Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha 3

‘And again, O 6ariputra, that world SukhAvati is adorned with seven terraces, with seven rows of palm-trees, and with strings of bells’. It is enclosed on every side *, beautiful, brilliant with the four gems, viz. gold, silver, beryl and crystal. With

> Kinkinigdla. The texts read kankamagalais ka and kankanigalais ka, and again later kankanigalunâam (also 1@) and kankantgalanam. Mr. Beal translates from Chinese ‘seven rows of exquisite curtains,’ and again ‘gemmous curtains.’ First of all, it seems clear that we must read ala, net, web, instead of ala. Secondly, kankama, bracelet, gives no sense, for what could be the meaning of nets or strings of bracelets? I prefer to read kinkintgâla, nets or strings or rows of bells. Such rows of bells served for ornamenting a garden, and it may be said of them that, if moved by the wind, they give forth certain sounds. In the commentary on Dhammapada 30, p. 191, we meet with kinkinikagala, from which likewise the music proceeds; see Childers, s.v. gala. In the MSS. of the Nepalese Sukhavati-vyuha (R.A.S.), p. 39 a,. 4, I likewise find svarmaratnakinkintgâlani, which settles the matter, and shows how little confidence we can place in the Japanese texts.

The four and seven precious things in Pâli are (according to Childers):—

2. ragatam, silver.

3. mutta, pearls.