Mount Potalaka in Malaya mountains

Petr Mares erpet at COMP.CZ
Wed Feb 10 18:47:07 UTC 1999


> >S. Beal, Si-yu-ki, Buddhist records of the Western world, 1884
> >2.233  says:
> >"To the east of the Malaya mountains is Mount Po-ta-la-ka (Potalaka)."
> >>>
> >
>
> Please see the foot noteon page 230-231 by Rev.S.Beal which says
>
> " The distance given by south of Conjivaram seems to be exessive.
> But none of the distances given by Hiuen Tsiang are to be depended upon.
> ...................................................................... I
> am disposed, therefore, to think that he did not go farther south than
> Kanchi. In this case the subsequent account he gives us of Malakuta, Mount
> Malaya and Potaraka is derived from hearsay."

The whole chapter  in Xi Yu Ji, where Xuan Zang describes the
Malaya Mountain is considered later forgery by all Chinese
commentators I have seen .


> >Thus, the
> >Buddhist texts clearly show that "potala" and
> >"potalaka" are simply alternate names of the same place in
> >potiyil/potiyam/potikai.
What are the other texts?
>
> No more than a conjucture for which I cannot subscribe unless there
> is compelling evidence.

Petr Mares



Petr Mares
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