DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0382
360 BUDDHIST CAVE-TEMPLES.
level of the ground and clearing1 away the materials, the workmen
came to a circular stone, hollow in the centre, and covered at the
top by a piece of gypsum. This contained two small copper urns.
in one of which were some ashes mixed with a ruby, a pearl, small
pieces of gold, and a small gold box, containing a piece of cloth; in
the other a silver box and some ashes were found. Two copper
plates containing legible inscriptions, in the Ldt or cave character,
accompanied the urns, and these, as far as I have yet been able to
decipher them, inform us that the persons buried here were of the
Buddhist faith. The smaller of the copper plates bears an inscrip-
tion in two lines, the last part of which contains the Buddhist
creed."
Dr. Bird, like too many other dilettanti, kept these plates in his
own possession, and they are now lost, all we have to indicate their
contents being a corrupt copy of his own making, which Dr. Steven-
son attempted to decipher and translate,1 making out, erroneously
as it now appears, that it was dated " in the reign of Kripa Karna
in the year 245," and that it mentions " the exalted Srami Karna of
the victorious Andhrabhritya family."2
On the east side of the hill are many squared stones, foundations,
tanks, &c, all betokening the existence at some period of a large
colony of monks.
Kondiwte.
Considerably to the south of Kanheri, near Kondiwte, and about a
mile north of the village of Marol, is a group of sixteen small Bauddiia
caves, four on the west and twelve or fourteen on the east side of the
summit of a hill.3 Among them is one Chaitya-cave of rather peculiar
plan, resembling the Sudama cave at Barabar,4 but with a dagow
1 J. B. B. B. A. Soc, vol. v. pp. 32 ff.; also Bird, Histor. Bes.,pp. 7,64, andB*'
XLVIL, XLVIII. Nos. 28,29.
2 It has since been ascertained that Dr. Stevenson's translation cannot be reliei i
especially as regards the names quoted above. The date, however, is quite c •
being written in words as well as in figures, and if from the Saka era, wn
seems no reason for doubting, were written in 324 A.D. . 0f
3 They have been long known to Europeans, for Mr. Wales the artist in 1 >e
last century communicated an inscription from them through Sir C. «. **ae , j|S.
Wilford (Asiat. Bes., vol. vi. pp. 140, 141). The latter had no idea of even the a
bet of the inscription, as is shown by his transliteration. g;
* Fergusson, E. and Bid. Amkit,, p. 108. For plan of this cave see above, I-
woodcut 6.
level of the ground and clearing1 away the materials, the workmen
came to a circular stone, hollow in the centre, and covered at the
top by a piece of gypsum. This contained two small copper urns.
in one of which were some ashes mixed with a ruby, a pearl, small
pieces of gold, and a small gold box, containing a piece of cloth; in
the other a silver box and some ashes were found. Two copper
plates containing legible inscriptions, in the Ldt or cave character,
accompanied the urns, and these, as far as I have yet been able to
decipher them, inform us that the persons buried here were of the
Buddhist faith. The smaller of the copper plates bears an inscrip-
tion in two lines, the last part of which contains the Buddhist
creed."
Dr. Bird, like too many other dilettanti, kept these plates in his
own possession, and they are now lost, all we have to indicate their
contents being a corrupt copy of his own making, which Dr. Steven-
son attempted to decipher and translate,1 making out, erroneously
as it now appears, that it was dated " in the reign of Kripa Karna
in the year 245," and that it mentions " the exalted Srami Karna of
the victorious Andhrabhritya family."2
On the east side of the hill are many squared stones, foundations,
tanks, &c, all betokening the existence at some period of a large
colony of monks.
Kondiwte.
Considerably to the south of Kanheri, near Kondiwte, and about a
mile north of the village of Marol, is a group of sixteen small Bauddiia
caves, four on the west and twelve or fourteen on the east side of the
summit of a hill.3 Among them is one Chaitya-cave of rather peculiar
plan, resembling the Sudama cave at Barabar,4 but with a dagow
1 J. B. B. B. A. Soc, vol. v. pp. 32 ff.; also Bird, Histor. Bes.,pp. 7,64, andB*'
XLVIL, XLVIII. Nos. 28,29.
2 It has since been ascertained that Dr. Stevenson's translation cannot be reliei i
especially as regards the names quoted above. The date, however, is quite c •
being written in words as well as in figures, and if from the Saka era, wn
seems no reason for doubting, were written in 324 A.D. . 0f
3 They have been long known to Europeans, for Mr. Wales the artist in 1 >e
last century communicated an inscription from them through Sir C. «. **ae , j|S.
Wilford (Asiat. Bes., vol. vi. pp. 140, 141). The latter had no idea of even the a
bet of the inscription, as is shown by his transliteration. g;
* Fergusson, E. and Bid. Amkit,, p. 108. For plan of this cave see above, I-
woodcut 6.