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INTRODUCTION.
xxix
homes. Heaps of gold equal to the weight of the victims re-
mained deposited on the edge of the tank. The king, surprised at
the miraculous power of the monk, became a disciple of his.
The same story is given in Dr. R. Mitra's " Nepalese Buddhist
Literature," p. 288.
A similar story about Sarvajña-mitra is narrated in the
Tibetan work called Pagsam-jon-zang. According to this work
Sarvajña-mitra, though born in Kāśmira, was a student of the
monastery at Nalanda in Magadha where he became a great
master of sciences. The king to whom he sold his person is
called Vajra-mukuta in the Sanskrit Sragdhara-stotraţikā, while
he is called Sarapa in the Tibetan Pagsam-jon-zang. The story
contained in the Pagsam-jon-zang runs thus:-
"A little bastard child of the king of Kaśmira was carried
away by a vulture from the roof of the palace and dropped on the
top of the Gandhola (the great central temple) of Nalanda in
Magadha. The Pandits of the Vihāra, taking mercy on him, nursed
him. As he grew up the child acquired great knowledge and be
came a scholar. He propitiated the goddess Arya-Tara and there-
by acquired great wealth. He gave away all his riches in charity,
and, when there was nothing left, he started on a journey to the
South. Meeting on the way an old blind Brāhmaṇa, who was
being led by his son, he inquired where he was going. Being
told that the blind Brāhmaṇa, who was very poor, had started on
his distant journey to beg help from Sarvajña-mitra of Nalanda,
he was overpowered with pity and determined to sell his
own body to give gold to the helpless beggar. At this time
he learnt that king Sarana, who, at the advice of his wicked
spiritual guide, had undertaken the performance of a Yajña, in
which 108 human sacrifices were necessary, was in search of one
more victim which was wanting to complete the full number.
The king was convinced that if he successfully performed the
Yajna he would attain the longevity equal to the sum of the
longevity of 108 souls that would be sacrificed in it. Sarvajña-
mitra sold himself to the king and paid the gold that he obtained
therefrom to the blind Brahmana. While waiting one night for
1 Edited by Rai Sarat Chandra Das, Bahadur, C.I.E., Bengal Secretariat
Book Depot, Calcutta, p. 102).
xxix
homes. Heaps of gold equal to the weight of the victims re-
mained deposited on the edge of the tank. The king, surprised at
the miraculous power of the monk, became a disciple of his.
The same story is given in Dr. R. Mitra's " Nepalese Buddhist
Literature," p. 288.
A similar story about Sarvajña-mitra is narrated in the
Tibetan work called Pagsam-jon-zang. According to this work
Sarvajña-mitra, though born in Kāśmira, was a student of the
monastery at Nalanda in Magadha where he became a great
master of sciences. The king to whom he sold his person is
called Vajra-mukuta in the Sanskrit Sragdhara-stotraţikā, while
he is called Sarapa in the Tibetan Pagsam-jon-zang. The story
contained in the Pagsam-jon-zang runs thus:-
"A little bastard child of the king of Kaśmira was carried
away by a vulture from the roof of the palace and dropped on the
top of the Gandhola (the great central temple) of Nalanda in
Magadha. The Pandits of the Vihāra, taking mercy on him, nursed
him. As he grew up the child acquired great knowledge and be
came a scholar. He propitiated the goddess Arya-Tara and there-
by acquired great wealth. He gave away all his riches in charity,
and, when there was nothing left, he started on a journey to the
South. Meeting on the way an old blind Brāhmaṇa, who was
being led by his son, he inquired where he was going. Being
told that the blind Brāhmaṇa, who was very poor, had started on
his distant journey to beg help from Sarvajña-mitra of Nalanda,
he was overpowered with pity and determined to sell his
own body to give gold to the helpless beggar. At this time
he learnt that king Sarana, who, at the advice of his wicked
spiritual guide, had undertaken the performance of a Yajña, in
which 108 human sacrifices were necessary, was in search of one
more victim which was wanting to complete the full number.
The king was convinced that if he successfully performed the
Yajna he would attain the longevity equal to the sum of the
longevity of 108 souls that would be sacrificed in it. Sarvajña-
mitra sold himself to the king and paid the gold that he obtained
therefrom to the blind Brahmana. While waiting one night for
1 Edited by Rai Sarat Chandra Das, Bahadur, C.I.E., Bengal Secretariat
Book Depot, Calcutta, p. 102).