574
Pali Sabbatthivâdins.
575
Cf. the doctrine of the Sânkhya. For more about the Sarvâstivâdins see below, Book IV. chap. XXII.
576
See especially Le Nord-Ouest de L'Inde dans le Vinaya des Mûlasarvâstivâdins by Przyluski in J.A. 1914, II. pp. 492 ff.
577
See articles by Fleet in J.R.A.S. of 1903, 1904, 1908-1911 and 191Hultzsch in J.R.A.S. 1910-1Thomas in J.A. 191S. Lévi, J.A. 1911.
578
Asoka's statement is confirmed (if it needs confirmation) by the Chinese pilgrim I-ching who saw in India statues of him in monastic costume.
579
For a bibliography of the literature about these inscriptions see Vincent Smith, Early History of India, 3rd ed. 1914, pp. 172-4.
580
The dialect is not strictly speaking the same in all the inscriptions.
581
Piyadassi, Sanskrit Priyadarsin. The Dîpavaṃsa, VI. 1 and 14, calls Asoka Piyadassi and Piyadassana. The name Asoka has hitherto only been found in one edict discovered at Hyderabad, J.R.A.S. 1916, p. 573.
582
The principal single edicts are (1) that known as Minor Rock Edict I. found in four recensions, (2) The Bhâbrû (or Bhâbrâ) Edict of great importance for the Buddhist scriptures, (3) Two Kalinga Edicts, (4) Edicts about schism, found at Sarnath and elsewhere, (4) Commemorative inscriptions in the Terâi, (5) Dedications of caves.
583
Asoka came to the throne about 270 B.C. (268 or 272 according to various authorities) but was not crowned until four years later. Events are generally dated by the year after his coronation (abhisheka), not after his accession.
584
I must confess that Law of Piety (Vincent Smith) does not seem to me very idiomatic.
585
See Senart, Inscrip. de Piyadassi, II. pp. 314 ff.
586
The Second Minor Rock Edict.
587
Râjûka and pradesika.
588
I.e. Syria, Egypt, Macedonia, Cyrene and Epirus.
589
Kingdoms in the south of India.
590
The inhabitants of the extreme north-west of India, not necessarily Greeks by race.
591
Possibly Tibet.
592
Or Nâbhapamtis. In any case unknown.
593
All these appear to have been tribes of Central India.
594
Dîpav. VIII.; Mahâv. XII.
595
Pillar Edict VI.
596
Perhaps meant to be equivalent to 251 B.C. Vincent Smith rejects this date and thinks that the Council met in the last ten years of Asoka's reign. But the Sinhalese account is reasonable. Asoka was very pious but very tolerant. Ten years of this regime may well have led to the abuse complained of.
597
Jâtaka, no. 472.
598
See for instance the Life of Hsüan Chuang; Beal, p. 39; Julien, p. 50.