330 Notes on the Buddhas from Ceylonese authorities. [June, 



The second visit of Gautama Buddha to Ceylon was B. C. 581 ; on 

 which occasion he reconciled two rival princes of the Nagas, Chulodra 

 and Mahodra, who had been carrying on a destructive war. These 

 princes were near relations, and their capitals of Kellania* and 

 Wadenawagallaf were situated in that part of the western coast of 

 Ceylon which was then called Naga-diwinia. On the termination of 

 their feud, the throne for which they had contended, was made an 

 offering to the Buddha, and enshrined by the Nagas in the Dagobah 

 of KellaniaJ to be worshipped as a memorial of their teacher. 



Gautama Buddha a third time came to Ceylon B. C. 577, and hav- 

 ing revisited Kellania, from thence proceeded to Samanella (Adam's 

 peak), Diganakhya in Ruhunu, the eight places at Anuraadhapura, 

 and all others which had been sanctified by former Buddhas ; then 

 took his final departure from the island, and proceeded to his principal 

 residence in the temple of Jaitawanarama in Saewatnuwara§ of 

 Magadha. Gautama Buddha continued to be indefatigable in pub- 

 lishing his doctrines, and to be eminently successful in increasing his 

 followers, and at last died placidly at a short distance from the town 

 of Kusinaranuwara in Malwa, in the 81st year of his age, and B. C. 

 543. 



Of Maitri, 

 The expected Buddha, whose advent is foretold bv Buddhists. 



Buddhists believe that to complete the predestined number of the 

 Buddhas, allotted for the Mahd Bhadra Kalpa, and to renovate the 

 faith of a degenerating race, Maitri Buddha will be born of Wihare 

 Dewi, who in her last transmigration was the daughter of Kellania 

 Tissa Ra'ja, and who about B. C. 220 became queen of Magam||, 

 and wife of Kawantissa Raja. 



The emblematic tree which will be selected by Maitri' Buddha, and 

 become sacred from the time of his appearance until the end of this 

 Kalpa, it is predicted will be the Nagaha or iron- wood tree. 



* Kellania, four miles from Colomba. 



T Wadenawagalla in the Swinkorles. 



X This Dagoba still exists. 



§ Buddha Gya is probably Saewatuuwara, and contains amidst its shapeless 

 ruins the remains of Gautama's residence ; as well as the wreck of those splen- 

 did temples which were built to commemorate his worth, or cover his relics. 



|| The ruins of the city of Magam, extend over a considerable space, and in- 

 clude several large Dagobas ruined and overgrown with jungle ; they lie on 

 the left bank of the Menick Ganga, and between Katragama and Hambantotti ; 

 from the latter place to Magam is fourteen miles. 



