Part 8

[3]In the Buddha pagodae I visited in _Ceylon_, at Colombo and its environs, I saw badly hewn or coloured images of _Shiva_ and of _Ganesja_. The monks called these images the representations of _Buddha_.

[4]See the English translation of his “_Record of the Buddhist Religion as practised in India and the Malay Archipelago_ (A. D. 671-695)” by the Japanese scholar I Takakusu., provided with a preface of prof Max Müller and published by the Clarendon press at Oxford in 1896. Pages XXII, XXV, XXXIX and XLVIII of the “_General Introduction_.”

[5]In a temple at _Kandy_ in Ceylon is kept a tooth which, though of animal origin, took the place of a former so-called _Buddha_-tooth which has been destroyed by fire. This tooth, named _Dalada_, is taken care of, and honoured too. And the holiest pagoda in this island, the _Thuparama_, possesses one of Buddha’s clavicles, according to the assertion of its believers certainly with as much right as the Catholic Christians maintain the genuineness of many a relic of Jesus and the apostles.

[6]Even the ashes of other saints, princes and noble men, of gurus or teachers, of priests or monks, were occasionally put away in such graves upon which arose the glorious mausolea the ruins of which we still admire at this day.

[7]It won’t do maintaining that these dagobs should have been formed after the lotus, the holy _padma_, and that its openings in the transparent dagobs on the round terraces above the Båråbudur must represent the empty seed-holes of the nursery of the ripe lotus. The leaves of a lotus (_Nelumbium speciosum Willd_) fall off before bending downward, and then the pericarp only remains on its stem like a _urned_ cone or cupola whose flat, uprighted and afterwards, by the sagging of the withering stem, downrighted base has been stung by the seed-holes. _Not_ the bell-shaped sides, for they remain closed. So these openings must have quite another sense than the one derived from the natural form of the lotus-plant.

Only the _red_ lotus, the _Nelumbium speciosum_ referring to all this, and recognisable by its peduncles and leaf stalks rising high above the water, has been frequently represented on Hindu temples. But not the _white_ lotus, the _Nymphae Lotus Linn._, the leaves and flowers of which are floating on the surface of the water.

[8]Professor _Kern_ wrote to me that the alphabetical writing of the inscriptions we see on some demi-relievoes on the outer-walls should date from the year 800, or thereabouts, of the _Shaka_ era, thus our _ninth_ century. And this rather corresponds to the age of the Buddha temples in the plain of _Parambanan_. Does not a stone of one of these _tyanḍis_ testify to this temple’s having been built in the year 701 of the _shaka_ era, and dedicated to the service of _Târâ_ in honour of the prince’s _guru_ or teacher, who may have been buried there? And in the year 415 the Chinese Buddhist, _Fa Hien_, when in Java, came across many a brahmin Hindu. He didn’t speak about Buddhists, but this circumstance alone does not prove his not having met co-religionists, nor does it produce any evidence of their non-existence in the interior of Java he didn’t visit probably. _I Tsing_ see note says that the inhabitants of Java and of the other islands of the Archipelago principally embraced Hînayânism. “_Buddhism was ... chiefly the Hînayâna_” (page XLVII), and “_the ten or more islands of the Southern Sea_ (_Sumatra_, _Java_ _etc._) generally belong to the Hînayâna.” (page XXX). Such happened in our _seventh century_.

[9]See his essay about _Aymonier_’s: “Le Cambodge”, I, written in the “_Bulletin de l’Ecole française d’Extréme-Orient_”, II, page 83 note 4.

[10]_Attap_ means palm-fronds used for thatch by the Javanese (_Chambers_).

The scaffolding has been removed since, and the stone roof was rebuilt by the major engineer Van Erp. 1911.

[11]This _prabha_ has been also restored. 1911.

[12]The heavy colonnades of which will be sacrificed to the swelling waters of the river Nile. But they are doomed to destruction because this stream must vivify the rainless country.

[13]I, number 3, p. 249 and II, number 1, p. 20 and 30.

[14]“_Oudheidkundige Aanteekeningen_” IV, p. 59 and 60.

[15]This cone’s top has been removed again because of Mr. van Erp’s having been unable to prove his reproduction of this cone with its umbrellas to be incontestably true.

[16]This idea of mine about the graduation of the Båråbudur’s origin is given as a questionable hypothesis. However great the consequences were, we can not know until we have compared the alto-relievoes of these and other Javanese Hindu-temples with the artless wall-paintings I saw in the Ceylon pagodae.

[17]Buddha himself thought it useless to pray, but the Buddhists of later times prayed however, but didn’t worship the images themselves. The Chinese—very degenerated Buddhists—light their pipes on the flames of the consecrated waxcandles burning on the altar, and consider this no sacrilege.

[18]According to _Rhys Davids_’s work, _nirvâna_ means the state of holiness which ripes man for death _without regeneration_, the so-called _parinirvâna_. But the signification of nirvâna itself differs in proportion to time and caste.

[19]This superstratum is about 2,5 yard high and 7 yards wide. The lower terrace on the outside was about 3 yards wider, and 1 yard high. These numbers are nearly just and sufficient enough to my purpose.

[20]At that time I could not have thought of a permanent uncovering, because the preservation of the whole ruin would have required retain-walls too expensive, and too much disfiguring the temple itself. The architect van de Kamer thought it afterwards possible, but expensive, to have the ruin restored again, and its original foot permanently uncovered. Sunlight, heat and rain-water however, would do much to its decay unless the ruin itself became wholly covered. Otherwise the time-worn joints becoming more and more wide would admit much more rain-water between the stones into the earth of the hill under the ruin, and this earth would then be carried away more rapidly than is the case now, and have the ruin spoilt and decayed.

[21]Above the first discovered imageries of the foot we found inscriptions in ancient Javanese characters scratched in stone. On this ground the Society, presided by myself, proposed the Dutch Government to have the whole temple’s foot uncovered (in the only way possible) without endangering the foot itself, whilst the cost was estimated at £ 768. The Government put up with it, and granted the necessary sum for the budget of 1890.

[22]As well as so many angels painted by our artists don’t always represent a Gabriel, a Raphael or a Michael.

[23]_Bulletin de l’école française d’Extrême Orient_, I, No: 1 page 21-22.

[24]Both this Nâga and Garuḍa are mythical beings who adopt different shapes.

On the lower wall 4 × 26 = 104 on the second ” 4 × 26 = 104 on the third ” 4 × 22 = 88 on the fourth ” 4 × 18 = 72 and on the fifth ” 4 × 16 = 64 together 432

[26]The first effort to interpret this series we owe to the Austrian draughtsman in Netherlands-Indian civil service F. C. Wilsen.

[27]We shall afterwards speak about these former lives or _jâtakas_. It was Mr. Foucher who afterwards expounded many representations, and after him, van Erp also explained another few ones.

[28]If we don’t count those on the front sides of the more than 400 small dagobs, we see there:

On the outer-wall, above 408 ” ” ” ” below 160 on the front-wall of the first gallery 568 on the back-wall 240 on the second gallery in front 192 ” ” ” ” behind 108 third gallery, in front 165 ” ” behind 88 fourth gallery, in front 142 ” ” behind 70 altogether 2141

[29]The relation of this fact with the apparent course of the sun to the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere in which Farther India, and Hindostan are situated, was, thus far, shown by nobody before me (in 1887). Still it is an important fact to those who believe the Buddha a _sun-god_.

[30]Of North-India where Buddhism first arose.

[31]_Pratyeka-Buddhas_ are believers raised by their own consummating to the dignity of a _Buddha_; they have, however, no right to teach or redeem other people.

[32]One of these servants massages her like the Javanese still do (_pidjĕt_); another fans her or chases away annoying flies and gnats.

[33]I think it permitted to show the relation there is between this representation, and the placing of the _five_ Dhyâni-Buddhas we see on the highest (round) terraces, opposite to the _zenith_, and upon the encircling walls opposite to the four zones of heaven.

[34]Dr. Leemans thought he saw in this crescent of the moon the tips of a headkerchief. Had he seen the sculptures himself he would not have been mistaken in such a way. Siddhârta wears a crown (_makuta_), and this doesn’t match the headkerchief, neither does the Javanese _kuluq_ or ceremonial cap. Such crescents of the moon are also weared by Hâritî’s and Kuvera’s children on the two sculptures before the entrance of _tyanḍi Mĕndut_, but without headkerchiefs.

Kern says that Buddha means both the awaking of the _sun_ and of the _moon_ and that the two celestial bodies also refer to Buddha on the other sculptures of the Båråbudur. Had the Dutch Government sent Leemans to Java, before he wrote his work, he should not have taken a _sénté_-leaf (_Alocasia macrorrhiza Schott_, an Aroïdee consequently) for a banana-leaf (_Musa_ L.,) but he should then have seen how even this leaf is still used by the Javanese as a provisional umbrella, and he should have understood why in former times it was carried as _ampilan_ after the saints and princes, just as the cow’s hair fly-fan. (tjemara).

[35]Occasionally called Gopa. Some people say these are the names of two women, and as the 45th sculpture (107 W. L.) represents him enjoying his domestic happiness the schemer should then have thought of two women. Ceylon writers know to tell us that 1000 men could not bend this bow, and that the blow of its string was heard at a distance of 7000 miles. This bowshot which enabled him to gain his bride’s hand has been also mentioned in other legends—it _was once_ awarded to Râma in the _Ramâyâna_, and to _Arjuna_ in the _Mahâbhârata_. In _Homeros’ Odyssea_ Penelope’s lovers vainly try to do the same with _Odysseus’_ bow upon which all were convinced by his mastershot, and killed.

[36]The evil spirit had no authority over the fifth part of the world, the _zenith_.

[37]According to other people _muni_ means an anchoret or ascetic.

[38]Leemans calls him Arala Kalama.

[39]In Leeman’s work Rudra.

[40]The Javanese would now say _griyå råjå_, that is, _royal house_.

[41]Who these 5 apostles were in former lives another series of sculptures on the front wall of this gallery will teach us.

[42]On one of the sculptures at Parambanan we see the death of king Dasyaratha, Rama’s father, represented in almost the same manner.

[43]In “de Indische Gids” of 1887.

[44]The writings of the Mahâyânists have been written in _sanscrit_, those of the Hînayânists generally in the _pâli_ language.

[45]Speyer and other sanscrit scholars write: _Jâtaka_ according to an acknowledged manner of writing which replaces the Dutch _dj_ by the _j_, the _j_, by the _y_, the _tj_ by _c_. Because I also write for laymen who don’t know this writing I try to do my best to replace these consonants by our own, and therefore write _tyakra_ and _tyaitya_ instead of _cakra_ and _caitya_ what would seduce many a one to say _kakra_ and _kaitya_. In English of course, we write _j_ instead of the Dutch _dj_.

[46]Engraving CXXXVIII and following ones.

[47]By the Dutch called: “the little man in the moon.” About such another jâtaka, explained by Van Erp, look at the bottom of this page.

[48]See above, the sculptures 73, 77, 78 and 117.

[49]This happens more amongst the _jâtakas_.

[50]Like anywhere we also see here the red _Nelumbium speciosum_ hewn as a lotus plant with its leaves and flower rising above the water; but not the white _Nymphaea Lotus_ the leaves and flowers of which are driving on the surface of the water.

[51]The _eternal_ hell of the Christians as a punishment for _temporary_ sin the Buddhists don’t know.

[52]See W. L., 121, 123 and 125 of the upper series of the back-wall.

[53]In Mr. A. Tissandier’s work “_Cambodge et Java_” published by Mason at Paris in 1896, we find opposite page 124 a good engraving of this last sculpture (picture XXVIII); but the author, who even dares maintain that this whole series has nothing to do with Buddhism, says that it represents a young, richly diademed Hindu worshipping the bull (the _nandi_) of Shiva! By so much ignorance Tissandier blames his work, and ... himself. Striving we may err, but let us at any case _strive_ after science within reach.

[54]I thought we should not think here of the mythical subterranean serpents, but of a likewise called and fabulous tribe.

But Mr. Foucher didn’t agree with me. The _nâgas_, he said, are generally hewn as serpents, but often as men with snaky hair.

[55]In the “Bijdragen van ’t Koninklijk Instituut” of 1907.

[56]Those who desire to know more about the deeper, mythical sense of these _jâtakas_ are kindly referred to professor Speyer’s essay or my “_Een karma-legende_” provided with 6 photo’s of the photographer _A. Winter_, published by the firm H. van Ingen at Surabaya.

[57]See at the bottom of this page.

[58]The _Jâtakamâlâ_ V, 15, tells us that the clouds “weeped like _water-jars turned about_.”

[59]See my above mentioned “_Karma legende_”.

[60]The difficulties we meet by placing the camera in the narrow space there is between the front and back-walls of the galleries have not yet been wholly obviated. Yet, it would be advisable to do what has turned out to be possible before that the sculptures should be lost for ever.

[61]In the _Ceylon_ pagoda at _Kelany_ I saw the Buddhists perform the _sĕmbah_ in the very same manner as done by the Javanese, and _Siam_’s king and queen when on the _Båråbudur_ and in _tyanḍi Mĕndut_, and in the same manner I saw this mark of veneration hewn on all the buddhistic imageries known to me. Perhaps, it was the Buddhists who once introduced this _sĕmbah_ in Java.

[62]See my illustrated work “_In den Kĕdaton te Jogjåkartå_” published in 1888 by _E. J. Brill_ at _Leyden_, picture II, and the IXth. photo of my illustrated work “_De garĕbĕgs te Jogjåkartå_” (published by the “_Royal Institute_” in 1895).

[63]At _Parambanan_ and _Pĕlahosan_ we already knew these deities to be _Bodhisattvas_. (See my above mentioned works: “_Tyanḍi Parambanan na de ontgraving_” and “_Boeddhistische tempel-en kloosterbouwvallen in de Parambanan vlakte_”.)

Some time before the digging up of _Parambanan_ Mr. Groeneveldt wrote to me: “The theory as if these sculptures should represent known princes we must give up.”

Çiva was one of the lokiçvaras of the Buddha-pantheon, and we know even other brahmin deities to have been admitted into this. Such is also the case with the holy queens of Leemans’ work who are _Târâs_ or _Çaktis_ (wives or powers of deities).

[64]Till 1896 I also thought that these small Buddha images, we see in the crown, characterised the wearers as _Bodhisattvas_, that is, the Bodhisattvas of the _Dhyâni-Buddhas_ whose small images were hewn in the crowns. The king of _Siam_ denied this. Because of his being a buddhistic prince himself he also wore such small images in his crown. Moreover, I never saw another image in these crowns, except the one with the _two_ hands in his lap, which is to signify the _mudrâ dhyâna_ or meditation, a posture the Mahâyânists gave to the _fourth_ Dhyâni-Buddha, Amitâbha, the Redeemer of _this_ world. If now these small images were to characterise _Dhyâni-Bodhisattvas_, why, another Bodhisattva but Padmapâni the fourth, would have been never hewn.

Should they refer to buddhistic _princes_ it then may be easily imagined that they never referred to another Buddha but the one of _this their_ world. On undeniable images these small ones therefore only point to the buddhistic character the northern church adjudicated to these deities.

[65]The crescent of the moon _Leemans_ ascribes to this sculpture we don’t see anywhere, but is to be perceived on the preceding one, 105.

[66]On the _fourteenth_ sculpture on the front-wall of this gallery the sun and moon have been sculptured with _seven_ stars (planets?).

[67]“Oudheidkundige aanteekeningen” IV, p. 55-58.

[68]“Oudheidkundige Aanteekeningen” I and II.

[69]Dr. _Vogel_ doesn’t come.

But I also do expect very much from the younger sanskritic scholar, Dr. N. J. Krom, the appointed president of the “_Oudheidkundige Kommissie_” whose acquaintance I’ve made to my great satisfaction.

_Later note_, October 3^th 1910.

[70]I don’t know how it must have been possible for von Saher to see _linggas_ and _yonis_ in these buddhistic produce of art. Buddhism doesn’t know any _lingga_- or _yoni_-worship. See his “_Versierende kunsten in Ned: Oost-Indië_”, p. 15, 18, 21 and 64.

[71]When the sky is not overclouded we see from this point 9 volcanoes with the exception of the _Sindårå_ and _Diyèng_ which hid themselves behind the _Sumbing_-giant. This old volcano still rises 3336 Metres above sea-level, the _Mĕrbabu_ and _Sindårå_ (or _Sĕndårå_) reach a height of 3145 Metres, the _Mĕrapi_ 2875 Metres, the far, not always visible _Slamĕt_ 3472 Metres; the adjacent neptunian _Mĕnoreh_ (or _Minoreh_) doesn’t reach more than 1000 Metres.

Never shall I forget the first night I partly spent on this full moon lit spot, a death past under, and over me the immortal light. This happened more than 37 years ago.

[72]The last mentioned estimation of name I got from a former _Magĕlang_ regent, now called _haji_ or _kaji Danu ning Rat_. The Javanese generally wrote and write _buddå_, in Javanese characters: {Javanese script}

[73]According to Kern the word _ûrnâ_ means a symbol of both the _sun_ and _lightning_.

[74]A young Dutchman, whom I met in 1898 in the Båråbudur’s pasanggrahan, thought he saw a mutual difference in the posture of the hands of these 72 dagob-Buddhas. This difference really exists, but only in the manner in which the different sculptors interpreted the _positively meant_ posture of the two hands.

This very same difference in the execution of one and the same task is also to be seen on other Buddha images. Should it have another meaning the thesis that these sculptures are to represent the different five _Dhyâni-Buddhas_ would then be frustrated, because there would be _much more than five_, indeed.

The man appealed to the official draughtsman accompanying him, an absolutely unscientific fellow.

[75]The other objects were a little metal vase with cover—formerly containing some ashes, perhaps—; some ancient javanese coins and another small metal image. In the pits of other _tyanḍis_ in Java we also found stone urns with ashes, and coins or other objects of precious metal, and some coloured precious stones which were given to the dead in their graves, and symbolically representing the _sapta ratna_ or _seven treasures_. See my “_Boeddhistische tempel- en klooster-bouwvallen in de Parambanan-vlakte_” and my “_Tjanḍi Idjo_” in the “_Tijdschrift v. Ind. T., L. en V. K._” published in 1888.

[76]Out of the six Buddhas of the Båråbudur we don’t see any trace of a sixth Buddha such as we found in a different form at _Nipâl_: four-armed, in a mythical dress, crowned and provided with peculiar attributes.

[77]See my “_Een Boeddhisten-koning op den Båråbudur_” appeared in “_het Tijdschrift van Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde_” of 1896, and the manuscript of the interpreting second part, not published by the editors, but of which I afterwards sent a copy to professor _Kern_ and other learned men.

[78]On the twenty-seventh sculpture (W. L. 53).

[79]_I_ for me don’t know any analogue of these three groups though they may exist elsewhere in the mainland, so that this explanation of mine will be a questionable thesis only.

[80]See _Oldfield_’s “_Sketches from Nipal_” p. 90 and 157 and the pictures opposite p. 219 and 260 of the second volume.

[81]See my apologetics mentioned in VI note 14 and my “_Oudheidkundige Aanteekeningen_”, I.

[82]Notes of the “_Kon. Instituut_” (Royal Institute) from 1887, p. XCIV and following ones.

[83]G 5 has been wrongly marked with 6, just as the following one has been numbered G 6.

[84]Each _dagob_ is a _tyaitya_, but not each _tyaitya_ is a _dagob_. This word is only given to the depositary of one or more than one relic. See Kern’s “_Geschiedenis van het Boeddhisme in Indië_”, II p. 139 and following ones.

In the same manner I saw _Ceylon_ Buddhists render due homage to the _dagob_ at _Kelany_.

[85]I’m not a Buddhist myself though I highly esteem the undegenerate Buddhism of the southern church.

ERRATA.

p. 15 line 3 from bottom: ground instead of groud. p. 30 note 22 line 1 from top: as well instead of as weil. p. 38 line 7 from bottom to be read: the knot of hair on his crest, with the lotus-cushion and disc of the sun worshipped by princes and inferior people, by priests etc. p. 60 line 17 from top: but instead of bu.

Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos, including listed errata.

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.