[INDOLOGY] Chinese dice

[Sven Sellmer]

Dear Colleagues!

On behalf of a colleague doing Chinese studies I would like to ask if anyone happens to know Indian dice of a shape similar to the Chinese ones in the attachment. They have been used for divinatory purposes by Buddhists since the 6th c. CE, so Indian influence seems at least possible. Here is a description of how to produce them (Zhancha shan'e yebao jing 占察善惡業報經, T. 839, 902b23 ff.):

善 男 子！ 欲 學 木 輪 相 者，先 當 刻 木 如 小 指 許， 使 長 短 減 於 一 寸， 正 中 令 其 四 面 方 平， 自 餘 向 兩 頭 斜 漸 去 之。 仰 手 傍 擲， 令 使 易 轉， 因 是 義 故， 說 名 為 輪。 又 依 此 相， 能 破 壞 眾 生 邪 見 疑 網， 轉 向 正 道， 到 安 隱 處， 是 故 名 輪。Good man! The ones who wish to learn the divinatory method of the wooden tops (lit. "wheels"), they should first carve a branch about as big around as a little finger, making it less than one cun [10 cun = 1 chi 尺; 1 m  about (3-)4 chi, so less than 3 cm] long. Right from its middle they should let its four sides each be even [i.e. In the center, carve it into a square shape] with the slides sloping inward toward the two ends. They should raise them in the hand and throw them so that they revolve easily. This reason explains why they are called "top/wheel". Moreover, relying upon this divination one can destroy the heretical views and net of doubts of sentient beings, [causing the person] to turn toward the Right Way [so that] they arrive at a place of safety and security. For this reason it is called a "top/wheel".

Any hints will be highly appreciated.

Best wishes,
Sven




-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.indology.info/pipermail/indology/attachments/20131207/57648d4b/attachment.htm>