blance of the body of Gótama when alive. The déwas, brahmas, and demons, knowing that this will be the last opportunity they will have of paying honour to the relics of Gótama, will assemble from the 10,000 sakwalas, and present offerings. Then the relics will put forth rays of glory that will extend to the brahma-lókas. The brahmas and other beings will exclaim, "To-day the relics of Budha will become extinct!" They will tremble exceedingly, and with a sorrow equal to that which was manifested when Gótama attained nirwana they will cry out, "the religion of Budha has passed away; the glory of Budha is defiled; the commands of Budha are neglected; the fame of Budha is overshadowed!" Their thoughts will be carried forward to consider how long this darkness will continue, and when Maitri Budha will appear; after which they will respectfully circumambulate the relics three or four times, and return to their respective worlds. A flame will at length proceed from the relics, extending far, and by this they will be burnt. The déwas and brahmas, on perceiving this, will remain for a time in grief, and make no use of their festive couches and chariots; but in due course the remembrance of these things will pass away, and the inhabitants of the various worlds will return to their accustomed modes of existence, all knowledge of the doctrines of the Budhas having entirely disappeared from the earth. It It was a bold assertion of Gótama, to declare that the religious system he taught would continue for the space of five thousand years; yet it was singular that he should tell of its extinction at all. We trust that long before this period has been added to the age of the world, the prophecy of the sage will be fulfilled. The carelessness and indifference of the people among whom the system is professed are the most powerful means of its conservation. is almost impossible to move them, even to wrath. As the battering-ram that would break down the mightiest wall is of little use against the rampart of earth; so the want of firmness in the minds of those to whom the truth is presented prevents them from being impressed by its influence. They appear to acquiesce in the propositions that are made to them; but it is merely an outward assent that they give, and not that of the understanding. But in countries where the messengers of the cross have laboured the longest, and with the greatest diligence, the sramana has been brought to acknowledge the power of the Word of God. Not long ago the high priest of the Budhists in Ceylon wrote to the monarch of Siam to solicit gifts, and informed his majesty, that unless he came forward liberally to support the cause of their common religion, it would soon be banished from the island by the efforts of Europeans to impress their own systems upon the minds of the people. This is a triumph of no common order, and it will afford a vantage-ground for the combat to those missionaries who are living in other countries where Budhism is professed. The ancient Romans said of their city, "While stands the Coliseum Rome shall stand, When falls the Coliseum Rome shall fall, And when Rome falls, the world." And the Budhists of other lands have a similar supposition relative to the Budhism of Ceylon. They imagine that the isle of Lanká is sacred ground, from its being the spot in which the bana was first committed to writing; and that whilst their system flourishes there, it will flourish every where; but that when it falls there, it will fall throughout the world. The ancient fabric already totters; it will soon be swept from its base by the power that alone is resistless; and in its stead will be erected the temple of the Lord, in which all the earth will worship the Father Everlasting. 271 17, for the paths read nirwána. 99 272 note, for Pújáwaluja read Pújáwaliya, and dele pre at the end of the line. 276 line 33, for sachi read sacha. 304 33, for sages read sage. 308 21, for arúpa read rúpa. 99 326 19, for couch read conch, and for or read of. 357 31, for affected read effected. INDEX AND GLOSSARY. Abhidharmma, the third division of the Abhignyáwa, five great powers attached Abstraction, benefits of, 51, 302; instances Abyssinian church, 56. Ammonius Saccas, 384, 385. Anágámi, the third of the four paths lead- Adhikarana-samatá-dhammá, a class of Anguli-mála, a priest, 36, 198. priestly misdemeanours, 9. Affections, to be annihilated, 57. Ahiwátaka-róga, a mysterious disease, 85. Alexander, 122. Alms, benefits to be derived from the giving Alphabet, Singhalese, 313. Amarasingha, the Sanskrit lexicon so Animal food, the use of not absolutely for- Anomadassa, a Budha previous to Gótama, Anótatta, a lake in the Himalayas, 178. Anulóma, the ascending scale in dialectics, Anurudha, a priest, 89, 119, 177. Apollonius Tyaenus, 380. Arborolatry, 216. Arppana, the superior form of samádhi Arrak an, 162, 236, 331. Arúpa, incorporeal, 264, 271, 308. Amáwatura, a book of legends in Singha- Arya, the rahatship, the last of the four lese, 107. America, 222. Ambrose, 164, 361. paths leading to nirwana, 280, 294. Asankya, atsankya, a number inconceiv- F F Asanyasattá, an unconscious state of being, | Bennett, 214, 220. Asceticism, rites of, as practised by the Asraya, four modes of evil, so called, 290. Asurs, an order of beings who reside under Aswása, the inspirated breath, 266. Atheism, taught by Gótama, 5. Atthakatha, a commentary on the sacred Augustine, Augustines, 54, 76, 165, 361, Awichi, a hell so called, 32. Awidya, ignorance, 290, 295, 302, 307. Ayatana, the sentient organs and their re- Babylon, 221, 352. Bacchic mysteries, 48. Bagawa, bhagawat, the most meritorious, Bana, the word, the name given to the sa- Bathing, 149. Bede, 421. Belgium, monks and nuns of, 416. Being, what it is, 5, 308. Bernard, 53, 122, 361, 387, 398. Bible Society, 424. Bó, the tree near which Gótama became Bódhi, wisdom, 155. Bódhisat, a candidate for the supreme Body, to be despised, its corruption, 34, Bolton, monks of, 369. Books, the sacred, 166; names of the, read Brahma-lókas, the highest of the celestial Brahmanism, 17, 50, 60, 74, 101, 107, 112, Budha Gaya, a city erected near the spot Budhagósha, author of a commentary on Burma, the Budhism of, 12, 37, 56, 115, Butler, Alban, 55, 58, 60, 63, 74, 105, 109, Canons, 360. |