But the rescinding of a precept when abused is no valid argument 

 against its original rectitude ; and how far the philosophical doc- 

 trines promulgated by Buddha may be considered as tending to 

 establish materialism will be the subject of future discussion. The 

 learned Indians seem, from a very remote period, to have been 

 divided into two grand sects, a circumstance noticed by classical 

 writers, who name them Brachmans and Samanaeans, z. e. the fol- 

 lowers of Samanacodom, an appellative of Buddha. Hence Mr. 

 Chambers, in the Asiatic Researches,* where he is treating of 

 some grand remains of ancient Hindoo temples and sculptures, 

 like those of Salsette and Elephanta, cut out of the solid rock, on 

 the Coromandel coast, observes, that there anciently prevailed in 

 India, or at least in the Peninsula, a system of religion, very dif- 

 ferent from that inculcated in the Vedas, and, in some respects, 

 totally inconsistent with the principles and practice of the present 

 Brahmins. This religion still flourishes in the farther Peninsula, 

 particularly among the Siamese, between whom and the inhabi- 

 tants of Deccan and Ceylone, it is evident, from his Dissertation, 

 that a considerable intercourse, in very remote periods, has subsis- 

 ted. Mr. Chambers supposes this religion to be the worship of the 

 God BOODH, whose votaries, Mr. Knox observes, took particular 

 pride in erecting to his honour temples and high monuments, " as 

 if they had been born solely to hew rocks and great stones, and 

 lay them up in heaps. "-f- Their kings, he adds, are now happy 

 spirits, having merited heaven by those stupendous labours. In 

 the same treatise, among other evidences of the probability of his 

 supposition, Mr. Chambers has inserted a passage from M. Gentil, 



* Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 145. 



t See Knox's curious and authentic historical account of the island of Ceylone ; published 

 at/ London, 1681. 



