A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.161

v2.c19.s6.t4.161

This prophecy reminds us of similar ones in the Thera-Gāthās (see above, p. 111). The Chinese translation of the Rāṣṭrapāla-Paripṛcchā made between 585 and 592 A. D.,² proves that the conditions here described, already existed in the 6th century. The Sūtra is probably not much earlier than the Chinese translation, as is shown by the barbaric language, which particularly in the Gāthās is a mixture of Prākrit and bad Sanskrit, and by the elaborate metres and the careless style.