[18]According to _Rhys Davids_’s work, _nirvâna_ means the state of holiness which ripes man for death _without regeneration_, the so-called _parinirvâna_. But the signification of nirvâna itself differs in proportion to time and caste. [19]This superstratum is about 2,5 yard high and 7 yards wide. The lower terrace on the outside was about 3 yards wider, and 1 yard high. These numbers are nearly just and sufficient enough to my purpose. [20]At that time I could not have thought of a permanent uncovering, because the preservation of the whole ruin would have required retain-walls too expensive, and too much disfiguring the temple itself. The architect van de Kamer thought it afterwards possible, but expensive, to have the ruin restored again, and its original foot permanently uncovered. Sunlight, heat and rain-water however, would do much to its decay unless the ruin itself became wholly covered. Otherwise the time-worn joints becoming more and more wide would admit much more rain-water between the stones into the earth of the hill under the ruin, and this earth would then be carried away more rapidly than is the case now, and have the ruin spoilt and decayed. [21]Above the first discovered imageries of the foot we found inscriptions in ancient Javanese characters scratched in stone. On this ground the Society, presided by myself, proposed the Dutch Government to have the whole temple’s foot uncovered (in the only way possible) without endangering the foot itself, whilst the cost was estimated at £ 768. The Government put up with it, and granted the necessary sum for the budget of 1890. [22]As well as so many angels painted by our artists don’t always represent a Gabriel, a Raphael or a Michael. [23]_Bulletin de l’école française d’Extrême Orient_, I, No: 1 page 21-22. [24]Both this Nâga and Garuḍa are mythical beings who adopt different shapes. On the lower wall 4 × 26 = 104 on the second ” 4 × 26 = 104 on the third ” 4 × 22 = 88 on the fourth ” 4 × 18 = 72 and on the fifth ” 4 × 16 = 64 together 432 [26]The first effort to interpret this series we owe to the Austrian draughtsman in Netherlands-Indian civil service F. C. Wilsen. [27]We shall afterwards speak about these former lives or _jâtakas_. It was Mr. Foucher who afterwards expounded many representations, and after him, van Erp also explained another few ones. [28]If we don’t count those on the front sides of the more than 400 small dagobs, we see there: