536 BUDDHISM AND DEMOX-WORSHIP. [rAux IV. 



Lave undergone in Ceylon are altogether external, and 

 clearly referable to its anomalous association with the 

 worship of its ancient rivals the Brahmans. These 

 changes, however, are the result of proximity and asso- 

 ciation rather than of incorporation or adoption ; and 

 even now the process of expurgation is in progress with 

 a view to the restoration of the pristine purity of the 

 faith by a formal separation from the observances of Hin- 

 duism. The schismatic Idngs and the Malabar sovereigns 

 introduced the worship of Vishnu and Shiva into the 

 same temples with that of Buddha.^ The innovation has 

 been perpetuated ; and to the present day the statues of 

 these conflicting divinities are to be found within the 

 same buildings ; the Dewales of Hinduism are erected 

 within the same inclosure as the Wiharas of the Buddhists ; 

 and the Kappoorales of the one rehgion ofliciate at 

 their altars, almost beneath the same roof with the 

 priests and neophytes of the other. But beyond this 

 parade of their emblems, the worship of the Hindu 

 deities throughout the Singhalese districts is entirely de- 

 void of the obscenities and cruelty by which it is clia- 

 racterised on the continent of India ; and it would almost 

 appear as if these had been discontinued by the Brah- 

 mans in compliment to the superior purity of the worship 

 with which their o\vn had become thus fortuitously as- 

 sociated. The exclusive prejudices of caste were at the 

 same remote period partially engrafted on the simpler 

 and more generous disciphne of Buddha ; and it is only 

 recently that any vigorous exertions have been attempted 

 for their disseverance. 



On comparing this system with other prevaihng re- 

 hgions which divide with it the worship of the East, Bud- 

 dhism at once vindicates its own superiority, not only by 

 the purity of its code of morals, but by its freedom from 

 the fanatical intolerance of the Mahometans and its ab- 

 horrent rejection of the revolting rites of the Brahmanical 



^ See ante, Vol. I. Part in. cli. viii. p. 378. 



