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THE CHRONICLES OF LADAKH : TRANSLATION   81

(Nága-raja). His son was Khri-btsan. During his lifetime roads (?) and bridges [were constructed]. His son was Khri-thog-rje-thog-btsan. His son was called Lha-tho-tho-ri-seen-bsal (L MS. : span-bsal). He was an incarnation of the august Kun-tu-bzan-po (Samanta-bhadra). He reigned for sixty-two years. At the time when he dwelt at the great palace of Hum-bu-rdzans-mkhar, which had come into existence of itself without being built, a basket came down from heaven, as a premonition of the spread of Buddha's teaching in Tibet. Sliding down together by a ray of light, there came down to the king's palace the book Za-ma-tog (Kárandavyahasatra) ; the Pan-kon phyag-rgya pa (a Satra work, Spain-skor-phyag-rgya) ; the essence [of religion], namely, the six syllables [om mani padme ham] ; a golden mchod-rten, a yard high ; a Tshindhamani (ante-mani) tsha-tsha (a terra-cotta with Buddha's image) ; and all the mudrá positions of the fingers. Not knowing whether these were Bon or Buddhist, they honoured them with beer and turquoise offerings. Blessing resulted from it, and [the king] attained to 120 years of age. Thus, during the lifetime of this king the beginning of the holy religion took place.

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NOTES

These kings form a group according to the Dpag-bsam-ljon-bzan, p. 150, where they are called Smad-kyibtsan-lúa (the five lower majesties). According to that book their personal names are as follows :—To-ri-lonbtsan, Khri-btsan-nam, Khri-sgra-dpuii-btsan, Khri-thog-rje-btsan, Lha-tho-tho-ri-gran-btsan. Thus we see that in the Lhasa chronicles this group contains one more member. This is the last group of kings who are furnished with a group name. After this the kings show more individuality, and may be historical personages. Looking at their various groups, it occurs to me that through their group names they are connected with the three realms of the world, according to pre-Buddhist ideas. According to the Glint-chos the world consists of Staii-lha, heaven of the gods, Bar-btsan, the earth, and Gyog-klu, the realm of the Ná,gas. The first group of kings, the ` seven heavenly thrones ', are evidently connected with Staii-lha ; the second, third, and fourth group, viz. Bar-gyi-ldiii, Sahi-legs-drug, and Sahi-lde-brgyad, belong to the earth ; and the last group, Smad-kyi-btsan-lna, belong to the realm of the Nitgas.

As is stated by S. Ch. Das in JASB., vol.1, p. 193, the reign of king Lha-tho-tho-ri-snen-bsal was the most flourishing time of the Bon religion. He also states that this king found a salt-mine ; but the Ladakh chronicles ascribe this discovery to Gnam-ri-sroi -btsan. As we learn from the Bodhimör (see I. J. Schmidt, Ssanang Ssetsen, p. 820), a few years after the supposed descent of the Buddhist books several strangers arrived in Tibet to make known their importance. The Span-skon-phyag-rgya is included in the Bkah-hgyur, see

Beckh's catalogue, p. 57.   J !~

His son was Khri-span-bzun-btsan (L MS. : Khri-snan). During his lifetime the outlying valleys were brought under notice and cleared for fields.

` The lakes were furnished with gates,

And drawn into irrigation canals.

The glacier-water was collected in ponds,

And the water [which had collected] overnight [was used] for irrigation

in daytime.'

Such like things were done in his time.

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NOTE

The name of this king is spelt Khri-gran-bzuii-btsan in the Dpag-bsam-ljon-bzan, p. 150.

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