536 BUDDHISM AND DEMON-WOKSHIP. [PART IV. 



elation 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 kings and the Malabar sovereigns 

 introduced the worship of Vishnu and Shiva into the 

 same temples with that of Buddha. 1 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 religion officiate 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 cha- 

 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 own 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 discipline of Buddha ; and it is only 

 recently that any vigorous exertions have been attempted 

 for their disseverance. 



On comparing this system with other prevailing re- 

 ligions 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 

 faith. But mild and benevolent as are its aspects and 

 design, its theories have failed to realise in practice the 

 reign of virtue which they proclaim. Beautiful as is the 

 body of its doctrines, it wants the vivifying energy and 



1 See ante, Vol. I. Tart in. ch. viii. p. 378. 



