Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/155

 142 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [May, 1875. Then the king was convinced, and ten thousand Brahmaiis gave up wearing their hair in knots (that is to say, they were shared), and made the vows of perfection (that is, of the spiri- tual calling). Then Nagarjuna spread Buddh- ism widely in Southern India; he humbled the Tirthikas, and to explain the doctrines of the MahAyana he composed the Upide&i, of 100,000 miiiuvs; besides that, he composed City wine iane / im> lune, 'Th€ Sublime Path of Buddha,' consisting of 5,000 g&lhat ; Da tzzi fane biane lune, 'The Art of Pity,' consisting of 50 gtithas ('','.»<>) r). It was by means of these that the doctrine of the MahAyana spread on all sides in Southern India. Besides these he compos- ed U vet lune, ' Meditations on Intrepidity,* in 100,000 guihas.* A Brahman who had en- kered into discussion with him produced a magic pond in the middle of which was a water-lily with a thousand leaves, but Nagarjuna produced a magic elephant which overturned the pond. At length, upon a chief of the H may Ana show- ing a desire that NagArjuna should die, he shnt himself up in his solitary chamber and disap- peared. For a hundred years temples were raised in his honour in all the kingdoms of India, and people began to worship him as they did Buddha. As his mother bad borne him under an Arjuna tree, he received the name of Arjtina. and as after that a Naga (dragon) had taken part in his conversion, the name NAga was added, whence has resulted the name N A g A r- j a n a (in Chinese Lune-chii, dragon-tree ; the Thibetans translate it 'converted by a dragon')* He was the thirteenth patriarch, and admiuis- I religion more than three hundred years .+ ■t. J) e v a (Aryadova) was descended from a Brabmanical family of Southern India. He rendered himself celebrated by his general knowledge. There was in his kingdom a golden image of Mahesvara two satjenes % high ; whoever^ in asking a favour, turned himself towards it, had his prayer granted in the present life. All who presented themselves were not admitti.] to the image, but Deva insisted that he should be allowed to enter, and when the angry spirit began to roll his eyes, he pulled one of them out. Another day Mahesvara appeared to him in • Wo do not now find nit thrae works of N&gnranna • ither in Chines© or Thibetan, though there are others that go under bis Dame. t This not© ia found in the Chinese? biography. X Tha ' sagene' is a Russian impure of G ft. U 2 in. a festival and promised him that the people should believe his words. Deva came to the pa- goda of NagArjuna,§ advanced into the spiritual state, and then began to enlighten the people. But that did not satisfy him; he was possessed with the desire to convert the kinghimself. For that purpose he went to the bodyguards, and after having gained their attention he asked permission to enter into discussion with some heretics, every one of whom he overcame. Deva composed Bo-lune erl-chi ping, ' The Hundred- fold Meditation/ and d bo lune (400 g&thaa) for the overthrow of error, but a Trrthika laid open his stomach and he died. As be had before this given one of his eyes to Mahesvara when he met him at the festival, he remained blind of an eye, and was sumamed kaBadeva. 4. Vasubandhuwasborn in the kingdom of Pnrushapura, || in Northern India. In the history of the god Vishnu the following is related : — Vishnu was the younger brother of In dra, who had Bent him into Jam bud vi pa to conquer the Asura : he was born as son to the king V a s u d e v a. At this time the Asnra existed under the nameof Indradamana^J (conqueror of Indra), a name which he had received because of his waragainst Indra. I» the Vy&karana,* it is said that the Asura asserts that it is not a good thing for people to amuse themselves by giving opposition to the gods who find enjoyment in well doing. This Asnra had a sister named PrabhAvatit (sovereign of light), who was very beautiful. The Asura, wishing to injure Vishnu, placed his sister in a prominent position, and himself told her that if any one wished to marry her she was to propose that be should seek a quarrel with her hruthcr. Vishnu came to this place ; he fell in love with Prabhavatl, and, as all the gods had married daughters of the Asurns, he proposed marriage to her : he was in conse- quence forced to fight a duel with the Asura. Vishnu, as the body of NArAyana, was invulnerable; the Asura also continued to live though Vishnu had out olfhis head, hands, and other limbs, which returned anew to their places. The fight continned till night, and the strength of Vishnu was beginning to fail, when his wife, fearing lest he should be beaten, took § Yet we do not know that NagfirjnnA was still alifc, usual legends make Aryadem the personal duciplo of Nagftrjona, FnA-u^ha.-f % Inc-ta-lo.to.ma-na ; io-ma-na signifying TanqniBhar.
 * Bi.tia.kt. + iVI'-uu-no-iii.