1837.] Examination of the Pali Buddhistical Annals. 505 



have been examined, I shall proceed then, by extracts from, and com- 

 ments on, both the Pitahattayan and the Atthahathd to illustrate those 

 portions of these works which are purely of an historical character, 

 commencing with the genealogy of the kings of India. The ensuing 

 extracts will show that Mr. Armour's translated essay on Buddhism, 

 as derived from the Wisuddhimuggo, a compendium formed by Bud- 

 dhaghoso himself, presents an abstract of the doctrinal and metaphy- 

 sical parts of that creed, which, as being the work of that last great 

 commentator on the Buddhistical Scriptures, acquires an authority and 

 authenticity, which no compendium, exclusively formed by any orien- 

 talist of a different faith, and more modern times, can have any claim to. 



Before I proceed to my extracts a few preliminary remarks are neces- 

 sary for the adaptation of dates to the events described. 



The Buddhistical era is dated from the day of Sakya's death, which 

 having occurred on the full moon of the month of Wes&kho, 2,480 

 years ago, the epoch, therefore, falls to the full moon of that month 

 in B. C. 543. 



In that year, the first convocation was held at Rdjagoha (the 

 modern Rdjmahal*), then the capital of the Mdgadha monarch Ajata- 

 satto, in the eighth year of his reign. 



The second convocation was held a century afterwards in B. C. 

 443, at Wesdli (the modern Allahabad) then the capital of the Mdga- 

 dha monarch Kalasoko, and in the tenth year of his reign. 



The third convocation was held 134 years after the second one, 

 -in B. C. 309 at Pdtilipura (the ancient Palibothra, and modern Patna), 

 then the capital of the Indian empire, in the 1 7th year of the reign of 

 Asoko or Dhamma'soko. 



At the first of these convocations the orthodox version of the Pita- 

 hattayan was defined and authenticated, as will be seen by the ensu- 

 ing quotations, with a degree of precision which fixed even the number 

 of syllables of which it should consist. The commentaries made 

 or delivered on that occasion, acquired the designation of the At- 

 thakathd. 



At the second and third convocations certain schismatic proceed- 

 ings among the Buddhistical priesthood were suppressed, and the above 

 authentic version of the Pitahattayan was rehearsed and reaffirmed on 

 each occasion ; and additional Atthakathd were delivered, narrative 

 of the history of Buddhism for the periods that had preceded each of 

 those two CONVOCATIONS. 



* This is the usual supposition but, Rdjagriha of Behar is undoubtedly the 

 •right place. — Ed. 



