230 Mr. B. H. Hodgson's Sketch of Btiddhism. 



" the notion that the Jainas are sectarian Bauddhas, who dissented from 

 " their Bauddha brethren merely in carrying to a gross excess, and in 

 " promulgating publicly, certain dangerous dogmas, which the more prudent 

 " Bauddhists chose to keep veiled from all but the initiated. The Nipal 

 " Bauddhists are very jealous of any intrusion into tlieir esoteric dogmas 

 " and symbols; so much so, that though I have been for seven years 

 " enquiring after these things, my old Vajra Achdrya friend only recently 

 " o-ave me a peep at the esoteric dogmas ; and my C/nirakdr (Baudd/ia 

 " though he be) has only within these last twelve months brought me some 

 " esoteric pictures : nor probably should I have got at these secret things 

 «' at all, if I had not been able to examine the Bauddha books, in some 

 " small degree, myself; and if a Bhotiya had not put into my hands a 

 " picture containing one of these naked saints. "With these decisive means 

 " of questioning in my power, I at last got my Bauddha assistants to draw 

 " up the veil of the sanctuary, to bring me copies of the naked saints, and 

 " to tell me a little of the naked doctrines," 



Extract of a Letter from Brian Houghton Hodgson, Esq. 

 to Dr. Nathaniel Wallich. 



" Nipal, 1st November 1827. 

 " I cannot just now go into a description of the significance of all the 

 " details of the sculptures which I have sent. Suffice it to say, that every 

 " part of each image is significant ; and that the differences between the 

 " five are marked, first, by the different position of the hands (which is 

 " called the mudra) ; secondly, by the variety of the supporters ; thirdly, 

 " by the variety of the cognizances placed between the supporters ; and 

 " fourthly (where painting and colours are used), by difference of colour. 

 " Vairdchana's appropriate colour is white ; Akshdbhija's, blue ; Ratna- 

 " Sambhavcfs, yellow, or golden ; AmiUibha's, red ; and AmogJta-Siddha's, 

 " green."* 



Extract of a Letter from Brian Houghton Hodgson, Esq. 



to Henry Thomas Colebrooke, Esq., Dir. R.A.S. 



" I beg to present you with the accompanying sketch of Buddhism. 



" There are a few matters connected with it, which it may be advisable to 



" state to you ; and in the first rank stands the authority upon which I 



* See Plate I, fig.c, d, e,f, g. 



