A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t3.189

v2.c19.s6.t3.189

Poetical versions of Avadānas, partly selected systematically from the Avadāna-Śataka, partly taken from other sources, are the Kalpadrumāvadānamālā ("Wishing Tree Avadāna Garland," *i.e.*, a garland of Avadānas which grant all wishes), the Ratnāvadānamālā ("Jewel Avadāna Garland"), and the Aśokāvadānamālā ("Avadāna Garland of King Aśoka").³ The Kalpadrumāvadānamālā begins with a version of the last narrative of the Avadāna-Śataka. And as the Sthavira Upagupta¹ appears in conversation with King Aśoka, so all the legends in the Avadānamālās are inserted into the framework of a dialogue between Aśoka and Upagupta. The first part of the Aśokāvadānamālā contains legends of Aśoka himself; after these follow instructions in the form of stories which Upagupta relates to Aśoka. All the three collections differ from the Avadāna-Śataka, not only because they are written entirely in epic ślokas, but especially because they decidedly belong to the Mahāyāna, and recall the Purāṇas both in style and language. They possibly belong to the period in which the sectarian Purāṇas came into being.²