Site Name: Sarnath
Date: 299-200 BCE
Subject: Lion capital, detail of abacus showing bull. The epigraph translates as: "His sacred Majesty King Piyadasi?.at Pata(liputta)?The Church is (not) by any one to be divided. But whosoever, monk or nun, shall break up the Church, shall be made to don white robes and made to dwell in another dwelling. Thus should this command be brought to notice in the Order of monks and in the Order of nuns.; "Thus saith his sacred Majesty. One such edict hath been inscribed at the place of assembly in order that it may be near you. And even such an edict ye must inscribe for the laity. And the laity also should come on the Sabbath-days in order to be inspired with faith in this edict. On every Sabbath-day regularly shall each superintendent ( of the Law) come to the Sabbath service to be inspired with faith in this Order and to learn it.;"And as far as your district (extendeth) ye must everywhere make (the edict) known according to the letter thereof. So, too, in all fortified towns and provinces, ye must cause it to be made known according to the letter thereof."; The second inscription which consists of a single line in length and is of the Kushana period translates as: " In the fortieth year of Rajan Asvaghosha, the first fortnight of winter, on the tenth day..."; The third inscription also consists of a single line but it is inscribed in characters of the early Gupta period. It translates as: " Homage of the masters of the Sammitiya (?) sect (and) of the Vatsiputrika school."
CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY