Dear Patrick, I believe that for the creation of art, altars and so forth in connection with ritual use, tradition required that the measure be taken from the sponsor's physical dimensions. As the system is therefore relative and not absolute, exact conversion is not possible.
The measures used in actual practice, however, may often be a different matter. all best, Matthew Matthew Kapstein Directeur d'études, émérite Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies, The University of Chicago ________________________________ From: INDOLOGY <[email protected]> on behalf of patrick mccartney via INDOLOGY <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2021 11:13 AM To: Indology List <[email protected]> Subject: [INDOLOGY] cubits Dear Friends, I have a query about cubits. I know that different lengths for the cubit measurement exist across time and cultures, though I'm still left with some doubt about my conversion. Might I be correct in calculating 60 cubits = 27.4 meters (90 feet)? I came across this figure in the following passage. “Uggasena appeared; he climbed up a pole sixty cubits high made up of many lengths of bamboo affixed one to the other firmly. He stood on top of the pole poised to stage a performance.” (vol. 3, p 217) // “Their show usually started with the appearance on the stage of a young maid, the daughter of the troupe's leading acrobat. She displayed her skill in acrobatics in various styles on a string of bamboos at a certain height from the ground; she moved from end to end gently and steadily, as she danced and sang with a pleasant voice.” (vol. 3, p 214) Vicittasārābhivaṃsa et al. (1996, vol. 3, p. 217).<https://holybooks.com/great-chronicle-buddhas/> Thank you. All the best, パトリック マッカートニー Patrick McCartney, PhD Research Affiliate - Organization for Identity and Cultural Development (OICD), Kyoto Research Associate - Nanzan University Anthropological Institute, Nagoya, Japan Visiting Fellow - South and South-east Asian Studies Department, Australian National University Member - South Asia Research Institute (SARI), Australian National University Skype / Zoom - psdmccartney Phone + Whatsapp + Line: +61410644259 Twitter - @psdmccartney @yogascapesinjap Yogascapes in Japan<http://yogascapes.weebly.com/> Academia<https://patrickmccartney.academia.edu/> Linkedin<https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=241756978&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile> Modern Yoga Research<http://www.modernyogaresearch.org/events/> bodhapūrvam calema ;-) [https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=19R8Cikbi8EiQ5UYFEBkervRVqXt-_Plr&revid=0B0ONiOO-EUx-TW1CYjlVQzhaeDVReUhFRzdubWdBLzRxaTlvPQ] *
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