CHAPTER XXV.

ON THE USE OF SANSCRIT BY THE CHINESE BUDDHISTS.

Changes in Chinese sounds since the time of the Buddhist transliteration of Indian words--Examples of Sanscrit words in old and new Chinese--The importance of translations made in A.D. 60 to A.D. 76 for reading the Four Books--The Hindoo translators did not speak pure Sanscrit--Sanscrit was the language of the books--No Pali books in China--The translators spoke Pracrit--The term po-li, "glass"--Use of Sanscrit words in magic--Dharani--Inscription in six languages at Ku-yung kwan.

THE Chinese characters have been written in the same form and with the same sort of pencils since the time of Wang Hi-chi, A.D. 350.

During these fifteen centuries, while the writing taught in all schools has been unchanged, the sounds attached to the characters have been in a state of slow and constant flux.

Thus, the translator Kumarajiva wrote his name with four Chinese characters then called Ku-ma-la-zhip. They are now Kieu- (or Chieu) mo-lo-shi.

All sonant initials, such as g, d, b, z, zh, j, have changed in the interval to surds, viz., k, t, p, s, sh, ch. In words pronounced with the tone called hia-ping, the aspirates k', t', p', ch' come in place of k, t, p, ch, which occur in words pronounced with the tones hia-ping, hia-ch'u, and hia-ju.

Final m has changed to final n. Finals k, t, p have been dropped; also the vowels have all changed their values, a to o, ya to e, u to yeu, &c.

The compilers of Kang-hi's dictionary have provided tables of the old sounds, with characters chosen to represent

the pronunciation as it formerly was. They are to be read with the powers of the letters of the Sanscrit alphabet. Natives not knowing the Sanscrit letters cannot escape from the confusion in which they are involved by the difference between the old and new pronunciations. The foreign student will find that the principle here laid down is a key to unlock the difficulties of the subject.

The following examples will help to familiarise the learner with the method:--

Sanscrit.

Old Chinese.

New Chinese.

Buddha

But

Fo

Amogha Vajra

A-mo-ga bad-ja-ra

O-mo-k'ia po-che-lo

Upasaka

U-pa-sa-ka

Yeu-po-so-kia

Viharapala

Bi-ha-la-pa-la

Pi-ho-lo-po-lo

Bodhiruchi

Bo-di-lu-chi

P'u-t'i-lieu-chi

Paramiti

Pat-la-mit-ti

Po-le-mi-ti

Maheshwara

Ma-hi-shu-la

Mo-hi-sheu-lo

Shanaishchara

Sha-nai-shat-chat-la

She-na-yi-shi-che-lo

Prasenajit

Pat-la-si-na-ji-ta

Po-lo-si-na-shi-to

Mahapadma

Ma-ha-pa-de-ma

Mo-ho-po-t'e-mo

Udyana

U-dyung-na

U-chang-na

Sangadeva

Seng-ga-de-ba

Seng-k'ia-t'i-p'o

Acharya