77. Kurram Copper Relic Casket Inscription– (Saka) Year 21 ( A. D. 99)
PROVENANCE: Exact find-spot not known.Presented in 1917 by
a villager to a son of the Tehsildar of Kurran, near Peshavar, N..P. P, Pakistan
Script: Kharoshthi
Language: Local Prakrit.
References: Sten Konow C. I.I., II,i, pp- 152-55, V. Natesa Alyar with revised text by F.W. Thomas, Ep.Ind XVIII, Pp. 16 ff, DC. Sircar, Sel.Inss, I. pp-148-49.
TEXT
1. A. सं 20 + मस स अवदुनकस दि 20 इश क्षुनंमि
B. ( क्ष्वेर्ड ) वर्म यश पुत्र तनु व कं मि रंलंमि
C. [ नव-विह-*] रं मि अचर्यन सर्वस्तिवदन परि
D. ग्रह मि युबंमि भग्रवतस शक्यमुनिस
2. A. शरिर प्रदि ठवेदि यथवुत भग्रवद
B. अविज-प्रचन्म संकरं संकर प्रचग्र वि न
C. वित्रन-प्रचग्र नम-रुव नम-स्व-प्रचग्र षड़् । य
D. । दन | षड्यदन–प्रचग्र पश -पश प्रचग्र
3. A. वेदन वेदन-प्रचग्र तष्ण तष्टा प्रचग्र उवदन
B. उवदन-प्रचग्र भव भव-प्रचग्र जदि जदि प्रच [ ग्र ]
C. जर-मरन-शोग्र परिदेव-दुख-दोमेनस्त-उपग्र |स।
(D) (ए) व [अस] ] केवलस दुख-कंधस समुदर भवति ।
4. सर्वे – सत्वन पुयए अय च प्रतिच-संमुपते ।
ऐ. लिबिद महिफतिएन सर्वसत्वन पुयए ।।
1. From the facsimile in C.I.I, II, i, opp. pp-154, Pls. XXVIII and XXIX and Ep. Ind XVIII, PLS. between pp. 18 and 19. The four lines of the inscription are
inscribed in punctured dots in an unbroken stream on the four rectangular sided of the casket rising on a square base. Thus each line gets divided into four sections, marked here as A B. C and D.
2. Macedonian month Audunaios, which overlaps parts of Pausha and Magha.
3. Thomas reads त्शुत्रवमयश्पुत्रस नवकमिअस संघ
यठ एठ तष तष्ष तब तबे प्रचग शोय
1. This is the anuloma section of the text of the Pratitya-Samutpada or the Nldana-sutra, which the Lord Buddha
revealed soon after his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gayaa. Time text given here is in the local
dialect as the Buddha had permitted every one to learn the sacred text in one’s own language (See Uldenberg’s
reference to the Chullavagga in his Introduction to the Vinayaka-pltaka, (pl- XLVIII) The litarary Pali version of
the satra is contained in the Mabāvagga of the Vinayaka-pitaka.
And this version is prefaced by an account of the incidents, which had up to the propounding of the
doctrine of causes and effects by Holy Sakyamuni.
Coming from the mouth of the Lord himself, the sanctity of the Sutra is considered at par with his relics. The shrines where its copy ie found, interred with. His
ashes are those considered as important by the Buddhists.
The complete sutra and its vibhanga, in Sanskrit were found incised on some bricks, unearthed at Nalanda in
Nidana Sutra is also found recorded in Sanskrit, in two inscriptions from Gorakhpur district of UP. One found in the Mahaparinirevana stupa in
Kasia. ancient Kusinagara and the other in Gopalpur.
The Gopalpur version being fuller is reproduced as under:-
1. एवं मया श्रुतमे कस्मिन् समये भगवाञ्र्छवस्त्या विहरति जेतवने
2. (s) नाथ पिण्डदास्यारामे तत्र भगवान् भिक्षूनामन्त्रयति स्म
धर्माणां वो भि –
3. क्षव आचयं च देशयिष्याभ्यपचयं च तच्क्रीणत साधु चा सुष्ठ च ।
4. मनसि कुरत । भाषिष्ये धर्माणामाचय: कतम : यदुतास्मिन् सती
5. दं भवत्यस्योत्पादादिदमुत्यद्धते यदुता विद्या प्रत्यया : संस्कारा : संस्कार
6. प्रत्ययं विज्ञान विज्ञान-प्रत्ययं नाम-रूप नाम-रूप प्रत्यय: स्पर्श:
7. स्पर्श-प्रत्यया वेद [ ना | वेदना प्रत्यया तृष्णा तृष्णा –
प्रत्ययमपादानम
8. पादानं प्रत्ययो भव: भव प्रत्यया जाति जार्ति प्रत्यया जरा-मरण
9. शोक- परिदेव-दु:खा देर ( ख-देर )
मनस्योपायासा: संब (=-भ) व त्येवमस्य महतो
English Translation.
Anno 21, on the 20th day of the month of Awadunaka.
At this instant svaitravarman son of Yasas established a relic of the Lord sakyamuni (1-e the buddha) in his own
charming new vihara, in the acceptance of (occapied by) the Sarvastivada teachers. In a stupa, as it had been spoken by the Lord.
From ignorance spring impressions, from impressions spring consciousness. from consciousness
spring name and form, from name and form spring the six receptacles (of senses)
From the six receptacles spring contact, from contact spring
sensation. from sensation spring craving, from craving springs
attachment. from attachment spring existence, from existence
spring birth, from birth, spring old age, death, grief. lamentation, suffering, mental disturbance and tension.
From this series (of cause and effect) arises the mass of suffering.
(This body relic of the lord) and this Patitya-Samutpada have been established (by Svaitravaman for being
worshipped by all beings) It has been written (engraved) by Mahipatika for being worshipped by all beings.
1. in the text stands for Sanskrit य That is उपग्रस =उपायास
From उप +आ + यस
to heat, to strive oneself, to stretch,
Fatigue weariness, strain, tension
to heat. strive oneself, to stretch,
get weary
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