Pillar from Nagarjunakonda
Editors: Arlo Griffiths, Vincent Tournier.
Identifier: DHARMA_INSEIAD00084.
Hand description:
Language: Sanskrit.
Repository: Early Andhra (tfb-eiad-epigraphy).
Version: (9768830), last modified (77e39b7).
Edition
⟨1⟩ [12+] (vama) [4+] ⟨2⟩ [2+] [1×] [1+] [1×] (ś)uddhācāravr̥ttasya Akkhaṇḍācchidr[āśaba]⟨3⟩lākalmāṣaśīlasya hetvarthaśabdaśāstrakr̥tapa[ri]⟨4⟩śramasya Āgamavinayopadeśaprakaraṇācaryya(ma)⟨5⟩tadharasya vr̥ttaśrutamativāg(v)aiśāradyaguṇopapaṁ⟨6⟩nasya dharmmakathikapañca(ma)s[ya] viniścaya⟨7⟩kathikaviśiṣṭasya sa[ddharmmacakravibhū]ṣitaddhva⟨8⟩jasam(u)c[chra](ya) [12+]
Apparatus
⟨1⟩ (vama) ⬦ .......la Ramachandran 1953 • Or read (dha)[r](ma)?
⟨2⟩ [1×][1+][1×] ⬦ gasya Ramachandran 1953.
⟨2–3⟩ Akkhaṇḍācchidr[āśaba]lā- ⬦ Akuṇṭhācchidrā(ma)lā- Ramachandran 1953 • The spelling Akkhaṇḍa is also attested in Pali as a variant of Akhaṇḍa (cf. CPD, s.v.). Our reconstruction, including the word aśabala instead of amala, is supported by the frequent occurrence of this along with the three other adjectives to qualify śīla in Pali and Sanskrit texts. See, for instance, Dīgha-Nikāya III 227; Mahāvastu (ed. Senart 1882–1897) I 337; Samādhirājasūtra (ed. Vaidya) 103-104.
⟨4⟩ -ācaryya(ma)ta- • We expect -ācāryya- but the present reading may be interpreted as a Middle-Indicism; the compound ācariyamata/ācāryamata is attested in Buddhist sources in Pali/Sanskrit language.
⟨5–6⟩ -guṇopapaṁnasya • Understand -guṇopapannasya. An akṣara seems to have been voluntarily removed at the beginning of line 6 before na.
⟨6⟩ -pañca(ma)s[ya] ⬦ p[r]avī[ṇa]sya Ramachandran 1953.
⟨7–8⟩ sa[ddharmmacakravibhū]ṣitaddhvajasam(u)c[chra](ya)- ⬦ maṁ[tra].....pītaddhvajasamr̥ddha sa Ramachandran 1953 • Our reconstruction of the last part of the compound is, for instance, supported by the fact that compounds in dhvaja + ud√śri are extremely common in Buddhist literature. The restoration [vibhū]ṣitadhvaja is supported by the fact that in the Gaṇḍavyūha a Buddha bears the name of Lakṣaṇavibhūṣitadhvajacandra. Cf. see BHSD, s.v. The idea of restoring saddharmmacakra- is informed by stanzas 1 and 2 of EIAD 104. At the end, one should probably restore -sam(u)c[chra](ya)[sya].
Translation
... of ... whose life is characterized by pure conduct; whose morality is faultless, free from defects, stainless and spotless; who has exerted himself in the sciences of logic, polity, and grammar; who preserves the Āgamas, the Vinaya, the Upadeśas, the Prakaraṇas and the opinions of [past] teachers; who is endowed with the (four) virtues of confidence in behavior, learning, thinking, and speech; who is the fifth (?) Dharma expounder; the distinguished expounder of exegesis; by whom (?) has been raised (this) banner adorned with a wheel of the excellent Dharma ...
Bibliography
First described and edited by Ramachandran 1946–1947, then re-edited by the same author in Ramachandran 1953, p. 28; our edition is based on the latter. Re-edited here from our photos of the ASI estampage.
Secondary
No name. 1887–. Annual report on Indian epigraphy. Madras; Calcutta; New Delhi: Government of Madras; Archaeological Survey of India. Pages 1945–46: no. B.159.
Tsukamoto Keishō 塚本啓祥. 1996. インド仏教碑銘の研究 I, Text, Note, 和訳 Indo Bukkyō himei no kenkyū I: Text, Note, Wayaku [A comprehensive study of the Indian Buddhist inscriptions, Part I: Text, Notes and Japanese Translation]. Kyōto-shi 京都市: Heirakuji Shoten 平楽寺書店. Page no. Naga 70.
Raghunath, K. 2001. The Ikṣvākus of Vijayapuri: A study of the Nagarjunakonda inscriptions. Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers. Pages 186–7 (no. 65).
Notes
- 1. The list of four vaiśāradyas occurring here compares best to the four confidences attained by the bodhisattvas before their Awakening, mentioned twice in the first Avalokitasūtra of the Mahāvastu (ed. Senart 1882–1897) II 261.5-6, 262.6-7. According to Senart’s edition, this consists of kāya-, vācā-, citta-, and pr̥thu-. As noticed by Senart 1882–1897, p. vol. II: 545, the last element is difficult to understand and possibly corrupt. The reading pr̥thu- is supported in both passages by the oldest manuscript Sa (Yuyama 2001, pp. vol. I: fol. 197b2, 198a3) but in the second instance it is the result of a scribal emendation. This fact confirms that there is a problem in the textual transmission. Senart suggests we should understand pr̥thag-, but as noticed by Edgerton (BHSD s.v.) this is not very helpful. One may speculate that the Avalokitasūtra formerly read pr̥cchā-. In any case, the first three vaiśāradyas of the list match the nos. 1, 3 and 4 of the inscription’s list. For other lists of four vaiśāradyas mastered by bodhisattvas, see Lamotte 1944–1980, pp. vol. III: 1606–7, 1613; Pagel 2007, pp. 155–56, 160.
- 2. While the syllable ma is here supplied, almost no other reading than -pañcamasya is imaginable. The meaning of ‘fifth’ is unclear, and one wonders if one of the rare meanings of pañca must here be reckoned with. Such a meaning is discussed by Bhattacharya 1991, p. 60, where the equivalence pañcatā = viśālatva is presented. If so, one could translate ‘eminent Dharma expounder’.
- 3. Ramachandran thinks there is a ninth line in this inscription, at whose beginning he would read an akṣara ya. But no such line is visible on the estampage.
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Data source: 'iksvaku-inscriptions/metadata/EIAD-inventory.xlsx'
- - - - - - - - -
[1] Inventory no. EIAD: 84
[2] Raghunath no.: 65
[3] Srinivasan & Sankaranarayanan no.: —
[4] Tsukamoto no.: Naga 70
[5] Lüders no.:
[6] Support : slab, blue-limestone
[7] (Faces:) Lines: 9
[8] H: 12''
[9] W: 6''
[10] D:
[11] H:
[12] W:
[13] Language(s):
[14] Original locality: Nagarjunakonda, site unknown
[15] Present locality: unknown
[16] Primary bibliography: Ramachandran 1946-47 (I). — Ramachandran 1953: 28.
[17] Secondary bibliography: ARIE 1945-46: B.159. — Raghunath 2001: 186-7 (65).
[18] Visual documentation: Est. ASI; Ramachandran 1946-47, pl.; 1953, pl. XXXIV, 1.; Raghunath.
[19] Substance of inscription: description of a Dharmakathika
[20] Remarks: incomplete; reg. no. 399/28; ARIE says greyish marble pilaster marked I/28
[21] :
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<lb n="1"/>
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<unclear>vama</unclear>
<gap reason="lost" quantity="4" unit="character"/>
<lb n="2"/>
<gap reason="lost" quantity="2" unit="character"/>
<gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<unclear>ś</unclear>uddhācāravr̥ttasya
<space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
Akkhaṇḍācchidr<supplied reason="lost">āśaba</supplied><lb n="3" break="no"/>lākalmāṣaśīlasya
hetvarthaśabdaśāstrakr̥tapa<supplied reason="lost">ri</supplied><lb n="4" break="no"/>śramasya
<space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
Āgamavinayopadeśaprakaraṇācaryya<unclear>ma</unclear><lb n="5" break="no"/>tadharasya
<space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
vr̥ttaśrutamativāg<unclear>v</unclear>aiśāradyaguṇopapaṁ<lb n="6" break="no"/>nasya
dharmmakathikapañca<unclear>ma</unclear>s<supplied reason="lost">ya</supplied>
viniścaya<lb n="7" break="no"/>kathikaviśiṣṭasya
sa<supplied reason="lost">ddharmmacakravibhū</supplied>ṣitaddhva<lb n="8" break="no"/>jasam<unclear>u</unclear>c<supplied reason="lost">chra</supplied><unclear>ya</unclear>
<gap reason="lost" quantity="12" unit="character"/>
</ab></div><div type="apparatus"><listApp><app loc="1"><lem><unclear>vama</unclear></lem><rdg source="bib:Ramachandran1953_01">.......la</rdg><note>Or read <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn"><unclear>dha</unclear><supplied reason="lost">r</supplied><unclear>ma</unclear></foreign>?</note></app><app loc="2"><lem><gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/><gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="character"/><gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/></lem><rdg source="bib:Ramachandran1953_01">gasya</rdg></app><app loc="2–3"><lem>Akkhaṇḍācchidr<supplied reason="lost">āśaba</supplied>lā-</lem><rdg source="bib:Ramachandran1953_01">Akuṇṭhācchidrā<unclear>ma</unclear>lā-</rdg><note>The spelling <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">Akkhaṇḍa</foreign> is also attested in Pali as a variant of <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">Akhaṇḍa</foreign> (cf. CPD, s.v.). Our reconstruction, including the word <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">aśabala</foreign> instead of <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">amala</foreign>, is supported by the frequent occurrence of this along with the three other adjectives to qualify <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">śīla</foreign> in Pali and Sanskrit texts. See, for instance, Dīgha-Nikāya III 227; Mahāvastu (ed. <bibl><ptr target="bib:Senart1882-1897_01"/></bibl>) I 337; Samādhirājasūtra (ed. Vaidya) 103-104.</note></app><app loc="4"><lem>-ācaryya<unclear>ma</unclear>ta-</lem><note>We expect -<foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">ācāryya</foreign>- but the present reading may
be interpreted as a Middle-Indicism; the compound
<foreign xml:lang="pli-Latn">ācariyamata</foreign>/<foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">ācāryamata</foreign> is
attested in Buddhist sources in Pali/Sanskrit
language.</note></app><app loc="5–6"><lem>-guṇopapaṁnasya</lem><note>Understand -<foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">guṇopapannasya</foreign>. An akṣara seems to
have been voluntarily removed at the beginning of
line 6 before <foreign>na</foreign>.</note></app><app loc="6"><lem>-pañca<unclear>ma</unclear>s<supplied reason="lost">ya</supplied></lem><rdg source="bib:Ramachandran1953_01">p<supplied reason="lost">r</supplied>avī<supplied reason="lost">ṇa</supplied>sya</rdg></app><app loc="7–8"><lem>sa<supplied reason="lost">ddharmmacakravibhū</supplied>ṣitaddhvajasam<unclear>u</unclear>c<supplied reason="lost">chra</supplied><unclear>ya</unclear>-</lem><rdg source="bib:Ramachandran1953_01">maṁ<supplied reason="lost">tra</supplied>.....pītaddhvajasamr̥ddha sa</rdg><note>Our reconstruction of the last part of the
compound is, for instance, supported by the fact that compounds in
<foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">dhvaja</foreign> +
<foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">ud√śri</foreign>
are extremely common in Buddhist literature. The
restoration <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn"><supplied reason="lost">vibhū</supplied>ṣitadhvaja</foreign> is
supported by the fact that in the <hi rend="italic">Gaṇḍavyūha</hi> a Buddha bears the name of <hi rend="italic">Lakṣaṇavibhūṣitadhvajacandra</hi>. Cf. see BHSD, s.v.
The idea of restoring <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">saddharmmacakra</foreign>- is informed by stanzas
1 and 2 of EIAD <ref target="DHARMA_INSEIAD0104.xml">104</ref>. At
the end, one should probably restore <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">-sam<unclear>u</unclear>c<supplied reason="lost">chra</supplied><unclear>ya</unclear><supplied reason="lost">sya</supplied></foreign>.</note></app></listApp></div><div type="translation"><p>... of ... whose life is characterized by pure conduct; whose
morality is faultless, free from defects, stainless and
spotless; who has exerted himself in the sciences
of logic, polity, and grammar; who preserves the Āgamas, the
Vinaya, the Upadeśas, the Prakaraṇas and the opinions of
[past] teachers; who is endowed with the (four) virtues of
confidence in behavior, learning, thinking, and
speech; who is the fifth (?) Dharma expounder; the
distinguished expounder of exegesis; by whom (?) has been raised
(this) banner adorned with a wheel of the excellent Dharma ...</p></div><div type="commentary"><!--[Revision required]--><p n="5–6"><note> The list of four <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">vaiśāradya</foreign>s occurring here compares best to the four confidences attained by the <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">bodhisattva</foreign>s before their Awakening, mentioned twice in the first Avalokitasūtra of the Mahāvastu (ed. <bibl><ptr target="bib:Senart1882-1897_01"/></bibl>) II 261.5-6, 262.6-7. According to Senart’s edition, this consists of <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">kāya-</foreign>, <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">vācā-</foreign>, <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">citta-</foreign>, and <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pr̥thu-</foreign>. As noticed by <bibl><ptr target="bib:Senart1882-1897_01"/>, <citedRange>vol. II: 545</citedRange></bibl>, the last element is difficult to understand and possibly corrupt. The reading <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pr̥thu-</foreign> is supported in both passages by the oldest manuscript Sa (<bibl><ptr target="bib:Yuyama2001_01"/>, <citedRange>vol. I: fol. 197b2, 198a3</citedRange></bibl>) but in the second instance it is the result of a scribal emendation. This fact confirms that there is a problem in the textual transmission. Senart suggests we should understand <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pr̥thag-</foreign>, but as noticed by Edgerton (BHSD s.v.) this is not very helpful. One may speculate that the Avalokitasūtra formerly read <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pr̥cchā-</foreign>. In any case, the first three <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">vaiśāradya</foreign>s of the list match the nos. 1, 3 and 4 of the inscription's list. For other lists of four <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">vaiśāradya</foreign>s mastered by <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">bodhisattva</foreign>s, see <bibl><ptr target="bib:Lamotte1944-1980_01"/>, <citedRange>vol. III: 1606-7, 1613</citedRange></bibl>; <bibl><ptr target="bib:Pagel2007_01"/>: <citedRange>155-56, 160</citedRange></bibl>.</note></p><p n="6"><note>While the syllable <foreign>ma</foreign>
is here supplied, almost no other reading than
-<foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pañcamasya</foreign> is imaginable. The meaning of ‘fifth’ is unclear, and one wonders if one of the rare meanings of <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pañca</foreign> must here be reckoned with. Such a meaning is discussed by <bibl><ptr target="bib:Bhattacharya1991_01"/>: <citedRange>60</citedRange></bibl>, where the equivalence <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">pañcatā</foreign> = <foreign xml:lang="san-Latn">viśālatva</foreign> is presented.
If so, one could translate ‘eminent Dharma expounder’.</note></p><p n="9"><note>Ramachandran thinks there is a ninth line in this
inscription, at whose beginning he would read an
akṣara <foreign>ya</foreign>. But no such
line is visible on the estampage.</note></p></div><div type="bibliography"><p>First described and edited by <bibl><ptr target="bib:Ramachandran1946-1947_01"/></bibl>, then re-edited by the same author in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Ramachandran1953_01"/>:
<citedRange>28</citedRange></bibl>; our edition is based on the latter. Re-edited here
from our photos of the ASI estampage.</p><listBibl type="primary"><bibl/></listBibl><listBibl type="secondary"><bibl><ptr target="bib:ARIE"/><citedRange>1945-46: no. B.159</citedRange></bibl><bibl><ptr target="bib:Tsukamoto1996_01"/>: <citedRange>no. Naga
70</citedRange></bibl><bibl><ptr target="bib:Raghunath2001_01"/>:
<citedRange>186-7 (no. 65)</citedRange></bibl></listBibl></div></body></text>
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Commentary
(5–6) 1
(6) 2
(9) 3