158 Discovery of Buddhist Images [March* 



of the Bauddha inscriptions given in the 39th No. of the Journal of 

 the Asiatic Society, the words " Ye dhamma, &c." were immediately 

 recognised, and supposed to be those placed under these images of 

 Gaudama also. The two figures seen standing on each side of Gau- 

 dama in one of these are not, as I had supposed, his two favorite 

 disciples, Mouggalan and Tharepouttara, but figures of a preceding 

 Buddha named Di'penkara, who first delivered the prophetical annun- 

 ciation to Gaudama, whilst the latter was existing in the state of 

 Thoomeda hermit, declaring that after myriads of years, which he 

 would take in perfecting himself in every virtue, he would attain the 

 state of a Buddha. The learned Burmese confirm Dr. Mills's opinion, 

 and Mr. Hodgson's information, that there is no connexion between 

 the last two lines and the first two produced by M. Csoma de Koros, 

 in the 39th No. of the Journal of the Asiatic Society. The last two, 

 they say, are intended to show the points of instruction delivered, not 

 by Gaudama only, but by every preceding Buddha, and they translate 

 the Pali thus : 



" The not doing of every kind of evil, fulfilling of good, and purify- 

 ing and cleansing the heart : these above mentioned are the precepts 

 of Buddhas." 



With the first two lines beginning " Ye dhamma," the Burmese 

 books connect the following anecdote : 



On the third year after Gaudama had attained the state of a Buddha, 

 whilst he was residing at Welawoon monastery in the city of Yazagyo, 

 (Rajgiri,) one of his disciples, named Ashen Athazi Matt'hee, went 

 into that city to receive charitable donations, and was met by Oopa- 

 deittha, the son of the female Brahman Thare, and a disciple of 

 Thein-zen Parabaik, some kind of heretics so called. Oopadeittha 

 asked Ashen Athazi Matt'hee, who was his teacher, what were his 

 opinions ; the latter replied, " My teacher is the most excellent Lord 

 Gaudama, his doctrines* are as boundless as the sky. I am but lately 

 become a Yahan, and know a little of them only." Oopadeittha 

 begged that he would repeat a little of them only, when Athazi 

 Matt'hee recited the two lines beginning with the words Ye dhamma; 

 but the moment he finished the first line, Oopadeittha was converted. 

 He then followed the other to Gaudama, who received him as a 

 disciple, and changed his name into Tharepouttara, or the son of 

 Thare the female Brahman, by which name he was ever after distin- 

 guished as one of the favorite disciples of Gaudama, and is always 

 figured as seated on his right hand, whilst Mouggalan, the other 

 favorite disciple, is seen on the left hand. Hence, these words have 

 over since been considered, as Mr. Hodgson states, as a confessio fidei 



