Nāi Sāng Thun; Nāng Sāng Mai; their family (inhabiting Bān Luang, Müang Chiang Mai
Subject matter:
Jataka
Copyist:
Anonymous
Copying date in native date:
12th (waxing) 6th (lunar) Cūḷasakarāja 1299
Copying date in Gregorian:
1937 April 22
Script:
Shan; Burmese
Writing support:
Mulberry paper – Leporello format
Watermark?:
No
Countermark?:
No
Manuscript cover?:
Yes
Binding?:
No
Manuscript cover dimension:
20 x 46 cm
Manuscript paper dimension:
20 x 46 cm
Text block dimension:
17 x 39 cm
Number of pages:
387 pages
Number of blank pages:
2 pages
Rubrication?:
No
Illumination?:
No
Illustration?:
Yes
Manuscript condition:
Good
Description of manuscript content:
This manuscript is a Jātaka tale pertaining to the Bodhisattva who was born as Mahosatha Kumāra. One day, people in the city spread the rumor of a shiny marble in a swamp. King Vitheha Rāchā of Mithilā city had a group of noblemen drain out the swamp but still could not find the marble. The king thus challenged Mahosatha’s wisdom. Mahosatha refilled the swamp to let the shiny marble show up and had a man climb a tree. The man found the marble on the tree and took it down; its reflection in the swamp thus vanished.
Colophon:
မေႁႃ်သထႃ တွႆးသွင် မူၼႆႉ ႁဝ်းၸီယင်ငင်ႉငၵ် ဢၼၵ် ၺုၼ်းေၽႃ် ၵံးၼႆႉ ဝႃေယႃ်လုံးတွင် ယွတ်လုင် ပိဝ်ႁုင် ေသ်ယဝ်ႉ သူ႟သူေၼႃ်း။
I finished copying this Mahosatha Jātaka manuscript, volume 2 in the time that the wind blows and flowers are falling. I finish the writing now, everybody.
Remark: The date corresponds to 1299 Vaisakha 12.
Other notes:
The front cover, the back cover, and the spine are decorated with black lacquer and gilded with gold leaves. The manuscript is slightly damaged.
(The inner flyleaf)
I pay homage to the supreme Buddha who is more excellent than gods and humans and brings all living creatures away from the suffering Cycle of Rebirths. I put flowers on a tray to pay homage to the 84,000 categories of the Dhamma (Dhammakhandha) and to the well-behaving Sangha. I am going to copy Mahosatha Jātaka manuscript. May the merit [derived from copying this manuscript] happen to me and give me new rebirths with good habits, morality, gift-giving habits, and opportunities to meditate. In my final life, may I become a Buddha, overcoming defilements and evils.
The manuscript was copied from the original version authored by Care Müang Nòng in CS 1241 (2423 BE), on the 2nd waxing moon day of the 3rd lunar month and sponsored by Cao Fā (Prince) of Müang Nòng.
Remark: The date corresponds to Wednesday, 14 January 1880