A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.53

v2.c19.s6.t4.53

¹ *Cf. E.B. Cowell*, Journal of Philology VI, 1876, p. 222 ff. (reprinted also in Ind. Ant. VIII. 249 ff.) ; *L. Scherman*, Visionsliteratur, p. 62 ff. *Cowell* compares the apocryphal gospel of Nicodemus, and derives the Indian legend from the Christian one. My own opinion is that the points of agreement are not sufficiently great to warrant the likelihood of any historical connection. Similarly *Garbe*, Indien und das Christentum, p. 77 f. Avalokiteśvara's visit to hell is the prototype of the legend of King Vipaścit in the Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa, see above Vol. I, 562 ff., and *J. Charpentier*, Paccekabuddhageschichten I, 118. The beautiful poem by the Austrian poetess Betty Paoli. "Der gute König in der Hölle" (Gedichte, Auswahl und Nachlass, Stuttgart 1895, 217 ff.) is based upon the Buddhist legend. [^2): *Cf.* Jātaka No. 196, where the winged horse is identified with the Buddha of a former birth. In the Kāraṇḍa-Vyūha the merchant Siṁhala, cast adrift to Ceylon, is the Buddha Śakyamuni in a former birth.