The Seven Princes

By H. W. BAILEY

T I iHE following few pages, dedicated to Dr. L. D. Barnett in memory of many

A kindnesses, may call up for a brief moment the forgotten princes, the
acaryas, Buddhist teachers, who in the tenth century on their way between
Khotan and China were plundered and distracted by the Turks who met them
on their way. " They are religious teachers and have no enemies ", said their
guides to the Turks. The short text forms part of the Buddhist legacy of India
to Central Asia. The Stein MS. Ch 00269 contains, after some incomplete
phrases in lines 0-8, the drafts of three letters : 9-23 concern a certain Prabha-
karavardhana; 24-108 and 108-120, here edited and translated, give the letter
of the messengers, written in Sacii (1. 84), and the letter of the seven princes.
Lines 75-80 were quoted in BSOS 8. 883 (twelve years ago) for their importance
for the Tokharian problem. The companion piece to this MS. is P 2741 at the
Bibliotheque Nationale, of which an edition has been given in this same
volume XII of the BSOAS. Both were prepared for the press as long ago as 1942,
but it has not been possible hitherto to publish them.
It will be seen that, while a Khotanese religious text can be interpreted
with almost complete certainty, an official document is still difficult. The
present translation must be considered tentative and it may be expected that
further progress in its interpretation will be made when others can co-operate.

Ch 00269
24 II aurrasa, hasda bisa chika gulai u dum samgalaka ha * khu va, fia-
25 sam bisadi kamacu am rrvi parau pastamda si k$macu buram rrispura
26 bayana, -» u nasam blsam tta tta parau na ye si ami ttyam tsvakam
rrispu-
27 ram hivi pamuha: u stura spasara, u khu jsam nasa bisa radanaha: a-
28 vamdum khu spastamdum stura u sau ri va rrispuram hivi ammaga ni
mumde bisa
29 pahaiya cu stura ttyam jsam hervi aspara. ni haudamda u nasa ra tta. bisa
30 vasti vl hasda na yuda yudamdum si khu tta hasda. yinam si stura gauda
31 s^are ka nam tta tta par! pa^te si blsam am na, ksami tsve u nva parau
tsvamdum khu
32 jsam pamdayi vista, hamyamdum vara jsam va vasta hiya samda ni ya
u pam-
1
Omit ha.
 THE SEVEN PRINCES 617

33 dayi sanam hM pyana u khu jsam staha: bisi avamdum vara ana cimu-
34 dam jsa hamgvamdum auda sacu bura cu pada pada bisa mahe yamdum
urri-
35 spura mahe svaha :ksem sacu avamdum cvam va nu stura harya vastairma
u hvanda
36 u hera u hvaihu:ra ttam bisa cimuda hatcastamda cu jsam stura ya ttam
jsam
37 bisa pamdayi vasta tsvamda u tta tta am harya -» cu giimattlrai rrispura
hi-
38 ya drrayi ula ya tta sau la * na parye hamye ttamdi ra sacu se vastairma
asa jsa a
39 cu s§ye rrispura stama hiya ula ya drraya u asa dva tta a si ttamdi sacu

40 aula ajimde ysbadaparrum ana sacii bura bi3a payai tsve ~* cii rrispii-
41 ra thiya tcuna hlviya 8 tcaura ula ya sj ttamdi sacii sau aula a cvai
cimudva
42 gumaistamdum •* cii rrispura yinaka hiya ksa ula ya tta sacu drrayi ava
43 u 6au asa •«. cii rrispura sVakalai hlyai ttamdi sacii sau aula a •» drrvattirai
44 hiye hlvl aula cvai tcirthus'I jsa giryamda sa ttamdi dva padyeha: sau hada
45 tsva hamye sau vai ra va, asa a -^ cu. hira sira dira cu. va budamdum
cvam
46 mam dls"ta ye ttu cimudam padamja haudamdum cvam jsam mvam *
harye ttii jsam cimuda ha-
47 tcastamdS. u sacu ra ttusa-dasta avamdum stura jsam vasta tsvamda
u ja cii pa
48 giimattlrai hiye hlvl drraysa bida tturka uha: hlvl rrvi ^kyesa ye ttu
49 pa bisa cimuda budamda •>. khu va nasam bisam parau pastai ya paste si
50 pamdayam tta tta tta cimuda stare iiasa blsai namsa phara bvimasti si
tta ttam
51 tsufil ttamdi v | dasau 6 rad^naha: hada byaudamdum ya 6e tcamjsa
bimdam mam-
52 gari ni hamlya ttamdi vf garl tta tta hamye cu sa pada yamdum u
vastairma
53 dva u tta tta hatcastamdum cii ttura ttattaha: uhadpl tta nafia n|na
hira rau-
54 stamda u ham bada hvaihu:ra jsam va drrayi asi ajimdamda cu nayu cha-
55 ra nfma siili sa jsam va sau tcamjsa ni ajimde ttye stura bisa ja u hera
garva
56 pace khu rri ha a u tcamjsa ra va ni byaude bisai cimuda thlphamdi
bijnai ma sti
57 khu jsam sacu vasta stiiram kimna samgalaka parye vara jsam va stura
bi^a kama- •
1 a
Read «fa. * tta deleted. vi deleted.
4
Read maiji. * da corrected from dm. • Read hftna-.
VOL. i n . PABTS 3 AND 4. 9
618 H. W. BAILEY—

58 cu h|fia hastamda, sau stura ni byaudem •» khu nasa bisa 1 sacii avamdum
cu hina ya ttye s"a, ma,6ta ya 2 tta n|fia dasau pam-
59 jsusa, hada, parya u hina 3 ttl ava cu bagaraka attema uha: uha ya
59a (interlinear) khu kamacu tsvamda
60 vaira uha: uha: uha: u kanurapa saha:na uha: •« u biruka cl-
61 na, ttaha: 4 u biruka tta va baisa mara mlnamuka biruka 5 dum ttamga
u saraiha: chara, aha:cl
62 tta va sacu-pavanye hamtsa, hifia, jsa pahaisa sacii vasta, haysa tsvamda
tta tta cu
63 patca, kamacu bisai khaha:na> jsamdi ci 6 u ttaysl dagyina, ha nastamda
tti mlm
64 bisa baduna arra. ttyam pahaisam fdamda, si cu am mam mafiam bada
vl a-
65 phaja ni j^re amani arra, ste ttl jsam ' bagaraka kamacu bisa, ha:ha:na hi-
66 ya jasta sase u maista-ujai hamya ttl jsam tta, sacii bisa hina tta tta
hamgare
67 si ci bura, kamacu hauvausta hvaihu:ra imde tta bisa, jsanam u ajsam
siiha:-
68 cii bisai uha: khinda, tcirthusl fii u kamthi jsam sacii vasta, spase u ha:-
69 ha,:na ra jsam va na, hame u khvai baduna ttu hera bausta u tta va
hvanda, samda,
70 tta tta pa&imda cvam hvaihu:ra bi£a, astamdamda, jsana, cu hvaihu:ra
tta baisa
71 hama hamya natca ldthasta naramda kithi ra va ttamdi diimta imda
ttyam jsam kitha 8 vi 9 na
72 khaysa, u na, stura «s vina mam ^a, tvada masta hamya u h i m ra va
phara na
73 na 1 0 hista, si kithi va khu ste cu bidaga, sah|na sa pa, hamtsa hvaihu: u
jsa hamye
74 cu va bagaraka jsa hamtsa hvanda, pahaiya tta va, hirvi nara piira na
pamma-
75 sta, yud|, buna, va ava •*. cu jsam kamacu baduna tta vafia drrai pacada
stare
76 cu. ttiidisa u tturka, bayarkava u hattabara u ica, imjiiva12 tta yipaklna,
ttaha: u beda,-
77 daruka, ^asta stare ci buri hvaihu:ra tta bisa. karattaha,:13 nasta u
karattaha
78 cu dumva u caha:spata u siilya tta jsam kitha khu tta vina drrai pacada
bisa, ham-

1 2
na&a bisa subscript. cu . . . ya subscript. * na over ha.
4 5
Read ttallaha: ? tta va baisa mara deleted with minamuka biruka subscript.
• ci blurred. » jsdm.... to . . 69 bausta with line drawn through.
10
• kitha subscript. " t of vi deleted. na (of unusual form) ?
11 12 13
Read hvaihu :ram. u ica imjuva subscript. tt or st 1
 THE SEVEN PRINCES 619

79 tsa ni samimde kamacu ha hervi hada, ni ttrramda, hame 1 6aia,i aphaje

u &ilai jsam va
80 khaysa nis"ta -«. khu sacu 2 kitha khu 3 hjna bi&i ava hamya u khu hauda
hasta hada pa-
81 rye hamya tti ha, mahe tcirthusi virasta u bagaraka virasta tta tta sala
pas"amdum
82 si cii rrispuia stare tti aiirya stare ttyam hirvi sana nista mahe pada
pada sau
83 dva kamacu vasta, hvanda pasam u sira dira hiya va phara spas'aere 4
u mahe
84 pa tsam ~- mara va pa, sacu tta tta hvamda, si hirvi va gamjsa nista
.pasara hvanda u mista
85 hve ni jsave u ganamai astamdamdum haysa — u tti va, bagaraka attema
uha: dum.
86 samgalaka va hvanda, haste u gurstai bi£asta u tta tta va hve si khu am
vina kamacu
87 vasta hvanda pasara as*te vira am jsave cu uhiirysa uha: ye cu rrviparau yi-
88 niya u pharaka rrvlya musda nave si muda cu pa ttattaya uha: si pa
muda ca-
89 raiha: uha: jsam kamyam garva kusimda ajsam u aha:ci sa stam sacu
ci jsam ha:na
90 sj jsam vilaka, ste ttye hivi vifia parau hamida kathi vira ni jsave vina
ttikye cu tta hve
91 jsave u pamdayai ttattara ni 5 jsanimda 6 khu i kamacu k|myam nitca
kitha bisam hvaihu:-
92 ram jsa hamgujimde tti ksuna muda hvaihu:ra stare tti vina hamida
hiya niivara
93 byehimde nvastai ni pa^imda, kiista bura bada hiya naiskaica ni hamave
hervi sam
94 ^e hvandye pamda nista -^ uha: tta tta hve si ya asirya pa, ttusa-dasta
tslmda pamdam
95 ci baye khu hvaihu:ra ni hamamde clya baye 7 «s hamtsa a^te jsa tslmda
vina kye 8 cvam na-
96 tea kitha bisa hvaihu:ra u cimuda ni jsanlmde ttivam biiga pasa-vala
padimare hamdi-
97 ram va pacada naista «s tti rrumda hiya pura stare tta tta staka stare
khu cimgva hisimda khvam
98 va vira sika hamate a visum sa mara-pyaram bada ste mara hvaihii:ram
cimudam hiya
99 bisa hamamde tvaka visuna nama ci blda. ^ pamda hivi mam pacada
dam-masu ste fia-
1 2 3
hame, subscript. sacu subscript. khu deleted.
6
• Bead spasan. ni deleted. • da subscript.
8
' ciya baye deleted. Read ttikye.
620 H. W. BAILEY—

100 i m jsam va bisam hairtham vi pamda liamya hirvi ra va hira, ni pammuda

yudamdum cu jsam va
101 dilaka dilaka biida hamye sa jsam bisa cimuglva u sacii dva padamja
basta tsve hirvi va
102 ri mam hera. nis"ta -. khu vina tta pve kamacu bada hamate bisa ha
hamdara bada-
103 dijsa, niivara uha:va u biriika fiimda, ttyam bisa s"ikana jsave khu jsam
pamda prri-
104 hista, -v cu mamgara hvanda cu pharaka rrviya musda namda tta bai£a
ja «s tti jsam mista
105 nama ste si hauda va rraispura ava u cimgvasta, mista hada u ksa-sse
k|na fra
106 u ni ra mam bayunai hira, rrispuram asta, u na, hadam ->. vifia t t a x khvam
va. vifia 2 rrvl vi nva jastu-
107 ne bvame sau parau hista si khu dilaka hera na hamave vina hera, si
pamda na
108 nirve hame a, pajsa mam anvasta. hamye -^ . . rrva vi vara tta, hasdi
yane nasa
109 . . rrvl vi vara tta hasdi y|ne : rra [space] hve sagai [space]
110 . . rrvl vi v§ra tta ha s hasdi yanam [space]
111 . . hauda, rrispura -* mahe va rrviye dyame pyatsa auna naradadu si
guttausana, tsam
112 * . . parauvam tta tta ye sa, sacu va bvaiysa na munara khu tta capastaka,
dista, hasdi yudam-
113 dum -N kamacu va vina burikya, na ra raysde •». manam jsam stura
baisa ja civara, jsam je
114 nama 5 sturam va as'ta, hera u n a 6 civara vaska ->. na jsam pa, sai kaca,
jsa kamacu sta ' narada,
115 hamam -^ cu jsam pa ttaya-^am hiya, stura, ya, tta pa ja, -s na ra, sturam
va asta, hera
116 una civara ~. na ra jsam ma chika prramam ids, stura uvamdii puha: ya •»
khu pa,
117 svahva, hisam patcam mam na cimga, rrumda vaska, ^kyesa u na pidaka -^
hvada khasta vaska he-
118 ra stam pa hiye jsave ^ khvam va laka, mvaisda, haraysde -- vina bura
va kamacu pharaka
119 hvanda, muda, hamya, -^ na jsam va hasda -s khaysa khu va tti parau
hisiye si tsiim hva me si 8
120 khu dafia ttramana, hamate ays|na paskyasta, na bayam 9

1 2
vina,ttadeleted. Ichvarp, va vina subscript. * Omit hq.
1 5
Change of handwriting. After nqma add na ra.
' na subscript. * sta deleted.
8 9
tsum hva me si deleted. A large part of the roll is blank from this point.
 THE SEVEN PRINCES 621

Draft of the Letter of the Messengers, 24-108

24 Letter of information. Servants Chika Gulai and Dum Samgalaka.
When to the humble servants from Kantsou the royal command was
given, saying, You must escort the princes as far as Kantsou, but the
humble servants had no command, saying, You are to inspect the clothing
and animals of these travelling princes, and when we, the humble servants,
came to Radanaha:, when we inspected the animals, then not even
one . . . (ammdga) of the princes remained; all had fled. As to the animals
30 they had given them no lucerne. And we, the humble servants, were
not in any way able to make a report, saying, How shall we report that
the animals are emaciated, lest he should condescend to say to us, The
servants refuse to go. But according to the command we went. When
on the way we became exhausted, no ground existed there for . . . (vastd),
but on the way there was danger from enemies. And when we all reached
Staha:, there we were afraid of the Cimul (Cimuda-) as far as Sacu.
We who were following one another and the princes, we came safely to
Sacu. What animals remained to us (nu = -?-), the . . . (vgstairma,
? ' sumpter horses ') and the men and the money (herd) and the Uigurs,
the Cimuls broke (hatcastamda, ? ' attacked, robbed ') all of those. What
animals there were, all were exhausted on the way, and they survived
as follows. What were the three camels of the prince of Gumattirai,
not one camel escaped. With only one . . . (vastairma) horse he came
40 to Sacu. What were the three camels and two horses of Stama. prince of
&§ye, he brought only one camel to Sacu. From Ysbadaparrum as far
as Sacu everyone went on foot. What were the four camels of prince
Thiya-tcijna, he came with only one camel to Sacu, which we . . . . ed
(gumaista- -?-) among the Cimuls. What were the six camels of prince
Yinaka, three came to Sacu and one horse. What belonged to prince
SVakalai, only one camel came to Sacu. The camel of the master of
Drrvattira which they had bought from TcirthusI, that could travel at
only two . . . (padyehd:, *pa-leg) a day. Just one horse came (vai ra va :
three particles ?). What was the money (hird) good and bad which we
were carrying which was in our hand, that we gave as a present to the
Cimuls. What remained to us, that the Cimuls broke (? carried off) and
to Sacu. we came empty-handed. The animals became exhausted and
perished. What was the royal present (skyesd, Tib. skyes) for the Turkish
iiga (uha:) upon the load of the master of Gumattira, that, all of it, the
Cimuls took away. When to the humble servants hejiad condescended
to give the command, saying, On your path stand the Cimuls; the
50 humble servant . . . (-• namsd phara bvymasti: ? Tibetan nams), saying,
Just so you must go. We reached Radanaha: only after ten days (ya = -?-),
so that (?) there was not. . . (mamgdri) upon one . . . (tcamjsd, ' hair ' ?)
of ours, but only . . . (gdri) there was. What we all (?, read biSa) were at
622 H. W. BAILEY—

first, and the two . . . (vgstairma), and so we were broken (?, hatcastamdum,
' robbed' ?). Who were Ttura ttattaha: (*Tur tutuq) and (?) UhadpI
(tigd Alpi ?), they lost money (him) in various places (?, nana- <
*nisddana seat, settlement) and at the same time Uigurs brought three
horses. Who was Nayu chara (*Nayu Chor) by name, a Suli (? Sogdian),
he did not bring one . . . (tcamjsd). His animals all perished, and
he lost (?, pace) money (hero) in the mountains. When he came
and got no . . . (tcamjsd), all of it the Cimuls . . . . ed (ihiphamdi).
He was naked (ma sti ?). When Samgalaka, got through to Sacu to
procure animals, there all the animals they had sent to the Kantsou army.
I got not one animal. When we, the humble servants, came to Sacu, what
was the army,—of this second month thus in the place (?, ndna-) fifteen
60 days had passed. And the army then came. When they went to Kantsou,
who was Bagaraka Attema. uha: (Bdgrdk Atern uga), Vaira uha: and
Kanurapa Saha:na uha: (Qongur Apa Sayun uga), and the buyruq
(official) Crna, ttaha: (*0in tutuq) and the buyruq [all those here]
MMamuka, the buyruq Dum Ttamga (Tonga) and Saraiha: Chara, Aha:cl
(*Sariy Chor Ayacl), they with the Sacu people's army (sacu-pavdna-
adj. ' of the inhabitants of Sacu ') as fugitives went away towards Sacu,
just those who afterwards killed the Khayan resident in Kantsou and
established Ttaysi Dagyina (tegiri). Then all the buduns laid the blame
upon those fugitives, saying, That in our land the troubles (dphdja-
' trouble (?)', as from *dphdr-ja-, rather than the connection given in
BSOS 8. 883, note 5), do not cease, is your fault. Then Bagaraka
married (?) the Khayan's queen resident in Kantsou and she conceived.
Then the army resident in Sacu removed (?, hamgdr- = Tib. dran
' remove '), saying, All the Uigurs who are powerful in Kantsou we will
kill and we will . . . (ajsdm, ajs- = -?-). As if being (?, kh\ndd = ' like ')
the uga resident in Suha:cu (Sutsou) Tcirthusi is settling down (na-
< *nisada- ' sit, settle ') and the city looks towards Sacu. And there
is no longer a Khayan. And when the buduns heard this matter, then
they so sent men by land (?), all of whom the Uigurs began to slay.
70 Who were Uigurs, they all were together (?, hama), they went outside
the city. In the city are only the Dumta. For them in the city there is
no food and no animals. Now indeed one more month has passed and
no report at all comes as to how it is in the city. Who is Bidaga Sahana
(Bilgd Sayun), he then was with the Uigurs. What men had fled with
Bagaraka, they could not at all protect (?, pammastd yuda(mdd)>) wife
and son. They came naked. Who were the buduns in Kantsou, they now
are three kinds. Who are Tolis and Turk Bayfrqu and Hattabara and
Uc incu (' the three appanages'), they have settled in Yipkin-tay and
Bedadaruka. As many as are Uigurs, all of those have settled in Qaratay
[and Qaratay]. Who are Dumva and Caha:spata (Tib. jags-pa ' robber')
and Sulya (? Sogdians), ,they are in the city. Since now these three
 THE SEVEN PRINCES 623

groups altogether disagree, no messenger at all can enter Kantsou.

80 On the one side is trouble and on the other food is lacking. When into
the city of Sacu all had come and when seven or eight days had passed,
then we so sent word to Tcirthusi and to Bagaraka, saying, Who are
the princes, they are religious teachers (dsirya = dcdrya). They have
no enemies. We will send, one after the other, one or two men to Kantsou
and they will look to the rumours of good and bad. And afterwards we
will go. Then here in Sacu so they said, saying, There is no objection
(gamjsa = ' fault'); send men (or a man). And the greater man (mista
— mistara) does not go, and we began to send (?, hays-) wheat for him.
And then Bagaraka Attema, uha: sent a man for Dum Samgalaka and
invited him to his house. And so he said, saying, How are you to send
a man now to Kantsou ? Can he go ? Who was Uhu:ysa uha: (*0yuz
iigd) who used to do the royal command and accepted many royal favours,
he is dead. Who then was Ttattaya uha: (*Tatai iigd), he is dead. Caraiha:
uha: {*Car'iy iigd) they are seeking everywhere in the mountains; we
will. . . (ajsdm ?). And Aha:cl (*Ayaci), he is in Sacu. Who is Khan, he
90 is a child. Now his command does not prevail at all in the city. Except
a man goes and the Tatars do not kill him on the way (keeping ni), how
will it be ? In Kantsou they are afraid of the Uigurs everywhere outside
the city. They are dead with famine. The Uigurs remain. They have
now just secured their new (place ?). They will not tolerate investigation
(nvasta-). Wherever they lack a survey {naiskaica = visesa) of the
country, there is a road not even for one man. The Uga so said, saying,
These religious teachers are travelling empty-handed. When can one
escort them on their road, so that there may be no Uigurs ? Can they
really travel, without the Uigurs and Cimuls outside the city killing
them ? Then they will make all of them herdsmen (pasa-vdld). There is no
other method. They are sons of a king. So they are in need to go into China
whether it should be good for them there or bad. It is their parents'
country. Here they will become servants of the Uigurs and Cimuls.
When does he bear that ill name ? The problem of the road is so
100 important. Suddenly for the humble servants a road was found: We
could not make any report at all. What small amounts (of money) had
been brought, that all, used to supply two presents, was exhausted among
the Cimuls and in Sacu. We have absolutely nothing. How it is now . . .
(tta pve -?-) with the land in Kantsou, all the other land-occupying new
iigas and buyruqs are settling. They lose all profit {Sikand, only here)
if the road is open. Who were the men of the earlier period (mamgdra),
who received many royal favours, they have all perished. Then there
is the great rumour (ndma) that the seven princes have come, and
important messengers for China with six hundred kin (Chinese Jx, about
600 grammes) of jade (ird-, translates Sanskrit sild, cf. £ailodd as name
of the jade river of Khotan, BSOAS 10. 920), and the princes and
624 THE SEVEN PRINCES

messengers no longer have money for an escort. Though now to us one

royal command, according to His Majesty's understanding, has come,
saying, Though there may not be so much money, yet cannot the
road be opened (nirve from nirvj- ' burst' ?) without money, or has it
become quite impossible ?

Draft Letter of the Seven Princes, 108-120

110 To the Court report is made. The humble . . . [Repeated phrases.] The
seven princes. We went out from the royal sight, saying, We are going
to Guttausana ( ^ |gf |i|, GoSrnga). The command to us was, Do not stay
long in Sacu. Though we placed the letter in the hand of Capastaka,
he does not yet direct it to Kantsou. All our animals have perished; our
clothes have been lost. We have no money for the animals nor for clothes.
We cannot set out for Kantsou with . . . {sai kdcajsp -?-). What were
the animals of the Tai-sis (ttaya-sl, -fa W ' great teachers'), they
perished. We have no money for animals, nor for clothes. . . . We . . . ed
(uvamdu -?-) the animals . . . (jnihg,: ya). When we come to Svahva ($j ~)j
Suo-fang), then we shall have no present (skyesa, Tib. skyes) nor letter
for the Chinese king. Our own money for food and drink has given out.
How can he extend a little favour to us % Up to now many men have
died in Kantsou. There is no message, food, if the command should
120 then arrive, saying, Go . . . If it should be necessary to enter the fire,
we cannot bring ourselves back again.