Manjusrigrha inscription
The Manjusrigrha inscription is an inscription dated 714 Saka, written in Old Malay with Old Javanese script. The inscription was discovered in 1960 on the right side of the stairs entrance of Sewu pervara no. 202 on the west side. The inscription was carved on an andesite stone block measuring 71 cm x 42 cm x 29 cm. The House of Manjusri mentioned in this inscription may be identified with one of the temples belonging to the Sewu complex, located approximately 800 metres north of Prambanan temple, though it is unlikely to be the main Sewu temple, which probably housed statues of the Five Tathāgatas instead.
The inscription mentions the building of a temple tower, called Vajrāsana, to house a statue of the boddhisattva Manjusri. This demonstrates Tantrayana—Vajrayana Buddhist influence. The text is remarkable as being by far the oldest known example of a verse text in the Malay language.
Contents
The inscription is written in 16 lines. The following Old Malay text and English translation was published by Arlo Griffiths. The Arabic numerals refer to lines of the inscription, while the Roman numerals refer to verse stanzas.Text
śrī svasti śakavarṣātīta 714 kārttikamāsa caturddaśi śuklapakṣa śukravāra vās· pon· tatkālaṇḍa daṃ nāyaka di raṇḍa lūravaṃ nāmaṇḍa maṃdr̥ṣṭi diṃ vajrāsana mañjuśrī nāmāñaṃ prāsāda tlas· sida maṃdr̥ṣṭi mañamvaḥ sida di daṁ hyaṃ daśadiśa liita yaṃ praṇidhānaṇḍa ||I. phalāṅku maṃmaṅgap· puṇya diṃ janmeni paratra lai
kalpavr̥kṣa mu°aḥ āku diṃ jagat· sacarācara
II. sarvvasatvopajīvyāku sarvvasatvekanāyaka
sarvvasatvaparitrātā sarvvasatvekavāndhava ||
III. praṇidhni mahātyanta śraddhāvegasamudgata
mañjuśrī samumbhr̥ta sarvvaśrīsukhaājana
IV. prāsādeni kumaṅgap· ya puṇyāṇḍa śrī nareśvara
°ihajanma paratrāku jaṅan sārak· daṅan sida ||
V. °ini janma kūminta ya nissāra kadalī iga
°ājñā narendra sārāña - - jagattraya ||
VI. °ājñāṇḍa kujuṃjuṃ nitya diṃ janmeni paratra lai
araṃ kāryya mahābhāra °āku mū°aḥ susārathi ||
VII. svāmikāryya kṣā svāmicittia kuparñaman·
svāmibhakti dr̥ḍhābhedya phalabukti °anindita ||
VIII. phala puṇya kubhuktya dari °ājñ nareśvara
diṃ janmagaticakreni svāmi mū°aḥ parāyaṇa
Translation
Fortune! Hail! Elapsed Śaka year 714, month of Kārttika, fourteenth of the waxing fortnight, Friday, Vās, Pon. That was the time that the reverend chief at Raṇḍa, called Lūravaṅ, had a vision at the Vajrāsana. The temple of which he has a vision was called House of Mañjuśrī. He made obeisance to the venerated ones of the ten directions. His resolution was written by Naras Samanta lord Rān.I. My fruit maṅgaps as merit in this life as well as in the next: may I be a wish-tree in the world with its moving and stationary beings.
II. I one on whom all beings can depend, the sole leader of all beings, the protector of all beings, the sole relative of all beings.
III. This resolution, great and limitless, has arisen due to the impulse of faith. Assembled, the House of Mañjuśrī, will yield universal fortune and happiness.
IV. This temple is maṅgaped by me as the merit of the illustrious lord of men. In life here, as well as yonder, may I not be separated from him.
V. This life has been requested by me. Like a plantain, it is devoid of a substantial core. It is requested... the three worlds.
VI. His instruction is always held high by me, in this life as well as yonder. Whenever task is a great burden, may I be trusty charioteer.
VII. The master's task is my expertise. The master's thought is put at ease by me. Devotion to the master is steadfast unbreakable. The enjoyment of fruits is irreproachable.
VIII. The fruit merit, from the instruction of the lord of men, will be enjoyed by me in this wheel of birth and departure. May
the master be the refuge.