国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

6

SOUTH-WESTERN TIBET IN INDIAN ANTIQUITY.

adorned with pearls.» 1 Everywhere appears the deepest veneration for the Kailas, »that lord of mountains, Kåilåsa.» 2 Further: »There is a monarch of mountains in a mighty forest, the great refuge of ascetism, the worker of the weal (of all), an Asura, celebrated by the name of Himavant containing great cascades and furnished with many fountains and caves.» 3 In the monkey stories in the same work both Himalaya and Kailas and other mountains are mentioned. In Vol. V it is said of a palace that it was »high as the lord of mountains and white as the Kåilåsa hill», and in Vol. VI that the God of Death was living on mount Kåilåsa, encircled by Yakshas. Of a certain Kumbhakarna it is said: »as he yawned, his mouth resembling the subterraneous regions, looked like the sun stationed at the summit of Meru). A Brahmarshi, foremost of ascetics, repairing to the asylum of Trinavindu at the side of the mighty mountain, Meru, took up his abode there. 4 The same volume tells of Råvana: »And leaving behind cities and streams and hills and woods and groves, he in a moment came to the mountain Kåilåsa.» Further: »meditating for some time the lord of Lanka went to the region of the sun and spent the night upon the picturesque summit of the mount Meru.» — »When Råvana arrived at the banks of the western Ocean a person was seen on the island, a highly powerful person amongst men like . . . the Meru amongst the mountains, with legs like the mount Kåilåsa, . . . and he was not more agitated than the Sumeru by the King of serpents; — and of Råvana is said : the mounts Himalaya, Hemakûta, Mandara, and Meru are his bones.» — »There is a mountain named Meru, highly picturesque, made of gold and greatly charming. The middle peak is much liked by the celestials, on which is situate the beautiful assemblage hall of Brahma extending over a hundred leagues. The four-mouthed deity, sprung from lotus, always resideth there».

The Purånas celebrate, as DOWSON says, the powers and works of positive gods, and represent a later and more extravagant development of Hinduism, of which they are in fact the Scriptures. 5 The best known is the Vishnu Purazna translated by Professor WILSON. In the first chapter of its second Book is given the description of the earth, much as has been related above, though still with some interesting geographical details making it worth a fuller quotation.

Jambu is one of the seven great insular continents, and there are seven great seas. »Jambu-dvipa is in the centre of all these: and in the centre of this continent is the golden mountain Meru. The height of Meru is eighty-four thousand Yojanas; and its depth below the surface of the earth is sixteen thousand. Its diameter at the summit is thirty-two thousand Yojanas; and at its base, sixteen thousand : so that this mountain is like the seed-cup of the lotus of the earth.

I The Ramayana. Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanscrit of Valmiki, Valakandam. Vol. II. Published by Manmatha Nath Dutt. Calcutta 1889, p. 238.

2 Op. cit. Vol. III, p. 618.

3 Op. cit. Vol. IV, p. 719.

4 Op. cit. Vol. VII, p. 1557.

5 Dowson op. cit. p. 245.