514 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XIX, 
All agree that the Gubhaju or Vajra Acharya is the 
highest class of priest, Hodgson’s informant in fact making 
it the sole division of Banras who are not recluses. 
e inferior priests variously called Bhikshu, Bikhu or 
Bikhut seem to have been confused by some of the writers, 
due tc there being the recluse Bhikshus who are called by 
the Sanskrit term and the goldsmith and priestly Bikhu 
(evidently the Newari equivalent) who are family men. The 
origin of Bikhus, given by the Census Report resembles to 
a certain extent that given by Oldfield. According to the 
latter, every Gubhaju before attaining manhood, or in practice 
before he has become a father. must be initiated into the rank 
It seems to me that this is the same as the account given 
by the Gubhaju, only with certain differences which have 
crept in, due to laxity or other reasons. 
,Of the other classes given, the Barraju or Bandeju 
(=Sakya Vansi) seem to have no separate existence. Hamilton 
gives Barrjesu as a synonym for his Bangras who are evidently 
the same as Banras, and Hodgson has given Barreju with 
Bandeju as equivalent of it and the Gubhaju gives both, 
mentioning that they constitute merely the Banras, not a 
separate class. It may therefore be aecepted as having been a 
mistake on the part of Oldfield and Hodgson. The confusion 
might have arisen very simply. The list of occupations given 
by Oldfield, Hamilton and Hodgson as followed by Banras 
shows that they are engaged in almost all respectable secular 
pursuits and many have abandoned their religious profession 
completely. The Vajra Acharya and Bikhu differ from 
them in that they retain their religious functions. Hence 
it is very probable that this large class of ordinary secular 
Banras, although not at all differentiated in social matters 
om the others, simply return themselves as Banras, not 
as Vajra Acharya or Bikhu. This would very easily lead 
even a fairly good foreign investigator astray. 
I do not think they can be identified with the Chivarbharhi 
of Oldfield, who are said to have taken their occupation at 
