1867.] The Pegu Pagoda. 115 



former greatness, and the temples had fallen into ruins, when the 

 king of the great country of Patalipoot named Athawka Dhamma 

 Raja invited the Rahandas Mawgaliopootta, Fictha and Oobhara to 

 the third council, and under their guidance searched for sacred relics 

 wherever they were to be found. The Rahandas pointed out the 

 places where the holy hairs and other relics were reposing in the 

 country of Hanthawadie ; seven Tsedees were cleared of the trees and 

 weeds, with which they were overgrown, and were ornamented with 

 golden Htees by the piously disposed monarch. These Tsedees were 

 the Dagoon, the Kyaik-dewa, the Kyaik-thamwonhan, the Shwe 

 Hmawdaw, the Makaw, the Kyaik-Kbouk and the Kyaik-tanoo. All 

 these, with the exception of the Shwe Dagoon (Rangoon), are in 

 the neighbourhood of the town of Pegu. 



A number of persons were also devoted by king Athawka to be the 

 attendants or servitors of these Pagodas. 



A complete list of them is given — ninety men were assigned to the 

 Shwe Hmawdaw and twenty-five to the Shwe Dagoon. Altogether five 

 hundred men were devoted to the seven Pagodas. Of these two 

 hundred were from the west of the Sittang river, and the remainder 

 were Mogoung Shens. Lands also were dedicated to the use of these 

 Pagodas. 



The extent of the lands is carefully described in the legend. The 

 land which was assigned to the Shwe Hmawdaw was the same which 

 had been given before by king Thamandaraza of Zoungdoo. The lands 

 assigned to the Shwe Dagoon were more extensive. Their boundaries 

 are thus described. On the east the Thabyoo Khyoung, on the 

 north the Zoung-Khyoung, on the west the Myoung Mya Pagoda, 

 on the south the river. 



King Athawka then returned to Patalipoot.* After the episode of 

 king Athawka, there is a hiatus of nearly 900 years in the chronicle, 

 and we arrive then at the historical period. 



* The first introduction of Buddhism into India extra Gangem dates from 

 the time of Athawka. After the 3rd council had completed their labors and 

 reduced Buddhism to its present form by the compilation of the Beetagat or 

 scriptures, missionaries were deputed to all the neighbouring countries to 

 spread the knowledge of the faith. Two of them, Potera and Thawna, arrived 

 in the Talaing country of Thatoon, whence their religion spread over Burmah. 

 It is doubtful whether, at the time of their arrival, the Talaings had yet 

 occupied the country to the west of the Sittang River. 



