.'366 Lieut. Alexander's Visit to the Cavern Temples ofAdjunta. 



and Buddha caves being arched, shews a posterior date to the flat-roofed 

 excavations of Elephanta, and others appropriated to the followers of Brah- 

 ma : and, in support of this theory, it is said that the Hindus, previously to 

 the M uhamedan invasion, were unacquainted with the manner of construct- 

 ing the arch. But when we consider that these vast excavations must have 

 been hewn out of the living rock, while the Jains were in the plenitude of 

 their power, and long before the persecutions had begun by the followers of 

 Brahma, I think we may safely assert that their antiquity is much greater 

 than that of either the Ellora* or Elephanta excavations. 



Respecting the antiquity of the Jain or Buddhist religions : in the earliest 

 accounts of India, by Arrian and other authors, and at the period of Alex- 

 ander's expedition in 327 B.C., tlie natives are described as having long 

 hair and slender bodies, and as being divided into different castes or tribes. 

 It is therefore pretty evident that the religion of Buddha was then on the 

 decline : for I think that its high antiquity may be satisfactorily proved, 

 both from the paintings and sculptured figures in these excavations; 

 which exhibit traces of the existence of a woolly-haired race, now no where 

 found on the Indian continent ; and who, according to the commonly re- 

 ceived legend, were persecuted and scattered by the disciples of Brahma ; 

 a considerable body of them being driven to Ceylon, from whence they 

 spread the religion of Buddha through Siam, Burma, and China. This perse- 

 cution is supposed to have arisen from the Buddliist religion (when placed 

 in immediate comparison with the Brahminical) not being suited to the taste 

 of the inhabitants of Hindoostan, who are fond of glitter and shew, and who 

 dazzled by the splendour of the present rites, turned from these plain and 

 unadorned figures of Buddha, to the mysterious Trimurti, and wonder-work- 

 ing Avatars. From these premises I conceive the age of the caves of Ad- 

 junta to be nearer three than two thousand years. 



Ed'amination of the Caves. 



The principal excavation, or grand temple, is situated about a hundred 

 and fifty feet from the bed of the nullah, or stream, and on the face of the 

 hill. The magnificent entrance is surrounded by scattered jungle and 



and several subordinate saints ; both excavated temples ; and, in India, were divided into the 

 four castes of priests, soldiers, merchants, and labourers. In Ava the Buddhists are not divided 

 into castes. 



* One of the Ellora caves is a Jain temple; the rest are Brahminical. 



