68 BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE. BOOK I. eight cities which obtained relics of Buddha at the funeral pyre, the case might have been different ; but it has been dug into, and found to be a stupa without relics. 1 It consequently may have been erected to mark some sacred spot or to commemorate some event, and we have no reason to believe that this was done anywhere before A^oka's time. On the other hand, two smaller topes at the same place contained relics of a historical character. That called No. 2 Tope contained those of some of the Buddhist teachers who took part in the third great convocation held under A^oka, and some of whom were sent on missions to the Himalayas, to disseminate the doctrines then settled, and with these were associated the names of others, probably contemporaries, but of whom we know nothing otherwise. 2 No 3 Tope contained two relic caskets, represented in the accompanying woodcuts (Nos. 10 10. Relic Casket of Moggalana. ii. Relic Casket of Sariputra. and 11). One of these contained relics of Maha Moggalana, the other of Sariputra, friends and companions of Buddha him- self, and usually called his right and left hand disciples. 3 It does not of course follow from this that this dagaba is as old as the time of Buddha ; on the contrary, the probability seems to be that these relics were deposited there in A^oka's time, in close proximity to the sacred spot, which the great tope was erected to commemorate. The tope containing relics of his contemporaries may, of course, be more modern, possibly contemporary with the gateways. 4 The general appearance of the Sanchi - Kanakheda Stupa will be understood from the view of it on Woodcut No. 12, and its shape and arrangement from the plan and section, Nos. 13 1 At least the excavations failed in the discovery of a deposit. 2 The ' Dipawansa ' names the four missionaries who accompanied Kasapa- gota Kotiputa to convert the tribe of Yakkas in Himavanta, as Majjhima, Dudubhisara, Sahadevaand Mulakadeva. Kasapagota, Majjhima and Dudubhisara, are named on relic-boxes from Sanchi and Sonari. 'Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,' 1905, pp. 6836. 3 Cunningham, 'Bhilsa Topes,' pp. 297, 299 et seqq.
- The Chandragupta inscription on the
rail near the eastern gateway is a subse- quent addition, and belongs to Chandra- gupta II., of the year A.D. 412. Fleet, ' Early Gupta Inscriptions,' pp. 29-34.
