828 On the History and Literature of the Veda. [Aug. 



of other passages of the Nirukta) and before him Kautsa, had thus 

 already before them the whole system of the ritual, and the exactly 

 regulated application of the Vedic texts in religious services ; they were 

 acquainted with a number of the fundamental works of the Kalpa, of 

 the Brahmanas ; and the rationalistic Kautsa could count the Veda 

 senseless and the Brahmanas as false representations. A conclusion 

 may hence be drawn as to the length of time* which must lie between 

 this grammarian and the Brahmanas ; and as to what further period 

 again must intervene between these liturgical writings and the Veda, 

 which they explain allegorically and mystically, and recognize as already 

 collected and arranged in the way in which it has come down to us ; 

 of which, e. g. the Aitareya Brahmana gives the most numerous 

 proofs, f 



By means of Buddhism we have, from quite a different side, a proof, 

 which chimes in with the above, for the antiquity of the scientific treat- 

 ment of the Veda, and the extended development of the ritual ; and I 

 mention this only to show how that which we discover through the 

 serial sequence of the Vedic writings, is confirmed through what is as 

 yet the most certain historical channel. Sakyamuni comes as the pro- 

 claimer of a new religious truth, by which the limits of the way of 

 salvation, the mass of the brahmanical institutions are torn down. His 

 doctrine is a refuge even for Brahmans, who were unable to encounter 

 the difficulties of their own complicated system 4 If Buddhism could 

 have such an importance in the 6th or 5th century B. C, then must 

 that entire edifice of worship and ceremonies, which is based on the 

 practical part of the Veda, the Brahmanas, have been long before erected. 



* This appears to be the place to which Note 6, which has been translated below 

 refers. The figure of reference, however is not in the text. 



+ Let me be allowed to remark here by the way on the Aitareya Brahmana, that this 

 book, which is the highest degree remarkable not only for its liturgical contents, but also, 

 for a mass of historical notices and legends, and on which we have a most excellent 

 commentary of Sayana, is being prepared for publication by my friend Dr. C. Rieu. 

 It is certainly one of the oldest writings of this kind, and its explanation will form the 

 basis of our knowledge of the ritual. 



% E. Burnouf, Introduction a l'histoire du Bouddhisme, p. 196. II est avere pour 

 nous, que la doctrine du Cakja etail devenue probablement assez vite une sorte de devo- 

 tion aisee, qui recrutait parmi ceux, qu'effrayaient les difficultes de la science brahmani- 

 que. En meme temps que le Bouddhisme attirait a lui les Brahmans ignorants, il 

 accueillait avec un empresscment egal les pauvres des toutes conditions, etc. 



