CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

— 372 —
Calico Bag", Pu-tai kwo-shang iff •$£ ^| ftf (1). In pictures, the
bag is found also at his feet (2),
while he bears in the hand a
rosary, and is attended by little urchins or goblins, who play around
him. He is said to be the last incarnation of Maitreya [3), the
Future Buddha, who is at present in the Tuchita heavens. The
Tibetan list seems to have borrowed this monk's name and functions
from China (4).
Illustration n" 78 represents him in a sitting posture, the upper
part of the abdomen exposed to view, and the bag lying
at his feet.
The reader is referred to Illustration n° 75, which as stated above v 5),
represents
also this Arhat.
Nola. — Dharmatala or Dharmatrata, Tah-mo-to-lo j|§ )p. ^ $|.
The Tibetan list has its 18 Arhats, comprising
the 16 of Su-
shih's list, and 2 others added, namely the Upasaka Dharmatala, or
Dharmatrata, and Hvashan (6). The latter corresponds to the
1
"Monk with the Calico Bag ', and has been described in n° 18 of
the Wuwei-chow group ^7). We append, therefore, a short descrip-
tion of Dharmatala.
This Arhat was born at Gandhara, and seems to be the uncle
of Vasumitra. His name is interpreted "Religious Saviour", Full-
kin ££ ^ (8). Though he was but an. Upasaka, or lay-follower, he
(1) Pu l£\ cotton or hempen fabrics, calico. Tai $%, a bag, a sack, a
case to inclose or protect things. Hwn-shang ^P f£f, a Buddhist monk. Hence
the "Monk with the Calico Bag". Williams. Dictionary
Languague.
of the Chinese
(2) See Chinese Superstitions Vol. VII. Illustrations n° 75 and n° 78.
(3) Waddell. The Buddhism of Tibet, p. 378 (Hvashan).
(4) Journal Asiatique. Sept. -Oct 1916. p. 2^0. — Chinese Superstitions.
Vol. VII. p. 352.
(5) Chinese Superstitions Vol. VII. p 3f>8.
((3) Chinese Superstitions Vol VII. p. 352, and 354 (Tibetan
18 Arhats).
(7) Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. p 371-372.
List of the
(8) Waddell The Buddhism of Tibet, p. 377. — F.itel. Sanscrit-Chinese
Dictionary, p 33.