III ■ 111 n ■■■«■■ 



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0« ^e history of the Burmah Hace. 



[No. 1, 



temporal and spiritual, of the Burmese kings. The foundation of that 

 authority they continually refer to, and it is ever present to the minds 

 of their subjects. It is proper therefore briefly to record that portion 

 of the national history. 



The history opens with announcing that after a cycle of the great 

 revolutions of the universe, wherein worlds are destroyed by lire, by 

 water, and by air, had elapsed, the present earth emerged from a 

 deluge. A delicious substance like the ambrosia of the gods was left 

 by the subsiding water, spread over the earth. The throne of Gautama 

 first appeared above the water. At the same time, the beings called 

 Brahma, who live in the upper world or heavenly regions, had accom- 

 plished their destinies. They then changed their state, and became 

 beings with corporeal frames, but without sex. # Their bodies shone 

 with their own light, and full of joy they soared like birds in the 

 expanse of heaven, From eating of the ambrosia, the light of the 

 bodies of these beings gradually declined, and because of the darkness, 

 they became sore afraid. Because of the glory of those beings, and 

 because also of the eternally established order of nature, the sun, of gold 

 within and glass without, fifty yoodzanasf in diameter, and one 

 hundred and fifty in circumference, appeared above the great Eastern 

 island, (of the solar system,) and threw forth his light. The inhabi- 

 tants of the world were then relieved from fear and called the sun (in 

 Pali) Thoo-ree-ya. 



In like manner the first appearance of the moon and stars is described, 

 the central mount Myenmo (Mem,) and the whole sekva or solar 

 system. The history then proceeds : — 



" Of the world's first inhabitants, some were handsome, some not 

 handsome. As the handsome ones despised the others, in consequence 

 of the haughty evil thoughts thus engendered, the ambrosia of the 

 earth disappeared, and they ate of the crust of the earth. Then in 

 process of time selfishness and desire increasing, the earth's surface 

 crust disappeared. They then ate of a sweet creeping plant; when 

 that disappeared, the Thcday rice came up, which as they gathered, it 

 was renewed morning and evening. Placing it in a stone jar, flames 



mlllX^ZJ+T ^ h - 88 ttat the P60ple called h y Europeans Burmas, Bur- 

 ZZ Zd rZf» i Uame - In the Burmese lan W *e ^rne is written 



fe t r a t the enf " generallj P rOT10 ™ ced by themselves Ba-md. See 



t A modern yoodzana equals about thirteen English miles. 



MM 



HmrBtawumEngLn 



