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CH. IV]

THE CHRONICLES OF LADAKH : TRANSLATION   87

At Bsam-yas he built preaching-halls, and at Hchin-bu meditation-cells. At

the palace of Rlun-tshugs (L MS. Rlun-tshubs) he founded the towns of Skyid-pahi-

[h]byun-gnas and Tshans-pabi-[h]byun-gnas.

At that time the teacher Padma-[h byuii-gnas] presented to the king the life-water

of the Vidhyadharas ; but the ministers, who did not like it, said to the king, ` It

is a maddening drink of the Mons, and poisonous ! Pray do not drink it.' So the p.

king became doubtful about it, . and did not drink.

That leprosy might not enter [the country], he exorcised the Naga kings Ma-dros

(Anavatapta) and Zil-chen (Manasvin) [of the Manasarovar Lake]. Abandoning his

vajra, Zil-chen took the shape of a boy, and was appointed to be an assistant to

the king. He promised to fulfil every wish of the king. The king honoured the

pair of Nagas highly, and they became his tutelary deities. Then the teacher departed

to the south-western country of Rria-yab to quell the demons.

At that time all Tibet prospered and was happy : the people increased, the

harvests were good, and it was a time without strife. All the provinces on the four

frontiers were subdued. China in the east, India in the south, Sbal-ti and Hbru-sal

(Gilgit) in the west, Sahi-cho-'O-don-kas-dkar of the Turks in the north, were brought

under his power. Both political and religious 'p'ráctices were firmly established.

During the lifetime of this king the Bon religion was suppressed, and the holy religion

was made to spread and flourished. The following ditty was composed :-

` Then the deputy of the conqueror (Buddha), the holy 2i-ba-htsho (Santi-

rakshita),

And the superior master of incantations, the ascetic Padma-hbyun (Padma-

sambhava),

Kamala-Sila (Kamala-Sila), the crest-ornament of the wise,

And Khri-sroii-lde-btsan, of surpassing thoughts ;

Through these four, like sunrise in the dark country of Tibet,

The light of the holy religion spread as far as the frontiers ;

These holy men of unchanging kindness

All Tibetans will for ever reverently salute.'

33.

NOTES

Geography.—The following local names can be identified : 'O-rgyan is Udyana (see note by F. W. Thomas in JRAS., 1906, p. 461, n.), a country in the close vicinity of Mandi (Za-hor), as I believe ; the names Za-hor and 'O-rgyan are often mentioned together. The famous nchod-rten (stűpa) of Hod-sruii (Kasyapa) is situated in Nepal ; it is known by the name of Bya-ruii-kha-sor. '0-tantra-ri is the Indian town of Otantapuri in Magadha. The Tibetan temple of Bsam-yas is the oldest existing temple of the country. It is situated 35 miles from Lhasa, some two miles from the north bank of the Yaru River. It was visited by Nain Singh. ` A lofty circular wall, 1,700 yards in circumference, surrounds the place, with gates facing to the four cardinal points. Along the top of this wall there have been erected a large number of small mchod-rten and votive piles, built of burnt yellow bricks.' Nain Singh counted 1,030 of these ; they seem to be covered with ancient inscriptions in old Lantsha (?) characters, similar to those found near Gaya in India. ` In the centre of the enclosure stands the large Gtsug-lag-khan, with radiating cloisters, leading to four chapels, facing at equal distances the four sides of the larger temple.' The explorer found the idols and images contained in these temples of pure gold, richly ornamented with

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