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OLA
LEAVES
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HISTORY Ola leaves come from the Talipot tree. Some famous works were written on Ola leaves known as sabda vakyam-s., amongst them the Tripitakas or (Buddhist scriptures) Tipitaka (ti means three and pitaka means basket). There is a reason for this name. The original manuscript which is divide in two, one section called Gangsur and the other Dangsur with both together amount to 4570 volumes,was written down on ola (palm) leaves with a stilo, a pointed steel dagger-like instrument, which scratched the letters into the soft leaves. An ink made from berries was rubbed over the whole page and then gently removed, so that only the indentations retained the color. Ola leaves were not bound like books, but had to be carried around in baskets. Three separate ones were used: one for Suthra Pitakaya (Basket of Discourse), one for Vinaya Pitakaya (Basket of discipline) and one for Abidarma Pitakaya (Basket of Metaphysics), to keep them apart. Since that time, bhikkhus of Sri Lanka have copied the original ola leaves on to new ones in the same manner, because the leaves eventually crumble and fall apart. It is a matter of pride and tradition for the bhikkhus of the monastery built around the rock where Mahindra First preached the Dhamma to copy the original leaves year after year. It is all about philosophy, history, language, literature, art, atronomy, mewdicine, architecture, knowledge of the calender and this chinese work is atreasure of mankind. These scriptures written on Ola leaves (palm tree type) look like writings
on a form of bark. Some say that they were originally written on goat
skins, later transcribed on copper plaques, and then on ola leaves which
are now claimed to be hundreds of years old. Horoscopes of contemporary people, Asian and non-Asian, written on ancient palm (ola) leaves have been known for decades in both Sri Lanka and in southern India, especially Tamil Nadu. They have been discussed in many issues of Indian astrological magazines, though mainly in the context of the subject of astrology but not on their history, or on why they were written or even with studies on their authenticity. One South Indian reader of these leaves who had dealt with these for over forty years in Sri Lanka told me they were originally written on goat skins, later transcribed on copper plaques, and then on ola leaves which are now claimed to be. hundreds of years old. If this is correct, the possibility of errors in transcription cannot be excluded. On why they were written, it has been surmised that they were tutorial exercises set by the ancient sages (rishis) to their pupils who were set the task of composing the horoscopes of persons yet to be born in a series of dates and times, or that the sages made these writings for the guidance of people, There were apparently seven (saptha) rishis (saptharishi) who authored these horoscopes individually or in conference of all seven (saprha-rishi vaakyam, seven -rishi stanzas). Since these writings relate to ordinary people, it does not appear that the authors were concerned only with important persons whose life histories could make vivid stories. Some clients are told that there are no leaves pertaining to them. These leaves are claimed to have been in ancient Hindu temples in South India from where they were either stolen or bought during the British occupation of India. The British, it is said, took away the manuscripts of utilitarian value to them, such as traditional medicinal and alchemical texts. The remainder were the horoscopes. Since they apparently dealt with the lives of contemporary people, the present owners of the manuscripts have made a lucrative practice of reading them for their subjects in Asian countries. An occasional non-Asian has also found his leaf.
There is no discussion between reader and subject except initially when the subject is asked to verify that the leaf is indeed his, from his date of birih, and names of the subject and of his parents, and on occasion from key facts of his life, eg. number of siblings. The absence of such a discussion excludes the possibility of the reader 'fishing out' information from the client. The reading states all significant facts from the time he was born including where be was born (eg. public hospital, major city), the date, day of the week, the natal horoscope, parents' names, subject's name, number of siblings (male, female), number of children (male, female), profession, events in the subject's life and a full description of the natal chart. It is again to be emphasised that, although the subject does not initially state his time of birth, the horoscope that is described necessarily entails a 'knowledge' of the time of birth because the natal horoscope depends on it for its accuracy. The events are related to astrologically determined 'periods'; under the rulership and sub-rulership of specific 'planets'. In my fathers' reading (case No.4) which he obtained in the 1930s, the periods were listed from the year of his birth (1889) till only 1960, as if to mean 'that; 1989-1960, is his life span'; indeed he 4ied in 1960, a correct prediction for a 30 year period. Theses tibetan scriptures are now being corrected by China as many mistakes were made when copying the text, a special group is now correcting the writings and a 5 year plan has been created.
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