256 Noles to Mr. B. H. Hodgson's Skelch of Buddhism. 



Dharma'kar (whom he brought with him) as first Raja of NipaL But I nevertheless 

 suppose (upon the authority of tradition) that Nipal received some colonists from India ; 

 and that some of the earhest propagators of Buddiiism in Nipal came to the valley direct 

 from India. Be that as it may, the Indian origin of Nipalese Buddhism (whether it 

 reached the valley direct, or viii Bhote or China) seems to be unquestionable from the 

 fact that all the great Sangata scriptures of Nipal are written in the Sanscrit language. 

 From the gradual decay of literature and of a knowledge of Sanscrit among the Newars 

 has resulted the practice, now very common, of translating ritual works into the 

 vernacular tongue ; and also the usage of adding to the original Sanscrit of such works 

 comments in the vulgar language. Tlie great scriptures however have never been sub- 

 jected to the former process ; seldom to the latter ; for owing to Sanscrit having always 

 been considered by the Buddhists of Nipal the language of literature, they have neg- 

 lected to cultivate their vernacular tongue ; nor does there exist to this day a dictionary 

 or grammar of the Newari language. 



(31) Of course therefore the Bauddhas of Nlp.il have not properly any diversity of 

 caste ; that is, any indelible distinction of ranks derived from birth, and necessarily 

 carried to the grave. Genuine Buddhism proclaims the equality of all followers of 

 Buddha — seems to deny to them the privilege of pursuing worldly avocations, and 

 abhors the distinction of clergy and laity. All proper Bauddhas are Bandyas ; and all 

 Bandyas are equal as brethren in the faith. They are properly all ascetics — some 

 solitary, mostly coenobitical. Their convents are called I'ihdrs. The rule of these 

 J'ihdrs is a rule of freedom ; and the door of every J'ihar is always open, both to the 

 entrance of new comers, and to the departure of such of their old inmates as are tired 

 of their vows. Each Vih6r has a titular superior, whose authority over his brethren 

 depends only on their voluntary deference to his superior learning or piety. Women 

 are held equally worthy of admission with men, and each sex has its J'ihars. 



The old Baudd/ia scriptures enumerate four sorts of Bandyas, named Arhan, Bhihshu, 

 Srdvaka and Chailaka, who are correctly described in the text ; and from that description it 

 will be seen that there is no essential distinction between them, tiie Arhan being only segre- 

 gated from the rest by his superior proficiency in Bodhijni'in. Of these the proper institutes 

 of Buddhism, there remains hardly a trace in Nipal. The very names of the Arhan 

 and Chailaka have passed awaj' — the names, and the names only, of the other two 

 exist; and out of the gradual, and now total, disuse of monastic institutes, an exclusive 

 minister of the altar, denominated J'ajrd A'charya, has derived liis name, office, and 

 existence in Nipal, not only without sanction from the Bauddha scriptures, but in 

 direct opposition to their spirit and tendencj'. NipSl is still covered with Vihi'irs ; but 

 these ample and comfortable abodes have long resounded with the hum of industry and 

 the pleasant voices of women and children. The superior ministry of religion is now 

 solely in the hands of the Bandyas, entitled, I'qjra-A'chitrya in Sanscrit ; Gihht'il in 

 Newari : the inferior ministry, such Bhikshus as still follow religion as a lucrative and 

 learned profession, are competent to discharge. And these professions of the J'ajra 

 A'chiirya-, and of the Bhihshu, have become by usage hereditarj', as have all other 



