JOURNAL 



OF 



THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



JVb. 33 — September, 1834. 



I. — Further Remarks on M. Remusat's Review of Buddhism. By B. H. 

 Hodgson, Esq. Resident at the Nepal Court, $c. 



Adverting again to Remusat's Review in the Journal des Savans for 

 May, 1831, I find myself charged with another omission more impor- 

 tant than that of all mention of the Avatars. It is no less than the 

 omission of all mention of any other Buddhas than the seven celebrat- 

 ed Maniishis. The passage in which this singular allegation is advan- 

 ced is the following : " Les noms de ces sept personnages (the ' Sapta 

 Buddha') sont connus des Chinois, et ils en indiquent une infinite 

 d'autres dont le Bouddhiste Nipalien ne parle pas." 



My Essay in the London Transactions was the complement and con- 

 tinuation of that in the Calcutta Researches. Remusat was equally well 

 acquainted with both • and, unlesshe would have had me indulge in most 

 useless repetition, he must have felt convinced that the points enlarged 

 on in the former essay would be treated cursorily or omitted, in the latter. 

 Why, then, did he not refer to the Calcutta paper for what was want- 

 ing in the London one ? Unless I greatly deceive myself, I was the 

 first person who shewed clearly, and proved by extracts from original 

 Sanscrit works, that Buddhism recognises " une infinite" of Buddhas, 

 — Dhyani and Manushi, Pratyeka, Sravaka, and Maha Yanika. The 

 xvith vol. of the Calcutta Transactions was published in 1828. In 

 that vol. appeared my first Essay, the substance of which had, how- 

 ever, been in the hands of the Secretary nearly three years before it 

 was published*. In that vol. I gave an original list of nearly 150 



* According to usage in that matter provided : a statement in which I request 

 the present Secretary will have the goodness to bear me out. 

 2 i 



