Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 690 pages of information about Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3.

Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 690 pages of information about Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3.

[Footnote 247:  It is remarkable that the Baudhayana-dharma-sutra enumerates going to sea among the customs peculiar to the North (I. 1, 2, 4) and then (II. 1, 2, 2) classes making voyages by sea as the first of the offences which cause loss of caste.  This seems to indicate that the emigrants from India came mainly from the North, but it would be rash to conclude that in times of stress or enthusiasm the Southerners did not follow their practice.  A passage in the second chapter of the Kautiliya Arthasastra has been interpreted as referring to the despatch of colonists to foreign countries, but it probably contemplates nothing more than the transfer of population from one part of India to another.  See Finot, B.E.F.E.O. 1912, No. 8.  But the passage at any rate shows that the idea of the King being able to transport a considerable mass of population was familiar in ancient India.  Jataka 466 contains a curious story of a village of carpenters who being unsuccessful in trade built a ship and emigrated to an island in the ocean.  It is clear that there must have been a considerable seafaring population in India in early times for the Rig Veda (II. 48, 3; I. 56, 2; I. 116, 3), the Mahabharata and the Jatakas allude to the love of gain which sends merchants across the sea and to shipwrecks.  Sculptures at Salsette ascribed to about 150 A.D. represent a shipwreck.  Ships were depicted in the paintings of Ajanta and also occur on the coins of the Andhra King Yajnasri (c. 200 A.D.) and in the sculptures of Boroboedoer.  The Digha Nikaya (XI. 85) speaks of sea-going ships which when lost let loose a land sighting bird.  Much information is collected in Radhakumud Mookerji’s History of Indian Shipping, 1912.]

[Footnote 248:  Voyages are still regularly made in dhows between the west coast of India and Zanzibar or Mombasa and the trade appears to be old.]

[Footnote 249:  See Jataka 339 for the voyage to Baveru or Babylon.  Jatakas 360 and 442 mention voyages to Suvannabhumi or Lower Burma from Bharukaccha and from Benares down the river.  The Milinda Panha (VI. 21) alludes to traffic with China by sea.]

[Footnote 250:  Ram. iv. 40, 30.]

[Footnote 251:  Pelliot, Founan, p. 254.  The Western and Eastern Tsin reigned from 265 to 419 A.D.]

[Footnote 252:  Pelliot, Founan, p. 254.  Most of the references to Chinese annals are taken from this valuable paper.]

[Footnote 253:  The inscription of Mi-son relates how Kaundinya planted at Bharapura (? in Camboja) a javelin given to him by Asvatthaman.]

[Footnote 254:  This is the modern reading of the characters in Peking, but Julien’s Methode justifies the transcription Kau-di-nya.]

[Footnote 255:  See S. Levi in Melanges Charles de Harlez, p. 176.  Deux peuples meconnus. i.  Les Murundas.]

[Footnote 256:  Nanjio Catalogue, p. 422.]

[Footnote 257:  I-Tsing, trans.  Takakusu, p. 12.]

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