JOURNAL 



OF 



THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. 56. — September, 1836. 



I. — Examination of some points of Buddhist Chronology . By the Hon. 

 George Turnour, Ceylon Civil Service. 



While the question of the authenticity of Buddhistical chronology, 

 developed in Pali annals, subsequent to the advent of Sa'kya Sinha, 

 is under the consideration of the Committee of Papers of the Asiatic 

 Society, I beg to offer a few observations on the Chronological Table 

 appended to Professor Wilson's Essay on the Hindu History of 

 Cashmir, called the Rdja Tarangini, published in the XV th volume of 

 the Asiatic Researches. 



The first portion' of this history, compiled by Kalha'na Pandit 

 commences with the fabulous ages ; it is represented to extend to 

 A. D. 1024 ; and the author is reputed to have flourished about Saka 

 1070, or A. D. 1148. 



Before tabularizing and adjusting the chronology comprised in 

 that history*, Professor Wilson gives the following details regarding 

 the reign of the monarch Aso'ka. 



" The last of these princes (Sachinara) being childless, the crown of Cashmir 

 reverted to the family of its former rulers, and devolved on Asoka, who was 

 descended from the paternal great uncle of Khagendra. This prince, it is said 

 in the Ayen Acberi, abolished the Brahminical rites, and substituted those of 

 Jina ; from the original however it appears, that he by no means attempted the 

 former of these heinous acts, and that, on the contrary, he was a pious worship, 

 per of Siva, an ancient temple of whom in the character of Vijayesa he repair- 

 ed. With respect to the second charge, there is better foundation for it, although 

 it appears that the prince did not introduce, but invented or originated the Jina 

 Sawna. He is said to have founded a city called Srinagar, a different place, 



* Want of space must excuse our inserting these tables, which will be accessi- 

 ble to all our readers in our Chronological and Genealogical Appendix. — Ed. 

 3 v 



