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A copperplate inscription the recording roofing of Vaṃ Bāhā's main shrine and the offering of Buddha statues to a caitya (NS 716)

ID: PCVAM_0001_0001


Edited by Nutandhar Sharma in collaboration with Pabitra Bajracharya and Rajendra Shakya
Created: 2023-03-10; Last modified: 2024-06-17
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Published by Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal, Heidelberg, Germany, 2024. Published by the courtesy of the National Archives, Kathmandu. The copyright of the facsimile remains with the Nepal Rashtriya Abhilekhalaya (National Archives, Government of Nepal). All use of the digital facsimiles requires prior written permission by the copyright holder. See Terms of Use.
The accompanying edition, translation/synopsis and/or commentary are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License CCby-SA.

Abstract

This is a copperplate inscription nailed to the west of the entrance to the sanctum of Vaṃ Bāhāḥ. It documents the roofing of the main shrine of the monastery with tiles. Additionally, it records the placing of two gilt pivakhā (Buddha) statues in a caitya and the offering by a group of artisans of one hundred thousand miniature caityas (lakṣacaitya).


Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्रैयोस्तु­||सम्वत्‌­७१६­बैशाष­शुक्ल­||तृतीया­कुन्हु­ˎश्री­वंतबाहार­क्वाचपाड­श्रीमत­श्रीश्री­साक्यमुनि­भट्टार
2कास­छे­आवन­चेस्यं­ˎश्री­चेतभराडया­पिवखा­नेम्हं­लुंन­दयका­जुरो­||लक्षचेत­धम्मुनि­वंतबाहार­श्री­देवसे
3न­जुतो­ˎजिके­ढगुडि­ˎजिकेराम­ढगुडि­ˎजकेराम­भाव­ˎजगतसिह­बनि­ˎजके­भाव­ˎजयनराज­ढगुडि­
4दशा­भावो­ˎरुपराज­मलि­ˎप्रजापति­उल्हा­ˎप्रजापति­छसिंह­ˎइद्रराज­क्राजि­ˎप्रजापति­जिकिताज­
5चैतकार­केशराज­ˎचैतकार­शकाज­ˎचैतकार­सिंहराज­ˎचैतकार­हेदयसिंह­धम्मुनि­थ्वते­||चिन्ता­याक­
6चैतकार­जयभिम­ˎचैतकार­बितु­||भक्ति­जुस्यं­दुंबिव­ˎथ्वन­कोया­तोपा­जुरो­ˎश्वथं­चैत्रकार­बिजयपाल­
7हतषा­चैत्रकार­कमरज­पटको­राछ­तिल­वंता­चैत्रकार­नाथसिंह­ˎथ्याखाछे­गोबिदसिह­भारो­ˎवंबीरषू­
8चैत्रकार­जसिराज­ˎचैत्रकार­हाक्व­ˎचैत्रकार­बाबुसिंह­ˎचैत्रकार­जयनराज­ˎवंतबाहार­श्री­देवसिंहजुतो­
9थ्वत्य­समुच्चयन­सिधयका­जुरो­||शुभमतु­||भुये­तंका­१­शु­१­सिगोद­४­दुबिया­||

Synopsis

[May there be] success (siddhi). On the third day of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha in the Nepāla Era 716 (1596 CE), tiled roofs were applied to the shrine of twice venerable Śākyamuni Bhaṭṭāraka—the kvācapāḍa1 —of Vaṃta Bāhāra (i.e., Vaṃ Bāhāḥ), two gilt Buddha images (New. pivakhā) were placed in the venerable caitya [in front of the main shrine] and one hundred thousand miniature caityas (lakṣacaitya) were offered by Dhammuni of Vaṃta Bāhāra together with Jike Ḍhaguḍi, Jikerāma Ḍhaguḍi, Jakerāma Bhāva, Jagatasiṃha Bani, Jake Bhāva, Jayanarāja Ḍhaguḍi, Daśā Bhāvo, Ruparāja Mali, Ulhā Prajāpati, Chasiṃha Prajāpati, Indrarāja Krāji, Jikitāja Prajāpati, Keśarāja Caitrakāra, Śak[r]āja Caitrakāra, Siṃharāja Caitrakāra, Hedayasiṃha [Caitrakāra] and Dhammuni. The managers of this work were Jayabhima Caitrakāra and Vitu Caitrakāra. Vijayapāla Caitrakāra of Svatha (text: Śvathaṃ), Kamraja Caitrakāra of Hatakhā, Nāthasiṃha Caitrakāra of Paṭako, Goviṃdasiṃha Bhāro of Thyākhāche, Jasirāja Caitrakāra, Hākva Caitrakāra, Bābusiṃha Caitrakāra [and] Jayanarāja of Vaṃbīraṣū, Śrī Devasiṃha of Vaṃtā Bāhāra jointly accomplished this work with devotion. Additionally, a plot of land, 1 taṃkā and 1 sukā [of money] and 4 pieces of wood were donated.


Commentary

An edition of this inscription is also available in Basukala et al. 2022: 175 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.17885/heiup.1116)


Notes

1. It is the main deity of a Buddhist vihāra, placed in the sanctum of the main shrine approachable to the public. The image is generally either of the Śākyamuni Buddha or Akṣobhya Buddha. []