A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s1.64

v2.c19.s1.64

The majority of the inscriptions on the famous stūpas of Bharhut and Sānchī are written in the same characters as the inscriptions of Aśoka, and the stūpas were formerly regarded as monuments of the time of Aśoka. Now-a-days, however, authoritative archæologists are inclined to ascribe the bulk of the sculptures rather to the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C.³ The remnants of the stūpa of Bharhut are at present among the most precious treasures in the Indian Museum at Calcutta, while we are as yet able to admire the magnificent remains of the stūpas of Sāñchī in their original place. (The railings and gateways of the stūpas of Bharhut and Sāñchī are covered with reliefs and inscriptions of inestimable value. The sculptures represent scenes from the life of the Buddha, testifying to an abundantly developed Buddha legend, such as we find in a few of the Pāli Suttas, but more especially in such works as the Nidānakathā, Lalitavistara and the Mahāvastu.¹ Many of the reliefs are, however, illustrations to fables and tales, the titles of which are generally mentioned in the inscriptions, in the case of the stūpa of Bharhut. These inscriptions prove beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the reliefs depict Jātakas, *i.e.*, "stories from former births of the Buddha," and most of these have also been traced in the Jātaka book of the Tipiṭaka. Moreover, we also find on the monuments of Bharhut and Sāñchī votive inscriptions, in which monks are given the epithets bhāṇaka, "reciter," sutaṃtika, "Sutta reciter,"² pacanekāyika, "knower of the five Nikāyas," peṭakin, "knower of the Piṭakas," and dhammakathika, "preacher of the doctrine."³