dhists of Nepal, VAIROCHANA, or "Light," is supposed to occupy the centre of every chaitya dedicated to Adi Buddha. Amongst the numerous titles of Buddha contained in the Tibetan works, are "the universally radiant sun," and "the chief lamps of all the regions of space.' ""* A common name also for Buddha was Chakku, or "the eye." In all these titles, "light" is considered as a mere attribute of the all-seeing Buddha. "Adi-Buddha was never seen," said Mr. Hodgson's old Bauddha friend: "he is light." Now, as light could not be represented, the sculptor was obliged to seek some form which should be typical of it. In the present instance he has selected flame, and in another instance, as we shall see in the next bas-relief, he has taken a pair of eyes. Both are sources of light, and therefore types of the All-seeing. The Sambhu Purána, indeed, distinctly states that Buddha was manifested in the shape of flame (jyoti-rupya, or "flame-formed"). From these statements it is clear that the fire itself was not worshipped by the Buddhists, but was looked upon simply as the visible type of the All-seeing. This explanation is fully confirmed by the occurrence of other symbols in temples of the same description, both at Sánchi and at Gya, and by the total absence of image-worship. Indeed at this time the Buddhists would appear to have repudiated image-worship, and

Prinsep's Journal, i., 383. Wilson's Abstract.

+ Hodgson, p. 67.

Hodgson, p. 86, and p. 103 note.

P

An in India"

6.65

to have paid all their adoration to symbols of Buddha and of Dharma, and to Topes and trees which had been dedicated to Buddha.

keir BuddhIII. Tope dedicated to the Supreme Buddha. Ascetic Life in the Woods.-A Tope marked with horizontal layers of masonry, and decorated with a pair of eyes, one placed above the other. The Tope is surrounded by a square Buddhist railing. Background of various trees, amongst which the plantain is easily distinguishable. To the left, a hermit naked to the waist is bringing in a pile of faggots on his shoulder; a second is carrying a banghy, or pole, with baskets slung at the ends by ropes. A third is seated on a mat, and is apparently feeding a fire kept in a small vessel. A fourth is seated in the same way, and is fanning a fire in a similar vessel. A fifth is fanning an empty-looking vessel, but which may be supposed to contain some hot embers that could be fanned into flame. To the right, two other ascetics are engaged in splitting a log of wood with large felling axes.

It appears to me that this scene is intended to represent the fewness of the wants of ascetic life. Each hermit is employed in looking after his own wants, which would seem to be limited to the collection of a small quantity of firewood. At first sight I thought that this scene represented the building of a wooden

* See Plate III., fig. 7, of this volume.

Tope; but the Tope is finished, and the whole of the figures are ascetics. It is possible that they may be preparing small huts for their own residence similar to that shown in the last bas-relief. The neighbourhood of the Tope makes this supposition highly probable, as it was the usual custom of the Buddhist hermits to congregate around their Topes. The chaitya in this scene is evidently dedicated to the Supreme Buddha, as I have explained in my account of the last bas-relief.

EASTERN GATE.

ARCHITRAVES-FRONT.

I. Worship of Topes. - Upper.- Numerous figures paying their adoration to Topes.

II. Procession of Buddha's Feet.-Middle.—To the left a city gate into which a procession is entering. In the centre a sacred tree, and to the right a chariot behind which are the holy impressions of Buddha's feet.

III. Worship of Tree.—Lower.-Procession advancing to the worship of a tree in a small Temple.

ARCHITRAVES-REAR.

I. Worship of Trees.-Upper.-Numerous figures paying their adoration to trees.

II. Worship of Trees by Animals. -Middle.

Various animals, such as Rams, Buffaloes, Lions,

Vultures, and others not identified, together with the Nága Raja, or King of the Snakes, are all paying their adoration to a tree.

III. Worship of Tope by Elephants. — Lower. Several Elephants are perambulating a Tope with garlands.

This scene, I think, represents a tradition preserved by Fa Hian relative to the Tope at LAN-MO, or Rámagráma.* "In this sterile and solitary place there are no men to sweep and to water; but you may there see continually herds of elephants which take water in their trunks to water the ground, and which, collecting all sorts of flowers and perfumes, perform the service of the tower. There were TAOSSE (Rationalists) from various countries who had come to perform their devotions at this tower. They met the elephants, and overcome with terror, concealed themselves among the trees, whence they witnessed the elephants performing the duty according to the law. The TAO-SSE were greatly affected to observe how, though there was no one to attend to the service of the tower, it was nevertheless kept watered and swept. The TAO-SSE thereupon abandoned their grand precepts, and returning became Shámi. Of themselves they plucked up the grass and the trees, levelled the ground, and kept the place neat and clean. They exerted themselves to convert the king, and induce him to found an establishment of eccle

Fo-kwe-ki, c. xxxiii. Laidlay's Translation.

siastics, as well as to erect a temple. There is at present a habitation of ecclesiastics. This happened not long ago, and tradition has transmitted it to the present time." The expression "not long ago" must mean three or four centuries, otherwise the story could scarcely be said to have been transmitted by tradition. At any rate the story illustrated the basrelief; and proves that there was a belief prevalent at that period that elephants had somewhere paid their devotions to a Tope. See the description of the lower architrave, Western Gateway, front face.

SOUTH GATEWAY.

RIGHT PILLAR-FRONT FACE.

I. Triple Symbol of Dharma.-A temple supported on pillars, and containing an altar on which

are placed three symbols or monograms of Dharma.*

II. Scene in Palace. King seated with his two wives. Four other females, two seated (wives of less rank), and two standing (attendants). III. Casket Scene in Palace.-The king with his family and ministers seated in the foreground to the left. In the centre a relic-casket, with two attendants holding the chatta and chaori over it. To the left, a seated female beating a drum, and a female dancer naked to the waist with her arms stretched before her in a peculiar * See Plate XXXII., fig. 22.