NOTICE 



THE THIRD EDITION. 



THE call for a third edition on the same day that the second was 

 announced for publication, and within less than two months 

 from the appearance of the first, has furnished a gratifying 

 assurance of the interest which the public are disposed to take 

 in the subject of the present work. 



Thus encouraged, I have felt it my duty to make several 

 alterations in the present impression, amongst the most im- 

 portant of which is the insertion of a Chapter on the doctrines 

 of Buddhism as it developes itself in Ceylon. 1 In the historical 

 sections I had already given an account of its introduction by 

 Mahindo, and of the establishments founded by successive 

 sovereigns for its preservation and diffusion. To render the 

 narrative complete, it was felt desirable to insert an abstract of 

 the peculiar tenets of the Buddhists ; and this want it has been 

 my object to supply. The sketch, it will be borne in mind, is 

 confined to the principal features of what has been denominated 

 Southern Buddhism " amongst the Singhalese ; as distin- 

 guished from "Northern Buddhism" in Nepal, Thibet, and 

 China. 2 The latter has been largely illustrated by the labours 



1 See Part IV., c. xi. 



2 MAX MILLER, History of Sanskrit Literature, p. 262. 



a2 



