LITERATURE OF THE 3URMAS. 247 



"us therefore call it Zania*.' This appearance of 

 *' the fun, moon, and Itars, happened on a Sunday^ 

 *' at the full moon of the month Taboun, which corrc- 

 *' fponds partly with our Maj-chf: and at this very 

 " inftant of the fun's appearance, every thing on the 

 " earth became fuch as it has ever fince continued to 

 *' be. As when rice is boiled, fome of its particles. 

 " will remain crude and undrcfied, while the remainder 

 *' is fufficiently boiled ; fo likewife, fay the Burma 

 " doctors, by the power of Damata, or fate, part of 

 " the earth remains plain, part rifes into mountains, 

 " and part finks into vallies." 



" XL. In the foregoing paragraph it has been 

 " mentioned, that on the furface of the earth there 

 " had been generated a certain crull like butter, which 

 '' had difappeared, as foon as avarice, and the defire 

 *' of property, began among men. This cruft pcne- 

 '* trating the interior parts of the earth, and reaching 

 " the great rock Sila-pafhavy^ converted its upper 

 " parts into mud, earth, and duft. When the buty- 

 '' raceous cruft defcended into the earth, in its ftead 

 '• fprung forth a certain climbing plant, which alfo 

 " had the taite of butter. This plant continued to be 

 " the common food of men till avarice again pre- 

 " vailed; then it difappeared. In its place, from the 

 *' merit of certain good men, there came out of the 

 '• earth's bowels a kind of excellent rice already 

 *' cleared of its hufk. Pots alfo filled with this rice 

 '• grew of their own accord; and men had only to 

 "' place them on a Itone then common, which fpon- 

 ••' taneoully emitted fire fufhcient to boil the rice. 

 " Every where alfo were to be found meats various 

 *• according to each perfon's defire. 



" In the beginning, when men fed on the cruft, and 

 '* on the climbing plant, the whole of this food was 

 '* changed into flelh and blood : but when they began 

 " to eat rice, the groft'er parts of that diet required 



R 4 " after 



* The Pali word for necefTiiy, i See page 17Q of this Volume. 



