Page:Asoka - the Buddhist Emperor of India.djvu/161

Rh distinct Seventh Pillar Edict. Those are the only documents so designated (Asoka's Dhaṁmalipis, Calcutta, Temple Press, 1919). The word -nipi in the M. and Sh. texts was formerly read erroneously as -dipi. Similarly in R. E. IV, nipista is to be read, not dipista (Hultzsch in J. R. A. S., 1913, p. 653). The words are Iranian; cf. modern Persian, narishta, 'written'. 'Scripture' seems to be the best rendering. 'Rescript,' which has been suggested, is incorrect. Asoka's instructions are not 'rescripts' or imperial decisions on points referred for orders. The royal protocole (Devânaṁ priyo Priyadasi), with slight variations in different texts, is rendered by the formula which I have adopted.

The word 'here' (hida, or idha, G.) is ambiguous. It may be understood as meaning 'in my dominions,' as in R. E. XIII, or 'ici-bas,' 'here below’ (Senart), or possibly, 'at the capital,' as in R. E. V.

‘Merry-making' seems to he the best rendering of samâja in its various spellings. The meaning of the term has been thoroughly elucidated by D. R. Bhandarkar in ''Ind. Ant.'', vol. xlii (1913), pp. 253-8, and N. G. Majumdar (ibid., vol. xlvii (1918), pp. 221-3). The word was used in both Brahmanical and Buddhist literature to mean 'merry-making' or 'festival' generally, and in certain cases to mean a 'semi-religious theatrical performance.' It was also applied to the place, building, or stage where the performance was given. The use of the English word 'theatre' may be compared. The samâjawas of two kinds. The popular festival kind, accompanied by animal ﬁghts, heavy drinking and feasting, including much consumption of meat, was necessarily condemned by Asoka, as being inconsistent with his principles. The other kind, the semi-religious theatrical performance, sometimes given in the temples of Sarasvatî, the goddess of learning, was commended. Full details will be found in the convincing articles cited. See also F. W. Thomas in J. R. A. S., 1914, p. 393.

'Offence,' doshaṁ or dosaṁ, Bühler translates by 'evil.'

'Hundreds of thousands' (śatasahasrani). K. has simply 'thousands' (sahasâni). The meaning is satisfactorily explained by Bhandarkar (loc. cit.), who cites chap. 208,