saptaratna (navaratna)

[Tenzin Bob Thurman]

These "seven jewels of royalty" are extremely common in Indo-Tibetan 
Buddhist literature, recited in numerous texts. I'll look arond for some 
citations.
Best
Bob Thurman

Arlo Griffiths wrote:
> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am interested in the concept of 7 (or 9) 'jewels' denoting certain 
> standard lists composed of people and insignia at the king's court, as 
> e.g. in Mahaavastu I.49 (ed. Senart):
>
> tasya imaani sapta ratnaani abhunsu | sayyathiida.m cakraratna.m 
> hastiratna.m a;svaratna.m
> ma.niratna.m striiratna.m g.rhapatiratna.m parinaayakaratnam eva 
> saptama.m
>
> I have hitherto failed to find good examples of this meaning of 
> saptaratna in brahmanical texts, nor am I aware of any discussions of 
> this list (or similar lists) in secondary literature.
>
> I would be very grateful for references.
>
> Arlo Griffiths
> École française d'Extrême-Orient (Jakarta)
> Instituut Kern, Universiteit Leiden
>
>