ev « n 4 g a ri a n d D a k -
sb in i a lp h a b e ts, a n d n o th in g in. th e p u r e S a n s k r it„tofiguè
h a s y e t b e e n d isco v ered in th is c h a ra c te r.” | “ O fi the.'èaVe
in s c rip tio n s on th is sid e o f In d ia we h av e a lre a d y jh ïb lïlh é d
on e from G a y a o f th e self-same a lp h a b e t a n d la n g u a g e .”
“ An e q u a lly im p o rta n t on e from K a ta k Mow. p u b lish e d ,
p ro v e s th a t th e caves in th e K a n d g iri h ills w e re appror-
p ria te d , i f n o t ex c av a ted , in th e tim e o f A ira , a B u d d h is t
so v e re ig n o f K a lin g a . S p e c im e n s from caves in th e w e st o f
In d ia a p p e a r to b e in P a li, b u t in a c h a ra c te r w h ich has
u n d e rg o n e th e mo d ificatio n o f a c e n tu ry o r tw o . T h e k e y
to a ll th e s e disco v erie s was fo u n d in th e danams ex amin ed
b y M r . P r in s e p . T h e co n clu sio n d raw n b y th a t w rite r is
th a t “ we m ay p ro n o u n c e w ith c e r t a in ty , th a t th e s e caves
w e re c o n s tru c te d o r em b e llish ed a c e n tu ry o r tw o p rio r to
* Examination of the Pali Buddhistie&l annals, by Hon, Geo. Tarnour, Esq.
of the Ceylon Civil Service.—Journal of Asiatic Soc. of Bengal, No, 07, July,
1837.—Continuation in NN. 70,78,"80, 81; 83.
th e -G h rfstiân era ; w h e n B u d d h ism flo u rish ed in th e h e ig h t
oÉits^'gferÿ from K a shm ir to. C e y lo n .” *
A n important«bistorifeaL r e s u lt o f th e se re se a rc h e s d ep en d s
W g r e a t p a r t u p o n ân id en tific a tién im ad e b y v a rio u s p assag es
i n 4th e ® udd‘h is tic a l reecMls; a n d ïw h ic h , in th e ju d g em e n t
o f M r. P rin s e p , is satisfacto rily : e sta b lish e d , o f A so k a , th e
g r e a t p a tro n o f B u d d h ism a t P a ta lip u tr a , w ith R a ja P i-
y u d â si, SWbose n am e ©èéûrs in m a n y o f th é In d ia n in s c rip tio
n s . A cco rd in g ^© M r. T u m o u r ,,elev en c h a p te r s -o f th e
Mahawanso re la te ^ p ^ lu siv e ly to- th e h is to ry o f th is p rin c e ,
wh o ^ ^ r e p e a j ^ ^ r e v e ||T ^ ^ P iy u d â s i in th e s e re c o rd s. H e
reigned^.ape,cirding to th e Bu d d ,h istical a n n a ls, a t tlie e ra
Of th e g r e a t co n v o c a tio n o f th e d isc ip le s^ o f S a k y a w h ic h
Was h e ld a t P a ta lip u tr a , a n d ffi^WHich, as we h a v e seen;
th e d a té o f th r e q h u n d re d a n d m in e y ears b e fo re C h ris t is
a ssig n ed , .n lh sp rip tio n s haÿé^i'been- -decyphered b y M r.
P rin s e p C o n ta in in g v a rio u s m em o ria ls re la tin g to P iy u d â si,
à n d tw < ^ ^ ic râ e sp e c ia lly in w h ic h h is n am e o ccu rs in con-
w ith th a t o f A p t i o ^ u |^ h u s c 6n firm in g |Jie ,com p u ted
d a te an d e sta b lish in g th e synchr.onismf o f A so k a w ith th e
e a rly p rin c é s o f th e h o u se o f th e SéleUcidæ, a n d v e rifÿ in g fh e
conclu sio n o f M rl T u rn o u r; th a t A so k a Or P iy u d â s i, whosé
e riirce r s y u to B u d d h ism was a ? c e le b ra te d | ev en t in th e
h is to ry o f In d ia n re lig io n s, was th e th ird in succession o n th e
thTOfip!of P à lib o th r a from C h a n d ra g u p ta Sfkt S a n d ra c o ttu s .
T h is .discovery^.establishes a n im p o rta n t sy n ch ro n ism in
th e acco u n ts o f In d ia d e liv e red by th e G re e k s a n d th e
h is to ric a l a n n a ls o f th e B u d d h is t, th e ' P u r a n ic o r p o e tic a l
h is to ry o f th e H in d o o s, a n d th e en g ra v e n re c o rd s discovered
on m o n um e n ts sc a tte re d th ro u g h H in d u sta n .-f-
W e le a rn th e n from a u th e n tic sources, th o u g h n o h is to rical
re c o rd s o f th e s e tim e s' p ro p e rly so te rm e d ex ist am o n g
th e o rth o d o x H in d o o ^ /“th a t a n In d ia n d y n a sty se a te d in t h e
* Asiatic Journal, No. 78, p. 1047;'>
t We have, further, a proof in the inscriptions, that the kingdom of these
rajas exteflded over the greater part of India. A very curious inscription,
engraved on a rock at Girinagara, in Guzcrat, has been proved to be, like that
6f the pillars, a series of édÏGfcs promulgated by Asoka. They are identical in
“meaning with insçriptions found at K a t^ :, though different in character and
language. I shall here cite the words of Mr. J. Prinsep, secretary of the'
V o l . IV . • V: ' . o